I had the chance to spend a few days in San Diego visiting some friends and had a great time north of there at Legoland and right in the city at the San Diego Zoo. While I didn’t spend a ton of time exploring the city this time, I had been there previously and went to the Wild Animal Park and a Padres game. I had no accessibility issues while there, so you surely could do all of these things and be just fine too.
San Diego Accessible Transportation
The first time I was there I rented a wheelchair accessible van for a few days. This is probably the easiest way to get around and can get you to the more affordable hotel areas which are not right in downtown San Diego.
On my most recent trip, I took the Amtrak train down from Los Angeles to Oceanside and then hopped a bus to Carlsbad where Legoland is. Everything was accessible and I had fun pushing my suitcase around Oceanside on the beautiful day.
Waiting for the train in Carlsbad. I’m not against rolling 1-2 miles to get to things and that’s what I did to get from the hotel to the train station in order to avoid arranging wheelchair transportation.
After Carlsbad, I hopped back on the San Diego train to the downtown train depot. From there I took a bus to the San Diego Zoo and later from the Zoo to the airport with one transfer. It was all very easy and convenient and cheap.
I stuck to trains and buses this time as my impression was that accessible taxis weren’t going to be as convenient or inexpensive to get around. So while I can’t vouch for the taxis there, I will say you can have a great time on their public transit.
San Diego Accessible Hotels
I stayed at the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort & Hotel right near Legoland. It was a modest roll to Legoland from there but totally worth saving a few hundred on hotel. It was also a modest roll from the train to the hotel in the first place, but I didn’t feel like taking the long bus ride. The sidewalks were fine.
I got a regular room and the bed was a little bit high. The bathroom was fine since I was there one night, but you would probably want to request an accessible room if you plan to be there longer than that.
This hotel isn’t anywhere near downtown San Diego, but there were many hotels with accessible rooms near town that I could have stayed at. I would recommend looking just outside of downtown for less expensive options, especially if the bus route is right there or you are renting a van.
San Diego Accessible Things To Do
As I mentioned, I went to the San Diego Zoo and Legoland this time. Both were just fine for me in my power chair. There were some hills at the zoo that a manual chair user would probably hate, but I really didn’t have much difficulty at all. There are some new elevators and overpasses at the zoo too, in addition to an accessible tour bus that takes you through the zoo for an overview.
Lego Washington DC
Legoland was great. I didn’t try getting on any rides or anything but it was a nice place to roll around and you can get a discount for your caregiver if you go to the ticket office upon arrival.
Previously, I went to the Wild Animal Park and a Padres baseball game. I had no trouble at either place and that was over 10 years ago. I remember that at the Padres game they would take and bring your order to the accessible seats which was nice!
San Diego Airport
I didn’t have any issues with my wheelchair or the service at the San Diego airport. From downtown there is a very short bus ride that can take you right to the terminals. It was much easier and cheaper than coordinating a taxi.
San Diego Summary
San Diego will be fine for you if you use a wheelchair. I had no issues and I’m sure you can find a way to do all the things you’d like to do when you are there. So that’s why you should go to San Diego anyway!
You might have been told that Paris is not very wheelchair accessible. I’m here to tell you to ignore this information and go anyway.
I legitimately thought I would arrive at the airport or train station and be stuck there, unable to make it to the Louvre or Eiffel Tower or any of the dozens of things to see in Paris. If you listen to some other travelers with disabilities, you might think this too.
I’m not going to ramble off all the accessible places I was able to go in Paris because my general attitude is that everything is possible. If there’s a restaurant you really want to go to, you’ll find your way in. The only thing I’ll tell you is that the public, self-cleaning toilets in the city don’t have seats on them, so good luck! But seriously, if you make sure you go to the bathroom when you are in the presence of a bathroom, you’ll be fine.
Paris Accessible Transportation
I like the bus the best to get around in Paris. They’re clean and safe and the people are generally very helpful. They’re also free for wheelchair users. The most common question you’ll be asked is where you are going to get off the bus. Listen for the word, “descendez,” as in descend, or go down to the sidewalk. Just know your stop before you get on the bus and you’ll be fine.
Don’t even bother with the Metro. If you want to take the RER trains you should schedule it first. The RER from the airport is easy but you still have to arrange ramp service. I have preferred taking taxis from the airport since they capped the fee at 50 euro.
For calling taxis I prefer the Taxi G7 app. Once you setup a profile you can request taxis with ramps. It’s easier than calling once you get going. I’ve had decent luck with this but if you plan to take a taxi back to the airport make sure you plan for a pickup much earlier than necessary just in case.
Paris Accessible Hotels
I had a great time staying at the Astotel Hotel 34b the last time i was in Paris. There is a huge accessible room with a giant accessible bathroom right on the first floor. They have a large library/lounge area with refreshments available free throughout the day. There are several Astotels in Paris with accessible rooms.
The only drawback to this place is that you have to ring the front desk from a panel outside so they can pop open the accessible door. It wasn’t a big deal and I was never left stuck outside. It’s a small hotel so the staff is readily available.
I’ve also stayed in an airBnB a few times. While they’ve been just fine, the bathroom and elevator situations can get hairy in older Parisian apartments. So your best bet is to look for one in a newer building and make sure you have the host measure the elevator for you!
Paris Things to Do
The nice thing about Paris for wheelchair users is that most of the museums are free for you and a companion. The Louvre, for example, is free and has one of the neatest elevators in the pyramid entrance. Just go to the entrance and they’ll guide you in and then all you have to do is roll to the wing you want to go to, no tickets required. If you have more than one person with you then they’ll need tickets.
Other smaller museums are usually free too, but there are a few which do charge tickets for special exhibitions. One of my favorites was the Museum of Hunting and Nature. It’s a very small museum in an old hunting lodge but it had some of the most unique things I’ve ever seen. I’ll just leave it at that!
Occasionally the staff at the museums will ask for your disability card, even though you’re sitting in front of them in your chair. I’ve never had one of these but discovered that this is a formality. I can usually get myself in without one but if someone really needs it, as if their job depended on it, I use my own disability card which you can make using this tool I created. It’s meant to be humorous but it actually works if you need it.
Restaurant-wise your best bet is always going to be the street-side cafes and brasseries. It’s easiest to roll up to an outside table and have a seat. Many places have at least one step. Unless you’ve got your heart set on some particular place, going to one place or another isn’t going to make much difference especially if you’re like me and just keep ordering a Croque Monsieur everywhere you go!
Wheelchair seating for the French Open
My main reason for visiting Paris has been to go to the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros. If you want to go but need accessible seating, you should setup an account and provide the proper documentation way before tickets go on sale. Follow the information on the Roland Garros website. The accessible seating is great on all courts and they’ve done a nice job with creating accessible pathways around the grounds. Make sure you get dropped off at Gate I (pronounced ‘Eeee’). If you take the bus to the grounds, it’s a short roll from the nearest stop.
From Paris you can take day trips to lots of great places as well. I’ve gone to Dijon and Luxembourg on the train and had a great time. Just make sure you buy your train tickets at the station and make sure you request the accessible seating AND the accessible fare. Make sure you let them know you’ll need help with a ramp as well.
Paris Airports
I’ve only ever flown into Paris Charles de Gaulle. I don’t love it because it’s big, but it has been ok. I’ve stayed at the Sheraton inside the terminal more than once as it’s the easiest hotel to get to from the terminals. There are others nearby which are cheaper but I’ve not tried to stay there.
If you need a taxi on arrival, you should either request one in advance with arrival service, or you can wing it and go to a queue. The last time I arrived I went out without an appointment and the taxi guys were helpful calling one for me. You could also request one from G7 on arrival. The RER B train is a cheaper but more cumbersome way to get from the airport to the city.
Paris Summary
I’ve been back to Paris five times or so now and I never run out of things to do. It’s a great city to explore and take your time and just enjoy it! The people are nicer than you’ve been told and most speak English, but it’s good to know a word or two and put in the effort. It’s definitely a place that you should go anyway!
Big cities tend to scare travelers, not just those with disabilities either. I think it’s because there are a lot more variables for us to contend with than there are in a quiet country retreat. But if you flip that around, there are also a lot more resources for assistance and travel in a big city than there are in the country as well. That’s why I don’t mind going to places like New York City and you should go anyway, even if you’re scared.
NYC Accessible Transportation
Other than saying you can use Uber WAV, Curb, the subway, bus, or plain-old rolling, I’ll confirm that even if you use a wheelchair you will be able to get around the city easily.
NYC Accessible Hotels
The last time I was there, I used Priceline to get day-of stays at several different hotels near Times Square. While I would recommend avoiding any of the IHG hotels in the area, you won’t have trouble finding a large chain or boutique hotel with wheelchair accessible rooms especially if you’re planning in advance.
NYC Things To Do
Central Park is my favorite thing to do when I am in New York City. It’s huge with paved paths and it’s wide open so it doesn’t feel crowded at all. I’ve also gone to the US Open tennis tournament which has accessible seating and cheap grounds passes for the early rounds. If you are interested in a show, you can get accessible seating in advance. If you don’t care which show you go to, you can go to any box office and arrange it in person when you get there. I wasn’t particularly set on one show or another but was able to get Lion King and Waitress tickets the day-of.
NYC Airports
It’s probably easiest getting from JFK to the city for cheap if you use a wheelchair. You can take the AirTrain from JFK to Jamaica station and then hop on the LIRR to Penn Station. The staff at the Jamaica station is awesome and will help you. Just go to the office after you leave the AirTrain station.
I’ve only ever taken taxis from LaGuardia and while renovations are going on, it’s very difficult to get these at certain times of the day.
I’ve never tried to get to the city from the Newark Airport, so no advice there!
Going to the US Open in a Wheelchair
The one thing I felt could have gone more smoothly was my visit to the US Open Tennis tournament. It was irritating that there were no accessible seats in the big stadium at the lowest price point. As a result, I recommend buying the cheapest seat available. When you get there, go to the guest services office and make them accommodate you.
In addition, getting there by taxi is easy, but leaving is more difficult. If you are going to get an accessible taxi back, I recommend heading towards the Mets-Willets train station. You’ll roll over the boardwalk and over all the tracks and end up at Roosevelt Avenue. There might just be an accessible taxi in the queue there but even if there isn’t you will have a MUCH easier time calling and getting picked up from there. Whatever you do, DON’T TRY TO GET A TAXI NEAR THE GLOBE ENTRANCE! It’s fine to drop off there but at night, it’s really difficult and not very accessible over there.
I’m living proof, so there’s that. But seriously, I can understand any apprehensions you might have about doing this. I’ve had them too. But slowly they have gone away as I’ve taken more and more trips. Sure I have ongoing concerns, but I’ve figured out ways to handle them. Here are some things I’ve learned.
Helpful people are everywhere
Unless you’re planning a solo journey to the middle of the Australian outback, you’re going to have people around you. If you fell out of your chair in the middle of Times Square, people would help you back up. Ok I can’t say that for sure but I have fallen out of my chair in downtown Milwaukee and four strangers came to my rescue.
In addition to strangers, there are people in the travel and hospitality industry whose jobs are to help travelers. I’m not just talking about the assistants who can help you board an aircraft, but I’ve had to ask for help from hotel maintenance staff on more than one occasion. When my chair stopped working in the middle of the night, my aunt and I called the front desk and they sent up some guys with tools to help us. They eventually pushed me back to my van and I fixed it later (with help of another stranger) but they were happy to help.
Make your independence portable
I’ve written on here about how I need help getting out of bed in the morning. That’s not just when traveling, it’s when I’m at home too. If you read the other article, I have pretty much the same setup at home but a more permanent version. That’s the version that came first. Once I had that done, I figured out a way to make a portable version of the actuator arm so I could use it on trips.
If you have things at home you need in order to be independent, find portable versions of them. There are all sorts of things out there from portable commode chairs to reachers to chargers, or whatever else you might need. I try to get everything into one suitcase so it’s easier for me to get around, but if you had to bring two, you could make it work. When in doubt, re-read the “helpful people” section above.
Take baby steps
I traveled a lot for wheelchair tennis, but once i started having more difficulty with my mobility I got nervous about traveling again. So I had to re-train myself, no pun intended. I decided to take the train from Milwaukee to Chicago (something I’d never done before) and spend a day down there.
I was nervous about everything from paying for parking at the train station to boarding the train, to getting off the train, and then about wandering downtown Chicago. Thankfully, it was easier than I imagined and kick-started my travel bug again.
So if you want to take an adventure to Europe but you’ve never even taken a short train or bus trip in your own region, you might want to start there and work your way up. A simple trip like that has a LOT of the same components with much less of the stress. You’ll have to plan transit, get a hotel, and pack for your mobility. But if you need something you can always call someone you know to come and help you.
Others have done it
Knowing that you’re not going to be the first person in an electric wheelchair to take a journey is actually a comforting feeling. There are very few places in the world where others haven’t been. They’ve figured out how to do it and you can too.
If you have questions or need ideas, don’t hesitate to contact me!
The sky was deepening its orange hues while I got my bags and rolled towards the door of the Adelaide airport in Australia. I hadn’t called or made accessible taxi reservations and was fully prepared to sit around and wait for one to show up, as is often the case. Very few transportation services for people who use wheelchairs are “on demand” like they are for regular transit services.
Imagine my surprise when I rolled to the taxi area and there sat an accessible taxi just waiting for its next passenger! It was perfect timing and it allowed me to head to my hotel just in time to see the sunset over the ocean. Unfortunately, the rarity with which this occurs is disappointing to the extent that I was more excited about the taxi than the beautiful sunset I would see.
I recently went to Singapore and found their metro system so easy that I would actually get excited about riding it every day. I could roll to the station, follow the pathway, take an elevator, and roll right onto any train I wanted with no problem whatsoever. The trains were level and close to the platform so there was no gap at all. I didn’t have to pre-arrange help and I didn’t have to ask anyone at the station to help me. I could also change my mind and get off at any station I wanted to without worrying about needing a ramp or help of any kind. It was truly awesome to feel “normal” and not waste my time while on vacation.
One of the reasons I get upset with non-disabled people who fear traveling, is the fact that if you can walk you can go out to the curb at any airport in the world and a taxi will be there waiting or will be just a few minutes away. The driver will know exactly where to go and you’ll be to your hotel before you know it. The same goes for Ubers and trains and buses and even boats. There is no planning required.
But if you need a ramp to get into a special vehicle or onto a train, then you’re often required to make advance arrangements. Scratch that — you’re USUALLY ALWAYS required to make advance arrangements. And this isn’t just about having to make a call to schedule something. For me, it means spending time searching for accessible options. Confirming that said options are indeed accessible for an electric wheelchair. Reconfirming. Buying a ticket if necessary and sometimes even having to make an appointment for assistance. And imagine if this highly researched plan A doesn’t work out!?
It’s just a simple train ride. Or is it?
One time I wanted to take a train from Amsterdam to Antwerp. In order to do this, I had to first figure out if this was possible at all. Then I had to figure out which train line I would take and when. Then I had to call and buy a special ticket for wheelchair space because I couldn’t buy it online like a regular ticket. Then I had to call another office and make an appointment for ramp assistance at the boarding station and because it was an international journey I had to make an appointment at the arrival station as well. Then I had to do the same in reverse for my return trip.
All of this took me almost two hours including all the research and time spent waiting on hold. The train ride itself would only take an hour and fifteen minutes!
So after my long flight I arrived at the train counter. They were ready for me and nicely, the agent told me I wasn’t charged the appropriate cheaper fee for the wheelchair space (even though I requested a wheelchair space and got one). I would just have to call (oh great, another call) after my trip to get an adjustment. I’m all on board with fare discounts for wheelchair users especially when the process is so over-tedious, so that was nice to hear. The price difference was significant.
But since I wasn’t charged the “wheelchair fare” their system didn’t flag it so the train staff knew to keep the wheelchair space clear instead of filling it with suitcases. So when I appeared on the train, I had to sit sideways between two rows of seats and pass on the refreshments because there was nowhere to put them. In other words, I could be assigned the wheelchair space and that wouldn’t flag anything unless I also paid the wheelchair fare. Who the hell came up with that process?
The view of my accessible space on the Thalys train from Amsterdam to Antwerp
After I got home I called to get the fare adjustment (and later emailed because the wait times were over an hour). I was told by Thalys that because I didn’t request a “wheelchair fare” in addition to a wheelchair space, I wasn’t going to be refunded and that’s why they weren’t expecting me on the train. Sorry for the inconvenience. Their system was clearly not geared towards accommodating a wheelchair user who didn’t already know their company policy and specifically request a wheelchair fare. Excuse me? I’m supposed to know the ins and outs of your business processes BETTER than your own ticket agents? Sorry, I don’t think so! So I ended up disputing the charge with my credit card company and got a refund for the difference in fares that way.
All of this for a train journey that any able-bodied passenger could have taken by simply walking off their plane to a train ticket counter, buying a ticket and going on the train. Done.
So if you’re wondering why fare concessions are a common thing for people in wheelchairs, the above tedious process is one of the main reasons why. But you know what? I would happily pay full price not to have to jump through all these fucking hoops every time i just want to take a normal train ride!
People take Uber for granted
It’s so common to see people waiting for Ubers and Lyfts nowadays or on Tv talking about their Ubers or their drivers. Anyone can just download the Uber app and request a ride, just like that! But for me, it’s not that easy.
Sure I can pull out the app when I’m somewhere and start requesting a ride. But if an Uber WAV (Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle) isn’t available, then I’m screwed. I’m even more screwed if I’m in a city where Uber WAVs aren’t even available in the first place. And even if they are available there used to (or still might) be a need to activate WAV access with a special promo code in the app. Ridiculous, right?
My success with Uber WAV has been extremely varied. When they first launched it in Chicago several years ago, I remember being in the heart of downtown Chicago, requesting an Uber WAV and the app kept telling me there were no vehicles nearby. Of course this is while I’m sitting there in front of a hotel watching person after person come out to the curb and hop into a regular taxi.
In the last year or so, I’ve had much more success with the WAVs in Chicago — so much so that I’ve actually been able to summon late-night Uber WAVs from Chicago O’Hare airport all the way back to my driveway in Wisconsin! It was expensive, but it was what I wanted, and thank the lil’ baby Jesus Uber was feasible for me.
But cut to me in Los Angeles, near the airport, and there are “No WAV vehicles available near your location.” At 9am. 5 blocks from the airport. LAX airport where there’s a never-ending queue of regular taxis, if not a giant parking lot full of them just waiting to pick people up.
Yeah. So luckily I had a plan B that day which involved taking the LAX FlyAway shuttle from the airport. This would mean rolling back to the airport terminal from my off-site hotel, then waiting for the bus. According to the website, no reservation was necessary even for wheelchair users.
Of course I get to the airport and bus #1 drives right past the stop area. Bus #2 stops and has a lift, but it’s broken. Same with bus #3, whose driver was just as frustrated as I was so he called and made sure the next one would have a working lift. It did, and I barely made it to my train on time even though I’d started my journey THREE HOURS earlier at my hotel. It took me 3 hours to do a trip that would have taken 30 minutes by car that Saturday morning.
The driver of that bus told me I should have called to make sure they knew I was coming that day. Listen, I was expecting to take an Uber and the shuttle bus’s own website said all the buses were accessible so no reservations were needed.
Stop complaining, and go — especially if you don’t need special services
Of course I will complain about these incidents of inaccessible or inconvenient transit. I complain to the companies and I complain to the airports. It sucks sometimes (almost all the time) but I don’t let it ruin my trip, or even worse — stop me from taking the trip at all. Even though the last time I flew to LAX to meet friends at Disneyland I waited FOUR HOURS for the Disney shuttle (same thing, broken lift), I still went back this time and still had to wait three hours.
If you are completely able-bodied and you are going to complain to me about having to wait fifteen minutes for a taxi at an airport, then I’m gonna roll over your foot. Even worse, if you’re going to worry about whether or not you’re going to get transportation from the airport AT ALL, then I’ll run over both of your feet. It’s so easy for able-bodied people to get transportation, it should be the least of your concerns.
I mean, you literally could call a taxi right now, wait for it, get to the airport, pick a random location with zero research, take the flight, arrive there, and get another taxi to take you to a random hotel all in less time than it would take me to plan the accessible services I’d need to do the same thing.
You Should Go Anyway 
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