New York is always bustling with activity and the crowded streets and shops depict an image of a metropolis thriving with activity, all over the year. That perception may deter a lot of people with disabilities from exploring the city and adjacent regions which are replete with sightseeing options. Amidst the skyscrapers and maddening traffic, you will find a few corners with greenery and places of cultural interest. The chaotic pace of life in NY notwithstanding, disabled people can still find plenty of options to explore the city without facing many hazards.
Tips For Disabled People Planning To Explore New York
You need to prepare and plan carefully before venturing to explore NY and adjacent regions with a disabled relative or friend. The Authorities and travel agencies in New York have come up with several travel and assistance options for travellers with disabilities, as it is.
- The New York City public transport is quite disabled friendly and with time facilities have not just increased improved too. The NYC public buses, for example, are equipped with lifts to accommodate wheelchair users without much hassle. A lot of subway stations are equipped with elevators and ramps to help out handicapped travellers. To top it all, passengers with disabilities can avail lower fares on the majority of trips. You can visit the MTA website to get the details.
- If the public transport in New York seems inadequate for the needs of your fellow traveller with a disability, there is nothing to worry about. You can easily find a few scooter rental companies in NYC. They offer specially developed vehicles for use by disabled people. Booking these services online is simple and they can cater to your intra city travel needs quite well.
- You can hire cabs in NYC to travel with your disabled travel companion or sure. In fact, the laws in NY on cabs accommodating passengers with disabilities are quite helpful. Booking cabs for disabled people in advance is possible, but you need to ensure the cab has enough leg room. You can instruct the cab to pick you up at your suitable time from a chosen location. The cab driver is liable to assist the disabled passenger and load the wheelchair in the boot, as per the law. They are also bound to let service animals sit in the cab with the passenger.
- New York has several historic landmarks and places of tourist interest, as you know. Thankfully, a lot of these places are equipped with disabled friendly facilities. The eminent Empire State Building, for example, has restrooms meant for people with disabilities in the 86th floor. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is wheelchair accessible.
- For disabled travellers visiting NYC, booking the right type of accommodation is a necessity. You will find hotels in various parts of NYC that have walk-in bathrooms and other features for disabled visitors. You can also search online to find the hotels with such services and interact with their staffs over the phone if necessary.
- Apart from exploring the sightseeing options, a disabled person exploring NYC may want to indulge in dining out and shopping! With some effort, you will come across restaurants and eating joints that offers facilities for customers with disabilities. Some of the top and most popular departmental stores and shopping malls in the city are also wheelchair accessible. Disabled visitors should call before buying tickets for any NYC attractions to ensure the elevators are in shape.
- There are some NYC based service organizations that cater to the needs of disabled tourists. One instance is ‘Hands On’ which helps such visitors comprehend arts and cultural events. The NYC Parks & Recreation Department offers special parking and seating access to events in city parks.