Wheelchair Accessible Beaches in the U.S

 

Summer is here! Do you know what that means? It’s beach time! Time to go out and enjoy the sun and water. Do not fear wheelchair users, there are accessible beaches that will make your trip to the beach convenient so you can enjoy the fun in the sun. Check out the list below to plan your trip to the beach.

 

California

If you live in California, there is wide range of beaches for you to visit that are wheelchair accessible. You can practically up or down the Pacific Highway Coast of California to find the best beach for you to visit. Below are great websites that provides information about where to find beach locations that offer free wheelchairs and other wheelchair accessible activities that you could do while you are at the beach.

• LA County Beaches & Harbors
• A Wheelchair Rider’s Guide to the California Coast

 

South Carolina

• Edisto Island
  There are six public access points at Edisto Island Beach that are wheelchair accessible. The fire department has beach wheelchairs available at no charge.
• Hilton Head
  A number of Hilton Head’s beaches are equipped with mats that make them wheelchair accessible. A complete listing of those beaches as well as companies that rent wheelchairs is available at www.hiltonheadisland.org/see-and-do/beaches.
• Myrtle Beach
  For Accessibility information, visit www.cityofmyrtlebeach.com/handicapped Myrtle Beach has 14  wheelchairs available for use at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. Chairs typically are available in one-hour increments during the summer because of the high demand.

 

Florida

• Emerald Coast

For Park and beach information, visit www.destin-ation.com/parksandtrails.htm#wc

Beach wheelchairs are available at most public beaches. They are available without charge on a first-come, first-served basis for use at all county parks on Okaloosa Island.

• Fort Myers/Sanibel Island

The Sanibel Island Police Department will make arrangements to have a beach wheelchair available at any of their beach locations.

 

North Carolina

Outer Banks (Includes Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, and the beaches at Roanoke and Hatteras islands)

For accessibility information, visit www.outerbanks.org/outerbanks-handicap-accessibility/

Fire departments loan out beach wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the website for the list of  website lists all the fire departments in the area and  a list of state parks that are wheelchair accessible.

 

Georgia

Tybee Island

Mobi-mats are provided for beach/water access in seven locations along the four miles of beach at Tybee Island, as well as many other wheelchair-accessible locations along the beach. During the summer months, beach wheelchairs are available for no charge at the lifeguard station and from city hall during the off-season.

 

Hawaii

Certain beaches in Hawaii offers all terrain wheelchair sites or beach mat sites. To rent a all terrain wheelchair, some beaches requires you to call at least one day in advance to. Click on the link below to find out which beaches are all terrain wheelchair sites or beach mat sites and information about renting an all  terrain wheelchair.

Hawaii Wheelchair Access

 

via Shepard Center and Travel Channel