The world and its wonders should be available to one and all, whether you’re a sightseer with a newly issued passport, an experienced globetrotter hungry for fresh experiences, or a traveler with disabilities seeking out the most accessible destinations.
On the latter front, many places have a long way to go in recognizing their limitations, but thankfully, other cities and countries have doubled down on their efforts, adapting public transportation, tourist attractions, hotels, and even bike lines, for everyone, including visitors with physical, sensory or mental handicaps or limitations. Here are some of the best destinations for disabled travelers.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Discrimination against people with disabilities and chronic illnesses is verboten in the Netherlands—so much so that it’s woven into the country’s constitution. Among the best places for disabled travel, Amerstam is also one of the bike-friendliest places on the planet. While that may seem like a disconnect, Amsterdam’s bike lanes, spanning nearly 250 miles, welcome wheelchair users, plus visitors can also rent adapted bikes that accommodate wheelchairs. Much of the terrain is smooth, but pesky cobblestones and steep bridges can be deterrents.
Metro stations also rise to the need and are fully wheelchair accessible, and so are ferry lines, which are also free, and most buses, while the NS (Dutch national railway company) offers special facilities. Older trams, however, aren’t up to the task.
If amusement parks and theme parks call your name, make a beeline for accessible venues including De Efteling, Madurodam, and Walibi Holland. The Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum are just a few of the cultural must-visits that accommodate all travelers, while several tour companies that glide the canals outfit their ships with lifts.
Amsterdam tours take you through the Netherlands from The Hague to the historical towns of Delft and Rotterdam, while others offer a front-row seat to the tulip fields of Keukenhof or experiences like tasting Gouda cheese in its namesake town.
Paris, France
With the Paralympic Games kicking off here in late August 2024, just a few weeks after the Olympic Games wrap up, Paris is striving to become one of the best places for disabled travel by promoting inclusivity and increasing its accessible public transportation. The city’s metro lines fall short, but streetcars and buses are already completely accessible, and by Game time, it’s anticipated that 93% of the Paris rail network will be as well. Other ongoing efforts include bolstering access to public spaces, hotels, and services.
In Paris, and nationwide, visitors can glean which sites and experiences, including accommodations, restaurants, gardens, parks, concert halls, sports facilities, museums, and monuments offer a high standard of accessibility by seeking out venues awarded the French ‘Tourisme & Handicap’ label.
A bonus for culture lovers, admission to museums, including the Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, and Centre Pompidou, is free to those with disabilities and their companions. Many of the city’s breathtaking gardens, including Jardin du Luxembourg and Tuileries Garden are wheelchair-friendly. While the top floor of the city’s iconic Eiffel Tower is off-limits, the first floor, and the second floor’s platform, are fully accessible. Overall, the City of Lights is generally flat, with the exceptions of Sacre Coeur and areas around the Pantheon, and the Latin Quarter, which may prove challenging to wheelchair visitors.
Paris is also the launching pad for countless tours, including citywide explorations and adventures that take you to Normandy, Brittany, the Loire Valley, or the South of France.
Seattle, Washington
One of the best destinations for disabled travelers in the US, this Pacific Northwest stronghold is no newcomer to the accessibility conversation—Seattle first introduced wheelchair-accessible bus fleets back in the late 1970s. Today, its public transportation, including light rail, city buses, streetcars, ferries, and sea transport services are equipped with lifts or moveable seats. In addition, taxis offer wheelchair ramps, and many city sidewalks have curb ramps.
Compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the city’s public buildings are wheelchair accessible, and a large number of hotels have wide doorways, wheelchair ramps, and amenities like self-operating lifts in pools.
Surrounded by parks, evergreen trees, and mountains, Seattle lives up to its nickname of the “Emerald City.” The lush greenery is part of the city experience, and travelers with permanent disabilities can also embrace its beauty with free access passes issued by the US National Parks Services.
A trip to Seattle wouldn’t be complete without experiencing its food scene. Get a taste at the ADA-accessible Pike Place Market, and arrive early before the crowds descend. Then head to the heights of the 605-foot-tall Space Needle, going through the ground floor courtesy entrance, with elevator assistance from team members between floors. Make room in your hectic schedule for other accessible main attractions, too, like the Olympic Sculpture Park, Chihuly Gardens and Glass, and the Museum of Pop Culture. Seattle tours take you across the city and beyond, to Portland, the Oregon Coast, and North Cascades National Park.
Singapore
Singapore is one of the best destinations for disabled travelers, a goal that the island city-state has been working towards since establishing its universal barrier-free accessibility code over 30 years ago. Catering to wheelchair users, people with hearing loss, visual impairment, and sensory disabilities, the continually updated code calls for improvements like making buildings, including elevators and escalators, completely safe and accessible. The government is also moving towards becoming an inclusive society by 2030, building accessible homes that meet the future needs of an aging-in-place population.
The Mass Rapid Transit System (MRT) which is completely wheelchair accessible, features wider fare gates, flashing red lights that alert deaf travelers when doors are closing, and Braille plates in station elevators. Service animals are welcome on buses, trains, and in many restaurants and public spaces.
Singapore’s splashy hotels boast accessible rooms and facilities, while its intriguing attractions also have accessible bona fides. For example, the Esplanade, a center for the performing arts, allows guide dogs, plus it can make special arrangements for visitors with visual impairment or restricted mobility. The sprawling Gardens by the Bay complex has a free shuttle service for wheelchair users, while the National Museum of Singapore, Lion City’s oldest museum, is totally wheelchair-friendly.
Singapore tours spotlight some of its most fascinating sights, including Universal City Studios, Chinatown and the Katong neighborhood, a famed food district—while others guide you from Bali to Singapore.
Sydney, Australia
The exciting city of Sydney is a standout among vacation destinations for wheelchair users, as well as people with vision, hearing, sensory, and other impairments. Over 30 years ago, Sydney instituted the Disability Discrimination Act to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and ensure equitable treatment, a far-reaching statute that extends to public premises, as well as goods, services, and facilities.
Public transport is accessibility-minded, with most buses and train stations providing curb or boarding ramps. All of the ferries cater to people using mobility aids, too, though some older wharves have steps that may be prohibitive.
Expect to be on the move, no matter how you travel. The Sydney Tower Eye, with its famous observation deck, accommodates visitors with disabilities or special needs, including visual impairments, sensory sensitivity, and limited mobility. Most of the city’s major attractions make accessible provisions, including the landmark Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden, Harbour Bridge, Taronga Zoo, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium (one of the biggest on the globe).
Sydney tours take you around the city, from sailing in Sydney Harbour to stops in famous Bondi Beach, up the coast to Brisbane and Cairns, or to Melbourne and Naracoorte, the gateway to Wine Country.
