Ok, this may be too ambitious for an accessible summer bucket list. It may be more of an idea list? I’m throwing in simple things that bring us joy, and big things that we’d love to try. Let me know which ones you do!
- Visit an accessible beach with beach wheelchairs or track chairs available.
- Throw a bubble party on the porch.
- Explore a botanical garden with accessible paths. Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, Frederik Meijer in Michigan, and Butchart Gardens in British Columbia are great examples. The first two offer discounted admission with your ACCESS card.
- Roll around a splash pad. If you can’t find one near you, try a sprinkler in the back yard. We just take the seat cushion off the wheelchair so it doesn’t take too long to dry. It’s no different than getting caught in the rain.
- Visit a zoo with accessible routes and viewing platforms. Nashville and San Diego are our favorites!
- Take a scenic drive along a coastal or mountain route. Pacific Coastal Highway 1 in California is a great example. National parks also have scenic drives just for wheelchair users so that we can catch some of the views we can’t hike to.
- Go to a wheelchair-accessible amusement park. Obviously, Morgan’s Wonderland is the best, but a lot of theme parks have enough accessible options to make it worth it.
- Roast s’mores. If you don’t have a fire pit, the grill will suffice!
- Visit a national park. National parks almost always have at least one accessible trail, and the visitor’s centers and restrooms are accessible. Check out the Junior Ranger programs!
- Make ice cream. We don’t have an ice cream maker, but have you tried this camp hack with ziplock bags?
- Go to a summer sports game in an accessible stadium.
- Try adaptive kayaking or canoeing.
- Have a picnic in an accessible park. If you’re not sure your local park has any good options, check out your nearest state park – they usually have accessible options.
- Take a class. Check out a local art studio, cooking class, or martial arts introduction.
- Attend a drive-in movie. Because nothing is more accessible than staying in the car.
- Paint Rocks. Use them to decorate your garden, or save them as gifts!
- Visit a wheelchair-accessible children’s museum. Pittsburgh has the best science museum and children’s museum for inclusion! The Exploratoreum is another incredible experience that’s mostly barrier-free. All of these are cheap or free with your ACCESS card.
- Star gaze. Find a dark sky park like Cherry Springs, or just see what you can from your back porch.
- Go on an accessible tour of your hometown. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn! Call ahead to let them know you’ll need an accessible route.
- Visit a wheelchair accessible farmers’ market.
- Take an ice cream trail. Discover Lancaster and some other destinations offer these during the summer, but you can always create your own! The only thing better than going for ice cream in the summer is going multiple times in one day.
- Go adaptive cycling with a handcycle or adaptive bike. Search “adaptive biking” near you, and you should be able to find some rental options.
- Play at an all-abilities playground. Find one, here.
- Try adaptive rock climbing. If you can’t find any, call your local rock wall climbing gyms to ask if they can accomodate you. Usually, they can, but it’s not advertised.
- Visit a wheelchair-accessible water park. We loved Kings Island. Hersheypark and Del Grosso’s are also great ones with water chairs. Most Great Wolf Lodges also have water chairs, making everything accessible except for the water slide.
- Go fishing at an accessible pier or lake. This is another one where state parks are great options!
- Go bird watching in an accessible wildlife refuge. Middle Creek, Pennsylvania and Blandford Nature Center, Michigan both offer free nature packs to take with you while you explore on paved trails.
- Try adaptive surfing.
- Sign up for summer reading. Libraries have some pretty robust summer reading programs, and they’re usually great places for inclusion.
- Go on an accessible boat tour. This is another one where you may need to call to confirm accessibility. We loved our pontoon ride at Lake DeGrey Arkansas.
- Visit a wheelchair-accessible arboretum. These are great spaces to take off on paved trails and enjoy the fresh air!
- Play a board game.
- Go on a wheelchair-accessible hike. Check out rail trails near you, or look at AllTrails for some accessible options.
- Cook something together.
- Explore a wheelchair-accessible city park. Bonus points if you can take the bus there, just to try something new.
- Explode some Mentos. Just add Coke. Always fun.
- Get off-road in an Action Track Chair. Several state parks are now loaning out track chairs so you can explore like never before.
- Hide a treasure and make a map. This is really a glorified Easter egg hunt, but the kids get a kick out of it. Indoors or out is fine.
- Go four-wheeling. This is another way to get deeper into nature when you can’t hike the trails.
- Send a letter. Grandma loves to know she’s being thought of.
- Take a road trip. The best way to get started traveling is with little trips. Find a state park an hour or two away and spend the day!
- Snuggle up and watch a movie. There’s no school in the morning: take advantage of it.
- Go camping. Accessible campgrounds can be a pain in the tush to find. Once again, state parks may be your best friend. John Dillon in the Adirondacks is an unbeatable accessible option.
