Wheelchair Friendly Travel Experiences

Over the last couple of decades, many of the world’s most interesting, beautiful and historic cities have taken action to make their streets and attractions accessible to everyone. With the right power chair, you can explore gorgeous natural destinations, miles of museums galleries, ancient architecture and much more! 

We designed the FLUX KZI specifically for wheelchair users with active lifestyles and a touch of wanderlust. It travels up to 6.5 miles on one charge, and it’s built to last with cables hidden inside a strong, lightweight magnesium alloy frame. At only 44 lbs including the battery, the KZI is easy to lift and folds to fit in your trunk or a baggage compartment. No special van needed!

We did a bit of our own research on wheelchair travel, and the most comprehensive resource we found for scouting out travel destinations, useful tips, and connections with disability-friendly travel agents, equipment rentals and personal care assistants is wheelchairtravel.org. Book the right hotel rooms, flights, vehicle rentals and cruises for your needs with accessibleGO, and check out this resource list for more on disabled friendly travel. 

To help you dream a little bigger and start planning your next trip, we compiled a list of breathtaking destinations in the most wheelchair-friendly cities around the world and here in the US:

Ciutat Vella Tours (Barcelona, Spain)

Barcelona is widely regarded as one of the most accessible cities in Europe, and even its gorgeous medieval quarter Ciutat Vella (Catalan for ‘Old City’) is cobblestone-free and easy to get around. Tour ancient cathedrals, get lost in the winding streets of the Gothic Quarter and get your fill of tapas and sangria every night! 

The public transportation is phenomenal, and the city is lined with adapted pavements and pedestrianised, tree-lined boulevards. Most of Barcelona’s attractions have disabled access, as well as the city beach with a wheelchair-accessible promenade and walkways down to the water, accessible changing facilities and a free assisted bathing service during the summer months.

The Las Vegas Strip (Las Vegas, Nevada)

The Las Vegas Strip is likely the closest you can get to a trip around the world without leaving solid ground, with casino floors and attractions resembling Paris, France, the gondolas of Venice, Italy, the Colosseum, New York City, the pyramids of Egypt and much more! Take in one of the famous, jaw-dropping Cirque du Soleil shows and enjoy the world's biggest buffets! Complete your stay in comfort with a handicap-accessible hotel room, which is pretty easy to find.

The Parks and Gardens of Portland, Oregon

Portland is the city for people who love the outdoors! It has also drawn kudos for addressing accessibility shortcomings with some of its most popular attractions, particularly trails and parks. The Lan Su Chinese Garden and Mt. Tabor Park are particularly easy to get around. The city's buses, MAX light rail trains and streetcars all accommodate wheelchairs, and the TriMet transportation system's Lift service provides riders more than 250 minibusses and more than a dozen cars to take them around the city.

Guinness Brewery Tour (Dublin, Ireland)

Dublin, Ireland is another city that has the trifecta of accessible public transportation, streets and hotel rooms. And the world-famous Guinness Brewery tour is handicapped accessible too! If you’ve ever wanted to visit a castle, this is the place for you. Finish the day with authentic Irish food, beer and whiskey at any of Dublin’s cozy pubs.

Frogner Park (Oslo, Norway)

This famous park contains a sculpture garden with over 200 of Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland’s works. And if you’re into the outdoors, Oslo’s majestic fjords are also wheelchair-accessible via train or ship. Visit the Viking Ship museum for a taste of Norse history and enjoy the city’s other wheelchair-friendly attractions.

Museums Galore (Washington, DC)

Browse historical sites and museums along the National Mall, including the National Gallery of Art and the gargantuan Smithsonian Institution, which just added the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016. Go off the beaten path to visit the unique Glenstone, which combines art, architecture and nature for a one-of-a-kind sightseeing experience. Not only are all stations and cars in the DC Metro wheelchair accessible, it’s also famed to be the cleanest public transportation system in the US!

Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney, Australia)

Another one of the most accessible cities in the world, Sydney’s WheelEasy travel resource was created specifically with the disabled community in mind. The Royal Botanic Gardens hosts an incredible array of tours, events and exhibits in addition to the beautiful blooms that are always on display. Many restaurants and stores have flat entries and even such iconic sites as the Sydney Opera House not only are accessible, but have special tours for the handicapped. 

The Beaches of Bridgetown, Barbados

We saved the best for last! This Caribbean paradise recently instituted its ‘Fully Accessible Barbados’ program, with a goal of making sure its tourist attractions are for all, including over 60 beaches across 70 square miles. They are all open to the public and accessible via amphibious beach wheelchairs available to rent! Accessible hotel accommodations are easy to find here too. For wheelchair users, Bridgetown is truly paradise on earth.

Ready to get rolling? Order your FLUX KZI power travel wheelchair today and start planning your trip!