Pain-Free Living

Enjoying a Day (or Night) Out

by Candy B. Harrington

Getting out and about can sometimes be difficult if you have arthritis. At times, even things as simple as taking the grandkids to the zoo, doing a little museum hopping, or having lunch with a friend can seem like herculean tasks. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, with a little advance planning, it is possible for people with limited mobility to get out and enjoy a day or night on the town. Even better, after you learn how to track down accessible attractions and restaurants near you, you can take your newfound skills on the road and explore the rest of the world. You may find that getting out and enjoying the world around you is not only fun, but very empowering.

Ask about accessibility

No matter where you decide to go, doing some research before you go is the key to a successful outing. The good news is that a lot of attractions now have accessibility information available online. The bad news is that sometimes it’s not very detailed; in fact, many places just display the blue wheelchair pictogram and leave it at that. That may mean there’s a wheelchair-accessible entrance to the building or outdoor attraction, but once you’re inside, will you be able to get to all floors of the building or all parts of the attraction? Are there elevators? And what about the restrooms?

If an establishment’s Web site doesn’t give these details, call it up to get the information you need:

■ Ask whether the front door of the building or attraction is wheelchair accessible, or whether you’ll need to use a side or back entrance. (If it’s a side or back entrance, is it routinely left unlocked? Or will you need to make special arrangements to enter?)

■ Ask if there is a drop-off area near the entrance. If you’re traveling with someone else, this will cut down on your walking distance and give you a chance to rest while your companion parks the car.

■ Ask if the attraction has wheelchairs available for you to borrow. Even if you don’t routinely use a wheelchair, it’s a good option for large attractions. Most likely you’ll be walking more than normal, and a wheelchair can help you conserve your energy.

■ Ask if there are chairs or benches placed throughout the building or area. This is especially important for larger attractions that don’t have wheelchairs available.

Once you’ve identified an accessible place you’d like to visit, plan your visit according to your own energy schedule. For example, if you typically have low energy in the morning, plan an afternoon outing. Once you arrive at your destination, remember to pace yourself and to listen to your body so you don’t overdo it. Whenever your body tells you to stop, it’s time to call it a day.

Seeing the sights

While advance research is a necessary step for any outing, you can narrow your search a bit by targeting specific types of attractions. To that end, here are some ideas for more accessible choices.

Go to a museum. Museums—large and small—usually have excellent access. After all, they have to have elevators to get their art and artifacts from one floor to another. The exception is historic homes, which usually have only stair access to the upper floors. Seek out museums that are located close to one another for a full day of museum hopping. For example, in Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts and the Contemporary Arts Museum both have excellent access, and they’re located right across the street from one another.

Take in a play. If you’re more comfortable sitting down, consider visiting your local theater. Most newer theaters have elevator access to the upper levels, as well as wheelchair seating with adjacent companion seats throughout the house. Just let the ticket agent know about your access needs when you make your reservation, and he will do his best to accommodate you.

Make sure to stretch your legs before the show and during intermissions to keep your joints from getting stiff during the performance.

Shop ’til you drop. Most shopping malls have level access (no steps at the entrance), and some even have wheelchairs available. Call the mall’s management or guest services department before you arrive to see what is available for people with limited mobility. Even if you don’t buy anything, it can be fun to window shop or go people watching.

Many malls also play host to special attractions, such as works of art, water features, and regularly changing exhibitions. Outlet malls can be a great way to save money, and indoor malls offer a great space to take a stroll in any weather.

Stop and smell the roses. Many botanical gardens offer level pathways and benches to sit and rest. Some even have tram tours. For example, the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis has a tram tour that operates from April to October. The tram features roll-on access, and the garden offers free loaner wheelchairs. Over in nearby Richmond, Virginia, the equally accessible Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden has a fully accessible tree house.

Take a factory tour. Many factories are now open to the public for tours, and a good chunk of them are accessible. Some offer a view of their operations from overhead, while others offer tram tours of their facilities. Some only offer walking tours, and although the areas are usually level, the distances covered can sometimes be substantial.

The Hyundai Automotive Plant in Montgomery, Alabama, serves as a good example of what to look for in a factory tour. Not only is there level access to the visitors center, but there’s also a wheelchair-accessible tram tour of the factory floor. There is ramp access to the tram, which has plenty of room for a wheelchair, with nearby companion seating. Additionally, everyone wears a headset, so it’s very easy to hear the narration in the sometimes noisy assembly areas.

Hit the beach. On the surface, a sandy beach doesn’t seem like the best choice for anyone with mobility issues. However, some beaches are more accessible than others. Granted, you can’t exactly take away the sand, but beach mats are starting to pop up at beaches across the country. Beach mats—which allow for level access over the sand—can now be found at Ala Moana Beach Park in Honolulu, Hawaii, and even on several of Chicago’s Lake Michigan beaches. And for the ultimate in access, look for power beach wheelchairs. Power beach wheelchairs are a great way to scoot across the sand, and may be available for loan or rent. At beaches without power wheelchairs, you may still have access to a self-powered beach wheelchair.

Piers can also offer the pleasure of being by the water, combined with easy access and often fun games and amenities. Many piers act as long-term carnivals with the added benefit of beautiful ocean views.

Hop on a Segway. While walking tours present obstacles for many people, those who have little trouble standing may want to consider a Segway tour. To ride a Segway, you just need to hold on to the handlebars, then lean forward to move ahead. If you want to back up, you just gently lean back, and you can turn by moving the LeanSteer frame left or right.

Segway City Tours has franchises in Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. All of their tours feature a short orientation session followed by a city tour conducted by a guide. Segway tours are an especially good option for cities with many spaced-out attractions, such as Washington, DC.

Set sail. If walking tires you out, you might consider a boat excursion, or even a lunch or dinner cruise. It’s important to note that tide levels may affect the steepness of gangways, so make sure to inquire about when the gangway will be highest and lowest before you buy your tickets. Also, make sure to ask about accessible restrooms, as not all vessels have them. The Red and White Fleet in San Francisco, for example, has two boats (the Harbor Queen and Harbor Princess) with wheelchair-accessible restrooms, and two without. They also offer a wide range of cruise itineraries, and you just can’t beat cruising past Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Enjoy mother nature. Although some natural attractions present substantial access obstacles, many nature centers, national parks, and regional recreation areas offer accessible ecotourism options. For example, the Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park features an approximately half-mile-long accessible trail that winds through a sawgrass marsh and hosts a wealth of bird life. The Northlake Nature Center near Mandeville, Louisiana, also has level boardwalks throughout the center, including over a cypress swamp and a beaver pond. These days, information on national, state, and even city parks is available online, and contact numbers are usually provided in case you have questions.

Ride the rails. Rail excursions are another excellent option for people who can’t stand for long periods or who have trouble walking far. Many trains offer lift or ramp access; however some historic rail cars only have steps.

The Grand Canyon Railway gets high marks for access, with portable lift access to the cars and accessible restrooms onboard. The daily excursion runs round-trip from Williams, Arizona, to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and it comes complete with onboard entertainment.

Dining out. Sharing a restaurant meal with friends or family is also a great way to spend some quality time out of the house. Like other attractions, restaurants have varying degrees of accessibility, so a little advance research is in order before you make your reservation. The best plan of action is to make a phone call to determine whether a particular restaurant will meet your access needs. Here are a few things to remember in your search:

■ Never call to inquire about access during the lunch or dinner rush. The employees will be busy and won’t have the time to give you accurate and detailed access information.

■ Avoid asking yes-or-no questions. Never just ask if the restaurant is accessible, because the answer will almost always be “yes.” Instead, inquire about the specific access features you need.

■ Ask if the restaurant has on-site parking, a valet, or a drop-off area in front. If they don’t have on-site parking, ask how far it is to the nearest parking lot.

■ Ask if there are any steps at the entrance, or anywhere inside the restaurant.

■ Inquire about the seating options. It’s best to avoid booth seating if you use a wheelchair, cane, or other assistive device. Chairs that have arms are a good choice if you need extra support when standing up and sitting down.

■ Ask if the restrooms are accessible. Additionally, inquire about the location of the restrooms, just to make sure they’re not up (or down) a flight of stairs.

■ When you make a reservation, make sure you tell the host or hostess if you use a wheelchair, walker, or other assistive device so you will be seated in an appropriate section.

■ Avoid buffets: They can be difficult to navigate.

■ Avoid historic restaurants: Even though most have been retrofitted for access, they aren’t as accessible as newly built establishments.

■ Restaurants are less crowded during off-peak hours, so coming between rushes may make things easier.

■ Keep an eye out for local access resources. For example, the city of Chicago publishes an excellent access guide, which includes the access details of local restaurants. Some visitors centers also have access information on hand. And if your city has a center for independent living, give them a call to see what they recommend.

Finally, it’s best not to rely on online dining sites for access information. Although you can get a good idea about the food and ambiance at a wide range of establishments, the access information is often incorrect.

Communicate your needs

In addition to researching the places you’d like to go, it’s important to communicate your access needs to your prospective companions before the outing. Although this may seem awkward at first, it’s much better to do it in advance rather than to surprise someone when you meet for the outing.

Most people agree that the direct approach is best. Bettie Minefee, a frequent traveler who uses a cane, sums it up succinctly. “I just let them know I will be using my cane,” she says. “If they can’t deal with my cane, they can’t deal with me.” In the end, effective communication—with your companions as well as with employees at the sites you plan to visit—can bring you a long way toward having an accessible, fun, and hassle-free outing.

Last Reviewed August 2, 2014

Candy Harrington has been exclusively covering accessible travel for the past 16 years. She’s the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts & Bolts Guide for Wheelers & Slow Walkers. She also blogs about accessible travel issues at www.BarrierFreeTravels.com.

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