Population 371
Located in the heart of scenic Door County, Egg Harbor is a great place to spend a few nights on a Wisconsin road trip. And the Feathered Star B&B (https://www.featheredstar.com/) is a the perfect place to rest your head, as all six of their guestrooms are wheelchair-accessible. With a variety of bed configurations, one of the rooms has a roll-in shower and the other five have accessible tub/shower combinations, so wheelchair-users and slow walkers certainly have choices. Add in an innkeeper who goes the extra mile to make all of her guests comfortable, and you have a winning combination. Plus the Door Peninsula is packed full of orchards, country markets and even wineries, so it makes a relaxing and tasty break. Favorite accessible stops in the area include Harbor Ridge Winery, Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery and Wisconsin Cheese Masters.
Population 2,769
Located along the post-1937 incarnation of Route 66, Santa Rosa is a must-stop for car buffs on any Interstate 40 road trip. The big draw is the Route 66 Auto Museum (www.facebook.com/Route-66-Auto-Museum-584173181695140/). The brainchild of Bozo and Anna Cordova — who also own Bozo’s Garage & Wrecker Service — is the result of Bozo’s lifelong love affair with automobiles. He built his first car when he was just 12, and subsequently Bozo and his crew have custom built over 150 different vehicles. These restorations, many of which required some “out of the box thinking” have been subsequently displayed in the museum. There’s accessible parking in front, with level access to the museum, and plenty of room for even the largest wheelchair to navigate around the displays. The collection dates back to 1920; and there’s also a good collection of old signs, Route 66 memorabilia, photos and vintage vending machines on display. It’s a great blast from the past.
Population 688
Wall, South Dakota, which is famous for Wall Drugs (walldrug.com), is a must-stop on any Mt. Rushmore – Badlands road trip. This famous drug store is located close to Interstate 90, about 7 miles from the Pinnacles Entrance to Badlands National Park. Back in the 1930s Dorothy and Ted Hustead enticed visitors to stop at their humble drug store by plastering the west with Burma Shave-like billboards advertising free ice water. Today the operation has expanded quite a bit to include everything from a life-sized carving of Butch Cassidy and a giant jackalope, to a silver dollar bar and even a life sized animated T-Rex. Accessible street parking is available on Main Street, with level access to most areas of the massive drug store. Stop at the soda fountain for a scoop of their excellent homemade ice cream, and just sit back and take it all in. And yes, they still have free ice water.
Population 43
Elbe makes a good stop on the way to Mount Rainier National Park, as it’s just 13 miles from the Nisqually Entrance. One of the big attractions in town is the Mount Rainier Railroad (https://mtrainierrailroad.com/), which operates daily excursions. The Elbe Depot features accessible parking with level access to the ticket office. Lift access is available to the train, which travels through the forest and gives passengers an excellent view of Mount Rainier — if it’s not obscured by clouds. It’s a fun, scenic and educational excursion; and a must-do for train buffs.
Population 5,123
No Route 66 road trip would be complete without a stop in Tucumcari. From a drive along the original stretch of the Mother Road, to an interesting collection of murals painted on the sides of buildings throughout town, and you’ve got a true remembrance of yesteryear. And if you’d like to spend the night in a modern hotel, the Best Western has a nice wheelchair-accessible room with a tub/shower combination.
Population 8,517
You just can’t pass up the opportunity to stand on the corner in this Northeastern Arizona town. And since it’s just a few hours from the Grand Canyon, and only 50 miles from the Petrified Forest, it’s the perfect addition to a national park road trip. Standin’ on the Corner Park (standinonthecorner.org) which is located on the corner of 2nd Street (Route 66) and Kinsley, brings the lyrics of the 1972 Eagles hit — Take it Easy — to life. It features a mural by John Pugh, which depicts the famous lyrics, behind a bronze sculpture of a musician with a guitar (known locally as “Easy”), just standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. It’s a prime selfie spot for sure. Save some time to browse through the La Posada — a restored Harvey House — which is just down the street, before you hop back on the highway. Both attractions feature barrier-free access for wheelchair-users and slow walkers.
Population 16,850
Located about 30 miles off of Interstate 10, Gulf Shores is worth the short detour for Gulf State Park (www.alapark.com/gulf-state-park) alone. This 6,100-acre state park occupies a prime piece of beach real estate, and offers three two-bedroom wheelchair-accessible cabins on the shore of Lake Shelby. The cabins each includes a full kitchen, a spacious great room, a screen porch, and two bathrooms with a roll-in shower. And the cabins are just a short drive from Gulf Oak Ridge Trail — a 3-mile paved level trail that winds through the woods. Accessible restrooms are located along the trail, and there are plenty of spots to stop and take a break. And don’t forget to visit the Fishing and Education Pier, while you’re in the park. There’s accessible parking close to the pier and barrier-free access to the 1,500 foot-long pier, which features a nice water view, with wayside wildlife exhibits along its length.
My husband uses a power wheelchair, and we really like road trips. We have an accessible van, and it’s nice that we can pack all our essential equipment with us, and have accessible transportation to get around and see the sights. That said, lately we have had a few problems finding accessible hotels that really meet our needs. I know everyone is different, and it’s nothing against the hotels, but some of the access features we would like to see are purely personal preference.
So I thought that perhaps renting a wheelchair-accessible RV would be a good solution for us. We could tow our vehicle and have an accessible place to spend the night. Sadly I’ve not been able to find a wheelchair-accessible RV for rent at the major dealers, so I think we will probably end up buying a rig. Still it would be nice to be able to “try before we buy”. Do you have any resources or tips for buying or renting a wheelchair-accessible RV in the US? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Try Before You Buy
Wheelchair-accessible RVs are indeed a great choice for a road trip, for all of the reasons you mentioned. And yes, the “try before you buy” concept is a great idea; however I will say that wheelchair-accessible rental RVs are in short supply. Additionally, chances are they might not be the exact model you will eventually purchase. Still it will give you an idea if you like the RV lifestyle.
Unfortunately none of the mainstream RV rental websites really have what I would call accessible RVs. Granted you can search for “ADA-RVs” or “wheelchair” on some of them, but the results returned are far from what the average person would consider wheelchair-accessible. If you do go this route, I suggest you ask a lot of questions and request copious photos, as what I have seen would not accommodate a power wheelchair.
One good resource for wheelchair-accessible RV rentals is the Handicapped Travel Club. This group has been around for a long time, and the members have accessible RVs and meet annually for rallies. They also have a newsletter, and they share resources about accessible RV travel. Additionally, some of their members rent out their accessible rigs when they are not in use, so it might be a good place to find one to try before you buy. Their website (handicappedtravelclub.com) has lots of accessible RV travel tips, the current newsletter and a link to some accessible used RVs for sale. And their Facebook group (www.facebook.com/groups/handicappedtravelclub) is a good place to connect with other members.
Buying An Accessible RV
Once you decide you like the RV life, then it’s time to think about purchasing a rig. The good news is that many more companies now offer accessible models. Here are some to choose from.
The accessible Maxvan Pathway (maxvan.com/pathway) is a wide body Class B RV. It has a rear entry ramp, a compact toilet and shower area, a fold-out bed, tie-downs and an awning.
Newmar offers several Class A wheelchair-accessible RVs. (www.newmarcorp.com/wheelchair-accessible/). These spacious units all feature lift access and roll-in showers. And some even come equipped with adjustable height beds and dining tables.
Located in Newport, near the end of the International Selkirk Loop (emerginghorizons.com/the-international-selkirk-loop-for-wheelchair-users-and-slow-walkers/), the Pend Oreille County Historical Museum offers a fun glance into the past. Look for it on the right just as you enter Newport on Highway 2, right next to the Newport Visitor Center, There’s accessible parking in the lot, with level access to the museum. Although the first building is filled to the brim with everything from vintage rodeo gear, an old printing press and even some dental tools from a bygone era, that’s only the beginning. There’s ramp access to the other building that houses even more inside exhibits; and level access around the outside exhibits which include everything from an old schoolhouse to a pioneer church. And if you want to learn about the history of the area, there are knowledgeable volunteers on duty. After you’re done, be sure and slip across the street to Owens (facebook.com/owensgro), for a tasty scoop of homemade huckleberry ice cream.
For some down home family entertainment, be sure and plan a visit to the Carter Family Fold while you’re in Virginia Crooked Road Country. Located on the AP and Sara Carter homestead, this large traditional theater only allows acoustic instruments, and alcohol is prohibited. Each week there’s a different headliner, so no two shows are exactly alike. The energy however, is ever present.
Accessible parking is located near the theater with level access to the entrance. Accessible seating (with companion seating) is available up font and it’s the only reserved seating in the house. Indeed the front seats are the ones with a close-up look at all the action, because once the music starts, the area in front of the stage turns into a massive dance floor. But again, that’s all part of the show. All in all, it’s great place to mix with the locals and an excellent opportunity to enjoy a real slice of Crooked Road culture. This Saturday night musical extravaganza is extremely popular, so plan ahead and get your tickets online to avoid disappointment. And If you arrive without a ticket, be prepared, as they only accept cash.
Population 371
