Many of America’s big cities are popular travel destinations for people all over. While we like to think that cities are progressive, they aren’t always in terms of accessibility for wheelchair users. If you’re thinking of traveling to a big city one day, such as Los Angeles or Washington D.C., we have some resources for you. Several of our brand ambassadors either live in or travel frequently to some of the biggest cities in the country. Because of their time and experience in those places, they’re able to share what places they find accessible or non-accessible.

Is Los Angeles Wheelchair Accessible?

Bryan Anderson talks about his experience living in Los Angeles, starting with the uneven terrain. He states that it’s important for wheelchair users to be flexible when it comes to the daily obstacles that can present themselves. For instance, due to the faults, the ground is always moving, meaning that the terrain can be different from day to day, even if you are traveling the same path.

While a lot of restaurants in Los Angeles are wheelchair accessible, Bryan notes how he has to enter through the rear entrance or kitchen because it is typically the only entrance wide enough to accommodate a motorized wheelchair. Without giving too many details away, he also talks about famous attractions that are accessible for tourists and residents in wheelchairs. Although it can be tough to navigate at times, Bryan deems Los Angeles doable for wheelchair users and worth the visit.

Is New York Wheelchair Accessible?

Josh McDermott now lives in Florida but is a native New Yorker, spending much time at his parents’ house upstate and his weekends in Manhattan. When it comes to New York City, Josh says that it’s very accessible. Unlike upstate New York, where he has to use his personal accessible vehicle to get around, he prefers navigating with his Edge® 3 motorized wheelchair in the city. In his experience, the buildings that present the most barriers are the older ones where the doorways aren’t wide enough. However, as someone who knows the city, he explains that whenever he runs into an accessibility issue at a restaurant, the solution is as simple as finding another restaurant that is accessible. Learn more about his life in New York and Florida.

Is Washington D.C. Wheelchair Accessible?

Although Stephanie Woodward doesn’t live in D.C., she travels to our nation’s capital for work. As a solo traveler in a wheelchair, she finds that Washington D.C. is much more accessible than other cities she has visited, even recommending it as a good city for wheelchair users who want to travel. In her article, Wheelchair Traveling in D.C., she breaks the city down by categories: transportation, food and things to do. Her explanations are detailed yet straight forward and full of useful information for wheelchair travelers.

Within the categories mentioned, Stephanie gives some recommendations for transportation, dishes on her favorite restaurants and suggests her favorite places to go for history lovers. If traveling to Washington D.C. is on your bucket list, Stephanie’s article is a great resource for planning your trip!

Is Chicago Wheelchair Accessible?

Want to get a local wheelchair user’s perspective of Chicago? Bryan Anderson shares with us all the details of wheelchair accessible Chicago in his article. If you like music and the outdoors, then Bryan has you covered! He tells readers about all the sights to see in Millennium Park, as well as some outdoor concerts and festivals that you can attend, all of them wheelchair accessible. If you do decide you want to visit Chicago, Bryan recommends visiting during the summer so that you can see all the great concerts in Millennium Park.