While New York City is known for a lot of different things, it is one of the most popular places to visit during winter. The city comes to life with Christmas lights at every corner and there are surprises everywhere you turn! One of my family’s favorite things to do during the holidays is spend the day in New York City, which is fairly accessible for my Quantum power wheelchair. Here are the best Christmas things to do in NYC during the holidays for wheelchair users.
As there is always traffic on the way to New York coming from New Jersey, we usually leave our house right after my brother and I are done with school. We end up getting there right before the sun starts to set. This way, we can plan out exactly where we want to go in a way that makes sense and find a good place to park where we don’t have to walk a lot. The city starts to come to life just as we’re getting settled!
Visiting Bryant Park with My Quantum Power Wheelchair
My ultimate favorite thing is visiting the winter village in Bryant Park. The main reason for this is the never-ending food and my favorite thing of all: fried pickles! I love the excitement of being able to roll up to the counter in my Quantum power wheelchair while elevated at iLevel and place the order! Bryant Park has all kinds of different stands and vendors that sell almost anything you can think of. They even have ice skating! You can make an entire trip just out of Bryant Park itself, but there is still so much more to experience in New York.
Rockefeller Center and Light Shows in NYC
Rockefeller Center is too beautiful for words and is perfect for photos. It also has an ice skating rink, which is considerably larger than the one in Bryant Park. It’s infamous for the Christmas tree and it’s definitely something to experience!
The Vessel and Hudson Yards are great places to visit and are also great places to take pictures. The light display during Christmas is magical and it truly makes you feel amazing! It seems as though if you visit New York City during the wintertime, you can find lights everywhere you look. There are specific light shows that you can catch, like the one on Saks Fifth Avenue! If you have not seen it yet, you should make it a point to do so.
Wheelchair Accessibility in NYC
Overall, New York City is extremely accessible to individuals in power wheelchairs. You just have to deal with the crowds and the occasional pothole. Elevating at iLevel in my Quantum power wheelchair does help with navigating through the crowds. This year, for the first time, Fifth Avenue was closed off to car traffic on the weekends, making it more accessible than ever for wheelchair users.
There are endless things to do in New York City, especially during the holidays. My list of best Christmas things to do in NYC is just the tip of the iceberg. One thing for sure is that you will never be bored. If you do decide to make a trip out there, just remember to bundle up and take lots of pictures!
About Sakina Shamsi: Sakina lives in New Jersey with her parents and brother. Although she has spinal muscular atrophy type II, Sakina lives a full and independent lifestyle. She is active in the disability community and enjoys horseback riding, baking and crafting. Click here to learn more about Sakina.
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