crown wheelchair travel

6 Tour Companies Dedicated to Travelers with Disabilities

By Arundhati Nath

Growing up, Neha Arora didn’t have the easiest time traveling with her family—her father is visually impaired and her mother is a wheelchair user. “We’d travel 2,000 miles only to realize the place wasn’t accessible or wouldn’t give us the experience we were looking forward to,” says Arora. In 2016, she founded Planet Abled , a travel company that caters to the needs of people with various disabilities, a group the World Health Organization estimates at 15 percent of the world’s population. Arora isn’t the only one pushing for more thoughtful travel experiences—here’s a look at six companies focused on accessible travel .

Travel for All

Travel for All has organized more than 5,000 vacations around the world for travelers with a variety of requirements, including cane users, slow walkers, hearing and vision impaired persons, travelers with complex health issues like dialysis and developmental disabilities, and wheelchair users. “As multiple sclerosis began to affect my own personal travel, I researched what resources could assist me with executing travel using my wheelchair,” says CEO Tarita Davenock. “I was shocked when I saw the lack of services.” Every trip Travel for All plans comes with an accessibility specialist. “We research and give our clients the pros and cons of any area in the world before planning the trip, so our client knows what to expect while they are in that destination,” says Davenock. “Meticulous planning and great attention to detail are the keystones of keeping our vacations safe.”

A Seable group trip in Cambodia, where travelers visited the Wat Phnom temple

Seable Holidays

Seable Holidays specializes in trips for visually impaired travelers. All trips include trained chaperones—who undergo a background check—as well as inclusive sports and sensory activities like horse riding, scuba diving, kayaking, wine tasting, yoga, and tactile museum excursions. And everything is thoroughly vetted, with chaperones, activities, and accommodations tested by blind people before they’re recommended by the company. While trips are on pause during the pandemic, Seable Holidays will bring them back in summer 2022.

Easy Access Travel

Debra Kerper and her team at Easy Access Travel accommodate most types of physical disabilities in their solo trips and mixed group tours. While Kerper sometimes relies on her own experiences as a traveler in a wheelchair, she says every trip needs to be tailored to an individual client’s needs. To do so, the team spends time getting to know their clients to match them with the best vacation choice, and visits hotels and tourist spots for inspection, takes cruises beforehand, and collects information from trustworthy sources to ensure a safe, accessible, and fun experience.

Planet Abled

Neha Arora’s Planet Abled arranges customized tours for people with different types of disabilities, and also plans group tours that include non-disabled people. Their trips mostly take place in India and South East Asia , with plans to expand to countries in Europe, and popular activities include river rafting, skiing, trekking, and wildlife safaris. Some of their extra touches include assigning a travel buddy for the blind, seeking special permission from museums so clients can touch and feel the articles on display, and arranging for sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired.

Wheel the World

Alvaro Silberstein, the CEO of Wheel the World , was paralyzed from the chest down after surviving an accident at 18. This didn’t stop him from seeing the world—he’s since visited 30 countries on five continents. “I realized that people with disabilities should be able to explore places as anyone else,” he says. Most of his clients are adults or seniors with mobility disabilities and wheelchair users, and he can arrange solo travel or group trips. Silberstein wants to create more awareness around accessibility, and his company pays special attention to details like the height of beds, width of doors, and accessibility of bathrooms, compiling this information on the Wheel the World website. Their multi-day trips are designed with local tour operators with a focus on accessible travel, and includes access to adaptive bikes, beach wheelchairs, and equipment for hiking, skydiving, kayaking, scuba diving, and surfing—they’ve even planned Macchu Pichu trips for wheelchair users . The company makes sure “prices are competitive and the pricing is the same no matter if the clients have a disability or not,” says Silberstein.

A quiet moment in Sintra, Portugal

Tapooz Travel

Laurent Roffe and Aicha Nystrom spent years volunteering with an organization that provides outdoors excursions to people with disabilities. “We have many friends in wheelchairs as part of our close community,” says Roffe. “I’m a sea kayak guide and [Aicha] is a ski guide and this has always been a source of immense joy for us. Launching our accessible travel business was a natural extension of what we are and what we like to do.” Their company, Tapooz Travel , specializes in trips for those with mobility issues, including visual and hearing impairment, rather than cognitive disabilities. When they have a client with a visual or hearing impairment, they make sure there’s at least one guide trained in sign language, or have a guide who can help with things like reading the menu at the restaurant and providing a voice narration during a site visit. Their network also includes adaptive sports instructors, sailboat skippers, tribal elders, massage therapists, and hot air balloon operators , all of whom are trained to work with travelers with disabilities.

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Crown Wheelchair Travel is a transportation service in Reading, England that provides accessible transportation for people with disabilities. We offer wheelchair accessible vans and coaches, as well as personalized service. We are committed to provid...

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.css-azcx6b{font-weight:400;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;text-align:center;height:180px;} Our trip was simply amazing! Wheel the World put together an accessible vacation that couldn’t be beat. The hotels were all fantastic, in particular, where we stayed on our trip home. Everything from the doorway to the bathroom was the best place I have ever stayed since becoming a power wheelchair user!

Traveled to Orlando

Since mobility issues have become an issue for me, I have not traveled as much as I’d like or as I did before I had to begin using a scooter. Wheel the World pre-scouted the locations to determine accessibility. Finding Wheel the World is to me like being released to travel again, despite mobility issues.

Traveled to Morocco

Wheel the World helped my family and I made one of my dad’s wishes come true. At the age of 80, with limited mobility, he enjoyed the magnificence of the Acropolis with us. Everything was perfect.

Traveled to Athens

Having everything set-up for me from the transportation to the city and museum guide made everything so much easier and took a lot of stress off me especially being in a different country.

Traveled to Paris

We were nervous because hotels and activities aren’t as accessible as they claim to be. This trip was not like this at all. All the activities were easy, we both felt confident about safety and we could enjoy the adventure without feeling like we had to miss out. That’s priceless to us.

Traveled to Costa Rica

My husband and I have traveled a lot over the years and it always seems that he always needs to adapt to the activities. This time around, it was different because all the activities were already adapted for him. He was the first priority on this trip. It really was great for him, which made it wonderful for all of us.

Traveled to South Africa

.css-1ygl3x{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;width:100%;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);font-size:1rem;-webkit-padding-start:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-inline-start:var(--chakra-space-4);-webkit-padding-end:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-inline-end:var(--chakra-space-4);padding-top:var(--chakra-space-2);padding-bottom:var(--chakra-space-2);}.css-1ygl3x:focus,.css-1ygl3x[data-focus]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-1ygl3x:hover,.css-1ygl3x[data-hover]{background:var(--chakra-colors-blackAlpha-50);}.css-1ygl3x[disabled],.css-1ygl3x[aria-disabled=true],.css-1ygl3x[data-disabled]{opacity:0.4;cursor:not-allowed;} .css-1eziwv{-webkit-flex:1;-ms-flex:1;flex:1;text-align:left;} What does "verified accessibility information" mean? .css-186l2rg{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:currentColor;opacity:1;-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 0.2s;transition:transform 0.2s;transform-origin:center;font-size:1.25em;vertical-align:middle;}

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Princess Cruises

Special Needs at Sea works with Princess to provide mobility services, including wheelchair rentals, for thousands of travelers aboard their ships each year!

Princess Cruises has long placed a high priority on making cruise vacations accessible for wheelchair travel and passengers with special needs. Princess initiated its Access program in 1992 to raise the standards of cruises suitable for disabled people across the fleet. Since then, for their innovation and commitment, they have been honored by the National Business & Disability Council and the Western Law Center for Disability Rights; the only time such honors have been awarded to a cruise line.

For travelers with limited mobility, all of Princess’ vessels have ADA wheelchair accessible staterooms. The Crown Class Ships, specifically the Emerald Princess ship and the Ruby Princess cruise ship and the Diamond Class Ships, specifically the Diamond Princess ship and Sapphire Princess ship , are the most accessible cruises for wheelchair users, with 30 and 27 accessible staterooms, 

Accessible rooms for wheelchair travel guests have widened doorways into the cabin and bathroom; wheel-in showers, hand-held showerheads and bath distress alarms; lowered closet railings, sinks, and handrails; and removed or revamped thresholds. The Princess fleet also has wheelchair travel-friendly restaurants, theaters, spas, lounges and open deck space. Elevators have at least a 36” doorway, and wheelchair seating is available in show lounges and other public spaces.

Guests with sight and hearing disabilities will also find the ships to be accommodating. The vessels are equipped with Braille elevator call buttons, audible arrival sounds and infrared listening assistance systems in the theatres. Portable room kits featuring a visual and tactile alert system for door knocking, telephone ringing, alarm clock and smoke detector are available upon request. Televisions on-board provide close captioning, and ship libraries feature a selection of books on tape. Princess Cruises ships also feature JAWS Screen Reading software with headsets in each Internet Café.

Princess Cruises does not provide wheelchair rentals or scooters for their guests. For wheelchair rentals, scooter rentals or other special needs equipment rentals, contact Special Needs Group at (800) 513-4515. To learn more about each of the ship’s accessibility, contact the Princess Access Office at  [email protected] . 

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You can trust Uplift Transport. We serve the needs of residents and visitors throughout Orange County and Southern California. We offer affordable, caring transportation for all of your Non-Emergency Transportation needs. Accompaniment offered for all outings available upon request.

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8 Top Destinations for a Wheelchair-Friendly Vacation

Updated : May 15, 2024

AAA Travel Editor, CW

Table of contents.

• Playa del Carmen
• U.S. National Parks
• Rio de Janeiro
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Maui, Hawaii

Wheelchair users face a variety of unique challenges that don’t have to get in the way of adventure. The demand among wheelchair users and others living with various disabilities for accessible tourism is reaching new heights, as more amenities and wheelchair-friendly features become more commonplace. 

Due to this, wheelchair-accessible cities, attractions and cultural sites can be found all over the world, opening up exciting new experiences and destinations to people of all kinds. AAA is committed to getting intrepid travelers of all abilities to the destination of a lifetime, so if you’re looking for your next wheelchair-friendly vacation spot, take a look at the following top destinations. 

1. Playa del Carmen

Located just over 40 miles to the south of Cancún, Playa del Carmen (or just plain “Playa”) is a popular resort city on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. As tourism is a major part of the local economy, local hospitality and tour providers have invested heavily in making their city more accessible to wheelchair users from abroad. Rent a beach wheelchair and soak in the sun on one of the most innovative wheelchair friendly vacation spots in the world.

Why You Should Visit:

• Wheelchair-accessible beaches (complete with beach wheelchairs). 
• Wheelchair-friendly hotels, restaurants and destinations like the Frida Kahlo Museum. 
• Easy access to the Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá and Tulum, whose gravel paths and ramps allow wheelchair users a rare chance to glimpse some of Mexico’s heritage up close. 

2. U.S. National Parks

If you’re traveling on a budget or don’t want to wander too far afield, don’t worry — there’s more than enough to explore right in your own backyard. Since National Parks are federal property within the borders of the United States, they’re required to provide a range of amenities and features to all visitors under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Plus, with 423 national park sites and 63 National Parks to choose from, you can broaden your horizons by visiting some of the country’s most important historical and natural sites without worrying about accessibility. 

• Extensive options with over 400 parks and sites of interest to choose from. 
• Ongoing and constant investment in accessible features under the NPS’ Accessibility for All Americans program. 
• US residents with a permanent disability qualify for a $10 National Park Disability Pass (Access Pass), granting free entry to all national parks for life. 

3. Las Vegas

If you envision an adventure in nightlife for your next wheelchair-friendly vacation, you’ll be glad to know that Sin City, USA is one of the most wheelchair-friendly destinations in the country. Las Vegas’ 60 casinos and thousands of hotels feature accessible features like wheelchair ramps and elevators, meaning you can enjoy all the gaming, entertainment and scheduled events you can handle. Plus, many Las Vegas events, like the Fremont Street Experience and the Las Vegas Arts District, are free to enter. Famous for their nightly shows, wheelchair users can comfortably see some of the best shows in town.

• Ride the High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel, which is also wheelchair-friendly. 
• Extensive entertainment, shopping and dining options in accessible venues. 
• Extensive transportation options include wheelchair-accessible cabs and public buses. 

4. Rio de Janeiro

Brazil’s second-largest city is world-famous for many things, such as lively carnivals, sparkling white beaches and stunning natural scenery. You might be surprised to learn that it’s also one of the most accessible cities in South America, the result of substantial investments made for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. While it may take some preparation to access some of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic spots, the city’s accessible infrastructure makes it a must-see for wheelchair users from all over the world. 

• Wheelchair-accessible sidewalks, cabs and public transportation provide city-wide access. 
• Extensive options for wheelchair-friendly hotels and accommodation. 
• Accessible beaches, heritage sites and nature including the Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain. 

5. Amsterdam

Amsterdam has long been known for combining centuries-old heritage with modern technology, including the city’s public infrastructure and amenities, making this one of the best European destinations for wheelchair users. Many Dutch hotels follow ADA guidelines, so you’ll find the same level of accessibility you’d find at home and more than enough options when it comes to accommodation. Plus, the city is home to some of the Netherlands’ most beloved attractions, including the Rijksmuseum, the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and much more. 

• The extensive network of wheelchair-accessible sidewalks, canal paths and public transportation. 
• Wheelchair-friendly canal cruises, museum tours, dining and shopping. 
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is well-regarded for its accessibility and its friendly special assistance team. 

6. Singapore

Arguably the most accessible city in Asia, Singapore’s wealth of sights, sounds and experiences is open to all. The city-state’s Code on Barrier-Free Accessibility in Buildings has led to step-free, easy curbside access for most buildings and sites like the Supertree Grove and its many parks. On top of that, a well-planned streetscape offers wheelchair users an endless variety of options when planning days out to museums, entertainment and dining. 

• Wheelchair-accessible taxis, trains and buses with designated ramps and entry points. 
• Must-see attractions including the National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Zoo and Clarke Quay. 
• A selection of comfortable, accessible hotels with rooms adapted for wheelchair users. 

7. Cape Town, South Africa

Much of Africa, being rural or remote, is still inaccessible or difficult to access for wheelchair users, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea of a South African getaway. While some of the more forbidding regions might not be an option, you can still explore wheelchair-friendly cities like Cape Town, South Africa’s legislative capital and second-largest settlement. Regularly regarded as one of the best cities in the world to visit and close to two major UNESCO World Heritage sites — Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent decades in prison and the Cape Floristic Region, one of the most diverse regions of plant life on Earth — Cape Town is also highly accessible, offering both modern accessible infrastructure and an easy-to-use, far-ranging transit system. 

• Wide, even sidewalks offer independent access to the city’s most fascinating neighborhoods and sights. 
• An easy-to-use bus system equipped for wheelchair users with over 600 stops throughout the city. 
• Extensive options for wheelchair-adapted rooms in hotels across town. 

8. Maui, Hawaii

Maui, Hawaii is an excellent wheelchair friendly vacation option. Maui is full of accessible beaches and activities for the beach-lover to the adventure seeker. Join a Hawaiian luau with traditional Polynesian dancing, fire displays and island music to fully immerse yourself in the local culture. If whale-watching sounds enticing, you can book a trip to find the humpback whales swimming through the Pacific Ocean (whale-watching season runs from mid-November to mid-April, so plan accordingly if that is an activity you'd like to do). On the beach, you ca rent multiple types of mobi-beach chairs, a beach trax and even take an accessible surfing lesson if you are feeling adventurous. Plan on visiting Maui based on your interests and activities you prioritize.

• Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world
• World-class hotels and restaurants that are mostly all wheelchair friendly
• Accessible equipment rentals throughout Maui.

Plan Your Vacation With AAA

Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly beach trip or a romantic winter getaway, there are plenty of amazing destinations right here in the U.S. to choose from. Ready to book your vacation? Visit your  local AAA travel office  or book online with  Trip Canvas .  AAA members  will receive discounted hotels, rental cars and more!

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Statue of Liberty Wheelchair Accessible Tour

• by John Morris
• June 25, 2018

Statue of Liberty Tickets

• Standard Reserve Ticket  — Includes round-trip ferry transportation and access to both the Liberty Island and Ellis Island grounds. ($18.50/$9.00/$14.00)
• Pedestal Reserve Ticket  — Includes round-trip ferry transportation and access to both the Liberty Island and Ellis Island grounds, PLUS access to the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal and the museum inside. ($18.50/$9.00/$14.00)
• Crown Reserve Ticket  — Includes round-trip ferry transportation and access to both the Liberty Island and Ellis Island grounds, PLUS access to the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal and the museum inside, PLUS access to the viewing deck inside the statue’s crown. ($21.50/$12.00/$17.00)

Statue of Liberty Wheelchair Access

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Explore Enjoy Protect

• Rolling across the sand in a beach wheelchair
• Fishing from an accessible pier
• Hiking an accessible trail or boardwalk
• Picnicking on a bluff with waves crashing against rocks below

California's spectacular coast offers many outdoor adventures for wheelchair riders, parents pushing strollers, and others who need accessibility features such as a wide, fairly level and firm path of travel. This guide can help you choose the destinations that suit your needs from among the coast's many wheelchair-accessible parks, trails, beaches, viewpoints, and other sites of interest.

As you explore, keep in mind that our beautiful coast is a fragile natural treasure. To learn more about how you can become involved in its protection, see our Resources page.

Happy trails!

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Beach wheelchairs, wheelchair rider guides in pdf.

A Wheelchair Rider's Guide: San Francisco Bay Area & Nearby Coast

(PDF: 200k) Published 2006 Hard copy available from California Coastal Conservancy (510) 286-1015

A Wheelchair Rider's Guide: Los Angeles & Orange County (PDF: 200k) Published 2001

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DISCLAIMER: Although the information contained in this web-guide was believed to be correct at the time of publication, neither Access Northern California nor California Coastal Conservancy shall be held responsible or liable for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions, nor for information that changes or becomes outdated. Neither Access Northern California nor California Coastal Conservancy assume any liability for any injury or damage arising out of, or in connection with, any use of this guide or the sites described in it.

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One of the most popular programs offered by the Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) is handcycling, which allows people who cannot use their legs the chance to ride bikes at places like the Bay Trail along Richardson Bay in Tiburon.

Photo by Scot Goodman .

Bay Area Resources for Accessible Outdoors

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Universal access to nature and recreational activities is a work in progress, and opportunities, though currently somewhat limited, are expanding.

Trips and Outdoor Activities

Access Adventure

Provides overland wilderness access for people with disabilities through travel on wheelchair-accessible horse-drawn carriages, mostly in the East Bay. For a listing of 2006 events:

www.acornnmr.com/ncdc/ACCESSADVENTURECALENDAR2006.pdf

Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors (BAADS) – San Francisco

Provides sailing instruction and boat accessibility for people with any degree of disability and at any level of sailing ability. Outings are scheduled every weekend, rain or shine, and listed in BAADS’s online Events Calendar. Based at Pier 40 in San Francisco.

(415)281-0212

www.baads.org

Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP) – Berkeley

BORP’s Adventures & Outings Program offers a wide array of outdoor recreation activities for people of diverse abilities, including group adventure trips, handcycling, and urban outings that appeal to people of all ages, interests, and abilities. Families and friends are welcome. Activities take place nearly every weekend of the year and are listed on BORP’s online Events Calendar. Financial aid is available.

(510)849-4663

www.borp.org

Environmental Traveling Companions (ETC) – San Francisco

Offers whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, and cross-country skiing adventures for people of all ages with mobility, vision, or hearing impairments; emotional or developmental disabilities; or serious illnesses. ETC books trips for agencies, schools, and individuals with special needs, along with their families and friends. Also offers a Youth Leadership Program for teens of diverse backgrounds and abilities. Sliding-scale scholarships available for all programs. Call for dates or check web site.

(415)474-7662

www.etctrips.org

Giant Steps Equestrian Center – Petaluma

This nonprofit, therapeutic equestrian center in Petaluma provides interaction with horses in a safe and secure setting for people of all ages and serves those with a wide range of disabilities. Lessons are individually designed to suit each rider’s particular need, ability, and stamina.

(707)769-8900

www.giantstepsriding.org

Healing Waters

Through wilderness adventures, this San Francisco-based nonprofit organization’s mission seeks to empower, inspire, and enrich the lives of people with HIV/AIDS.

(415)552-1190

www.hwaters.org

On the Level SF – San Francisco Excursions

Offers a number of guided nature walks in San Francisco’s parks and green spaces, all level, safe for wheelchairs and walkers, and most of them beginning at public transportation stops. On the Level also publishes inexpensive brochures for self-guided tours (available at many S.F. retail outlets or by mail). Reduced guided walk fees for seniors and people with disabilities.

(415)921-1382

www.onthelevelsf.com

Ride-A-Wave – Santa Cruz

Provides a full day of professionally supervised beach activities, including surfing, body boarding, swimming, beach games, lifesaving demonstrations, kayaking, and marine biology, for children and adults with physical or developmental disabilities. Most activities take place in the Santa Cruz area.

(831)239-3672

www.rideawave.org

Shared Adventures – Santa Cruz

Offers a year-round calendar of recreational activities in the Santa Cruz area, including horseback riding, kayaking, sailing, beach activities, scuba diving, and more, for people with physical and developmental disabilities. Activities are listed on the organization’s web site and are also available through a mailing list.

(831)459-7210

www.sharedadventures.com

Books and Web Sites

A Wheelchair Rider’s Guide: San Francisco Bay and the Nearby Coast

by Bonnie Lewkowicz, Coastal Conservancy Publications, Oakland, Calif. , 2006. 208 pages. Describes more than 100 accessible hikes and campsites along the Bay Area coastline from Point Reyes to Santa Cruz. This free guide includes maps, photos, directions, and area histories, as well as descriptions of the experience of going out on the trails. Call (510)286-1015 or download from the Coastal Conservancy web site at www.scc.ca.gov .

Access Santa Cruz County: Resource Guide for People with Special Needs and Physical Challenges (2003)

Bilingual (Spanish-English) 65-page guide from Shared Adventures to the sights, sounds, and flavors of Santa Cruz County (including a section on parks and recreation) for wheelchair users, people with developmental disabilities, and their caregivers. Available in print for $3; call (831)459-7210 or download from www.scaccessguide.com .

Access Northern California

Web site provides information about travel and recreational opportunities in Northern California for people with physical disabilities.

www.accessnca.com

Accessible Trails and Parks on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the South Bay

This web page on the web site of the Bay Area-based Trail Center provides both HTML and PDF versions of the Trail Center’s excellent guide to accessible trails in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties. The guide was created in 1998 and updated in 2000. www.trailcenter.org/guides/disabilities/disabilities.htm .

Bay Area Hiker: All-Access and Easy Trails in the San Francisco Bay Area

Web page lists all-access as well as easy-rated trails around the Bay Area, with detailed hike descriptions, maps, and links to additional information.

www.bahiker.com/extras/allaccess.html

San Francisco Bay Area Wheelchair-Accessible Trails

Web site with extensive information about dozens of wheelchair accessible hiking trails, mostly in the East Bay and Marin. Trail reviews include accessibility and “enjoyability” ratings, detailed descriptions, maps, and public transit information. The site also has links to other sources of trail information.

www.wheelchairtrails.net

Trails of the Diablo Valley: Paved Multiuse Trails

Web page features descriptions of several paved, mostly level trails in Contra Costa County and the Berkeley hills, with links to maps of most.

www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/6016/paved

Accessible Features of Area Parks

East Bay Regional Parks District Trail Accessibility Reports

Web page provides trail accessibility reports for more than two dozen of the East Bay regional parks, including details of trail length, trail type, trail uses (hiking, bicycles, dogs, equestrian), elevation change, and a number of other features. Beach wheelchairs (large tires) are now available for day use by the public (first come, first served) at many district beaches, including Crown Beach, Temescal, and Shadow Cliffs.

www.ebparks.org/parks/accessibility/reports

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Full-Access Trails

Web page provides brief descriptions, including trail length and grade, of several all-access trails in the district’s parklands, with links to the full web pages for the hikes. An “Easy Access Packet” of brochures for parks with accessible features is available by phone (650/691-1200) or email ( [email protected] ). www.openspace.org/activities/accessible_trails.asp

Santa Clara County Parks

Joseph D. Grant and Sanborn parks have all-access paved trails; some campgrounds have accessible features. Web pages for specific parks provide brief descriptions of accessibility and maps of campgrounds. Further information is available by phone from the reservations department (408/355-2201).

www.sccgov.org/portal/site/parks (select the “Find a Park” menu option)

Marin County Department of Parks and Open Space

Information about accessibility of Marin County parks is available by phone at (415)507-2816. An updated edition of Open Spaces: Lands of the Marin County Open Space District by Barry Spitz, with a projected release date of fall 2006, will include information about trail accessibility.

www.co.marin.ca.us/pos/MCOSD/home.asp

Accessible Features in California State Parks

Web site provides information about accessible features of individual California state parks, including camping, trails, beach and shore access, and links to downloadable maps.

http://access.parks.ca.gov/

(916)445-8949

Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve

The Discovery Trail located within this primeval redwood forest includes a wheelchair-accessible pathway, interpretive panels in Braille, and a tree-hugging platform. Also within the reserve, the self-guided Armstrong Nature Trail provides an easy stroll through the grove and is also wheelchair accessible.

(707)869-2015

www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=450

California Coastal Commission: Beach Wheelchairs

The California Coastal Commission web site provides a list of California beaches that provide free day use of sand-friendly wheelchairs to the public. Some chairs may be reserved ahead while others are first come, first served. Phone numbers for individual sites at www.coastal.ca.gov/access/beach-wheelchairs.html .

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) Accessibility

Web page briefly describes accessible areas within GGNRA parklands. (As of September 2006, the GGNRA website was undergoing renovation and some of the pages—including the accessibility page—were not available. If the listed web link does not work, call the phone number for accessibility information.)

(415)561-4700

www.nps.gov/goga/pphtml/accessibility.html

Accessibility at Point Reyes National Seashore

Web page provides brief descriptions of accessible features of visitor centers, trails, beaches, and other points of interest at Point Reyes National Seashore. Manual wheelchairs are available to people with limited mobility for free use in the surrounding area at the Bear Valley, Ken Patrick, and Lighthouse visitors centers (first come, first served.)

(415)464-5100

www.nps.gov/pore/visit_accessibility.htm

Audubon Canyon Ranch

Bolinas Lagoon Preserve hosts one of the largest great blue heron, great egret and snowy egret nesting sites on the West Coast and averages close to 100 active nest sites yearly in groves of redwoods on the property. Bolinas Lagoon Preserve offers an accessible picnic area with spotting scopes and views of nesting birds. The “Bird Hide” (a yard under the nesting area), the education and exhibit hall, and the bookstore are also fully accessible.

(415)868-9244

www.egret.org

About the Author

Bay Area native Jessica Taekman spends her spare time hiking, surfing, and baking.

Every story from Bay Nature magazine is the product of a team dedicated to connecting our readers to the world around them and increasing environmental literacy. Please help us keep this unique regional magazine thriving, and support the ecosystem we’ve built around it, by subscribing today—you’ll get Bay Nature four times a year in your mailbox!

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Crown metropol melbourne – wheelchair accessible accommodation melbourne.

Southbank is my location of choice when we visit Melbourne. I love the easy access to the heart of the city, being able to walk or wheel along the level paths beside the Yarra River and dining at the many restaurants.  On our recent trip to Melbourne we only had one night in the city and I had a long list of things of things I wanted to do. A visit to Sea Life Aquarium, a little Christmas shopping, chilling at IceBar and generally enjoying Melbourne’s vibe. I have a habit of trying to fit too much into a short amount of time, so a hotel with a central location is essential. We’ve never stayed at any of the Crown properties, so I welcomed the opportunity to review Crown Metropol.

Crown Metropol Melbourne – wheelchair accessible accommodation

We visit so many hotels each year they can often seem similar, but I’m pleased to say Crown Metropol has a unique style. Crown Metropol injects this uniqueness through many elements of the hotel’s facilities from the pool to the in-room dining menu. But before I get carried away, I know the accessible accommodation is vital, so take a look .

Crown Metropol accessible accommodation 

Before we could sit back and relax in our room for the night we popped into the accessible room to check it out. The room we inspected was light-filled, stylish and spacious, with plenty of circulation space for a wheelchair user.

I’m always pleased to see the option of an interconnecting room as we know from our reader’s feedback it’s helpful for larger families and those travelling with friends or a support worker.

If you need a hoist to transfer from a wheelchair to the bed, please note this bed has a solid base to the floor making it unsuitable.

Crown Metropol proves that an accessible room does not need to be short on furniture if there’s enough space in the room with a work area and a lounge in the room.

Crown Metropol accessible bathroom

The bathroom sink is accessible with lever taps and bench space for storing a toiletries bag. Yay for bench space, it’s so often missing in hotel bathrooms.

Extensive grab rails surround the shower and toilet.

The bathroom can be open to the bedroom or closed via a sliding window panel.

The room has lowered amenities and a visual fire alarm.

Crown Metropol non-accessible room

The room we were sharing for the night was also spacious and stylish. Both the accessible room and the standard room had a range of magazines which begged to be read while consuming in-room dining treats. I was in magazine heaven and even had time to turn a page or two before drifting off into a wonderful undisturbed slumber.

The biggest difference between the two rooms is the bathroom.

The bathroom in the room we were staying in had two glass cubicles, one for the shower and one for the toilet.

Crown Metropol facilities

We find the interactions with staff are often what makes a stay memorable and in the morning we were met by Jino who showed us to our table for the buffet breakfast. Our chat was short, just a walk from the front of the restaurant to the table but his bright, cheerful and entertaining manner had us all smiling and feeling welcome. The breakfast buffet had a fantastic range of offerings to fuel us for our day. I made a beeline for the omelette station, my absolute favourite. We then made our way through cereal, fruit, smoothies, fresh juice and toast to finish.

For guests with a gluten intolerance there is a range of bread and bakery items on offer. 

A good buffet breakfast is something I really look forward to when we stay at hotels and Crown Metropol has one of the best we’ve had in a long while.

Crown Metropol in-room dining

We arrived at the hotel hungry and as soon as we’d shut the door on our room, Amelia and I checked out the room service menu. The hotel offers a good selection of reasonably priced food (for hotel in-room dining) and I settled on the smashed avocado which included poached eggs, crushed peas, feta, Dukkah on toasted Sourdough which was delicious and just what I needed after a busy morning. Amelia just wanted a cheese toastie which wasn’t on the menu but when we asked, room service happily delivered.

While perusing the menu for lunch, Amelia spied the perfect dinner for the two of us, the Couple’s Movie Pack for two. This package included a pizza of our choice from the menu, two Movenpick ice creams, two drinks and a box of popcorn. After walking all day there was nothing better than getting a room service treat, lying on the bed and watching a movie. Amelia was a very happy camper!

Crown Metropol pool

We haven’t stayed at an inner city hotel where the pool is as well used as the one at Crown Metropol. It is a magnet to guests looking to swim in the infinity pool with stunning views of the city. It was so busy I needed to wait until it closed to get a photo because there were so many families enjoying a late night splash.

It provides fabulous all-weather entertainment and given more than one night at the hotel I would have liked to dip a toe in, or lie on a lounge under one of the stunning lotus-like lights with drink in hand.

Day or night, it’s worth a visit to the pool area to enjoy the stunning views of the city.

Apparently we are not the only ones to have enjoyed a stay at Crown Metropol. Rachelle, one of our Facebook community, recently commented on a post about Melbourne, “I highly recommend Crown Metropol. This place is amazing. The rooms are amazing and the staff are second to none. The best place I’ve ever stayed.” It’s always good for us to hear from our readers because we know our reader’s needs vary so we appreciate hearing a range of opinions on a property.

We stayed as guests of Crown Metropol, but as always, our opinions and enthusiastic reviews are a result of a fabulous stay.

You can read more about the accommodation and facilities on the Crown Metropol website.

1 thought on “Crown Metropol Melbourne – wheelchair accessible accommodation Melbourne”

Hello, does the pool have chair access? A chair or a hoist? Thanks

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Cruising Altitude: Progress for disabled travelers is not coming fast enough

I was on a family trip to Israel a few years ago and as soon as we landed, it was obvious something was wrong. I’d flown over from New York with my parents and we were supposed to be meeting some cousins from London, who’d arrived hours earlier to Tel Aviv.

But my British family was still in the airport when we touched down. EasyJet had left my little cousin Max’s wheelchair off the plane, meaning Max, who has Cerebral Palsy, had no reasonable way to get around. Because the airport didn’t have any child-sized wheelchairs available to loan out, we wound up needing to rent one for Max from a hospital and it took days for his own wheelchair to eventually get to us from England. In the meantime, he wasn’t able to sit properly in the rental chair and he was uncomfortable as we schlepped around to different tourist sites.

Last week's Cruising Altitude: What to know about getting bumped from a flight when airlines overbook

I’ve been acutely aware since that trip of how tough flying can be for disabled travelers. This year, I’m working on a project to highlight incidents of airlines in the U.S. mishandling mobility devices. But telling peoples’ individual stories is only one piece of the puzzle. Real change requires action from regulators and airlines, and I’m hoping to use my reporting to help push for some of that change.

Please reach out with one of your own stories.

According to the Department of Transportation, which has been required to track these incidents since 2019, airlines damage or otherwise mishandle about 1.5% of the mobility devices they transport each month, translating to 11,389 incidents reported in 2022. That number is hardly comprehensive. Not everyone reports their damage to the airline in the first place, but it does give a sense of how great the problem is.

“Imagine if Americans were to see that this particular airline broke 700 wheelchairs last year, but substitute ‘legs’ for ‘wheelchair,’ ” Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., told me during a recent phone conversation. “We would be calling for all sorts of fixes.” 

To that end, Duckworth introduced a bill earlier this month that, if passed, would require both Congress and airlines to do more to address these incidents beyond just tracking them.

And advocates say there’s so much more to be done to make air travel accessible to everyone, too. Not all disabilities require the use of a mobility device, they point out, meaning all the focus on mobility-related issues in air travel can leave other needs unaddressed.

'We want the aisle chair to go away'

“This is part of the work that I’ve been doing over time,” Duckworth, who uses a wheelchair, said. “The next thing we need to know is the extent of the damage and also it would be helpful to know for those who are traveling with assistive devices, whether the aircraft can carry their devices.” 

Duckworth was instrumental in getting Congress to pass the requirement that airlines report mobility device incidents separately from baggage mishandling, but she said that’s just a first step.

To properly enact change, incidents need to be quantified and responsibility assigned. 

Under the Mobility Aids On Board Improve Lives and Empower All (MOBILE) Act, which Duckworth introduced earlier this month with Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the DOT would be required to evaluate the frequency and types of damage to mobility devices and develop a plan to research the technical feasibility of accommodating passengers in wheelchairs in the main cabin, among other provisions.

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“We want the aisle chair to go away,” Heather Ansley, associate executive director of government relations at Paralyzed Veterans of America , told me. In an ideal world, she said, “you’re either riding in your own device or transferring from your own device to the seat.” 

Many advocates say that having a dedicated space on board aircraft to secure wheelchairs to allow disabled passengers to fly using their own devices is a key goal.

“We do it on buses, we do it on trains,” Duckworth said. “In many ways, that is safer for the person with a disability, especially someone who has paralysis or is more medically fragile, to be strapped into a wheelchair which is basically molded to their body.” 

What else needs to happen?

Beyond the provisions in Duckworth’s bill, advocates say future regulations should consider a broader scope of disabilities.

“This is a problem across the disability spectrum,” Laura Saltzman, a transportation policy analyst at Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago , told me. “The number of people I talk to over an entire range of disabilities who don’t want to make a stink about it … This can intersect issues of race or a combination of disabilities where people might feel less comfortable.” 

Ansley also said that travel can be difficult for those with other kinds of disabilities as well.

“People who are deaf or hard of hearing, announcements on aircraft are not accessible, they’re barely accessible if you can hear sometimes,” she said. “It is true that air travel discriminates against just about every group of people with disabilities.” 

Saltzman said airlines should consider taking a page out of the book of their existing best practices in other areas to figure out how to treat their disabled customers better.

“Checklists are mandatory for safe flights,” she said, wondering why there isn’t a more standardized procedure for how to accommodate disabled passengers. “A checklist for: This is what I have to do for wheelchairs to make sure the wheelchair is secured and not rained on and a piece is not broken off.” 

A very important component: Restroom access needs to be improved too

Ansley also said that lavatory access on airplanes can be a huge problem for travelers with mobility issues. 

“Having access to a lavatory on board, that means having a safe, usable onboard wheelchair that can get you to that accessible lavatory,” she said. “If you change the structure of air travel you can actually eliminate a lot of the barriers and make it a little less labor intensive in terms of physically moving and lifting people, and instead just being there to assist as the person needs.” 

Single-aisle airplanes like the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, some of the most popular aircraft in the sky today, are not required to have accessible bathrooms by the DOT. 

Charlie Brown, president of Paralyzed Veterans of America , said being transferred in and out of a wheelchair can be dangerous for travelers who rely on their devices to get around too.

“Our devices, which were modified for us or built for us specifically, are put in the cargo hold,” he said. “I was dropped to the jetway one time being transferred from (my) chair to the aisle chair and it broke my tailbone,” resulting in an infection and a monthslong hospital visit.

All the advocates I spoke to for this column said airlines need to face steeper penalties for damaging mobility devices or otherwise not providing the proper accommodations for disabled travelers. 

Story continues below:

Is the Department of Transportation doing anything?

The DOT released a bill of rights for disabled airline passengers last summer, but in a statement this week, the department acknowledged there’s more to do to make air travel accessible to everyone. 

“USDOT is using all the tools available to make air travel more accessible – from formal rulemaking processes on wheelchair handling and lavatory size, which inherently are more long term, to more immediate actions like instituting the first Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, expanding enforcement of the Air Carrier Access Act, and working directly with the airlines to ensure all passengers are treated with dignity,” a department spokesperson said Tuesday in a statement to USA TODAY. The statement also said the DOT is working on making airports and other forms of public transit more accessible as well. “Everyone deserves safe, efficient and accessible travel,” the statement said.

It’s clear that there’s still much work to be done to make flying truly accessible for all travelers, and I’m committed to continuing to cover this important topic.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]

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