If you've been thinking of visiting our nation's capital, spring is the perfect time of year. The flowers and trees are in bloom and the temperatures ideal for outdoor activities or just people-watching at a sidewalk café, but if you can’t make it to DC in the spring, it’s still an accessible trip year round.
Visitors with disabilities, including those with sensory impairments, will find access quite good in terms of attractions, transportation and accommodations, with detailed information readily available in print and on the Internet. Best of all, the city has something for everyone, whatever their age, budget or interest.
Accessible Amtrak
For those who prefer not to drive into DC, Amtrak is a good option since there is an accessible Metro stop right at Union Station. Those arriving at the bus station a few blocks north can arrange for a taxi with a wheelchair lift or ramp. See either guide below for a list of accessible transportation. If you prefer to travel by air, Reagan Airport is the best bet since it's close-by and on the Metro. For RV'ers, Cherry Hill Park (800-801-6449) in College Park, MD, is wheelchair accessible, with wheelchair lift-equipped tours and public buses to DC available.
The Metro
D.C.'s Metro system, which gets high marks for disability access, has elevators at each station. For a Metro ID half-fare card, call 202-962-1245 (TDD 202-628-8973), or show a Medicare card instead. Because the Metro is so user-friendly, one can save money on hotels by staying outside the center city or even the city limits. Weekend specials are also commonly available. The AAA guide below gives detailed access information on 110 properties.
Accessible City Tours
For city tours, Old Town Trolley (202-832-9800) and Tourmobile (888-868-7707) offer wheelchair lift-equipped service with 24-hour advance notice, as does Gray Line (800-862-1400). If you plan to take an all-day loop tour that allows passengers to get off and on at each site, check to see when the next wheelchair lift-equipped vehicle will be coming by. You may have a very long wait!
Free Stuff to Do in D.C.
Families love D.C. because there are so many free attractions for kids as well as adults. Tours of the U.S. Capitol and the White House are accessible, as are the museums on the Mall. Just visiting the Smithsonian's many facilities, including the National Air and Space Museum and the Zoo, can take days.
My own favorite is the National Gallery of Art, not just for its spectacular collection of paintings but also its Garden Café. The National Building Museum, which offers a free lunchtime music series in its dramatic Great Hall, is another good place to eat and relax. DisabilityGuide.Org now lists 117 accessible restaurants in D.C. so you certainly needn't go hungry on your visit!
Resources
AAA Barrier-Free Travel: Washington, DC. This 222-page access guide can be ordered from Access-Able for $8.95 +$3.85 s/h. Or mail a check to Access-Able Travel Source, P.O. Box 1796, Wheat Ridge, CO 80034-1796.
Laurel Van Horn is an access consultant, educator, and journalist who has specialized in accessible travel and tourism since 1987. In addition to her travel columns for Able News and the Open Doors Organization website, her articles have appeared in Pulse, Agency, Inc., Travel Agent Magazine, Travel World News, Exceptional Parent, Paraplegia News, Caribbean Vacation Planner and Review of Disability Studies.
See Related Articles
Traveling by train? See Accessible Travel by Train Tips for more information.
Traveling by plane? See Accessible Travel by Plane Tips for more information.
