5 accessible vacation destinations in Pennsylvania

People with disabilities can enjoy these five Pennsylvania destinations that emphasize inclusivity.

The Keystone State is full of great things to do, but ensuring a vacation is fully accessible can be frustrating and disappointing for people with disabilities both physical and cognitive. The good news is that plenty of attractions across the commonwealth have adapted to make sure as many people as possible can experience them.

Check out these accessible attractions across Pa. that welcome folks whether they use wheelchairs, are deaf or hard of hearing, are blind or have low vision, have sensory issues, or otherwise simply need accommodations to have the best possible experience.

1. Philadelphia 

Make a plan to visit the city of Philadelphia itself, because most of the city’s best attractions are accessible to people with disabilities. Plus, many sites offer discounted or even free admission with a disability ACCESS card.

Though the city’s biggest tourist destination — Independence Hall — is the centerpiece of a city constructed hundreds of years ago, wheelchair users can learn about U.S. history by rolling through accessible buildings and joining accessible tours.

In addition, some Philly museums have assisted listening devices and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for visitors. The Barnes Foundation, for example, offers assistive listening devices for use during tours and also has ASL interpreters available for workshops, events, and tours reserved in advance. Plus, admission with an ACCESS card is totally free! The Franklin Institute has courtesy wheelchairs available for use and also can assure ASL assistance is provided if informed in advance. 

Plus, while most museums want guests not to touch the objects on display, that’s not the case at the Please Touch Museum! The museum is a perfect destination for Philly kids with sensory issues when it hosts its Play Without Boundaries events. During these times, the museum closes to the general public, turns down lights and sound, and offers events geared toward kids with autism. 

And when the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archeology and Anthropology hosts its “touch tours” visitors with low vision or blindness are encouraged to touch a variety of objects in order to more fully learn and enjoy them.

2. Pittsburgh

Many of Pittsburgh’s museums and other attractions offer sensory bags by KultureCity, a nonprofit dedicated to improving accessibility for people with sensory issues, like those with autism. Sensory bags usually contain noise-canceling headphones to damper outside noise, fidget tools, sunglasses to damper distracting light, and communication cards for when talking is tough.

You can find KultureCity or other sensory bags at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, the Children’s Museum, the Heinz History Center, the Moonshot Museum, PNC Park, and more.

Many museums are also accessible to wheelchair users and have their own wheelchairs that visitors can use on a first-come, first-served basis, including the four Carnegie Museums.

3. Lancaster

Though Lancaster may not be as large as the urban centers of Pittsburgh and Philly, the area still has a variety of options for folks of all abilities to enjoy a vacation.

For instance, you can take a ride on the oldest continuously operating railroad in the country while still taking a ride in your wheelchair when you visit the Strasburg Rail Road in nearby Ronks. While the Lancaster-area steam train that chugs through the rolling Lancaster hills is not modernized to meet all ADA criteria, the railroad does have a mobile lift to assist passengers with wheelchairs or other mobility devices, or who simply have difficulty climbing steps. Then, you can sit back and relax while exploring Pa. Dutch Country by train.

Kids will enjoy Dutch Wonderland, a theme park built with children in mind that also happens to be wheelchair accessible. Visitors simply need to stop at guest services to get an accessibility pass, which will show what rides guests can use based on their height and their use of a wheelchair. And most rides are accessible!

You and your family can also see a show at the historic Fulton Theatre, which has wheelchair-accessible seating, assistive listening devices to amplify sound from the stage, and ASL interpreters at select shows.

4. Pennsylvania State Parks

Experiencing the beauty and calm of the outdoors should be accessible to all, and that’s the case at a number of Pennsylvania State Parks across the commonwealth.

Many state parks have accessible campgrounds as well as cabins and yurts for wheelchair users. For example, Laurel Hill State Park in Southwestern Pa. has an accessible campground, accessible camping cottages, an accessible fishing dock, and even accessible playground equipment. Throughout the park system, paved and semi-paved trails are also accessible to wheelchair users.

5. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

While many natural trails aren’t accessible to wheelchair users unless they have chairs with special wheels, the trail to visit Dingmans Falls in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is a smooth boardwalk (perfect for wheels) that’s about half a mile long.

In addition, the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) has a 0.25-mile sensory trail that’s rope-lined for people who are blind or who have limited vision. (Anyone can use the trail, however, and if you’re sighted you can ask for a blindfold to heighten your experience!)

Also near PEEC, don’t miss the 0.3-mile Trail for Everyone, a flat woodland trail that allows you to pass forest and field ecosystems as well as a pond. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area also has audio files available for download so that visitors can get descriptive information about certain areas as well as learn about history and wildlife.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.