NYC...AKA my favorite city in the world! My first visit to New York was in 2017 on a summer trip with my entire family. We saw and did a lot of the “touristy” things people typically do on their first trip to NYC; the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Empire State Building, etc.
A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit New York again! This time it was just my parents and me, and it was a day trip so I was only able to choose a few things to see and do. I didn’t see the MET or the Brooklyn Bridge my first trip, so they were at the top of my list. Keep reading to find out how accessible each place I visited is and tips for if you’re visiting New York!
Transportation/Parking
We were coming to New York from Maryland so my mom drove the majority of the time while my dad navigated. As scary as driving in New York City sounds, it actually wasn’t terrible! Trying to find parking was the more difficult part.
We started our trip in Manhattan so we parked in the parking deck at the MET. That worked out perfectly because almost everything we did was in the Manhattan area. Finding parking in Brooklyn was a lot harder. Most of the parking garages were full, and parking on the street wasn’t an option because I couldn’t get my wheelchair out. After lots of searching, we finally found one that had availability.
Serafina Fabulous Pizza
Accessibility: 8/10
This was the first place we went since we got to the city around lunchtime. It’s in Manhattan, which is where our second stop was located (the MET). A little pricey, but the food was SO GOOD! I got a margarita pizza and my parents ordered pasta.
As for accessibility, getting to the restaurant from the parking deck was so easy. The sidewalks in Manhattan are some of the flattest in New York. Like many restaurants in the city, there was outdoor seating on the street. The waiter just moved a chair so I could roll under the table. The tables were kind of close together and had plexiglass separating us so it might be tight for someone in a motorized wheelchair. I didn’t go inside so I can’t judge how accessible that part was.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET)
Accessibility: 10/10
The MET was probably my favorite part of the trip! I love art museums and this was the biggest and most iconic one I’ve ever been to. Like I mentioned earlier, we parked in the deck, which is underneath the museum.
The MET was very accessible! There is an elevator at the parking deck that brings you to the first floor. There are 5 floors! There’s even a rooftop garden with an amazing view of the city! There’s also handicap accessible restrooms throughout the museum. Everyone who worked there was super when directing us where to go and pointing out the elevators.
There were also art vendors set up outside the MET. I definitely recommend checking them out! I bought a few framed mini prints of Vogue and The New Yorker magazines.
It’s really hard to see everything in the museum in one day, so make sure you look beforehand and choose the exhibits you want to see most.
The Brooklyn Bridge
Accessibility: 7/10
We went to the Brooklyn Bridge on our way out. We were lucky enough to find a parking garage with empty spaces because a lot of them were full. It took a really long time to get to the actual bridge so if you have a SmartDrive or any other assistive motor I’d use it. Once we got there, it was worth it. The view was amazing and it was great for taking pictures.
Overall, such a fun little trip! I can’t wait to visit again!
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