Spiral down a waterslide, cavort with water-spitting frogs or swim in a pool right by the beach!Years ago it may have seemed that sand, water and wheelchairs didn’t mix. But thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which is marking its 25th anniversary in 2015, and improvements in adaptable equipment, it is possible to visit – and enjoy – the beach if you have a mobility impairment. Most public beaches have accessible points and offer amenities such as rubber mats that make it easier to wheel right to the water’s edge. Many beaches also have beach wheelchairs with wide plastic tires that can navigate the sand. These chairs are often available for loan at no charge. Shepherd Center experts and former patients compiled this list of some of America’s wheelchair-accessible beaches. The California coastline stretches 840 miles, and the beaches along the coast are plentiful. Most of the public beaches lend beach wheelchairs free of charge, usually from a lifeguard or the entrance kiosk at a beach.
Some may be reserved ahead of time, while others are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call ahead for availability. For a complete list, check out this link: www.coastal.ca.gov/access/beach-wheelchairs.html. You can click on the map for a specific beach, or choose “text only” for a complete listing. If you’re headed to the Los Angeles area, download “A Wheelchair Rider’s Guide to Los Angeles and the Orange County Coast” (www.scc.ca.gov/webmaster/ftp/pdf/pub/la_oc_wheel_guidebook.pdf). The comprehensive guide lists every public beach in the area, complete with information on each location and maps to wheelchair-accessible areas at each beach or public park. Six public access points for Edisto Island Beach are wheelchair accessible, and the fire department has beach wheelchairs available at no charge. Call 843-869-2505, ext. 217, or visit the fire station to make arrangements. /parksandtrails.htm#wcBeach wheelchairs are available at most public beaches.
Call the office of Public Beach Safety for more information at 850-259-4131. In addition, beach wheelchairs are available without charge on a first-come, first-served basis for use at all county parks on Okaloosa Island. On weekdays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., call the parks office at 850-689-5772. On Saturdays, Sundays or holidays, call the park ranger at 850-546-0342. Fort Myers/Sanibel Island, Fla. /see-do/beaches-parks-and-nature/The Sanibel Island Police Department (239-472-3111) will make arrangements to have a beach wheelchair available at any of their beach locations. The Lee County Parks and Recreation Department, which oversees the public beaches in Fort Myers, does not provide beach wheelchairs, but can advise visitors on where to find them. A number of Hilton Head’s beaches are equipped with mats that make them wheelchair accessible. /handicapped.htmlMyrtle Beach has 42 public beach access points (street ends, parks and other access points) that are accessible in varying degrees to people with physical disabilities.
The website (listed above) gives a complete list of those public locations. Myrtle Beach has 14 beach-going wheelchairs available for use at no cost on a first-come, first-served basis. From April 15 through Sept. 15, ask at the nearest lifeguard stand, and a chair will be brought to that location. Chairs typically are available in one-hour increments during the summer because of demand. From Sept. 15 to April 15, call 843-918-1382 to arrange for use of a chair for up to one week. The chair will be brought to your residence or hotel lobby during the fall and winter months. Use of the chairs is free, but a photo ID is required. /outerbanks-handicap-accessibility/Fire departments loan out beach wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. This website lists all the fire departments in the area. It also has a list of state parks that are wheelchair accessible. There are mobi-mats 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. To get a list of accessible locations, call the Tybee Island Visitor’s Center at 912-786-5444 (toll-free is 800-868-2322), or stop by city hall. For Shepherd Center's tips on planning a wheelchair-accessible beach vacation, click here.Coconut Bike RentalsFun for the whole family Adult and Kid's Bikes, Kid Seats. Free Locks Free Baskets Great Bikes and Great Prices! Free Island-Wide Delivery and Pick Up... Read moreAddress:Pope AveHilton Head Island29928 Phone: 843-686-5055Hilton Head Bicycle Co.Providing residents and visitors with rental bicycles, new bicycles, accessories, parts and service since 1992. Their rental fleet has bikes, trailers and baby seats for all members of the family. Free delivery and free pick-up on the island. Free locks and free baskets. They carry 3G,Sun and Benotto along with a large selection of Giant bikes. Rentals • Sales • Service Bikes in all sizes, colo...
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