With a mild climate, 70 miles of wonderful beaches, world-famous attractions and popular year-round festivals, San Diego is an ideal vacation destination. The city is very diligent ensure that visitors with disabilities can experience and enjoy San Diego to the fullest. We will suggest five things to do or see while visiting this lovely city.
Ask about resources and information on accessible hotels, tours, lift transportation and attractions not covered here.
To Read More about San Diego, and its suitability for accessible travel, go to: https://www.sandiego.org/
1. Free Beach Wheelchairs
No matter the time of year, a trip to San Diego isn’t complete without time spent at the beach. To make sure that all San Diego visitors can enjoy the sand and water, free beach wheelchairs are available at seven San Diego beaches for children and adults with special needs or disabilities.
Paralympian Alana Nichols has competed around the world as a multi-sport athlete and Gold Medalist, but her favorite place to get out on the water is right here in San Diego. You’ll find her surfing Cardiff Reef, kayaking the caves of La Jolla Cove, sailing on the open ocean and even training in Mission Bay for sprint kayak in the Paralympic Games! As an athlete with a disability, she also knows San Diego’s adaptive community and the accessible ways to get out and enjoy the water.
The beach is a way of life for many San Diegans and those who visit it. It offers endless views, ocean breezes and the chance to take in all that Southern California offers. And now the beach is even more accessible for travelers with disabilities and others with limited mobility due to the availability of special equipment. Through the efforts of the City of San Diego, Port of San Diego, local residents and council members, there are now a variety of manual, powered and floating beach chairs plus sand access mats available at various beaches throughout San Diego County.
You can find the manual and powered chairs at Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, Coronado Beach, Silver Strand State Beach, Imperial Beach, La Jolla Shores and Oceanside Harbor Beach.
2. Concert and Theater Options
Enjoy opera, ballet, Tony Award-winning theatre and the latest in rock, blues or jazz at one of the many disability accessible theatres or performing arts venues in San Diego County.
Choose from:
Balboa Theatre: Has Accessible Wheelchair Seating and restrooms; Transfer Seating is available on the main floor Orchestra level, on both right and left aisles; Infra-red audio assistance systems, for patrons with hearing difficulties; Headsets available in Theatre lobby areas prior to performances or patrons may bring their own units from home; ASL and Audio Described Services may be offered for select performances; Ticketing Services TTY/TDD Service available Monday – Friday, 10am-6pm (closed Holidays) at 619-615-4177; Certified Companion and Guide Animals are allowed in the theatre during performances. However, should the animal create any disturbance to surrounding patrons, the owner and animal may either be moved to another location or be asked to leave the seating area.
Humphreys Concerts by the Bay: features limited accessible parking; single occupancy restrooms; wheelchair seating; and assisted listening headsets.
- Special editions of performances which are hearing and/or visually adapted
- Venue has accessible elements
- Accessible Wheelchair Seating and restrooms
- Transfer Seating is available on the main floor Orchestra level, on both right and left aisles
- Infra-red audio assistance systems, for patrons with hearing difficulties
- Headsets are available on loan in Theatre lobby areas prior to performances or patrons may bring their own units from home
- All performances by the San Diego Opera utilize the ‘Digitext’ system, which projects the lyrics (English translation) above the stage
- ASL and Audio Described Services may be offered for select performances
- Ticketing Services TTY/TDD Service available Monday – Friday, 10am-6pm (closed Holidays) at 619-615-4177
- Certified Companion and Guide Animals are allowed in the theatre during performances. However, should the animal create any disturbance to surrounding patrons, the owner and animal may either be moved to another location or be asked to leave the seating area.
Viejas Concerts in the Park: Wheelchair Seating; and Wheelchair Parking on the West Side of the Outlet Stores
Cricket Wireless Ampitheatre:
- Accessible Parking and Seating
- Large Screens
- Headsets for Assisted Listening
3. Accessible Sightseeing Tours
There’s no better way to start off your San Diego vacation, then with a sightseeing tour. Whether you choose to view San Diego from the water aboard a luxury ship or see all the landmarks as part of a hop-on-and-off tour, you will find an accessible tour that caters to your interests.
Hornblower Cruises & Events:
Experience the sights, sounds and sweeping city views from the rails of one of its luxury yachts. The fleet of seven charter yachts includes the flagship, Lord Hornblower, modeled after a turn-of-the-century steamship. Tours choices range from one- and two-hour narrated harbor tours daily and seasonal whale watching adventures to three-hour nightly dinner dance cruise and Sunday champagne brunch cruises.
- The Lord Hornblower and Adventure Hornblower both feature an accessible ramp, with large viewing windows and restrooms on main deck; access to upper and lower decks is by stairs
- The Inspiration Hornblower has an accessible ramp and restrooms, plus an elevator to the lower deck
- Inquire about assisted listening options at ticket booth; Spanish translation available
- Inform the reservations staff if accessible ramp is needed
Old Town Trolley Tours:
Featuring a running narration of San Diego history, plus many entertaining and amusing anecdotes and stories, the Old Town Trolley Tours is a two-hour, fully-narrated trackless trolley tour. One-day tickets allow guests unlimited use of Old Town Trolley Tours, with on-and-off privileges at eight different stops throughout downtown San Diego, Balboa Park and Coronado Island.
- Old Town Trolley has 3 vehicles with lifts, with 2 spaces for wheelchairs on each. Trolleys with lifts are available with 24 hour notice.
- 11 stops to exit, sightsee, shop, dine and re-board
- Written scripts of tours are available
- Additional description tours available for persons with vision disabilities
- Trolleys depart every 30 minutes from several popular San Diego locations
- Tour is a minimum 2 hours, with option for all day
Seal Tours:
Daily, 90-minute land and water tours aboard amphibious vehicles that start in downtown San Diego and splash down into the Big Bay and Mission Bay, and feature magnificent views of the city.
- Manual lift boarding available from Seaport Village
4. Shopping
In San Diego, you’ll find everything from hip, trendy boutiques in downtown and Little Italy, major malls spread throughout the county and exceptional-value outlet malls here and there. For the San Diego disabled traveler, look for complimentary wheelchairs, TTY and TDD phones, and much more.
- Wheelchairs available at Information Center, located in the Management Office
- TTY under Food Court
- Wheelchairs available at information center
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Complimentary wheelchairs at the Westfield Concierge on Level 1 near Macy’s. The wheelchairs are subject to availability but can be reserved by calling 619-239-8180. To utilize the service, a photo ID is required.
- TTY Level 3, by Restrooms
Westfield Mission Valley:
- Complimentary wheelchairs at the Westfield Concierge Center. Wheelchairs are subject to availability and distributed on a first come, first served basis. To utilize the service, a photo ID is required.
- TDD at Customer Service
Westfield Parkway Plaza:
- Complimentary manual wheelchairs. The wheelchairs are subject to availability. To utilize this service, a photo ID is required.
- Visit Westfield Concierge near the Carousel to inquire about wheelchair usage, or call 619-579-9932.
Westfield Plaza Bonita:
- Complimentary wheelchairs at the Westfield Concierge. The wheelchairs are subject to availability. To utilize the service, a photo ID is required.
- Complimentary wheelchairs and scooters are available; subject to availability.
- Handicapped parking is located near the main center entrances. For more information, please contact Westfield Concierge at 858-546-8858.
- TTY by Restrooms
5. Horse racing
The Del Mar Racetrack comes alive each year from mid-July to early September, when the horses come to town. Since 1937 when Bing Crosby greeted the first guests, this annual event has brought excitement as the nation’s top horses and jockeys bring their best to each race, five days a week.
For guests with special needs, accessible parking is provided in the main parking lots on a first-come, first-served basis. Accessible transportation includes van with wheelchair access from the main lot, as well as wheel chair accessible trams. Seating areas offer accessible options. For specific information, please contact the Ticket Office at 858.792.4242. Service animals are welcome.
Not all service providers know the “lingo” of accessible travel, or the medical terms for certain conditions. Give as many details as you can about what you can and can’t do, and don’t downplay the severity of the disability. The more information a service provider has, the better they will be able to accommodate you. Do this and your visit to San Diego will be a wonderful accumulation of awesome memories.