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.
You Should Go Anyway 