If you have been injured and have lost the ability to use your legs, what do you do on vacation? There’s not much fun for someone who can’t use their legs. Look no further because this article will show you some of the best vacation spots for people with disabilities. I’ll also give you some tips on how to enjoy yourself despite being in a wheelchair.
When looking for a wheelchair accessible vacation, it is important to know what your requirements are and not settle for just any vacation spot. To make the task easier I’ve put together a list and description of a few places that might just be perfect for you.
Going out of town using your motorized wheelchair can be stressful, but with a few simple tips, you’ll be on your way to enjoying a great vacation. Here are tips and resources to make the process a little easier.
This city is known for its innovative approach to accessibility, which means that no matter what your disability is, you’ll be able to enjoy all of its attractions. You can go skiing in the mountains, or explore the city’s museums and galleries. There are even tours of local farms where you can pick your own apples!
There are plenty of hotels in town that offer wheelchair rentals or will help you coordinate transportation from door to door. And because the city has such a strong network of sidewalks and paths, you won’t have any trouble getting around with your own two feet—even if they don’t work quite as well as they used to
When you’re a wheelchair user, it can be a challenge to find the right vacation. But don’t let that deter you from having fun! You do have options—you just need to know where to look.
Vacations for wheelchair users can be a wonderful way to relax and enjoy yourself, no matter what your disability is. Here are some of the best places to visit when you’re using a wheelchair:
The beach: With windswept sand and warm water, the beach is an ideal place for wheelchair users. You can get around in your chair just fine, and there’s plenty of room for everyone. Plus, who doesn’t love getting sand everywhere?
A cruise ship: Cruise ships are great because they’re so easy to get around on—they have elevators and ramps wherever you go, plus lots of room for wheelchairs. Plus, you get to see all sorts of amazing things!
Disney World: Who doesn’t want to go on rides with their whole family? Disney World is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Florida (and one of the best places for wheelchair users), with plenty of attractions that are accessible by wheelchair or scooter. It’s also got great food and entertainment options!
Washington, D.C.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority was called “perhaps the most-accessible public transportation system in the world” some years back by Our Traveling Blog. The broad sidewalks downtown make it more wheelchair-friendly than most cities its size. Combine that with the Metro (which has elevators at every stop), van transport when elevators break down, kneeling buses, and a mandate to make 100 percent of taxis wheelchair-accessible, and D.C. leads by example. In the nation’s capital, most every attraction you can think of makes it easy for wheelchairs and strollers to get through.
Denver
Don’t let the Mile-High City moniker or the mountains fool you: Public transportation makes this place easy to navigate in a wheelchair. Yes, Denver can get cold and snowy, but its public transportation system goes to great lengths to be fully accessible. Trains and light rail have ramps and priority seating. The Access-a-Ride paratransit service requires one to three days’ notice but is available in dusk-to-dawn and dawn-to-dusk shifts, goes anywhere within a three-quarter-mile radius of standard transit, and is available to out-of-town visitors.
London
The London Underground, the lower decks of its buses, and even the Black Taxi Cabs — each of which has a ramp, high door openings, and extra room inside for wheelchairs — make London one of the most accessible cities in the world. Buckingham Palace offers step-free access through a private front entrance, and the Royal Mews are completely level. Attractions such as the Tate galleries and British Museum are similarly accessible, and the cars on the London Eye Ferris wheel are step-free.
Las Vegas
The shows and casinos on the Vegas Strip (and even the zip lines) are wheelchair-accessible. The city is flat, the sidewalks are broad, and the rain is minimal. There is a sprawling paratransit system, which is open to wheelchair users from other places, and fares for people in wheelchairs on buses are $1. Even the monorail is wheelchair-accessible. As for strollers, don’t worry: That family-friendly stint during the ’90s means there are plenty of accessible attractions such as various malls, the Bellagio fountain, the Neon Museum, Fremont Street, and Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat.
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Seattle
Despite Seattle’s hilly nature, WheelchairTravel ranked the city No. 1 among its most wheelchair-accessible cities a few years ago, thanks to wheel-friendly ferries and taxis with ramps. The mild weather and high safety rating help, but the bus system has been fully accessible for more than 20 years, and Sound Transit light rail is wheelchair-accessible as well. Major tourist attractions including the Space Needle, zoo, and aquarium are wheelchair-friendly too.
Oslo, Norway
Bordering Sweden, this city makes great effort to attract visitors who use wheelchairs and walkers. Although most of the city is flat, with well-kept sidewalks and curb cuts, attractions such as the Royal Palace are often on grades. (You can get a great look at the Oslofjord from wheelchair-accessible sites such as the Oslo Opera House and Akershus Fortress.) The Nobel Peace Center, Viking Ship Museum, Fram Museum, National Theater, and Kon-Tiki museum are similarly accessible, and all reachable by trains and buses.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles doesn’t mess around. All buses are built for wheelchair access, all rail stations have ramps or elevators, and all wheelchair-using passengers pay less than half price. The Metro also tweets to let riders know if their local stop’s elevator is down. The Consolidated Transportation Services Agency has a free fare program and a seven-day-a-week rideshare program. Also, almost all the area’s major attractions are wheelchair- and stroller-accessible.
Riviera Maya, Mexico
The Riviera Maya — the touristy area south of Cancun, with its Playa del Carmen resort town — has a slew of accessible beaches, some shopping and dining districts that can offer an occasionally frustrating lack of curb cuts or step up into a business, swimming with dolphins, and one huge draw, according Wheelchair Traveling: access to ancient Mayan ruins with the tour company Cancun Accesible.
Tenerife, Spain
The largest of Spain’s Canary Islands seems to specialize in going the extra mile to provide access, Handiscover reports. Las Vistas beach has a wide promenade and floating wheelchairs, Teide National Park offers the Roque de Caramujo Path, and there are enjoyable excursions to check out to the third-largest volcano in the world — not to mention hiking in all-terrain chairs. Even better, “you are almost guaranteed sunshine any time of year,” according to Travel Breathe Repeat.
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Portland, Oregon
Reduced fares for people with disabilities limit the cost of public transit to $28 a month. Those who can’t take wheelchair-accessible light rail, buses, or streetcars can apply their fare to the LIFT transport service. Bus, train, and streetcar stations are all built with access in mind, while the city itself is relatively flat in most areas.
Shanghai
Shanghai boasts a few dozen London-style taxis with wheelchair ramps, “which means those with heavy duty power wheelchairs will find the taxi to be a very tight squeeze,” according to WheelchairTravel. The city’s maglev train is accessible with some planning and the subway system has elevators, although they can be hard to find on the street. (Buses are not accessible.) Sidewalks are broad and easily rollable. The Shanghai Museum, Jin Mao Tower, People’s Square and Park, Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, and Oriental Pearl TV Tower are all wheelchair- and walker-accessible.
Berlin
There’s been a lot of investment in making Berlin as inclusive as possible, and easily rollable sidewalks with plenty of curb cuts certainly help. U-Bahn and S-Bahn subway trains accommodate wheelchairs and walkers easily, but there are some stations where this is still an issue. Berlin’s buses, tram, and commuter rail are all generally accessible — which is good, because wheelchair taxis are nearly nonexistent. The Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, the Berlin Wall memorial, the Holocaust memorial, and all of Berlin’s museums offer easy access.
Boston
Don’t listen to the locals complaining about the T: It runs better than the New York City subway, and above- and below-ground trains have good wheelchair access. In fact, a lawsuit against New York City pointed out that the huge majority of T stations in this tourist-friendly city are wheelchair-accessible. That’s getting even better, with 90 percent of stations friendly to those with wheelchairs and the T updating platforms and elevators wherever possible in recent years. The Freedom Trail is one of the most wheel-friendly attractions in the country, while the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Museum of Fine Art, the Esplanade, and the Public Garden and Boston Common are all easy to navigate with wheelchairs and strollers.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This capital city is considered one of the most accessible in Southeast Asia by WheelchairTravel. That’s saying something about the rest of the region, as sidewalks are narrow, curb cuts are hit or miss, and wheelchair taxis are rare. But light rail, commuter rail, and hop-on, hop-off buses all have either flat entryways or available ramps. With many of the biggest attractions built in the past few decades, sites such as Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur Tower, KL City Center, Aquaria, and Merdeka Square are easily accessible. Even older sites such as the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Little India street market are surprisingly simple to navigate.
Barcelona, Spain
As a Mediterranean port, Barcelona brings in a whole lot of cruises, and ramps, elevators, and level walkways help accommodate the passengers. This is one of the most accessible cities in Europe, with 100 percent accessible buses and subways and wide sidewalks flanking even the most treacherous cobblestone streets. A rolling tour of medieval sites including Barcelona Cathedral, built more than 500 years ago, and the Santa Maria del Mar church, erected in the 14th century, is fairly simple, while Parc Guell, La Sagrada Familia, and some of Antoni Gaudí’s other creations can be either explored or seen from accessible routes. Sant Jaume Square, Las Ramblas boulevard, the former Royal Palace, and all the outdoor cafes in between are also wheel-friendly stops, especially for those looking to park and take in paella, bombas, and other Spanish cuisine.
Chicago
Nothing about lake-effect snow seems particularly wheelchair-friendly, but we’re talking about public transportation. The buses are generally as accessible as tourist attractions including Sears Tower and Wrigley Field, although WheelchairTravel notes that Chicago could certainly invest more into improving train access. While the Chicago Transit Authority’s system is about 70 percent accessible, it’s trying to reach a D.C.-like 100 percent by 2036.
Brussels
The capital of Belgium and the European Union is still heavily cobblestoned and steep, which can make it daunting for visitors who use wheelchairs and walkers. But the city has some accessible hotel rooms and taxis — about one in 10 has a wheelchair ramp. Only about half of city subway stops are wheelchair-accessible, and the trains themselves are often a few inches above their platforms, but all buses and international trains at Gare du Midi have wheelchair access. While the cobbles of Grand Place make it tough to get around, destinations such as the EU Parliament, the Fin-de-Siècle Museum, the Magritte Museum, the National Basilica of the Sacred Heart, and the Musical Instruments Museum are all accessible.
Richmond, Virginia
Only about 30 percent of the city was within reach of public transit in 2011, but that’s changing quickly: Richmond’s high-frequency bus rapid transit system launched last year along more than a dozen stops. Passengers using wheelchairs pay 75 cents per ride, and have access to a fleet that’s now 100 percent wheelchair-friendly. Buses run late into the night, and there’s a fleet of 80 vehicles dedicated solely to curb-to-curb paratransit. That makes it easy to get to wheel-friendly destinations such as the Kings Dominion theme park, Maymont Victorian estate, the canal walk, and the Edgar Allan Poe museum.
Bucharest, Romania
The Romanian capital and former Soviet bloc city has been improving wheeled access steadily since the fall of Communism in 1989. The Cismigiu Gardens, Arcul de Triumf, Herăstrău Park, the National Museums of Art and History, the Palace of Parliament, and the Village Museum are now wheelchair- and walker-accessible. City buses and trolleys are largely accessible, and much of the subway has wheelchair access and flat platform-to-train connections, though gaps in between could prove problematic for powered wheelchairs. While WheelchairTravel gives the public transit and hotels high scores and the attractions a moderate score, taxis and sidewalks score on the low end.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
A fairly flat city to begin with, Albuquerque also has one of the most accessible transit systems in the country. All its buses are wheelchair-friendly, and the Sun Van curb-to-curb service takes up the slack for those who can’t ride the bus. Fares for people in wheelchairs are roughly a third of the normal fare, and all NM Rail Runner express train stations are wheelchair-accessible. Nob Hill, the Balloon Fiesta, and most attractions are accessible by wheelchair. Don’t bother looking for an accessible taxicab, though. A rental van is, unfortunately, the best way to drive around this city.
Seoul, Korea
This city gets high marks for its buses and subways built for wheeled access, and for broad sidewalks and shop entrances that are among the most wheelchair- and walker-friendly in the world. The Myeong-dong shopping district, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Namsan Cable Car, Seoul Tower, various museums, and the World Cup soccer stadium are all welcoming to visitors using wheelchairs and walkers, with some offering as much as 30 percent off the ticket price to those wheeling their way in.
San Francisco
When New York was sued for its lack of access, the suit noted that all of San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit stations were wheelchair-accessible. Caltrain is similarly accessible, as are Muni buses and trains. The same applies to San Francisco Bay ferries. While nearby Berkeley has free wheelchair repair, drivers in San Francisco are trained to belt chairs into place before traversing the city’s steeper streets, and many of the city’s most popular destinations, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, and Alcatraz, are wheelchair-friendly.
Gibraltar
This British territory bordering Spain may look like an unforgiving rock, but it’s a surprisingly accessible tourist hot spot. Sure, elevation makes things tricky elsewhere, but the city center is made up of wide sidewalks and gentle curb cuts. With a large part of its economy built on tourism, Gibraltar has made destinations such as Europa Point, the Rock of Gibraltar, Siege Tunnels, World War II tunnels, Trafalgar Cemetery, Casemates Square, and even the beaches wheelchair- and walker-accessible.
Orlando, Florida
It’s the vacation capital of the world, and every tourist attraction in this town is wheelchair-accessible, from the Disney and Universal parks to Legoland and SeaWorld. The Lynx bus system, which keeps late hours and runs year-round, charges half-price fares for riders in wheelchairs while offering curb-to-curb access paratransit service.
Moscow
The airport train, hop-on, hop-off buses, and city buses are largely accessible; trams and the subway aren’t quite as friendly. Though Russian winters and stairs to pedestrian tunnels under busy streets can be obstacles, most sidewalks are broad and simple to navigate. There are lots of Western hotels with roll-in showers, but the sheer age of sites such as the Kremlin, Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, and the Pushkin Museum make them far less accessible than similar tourist draws around the world. Instead, go to a ballet at the wheelchair-accessible Bolshoi or spend some rubles at the GUM Shopping Center.
Philadelphia
Attractions such as the Constitution Center, Museum of the American Revolution, Franklin Institute, Liberty Bell, and even the art museum (the Rocky steps aren’t the only way in) are wheelchair- and stroller-friendly. The hotels do a fine job as well. Philly’s transit has access but has work to do: Roughly 70 percent of the buses and trains are wheelchair-accessible, and much of that improvement has come in recent years. While SEPTA’s bus system is 100 percent accessible, passengers have lobbied for improvement at train stations, especially for regional rail. The PATCO rail line fares only slightly better, but the city is still loaded with accessible options.
Cairo
There’s little accessible public transportation to speak of, and the sidewalks are basically impossible to navigate in a wheelchair or walker, but those aren’t the only ways to see Cairo. The city’s London-style black cabs have wheelchair ramps and are affordable. While you can’t see all the excavation, the pyramids of Giza have remarkable access, as do Al-Azhar Park, the first floor of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo Tower, and the Cairo Citadel.
Honolulu
Covering more than 97 percent of the city, Honolulu’s bus system is exceptional. Fares for those with wheelchairs are about a third of the standard adult fare, and all buses are wheelchair-accessible. If the buses themselves prove difficult, the city’s paratransit service covers a whole lot of ground. Honolulu’s beaches have all-terrain wheelchairs on hand, while attractions such as Pearl Harbor and the royal palace are also wheelchair-friendly (even if Diamond Head is not).
Singapore
The street food, the zoo, and even Raffles, home of the Singapore Sling, are wheelchair- and walker-accessible, thanks to mandated barrier-free accessibility that’s been built into code for more than 20 years. A fully accessible rail system and buses — combined with sidewalks replete with curb cuts and stepless building entry — make Singapore and its myriad malls easy to navigate.