Welcome to the Big Apple!

During your time in New York, you’ll find that Americans take accessibility very seriously, with the majority of must-see attractions providing wheelchair friendly experiences. For transportation around the city, we recommend Wheelchair Taxis, as while some public transport is accessible, it may not be suitable for everyone. Taxis can be ordered on demand, offer a lowered floor and are equipped for rear or side-entry for wheelchair users.

To ensure you get the most out of your visit, we also recommend getting a CityPASS, which allows admission into 6 of the following attractions listed below.

Attraction One: Empire State Building

Whether you’re in town for a week or a day, no visit to New York is complete without experiencing the top of The Empire State Building, offering an immersive experience through spectacular panoramic views of the city. It is also considered to be an American cultural icon, National Historic Landmark and one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

Accessibility at The Empire State Building has been carefully designed to ensure that all guests, no matter their level of mobility, can enjoy the experience, with lowered viewing walls and binoculars on the 86th Floor for visitors in wheelchairs to witness the beauty of the New York City skyline.

Both electric and manual wheelchairs are also allowed for those that require them, and the 102nd Floor Observatory features floor-to-ceiling glass windows that provide unobstructed panoramic views for all those that visit.

Attraction Two: American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History is one of the world’s leading scientific and cultural institutions and is well-known for its exhibitions, serving as a guide to the planet Earth and its many cultures. The Museum is continually advancing its mission to discover information about the natural world, through a wide-ranging program of scientific research, and sharing their knowledge with the public through education.

This exquisite museum is committed to ensuring that its facilities are accessible to all individuals, with manual wheelchairs available to use at no extra cost, elevator access to each floor, and braille signage and auditory signals at several entrances.

The LeFrak Theatre is also equipped with chairs that have swing-out armrests, allowing for a more convenient transfer to your seat, while all theatres include wheelchair spaces with companion seats.

Attraction Three: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art lives in three iconic sites across New York City, with The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters. The Met has always aspired to be more than just a treasury of rare and beautiful objects, serving as a bridge through time to connect people with different eras and cultures through significant works of art that have been collected, studied, preserved, and displayed for all to see.

The Museum is committed to making its collection accessible to all audiences, offering a range of events for visitors with disabilities, free admission for caregivers and manual wheelchairs at no extra charge on a first-come, first-served basis.

Accessible entrances are also available for easy access on Fifth Avenue and 81st Street, as well as through the parking garages found on Fifth Avenue and 80th Street.

Attraction Four: Top of the Rock Observation Deck or the Guggenheim Museum

Nestled at the very top of Rockefeller Centre, the Top of the Rock Observation Deck should be on any to-do list when sightseeing in New York. During your visit you will experience breathtaking panoramic views throughout the day, offering magical sunsets over the Manhattan skyline in the afternoon, and memorizing displays of the ‘The City That Never Sleeps’ at night. With views of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Statue of Liberty and more, the observation deck shows you NYC, as you’ve never seen it before.

Top of the Rock is fully accessible, with power-assisted doors at the main entrance, and is committed to bringing all visitors the same breathtaking experience, offering tours of the observation deck and Rockefeller Centre.

Guides are trained to accommodate anyone in need by leading the tour through wheelchair accessible routes at an appropriate speed, with elevators to the viewing deck and designated wheelchair restrooms available on all floors.

Internationally renowned, the Guggenheim Museum is many things; a cultural hub, educational centre, and the heart of an international network of museums. Special art exhibitions, displaying modern and contemporary pieces, can be seen here as well as informative lectures, and daily tours of the galleries led by museum educators. Founded on early modern masterpieces, the Guggenheim of today is dedicated to the art of the 20th century and future styles that are beginning to surface.

The museum is accessible for all types of wheelchairs, with manual wheelchairs available for use during your visit, free admission for individual carers, and trained staff who can answer any questions that you may have. The single non-accessible area in the museum is the High Gallery, which requires visitors to walk up a couple of steps to enter.

Travelling to the Guggenheim is also an accessible experience, with the closest wheelchair-friendly subway being on 86th Street, as well as buses on the 86th and 87th Streets on Madison Avenue going uptown, and on Fifth Avenue going downtown.

Attraction Five: Ferry Access to Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Sightseeing Cruises

A gift of friendship from the French, The Statue of Liberty is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, treasured by millions, and declared a National Monument in 1886. The museum features three gallery spaces, each one designed as a tribute to those who created, built and paid for her, as well as the ideals she represents, and the hope that she inspires beyond just the American people. 

Ellis Island is a symbol of American immigration, with research suggesting that nearly half of all Americans today can trace their family history to someone that passed through this New York port. During these years of immigration, there were more than twenty million individual stories about how Ellis Island granted the American dream for families and their descendants.

Ferries to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island are wheelchair accessible, as are the grounds of both locations, with a limited number of wheelchairs available for use on a first-come, first-served basis. Any assistance or service animals that are required for disabled guests are allowed on ferries and in parks, with accessible restrooms available in the Monument and near all food and beverage areas.

The statue itself isn’t accessible, but the grounds surrounding the area are, with elevators available for the Ft. Wood Promenade, which is the star-shaped building at the base of the monument.

Attraction Six: 9/11 Memorial & Museum or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Located at the World Trade Centre in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum serves as the leading institution exploring the historical implications of that unforgettable day. Every waking hour, this monument strives to honour and remember those who lost their lives in the February 26th 1993 and September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks, as well as paying homage to all who showed extraordinary courage and compassion in the wake of these catastrophes. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum are tributes to the past, presenting visitors with state-of-the-art multimedia exhibits, archives and artefacts that illustrate the resilience of the American people, as well as representing a beacon of hope for the future.

This monument is committed to providing equal opportunity for each guest, with the 9/11 Memorial names specially designed to be viewed from different perspectives and free admission offered to carers that are accompanying visitors with disabilities. The single entrance to the Museum is accessible, as are all public spaces, by manual and electric wheelchairs, with elevators placed throughout the monument to ensure ease of access to the many available attractions.

There are several accessible forms of public transportation in lower Manhattan, to assist in getting to the memorial and museum, with New York City buses offering accessible services and many subway stations catering to the needs of wheelchair users.

New York City’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a non-profit, educational institution that is dedicated to the exhibition and interpretation of history, science and service aboard the legendary aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. The Museum, now a National Historic Landmark, served in World War II and Vietnam, as well as acting as a recovery vessel for the Gemini and Mercury space missions. Its mission today is to honour those who served, educate the public and act as inspiration for generations to come, as you examine original artefacts, view historic video footage and explore interactive exhibits.

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum provides specialized programs and resources to support and enhance the experience of all visitors, offering free admission to personal care assistants in support of visitors with disabilities.

Due to the Intrepid’s status as a National Historic Landmark, most of the Museum is fully accessible by wheelchair, including all restrooms and dining areas, as well as the flight, hangar and mess deck.

If you are interested in exploring NYC further and looking for somewhere to stay, we promote several wheelchair accessible hotels for you to choose from, offering a range of adapted facilities that cater to guests with limited mobility. Simply visit enableholidays.com/new-york or give our accessible travel experts a call on 0121 374 0196.

Alternatively, you can email us at enquiries@enableholidays.com or drop us a message on the website to speak directly to one of our accessible travel experts, who will be there to help every step of the way through your tailor-made journey with Enable.