Ten Unique Wheelchair-Accessible Tourist Spots in the USA

From inclusive theme parks to coastal trails, these destinations prove unique wheelchair accessible tourist travel can be adventurous, scenic, and unforgettable.

Accessible travel in the USA is expanding every year, with more national parks, beaches, museums, entertainment venues and outdoor adventures offering better options for wheelchair users and travellers with mobility requirements. If you or someone in your group uses a wheelchair and you are looking for a trip that goes beyond the obvious, these ten destinations offer memorable experiences with accessibility in mind.

1. Morgan’s Wonderland and Inspiration Island, San Antonio, Texas

Best for: inclusive rides, water attractions, and family-friendly fun.

Top wheelchair accessible sites in the US do not often include amusement and water parks. That is why Gordon and Maggie Hartman created Morgan's Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island (inspired by their disabled daughter, Morgan). It is the world's first fully inclusive amusement park plus water park designed especially for people with disabilities.

Located in northeast San Antonio, the completely wheelchair accessible park features more than twenty-five attractions, including rides and playgrounds. Anyone with special needs is admitted free of charge, no questions asked. And the San Antonio theme park provides every possible waterproof mobility device and adaptation you can think of — plus private changing and transfer rooms—to ensure disabled family members enjoy all the water features.

2. Coastal Beaches, Oregon

Best for: beach access, sand-friendly mobility, and coastal adventure.

Beaches are the most searched-for accessible vacation spots in America. More beaches are providing Mobi-mats® that allow people who use wheelchairs to roll across the sand, although not all of them get close to the water. Beaches along the Oregon Coast offer Mobi-mats at several locations, and the local nonprofit, David's Chair, provides free use of track chairs: large off-road wheelchairs with treads like a tank, which can travel over sand and rough terrain. They even have a model that allows the user to stand up! Reserve a chair for up to two hours at a time or arrange for delivery to one of the several partnered beaches along the Oregon coast.

3. Circuit of the Americas (COTA), Austin, Texas

Best for: Formula One fans and accessible live-event experiences.

US travel guides for wheelchair accessibility do not usually include the Grand Prix. But any Formula One fan would want to know which US cities are best for wheelchair users. Unlike the F1 auto races in Las Vegas and Miami, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) outside of Austin includes a purpose-built track with the main grandstand offering accessible seating at the top of the two hundred sections (in the shade). COTA also improved its pathways and larger public spaces, such as the amphitheatre.

Insider tip: The US Grand Prix includes a designated wheelchair seating area for its free concerts right in front of the stage. You can even roll your wheelchair around the track after the race.

F1 Race track

4. Ludington State Park, Ludington, Michigan

Best for: beaches, trails, kayaking, and accessible outdoor recreation.

Ludington is a small coastal town on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. But what it lacks in size is more than made up for in personality, charm, hospitality, and accessible outdoor adventures. The beaches at Stearns Park and Ludington State Park offer hard-surface beach mats that extend close to the shoreline. The state park has beach wheelchairs that can be used free of charge; it also offers track chairs for use on the wooded trails, an accessible kayak launch point, and a wheelchair accessible playground. Plus, you can explore other accessible attractions near the park, such as the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum and Ludington Waterfront Park.

Insider tip: Visitors using wheelchairs can roll down the north breakwater all the way to the lighthouse.

5. Glaciers, Juneau, Alaska

Best for: a once-in-a-lifetime scenic flight experience.

Going on an Alaska cruise and feeling a bit adventurous? Then summon the courage to land on a glacier in a helicopter. A shore excursion from Juneau aboard a wheelchair accessible helicopter allows wheelchair users to transfer from their chairs onto the lift seat via a modified stair lift. While you cannot bring your wheelchair with you or disembark onto a glacier in Alaska, the pilot will open the doors so you can enjoy the amazing views upon landing.

6. Duck Tours, Boston, Massachusetts

Best for: accessible sightseeing by land and water.

A duck boat city sightseeing tour is one of the best ways to explore Boston, home of the American Revolution. These amphibious tours take place on a historical military duck boat that has been retrofitted with seats for tourists. Best of all, there is a lift and space for people using wheelchairs. Meanwhile, the land portion of the tour will roll you through downtown Boston to see some of the most historical spots, then along the Charles River for more history and scenery.

Duck Tours

7. Everglades National Park, Florida

Best for: wildlife viewing and accessible airboat adventures.

Florida is known for outdoor adventures, with many airboat tours offering an accessible ride through the Everglades. (Although, Myakka River State Park in Sarasota has a long ramp that allows wheelchair users to roll right onto an airboat with designated accessible spaces, too.) There is a good chance you will see alligators, possibly some wild boar, and certainly a lot of native birds during your boating excursion. In addition to learning about the animal inhabitants, you will also learn the history of the park and local area, all from the comfort of your chair.

8. The Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine

Best for: a paved coastal route with classic New England views.

Coastal Maine is one of the most beautiful parts of the Eastern seaboard, and wheelchair users can appreciate views of the rocky coastline while rolling along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit. This winding, paved path follows the southern coast for 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometres), starting at one end near the Sparhawk Oceanfront Resort on Shell Road and ending in Perkins Cove. Admire the little lighthouse overlooking Ogunquit Beach, enjoy the passing boats, or watch the wild waves splash up against the rocks. After you finish your stroll, you can stop for a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants in the harbour offering fresh seafood.

9. USS Yorktown, Charleston, South Carolina

Best for: naval history, aircraft displays, and accessible museum exploration.

If you have ever dreamed of rolling across the deck of an aircraft carrier, then the USS Yorktown at the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum near Charleston is must-see. The museum includes two other Navy vessels, twenty-eight historic aircraft, and an immersive 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) Vietnam experience. The USS Yorktown is also home to the Medal of Honor Museum. The retired Navy ship has several wheelchair accessible spaces, and an elevator that takes disabled visitors to multiple decks, including the flight deck, where you can see several distinct types of aircraft up close.

10. Broadway Street, Nashville, Tennessee

Best for: live music, nightlife, and wheelchair-friendly entertainment venues.

If you are a fan of live music, it is often difficult to visit these venues with a wheelchair. Limited accessible bathrooms, big crowds, and narrow spaces between tables are not a problem in Nashville, America’s country music capital, though.

Broadway Street (the main entertainment strip downtown) is home to dozens of honky-tonks where you can see a live band all day, every day. Most have flat entry, and several have elevators to rooftop bars. And legendary Southern hospitality means the staff will do everything possible to make you comfortable and ensure you enjoy your country music experience.

Insider tip: Visit during the week before the sun sets to find a space that is not too crowded.

Nashville, Tennessee

Final Thoughts

Accessible travel is not one-size-fits-all, so it is always worth confirming current access details, equipment availability, and booking requirements before you go. Still, these destinations show how varied wheelchair-accessible travel in the USA can be—from beaches and racetracks to historic ships, music venues, and glacier flights.