Planning a trip to a new location is always exciting — especially to somewhere like San Diego, which is known for its beautiful weather, vibrant neighborhoods and countless things to do that cater to all kinds of interests.
That being said, if you’re traveling with any kind of disability there are a lot of things to consider when planning a trip, whether for work or play. I can say that from experience: I was born with a physical disability called cerebral palsy, which affects the way I walk, and I use a mobility scooter when traveling.
I absolutely love to travel and have never felt that my disability should hold me back from visiting new places or experiencing new things — and it shouldn’t hold you back, either! I’ve been to more than 10 countries outside the United States, and have visited dozens of cities domestically. Having had my fair share of positive and negative travel experiences with my mobility scooter, I’ve learned some things over the years that help each trip go a little more smoothly than the last. I also document my accessible-travel experiences on social media to help share resources with my followers or fellow disabled travelers, at @RealChelseaBear on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.
I had the privilege of visiting San Diego for the very first time in October 2023, and again in March 2024, and both trips were absolutely incredible! I can genuinely say that no matter what part of San Diego I was in, I was very impressed with its accessibility. Here are highlights of all the things I did while in San Diego, as well as recommendations and tips for planning a visit here while keeping accessibility in mind.
Discovering Balboa Park on a Mobility Scooter
My initial impression driving into Balboa Park for the first time was: WOW. The buildings and monuments scattered throughout the park have extremely beautiful and intricate architecture which is so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I was surprised to learn that the park is home to 18 museums, adding even more culture and character to the entire area. Plus, the gardens, large fountains, duck pond and overall landscaping were breathtaking.
While at Balboa Park I went to the Mingei International Museum, which celebrates folk art from around the world. I learned a lot about folk art and viewed a lot of incredible exhibits. Right across the courtyard was The San Diego Museum of Art, which boasts an internationally renowned collection of more than 32,000 works, dating from 3000 B.C. to the present day.
Accessibility at each museum was seamless, with ramps and elevators available to help me get to each floor with my mobility scooter and enough space between the pieces of art where I never had issues with navigating around the showrooms. Beyond these two museums, there are many more throughout Balboa Park, all within a short walk or roll — including the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the San Diego Automotive Museum, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum, and the Comic-Con Museum, to name a few. Most offer accessible tours, too!
If museums aren’t your interest, I still recommend stopping by Balboa Park at some point during your visit to San Diego. I went on three separate days and each day there were exciting things going on throughout the park, so I recommend visiting even if it’s just to walk or roll around the beautiful scenery. There are various food options, vendors selling jewelry and art, and street performers doing magic tricks or playing musical instruments. Plus, there’s a free concert every Sunday at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
Parking is free and there are plenty of accessible parking spaces.
If you love waterfront views …
… then San Diego is the place to be! One of my favorite areas by far was the Embarcadero, including Seaport Village. The waterfront area extends along San Diego Bay, is easily scootable, and has so many different things to do, see and eat. There are a lot of shops and restaurants, as well as local vendors and entertainment scattered throughout.
Beyond the incredible views of the sailboats and yachts in the bay, I was extremely impressed with the area’s dedication to accessibility.
Whenever I came across a couple of steps to get into an establishment, there was a sign with a disability icon and arrow pointing to the nearest ramp. Figuring out an accessible entrance is sometimes the biggest battle when traveling, so I was really grateful to see how San Diego prioritized signage and accessibility in this way. Bonus points, the waterfront is only a few blocks away from San Diego’s lively downtown and Gaslamp Quarter areas, making it really easy to get from one area to another without needing to figure out transportation.
Something I really enjoyed doing along the Embarcadero was a Harbor Tour with Flagship Cruises & Events. They had a ramp so I could easily get on the boat with my mobility scooter, and there was a tour guide who shared history and interesting facts about the area – and we got to see a lot of seals! Full disclaimer, the ship did not have an elevator so I had to walk up a flight of stairs to get to the top platform. But there’s plenty of room and seating for you and your party to fully enjoy the tour on the first floor of the boat if you’re unable to do steps.
You can also enjoy public art and sculptures, visit the USS Midway Museum or the Maritime Museum of San Diego, or catch a concert at the new outdoor bayfront concert venue, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park along the Embarcadero.
Accessible beaches await
You can’t visit San Diego without seeing the Pacific Ocean, right? Well, that was at least my mindset as an East Coast native. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I stayed in the Mission Beach area for a few nights and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. The sky was spewing neon pink, yellow and orange, and although I took dozens of photos, none did it justice. It’s just one of those sights you absolutely need to see in person! Not to be demanding but, add it to your bucket list.
All jokes aside, it was really easy for me to roll along the boardwalks on my mobility scooter at Mission Beach and La Jolla Shores. There were plenty of shops, bars and restaurants that were level to the ground, so it was extremely easy for me to scoot inside, and the options for where I could go were not limited, which is something I usually run into in other cities. Both areas gave beach-town vibes but still had impressive accessibility features.
If you’d like to get onto the sand, San Diego offers free manual or power beach wheelchairs at nine popular beaches. Most of the wheelchairs are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so I recommend calling in advance or getting to the beach early to ensure availability. Three beaches in San Diego also have sand access mats, which allow you to wheel out onto the beach to really soak in the views. You can find more information about Access Trax and other accessible options here.
I was also pleasantly surprised to learn about the adaptive activities offered in San Diego. I love a little adventure when I travel, and I had the amazing experience of going on a kayak tour of the Seven Caves with Bike and Kayak Tours Inc. in La Jolla. I’ve kayaked plenty of times before, being a Floridian, but to be fully transparent I was a little intimidated to be kayaking on the Pacific Ocean, since the waves are a little more rough than the ones I’m used to. I expressed my concerns to my tour guide and they quickly adapted, allowing me to switch from a single kayak to a double kayak, with one of the other tour guides joining me on the kayak. She made the entire experience comfortable for me, helping paddle to move us along through the tour and adjusting my seat to ensure I was supported.
It was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. We saw leopard sharks through the crystal-clear waters, as well as different fish, sea turtles and harbor seals. The tour guide shared some unique facts about La Jolla Shores and the beautiful caves, and we even got to kayak inside one of the caves! The tour guides were extremely accommodating and assisted my sister in helping me navigate walking in the sand and getting in and out of the kayak as well. If you plan to go on this adventure, I recommend calling in advance to share your specific needs so they can plan accordingly before your arrival.
Living it up in the Gaslamp Quarter
I also stayed in the Gaslamp Quarter for a few nights, and it was a great central location with a lot of options only blocks apart. Accessibility-wise, the curb cuts on each corner were really smooth and easy to navigate on my mobility scooter. I was really impressed with how clean and clear the sidewalks were, too. It was really easy to get to different restaurants or entertainment options. I’m always a huge fan of walkable areas because they reduce the need to worry about transportation with a mobility scooter, so I definitely recommend this area.
With rows of restaurants and bars throughout Gaslamp Quarter, I was also delighted to see a strip of comedy clubs. I went to a comedy show at American Comedy Co. and it was a great venue. The main entrance to the theater had stairs, but they had an elevator available for me to get to the show easily.
Something unique that I loved about this particular area was how the local MLB stadium, Petco Park, is located within the downtown area. Whether you’re catching a concert or cheering on the San Diego Padres, it’s an easily accessible venue to get to.
Fantastic food options
Overall I was pleasantly surprised with the diverse and high-quality food scene in San Diego. One restaurant in particular, Callie, was one of the best meals I’ve had in years. The Mediterranean menu offered a variety of mouthwatering options, and the hummus was some of the best I’ve ever had.
Another great venue to check out is Liberty Public Market. Located right next to the Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens, which is an extensive brewery and restaurant with a delicious flight of IPAs, the public market had a lot of diverse and authentic food options to enjoy. I splurged a bit while there because there were too many good choices to choose from! I had handcrafted lobster ravioli from Pasta Design, a delicious bowl of ramen from Slurp Taiyaki & Ramen, and authentic Argentinian empanadas from Parana Empanadas. My only regret is that I didn’t get to try something from every vendor!
Try an Old Town Trolley Tour
If you’re looking for one activity that can give you a full overview of all that San Diego has to offer, the hop-on/hop-off Old Town Trolley Tours of San Diego is the way to go. Each trolley vehicle has an accessible lift for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and you can leisurely explore the 11 stops during the tour. It brings you through Old Town, the Embarcadero, the Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, and Balboa Park. It’s an easy way to get around and sample many different areas of San Diego.
If you’ve been needing a sign to book a trip to San Diego, let this be it! As someone with a physical disability, it’s hard to come by destinations that are so accommodating and with so much to offer. The views, the food, the people, the activities, it all speaks for itself. Thank you for coming along on my journey as I explored San Diego. I can’t wait to go back, and hope you get to visit soon!
You can find additional recommendations and things to do in San Diego at https://www.sandiego.org/explore/things-to-do.aspx.
Chelsea Bear is a content creator based in Florida who shares her experiences of living with cerebral palsy on social media with the handle @RealChelseaBear. CP impacts the way she walks, and she uses a mobility scooter part-time for long distances. She is passionate about accessible travel and documents her experiences of living with a disability by sharing educational, uplifting, and lighthearted posts that strive to share resources, celebrate inclusion, and create acceptance for people with disabilities.
Funded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds