Seemed a bit like rose colored glasses but still, maybe better than where she came from?
cntraveler.com
California's Accessibility Laws Let Wheelchair Users Actually Take a Vacation
Writer Sophie Morgan describes how, thanks to California's accessibility laws, she didn't have to stress out about how to navigate the Golden State as a wheelchair user.
schroth-sensei3 Comments-
I don’t think she’s being too overly optimistic, most of the US is very accessible (not just CA). Across the many states I’ve visited and lived, I’ve never had to worry about accessibility for restaurants, theaters, stores, or even many state parks (though you can’t expect easy access for the latter). Usually looking up operating hour’s is the biggest concern. The only caveat is that you either need an accessible car or need to be driven in one, which also means you deal with: traffic (which can be so awful), high gas prices, potential accidents, etc. And if you want to rent an accessible vehicle, good luck in many places.
I’ve found I’m personally more comfortable in trains than cars, so I wish it had a lot more, but to each their own. 😁-
We love our cars too much to use trains here. Here, trains are not for the average tourist here in CA. Yeah, you’ll have traffic, but that equally applies to everyone. You just get used to it.
-
(If you dislike California, DO NOT read this.)
As a native Californian and Angeleno (Los Angeles native), I LOVE this article! I love it when visitors, especially those with disabilities, get to experience my hometown. [Insert Randy Newman’s song I LOVE LA here.]
So, why is it so accessible? It comes down to politics and activists. If you haven’t watched CRIP CAMP, you may not know CA is where the independent living rights movement started. We want to live in our own homes. We want to live an independent life, without help as much as possible. So, we have fought to have equal access here. And, tourists get to benefit from that.
Yes, many places featured in the article are a bit pricy. And, unless you like lots of homeless or sketchy people, avoid Venice Beach. Many other beaches are much nicer with equal or better access than Venice Beach.
One more thing when traveling in LA, GET A RENTAL VEHICLE!! We are not a taxi city like SF or NYC. This piece of advice isn’t just for tourists with disabilities but for all tourists. LA was designed for people to commute in their vehicles. (Thanks, automakers back in the 50s, for influencing city planners back then.)
See ya here in 2028!
