Listen to this Article
I moved to the Midwest 16 years ago. I grew up on Long Island and went to New York City on occasion. Most of the time it was the Time Square area, to see a play, have dinner, and enjoy the bright lights.
When I decided to visit friends and family on The Island a few months ago, I decided to first do a few days in The City. It was to be my first trip traveling alone in my wheelchair and I was a little nervous. I wanted a simple itinerary in an area that wasn’t too crowded. Chelsea seemed ideal.
I had spent little time around the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, and it seemed like there was a wide selection of accessible things to explore, and great food to eat.
My new power chair was delayed, and I ended up travelling in my scooter. I was a bit relieved because I could put luggage at my feet and hang a bag on the handle. I had asked a few of my wheelchair travel friends about the safety of having a backpack behind you and never got any answers. It will remain a question for the next trip alone.
There were some flight delays, but I was impressed with the updates at LaGuardia Airport. There used to be narrow walkways and only one tiny elevator that you could use to baggage claim if you were in a wheelchair. It is now wide open, and the elevators are much bigger.
My cousin Marissa came to the airport to get me. She was extremely helpful with my luggage, helping the scooter up the ramp in the van, and getting me settled in the hotel.
It didn’t take us long to get to Chelsea. The area runs along the Hudson River and has been refurbished over the last decade. It’s a favorite of artists and foodies, with lots of parks and waterfront.
I decided to stay at the Hyatt Place New York Chelsea. It was in a good location and I had an accessible room with a low bed and a spacious bathroom. The view of Manhattan from the room was spectacular and included the Empire State Building. The hotel offers a free breakfast bar and has a rooftop restaurant with a terrace.
I changed my clothes and waited for Marissa before ordering my first accessible ride of the trip. New York City has the best transportation for wheelchair users I have seen so far. It is always available and reasonably priced. New York City Wheelchair provides a taxi van with a ramp or lift within 10 minutes. They are available in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx. They also pick up and drop off in areas within 30 miles.
The taxi service is great, but I also found that Lyft and Uber had accessible vans available for the same price as a regular car. I was able to do that on an app on my phone. My rides averaged about $15 each, which is what you would expect to pay for a cab in New York.
Our ride took us to Hav & Mar, owned by Chef Marcus Samuelsson. I had met him a few times when I used to cover food and wine festivals. I always enjoyed speaking with him and tasting his flavorful food. Hav & Mar, who had Executive Chef Fariyal Abdullahl in the kitchen, did not disappoint.
The restaurant is known for its seafood, but they were happy to accommodate my severe allergy to shellfish, as well as my cousin’s gluten intolerance. I feasted on corn bread with hummus and tomato jam and vegetable curry, while Marissa indulged in grilled fish, oysters, and scallops. We finished with crème brulee for her and a huge slice of chocolate layer cake for me. I could only eat half of it, but it was too good to leave, and I took the leftovers to my hotel room.
The next day we headed to Chelsea Market to meet with a Like a Local food tour which would take us through the market, the Highlands and Yards. We really did eat our way through the tour, which was filled with history tidbits from our guide, Chris.
The market has ethnic food from around the globe, a handful of which are lauded as some of the best eateries in New York. The place is very accessible. There were just a few restaurants that had stairs to get in and Chris knew exactly where to take me, so I didn’t feel left out of any of the experiences.
We tasted mini donuts from Doughnuttery; brownies from Fat Witch; Pasties (hand pies) from Joey Bats; Takumi Tacos, with an Asian slaw that gave them a unique flavor; and Zach & Zoey Honey.
Then we went across the street to Market 57 at Hudson River Park. There we saw the open kitchen Platform Culinary Experience by the James Beard Foundation and enjoyed Good Batch cookies.
It was a cloudy day with a little rain, but we could still see Little Island, Chelsea Pier, and Hudson Yards from there.
Chris led us back on the street and we went to the Highland, another place to take in the New York City Skyline. Marissa and I didn’t have long to stay because we had one more spot in Chelsea to visit.
As a child I had many field trips to New York City museums, and I went back as an adult to some, but I had never been to the Whitney Museum of American Art. It is often forgotten by visitors to Manhattan because of its location, next to the Meat Packing District and across from the pier, unlike other midtown attractions.
The Whitney is extremely wheelchair friendly. I especially loved the large lobby with plenty of room to enter and exit. I could move around easily, even into the café. The elevators were also spacious, and we explored each floor, checking out the American artists. The museum has the biggest collection in the world of New Yorker Edward Hopper’s paintings.
I was impressed with all the programs available for those with special needs, as well as workshops for families, free admission nights, and live music on the terrace in the summer. Special exhibitions are there often, and a unique one is coming in the fall with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
It was an exciting trip to Chelsea, and I felt more confident about wheelchair travel alone after going. New York is definitely working hard to make wheelchair users feel more comfortable about traveling there. I was even able to get an accessible ride out to Long Island, where I spent a few days with friends and family before heading home.
