Plan your trip with these resources, attractions and hotels that make coastal travel even easier.
The Oregon Coast is beloved for its iconic sea stacks, tide pools teeming with life and electric sunsets. Over the years, a number of organizations have worked to make those sites accessible to all, and now you’ll find even more amazing options.
To help make your next visit easier and more enjoyable, the Oregon Coast Visitor Association and Travel Oregon have teamed up with accessibility-minded nonprofit Wheel the World to share wheelchair-friendly hotels, attractions and outdoor opportunities throughout the Oregon Coast. Wheel the World’s team of volunteers has canvassed dozens of stops and has brought together wheelchair-accessible information to help you have the best trip possible.
So whether you’re visiting for Disability Pride Month in July or are beachcombing, storm watching and sightseeing throughout the year, here’s a look at some of the top accessible activities on the Oregon Coast. For handy, up-to-date links, see this guide for locations of beach wheelchairs and other assistive devices.
Enjoy Beach Adventures With Mobi-Mats and All-Terrain Wheelchairs
A number of assistive devices available at Oregon Coast beach towns have made it easier than ever for visitors with mobility disabilities to watch the sunset, spy migrating gray whales and enjoy the sandy shores of the Oregon Coast.
In cities from Seaside to Gold Beach, you’re able to reserve all-terrain, electric wheelchairs created by the organization David’s Chair for free; the tank-like treads allow users to motor across the beach. Another alternative is fat-tire beach wheelchairs, which helps an assistant navigate the sand with relative ease. Check out the full list of where and how to reserve these beach-friendly assistive devices.
Another popular resource is the Mobi-mat — a wide, distinctive mat that is unfurled to help wheelchair users visit the beach. (Check out this video to see a Mobi-mat in action in Seaside.) These tough mats are typically rolled out on soft sand to help anyone who’d benefit from a more even surface from access points in places like Seaside, Rockaway Beach, Lincoln City, Waldport, Florence and Gold Beach. Check in with your local visitor center while in town to see whether the Mobi-mats are available — and how far they extend toward the surf — since the situation changes with seasons and tides.
Savor the Area’s Sights, Wildlife and History
Several top attractions on the Coast are wheelchair-accessible and can provide assistance for you and your companions. If you’re coming from Portland and your weekend getaway includes the likes of Astoria, Seaside or Cannon Beach, make the trip a breeze with the brand-new North Coast Express.
At the northern edge of Oregon, the Columbia River Maritime Museum dives into the region’s connection to the sea — a key part of Astoria’s past and present. Its wide range of accessibility offerings include loaner wheelchairs and rolling walkers, as well as monthly Sensory Sunday events for neurodiverse visitors and those with other sensory sensitivities. The museum resides along the flat, mostly paved, 6.4-mile Astoria Riverwalk if you’d like to take in views of the river and Astoria-Megler bridge.
In Newport the popular Oregon Coast Aquarium takes visitors into the heart of the region’s ecosystems with more than 15,000 animals representing 300 native species — including sharks, otters, puffins and jellyfish. The aquarium offers scooter and wheelchair rentals, sensory bags for those with sensory sensitivities, and hearing loop systems for visitors with telecoil-enabled hearing aids or cochlear implants. Get a closer look at the wildlife that calls the area home with a guided kayak tour of Yaquina Bay with the Oregon Boating Foundation. Keep in mind that although the kayaks are wheelchair-friendly, the port facilities where the tour is based require assistance for wheelchair users. The tour operators are happy to provide that help; please call ahead to discuss your needs.
At the eastern edge of downtown Coos Bay, the flat, wooden Coos Bay Boardwalk follows the shore of its namesake harbor and affords views of playful seals, cotton-candy sunsets and passing ships. Interpretive panels along the boardwalk explain the area’s history and industries.
If you’d like to get on the water in bays, rivers and other waterways, learn about accessible kayak launches on the Oregon Coast.
Get Cozy in Accessible Hotel Rooms on the Oregon Coast
Follow the experts with Wheel the World’s list of wheelchair-accessible overnight stays on the Oregon Coast for great stays. You’ll find hotel rooms with features like wide doors, low beds, roll-in showers and other accessible amenities.
Astoria’s Cannery Pier hotel offers luxury right on the Columbia River with views of ships passing by your room’s window, with spacious roll-in showers and step-free access to dining and cocktails. In Seaside the boutique Saltline Hotel welcomes travelers with accessible bathtubs, private balconies and lifts into the on-site saltwater pool just a couple of blocks from the beach.
You’ll find a cozy spot at the Hallmark Resort Newport on the Central Coast, promising Pacific Ocean views from every room. Expect roll-in showers, grab bars and plenty of space to maneuver a wheelchair. In Yachats a trio of rooms at the oceanfront Overleaf Lodge & Spa comes with wide doors, low-height beds and a spacious dining area with a fireplace.
Head to the South Coast to enjoy casino games or live performances at the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort Coos Bay (a name change for the former Mill Casino Hotel), which is owned and operated by the Coquille Indian Tribe. Adjacent to the popular casino, the hotel features river views while providing roll-in showers and tubs, low-height beds, grab bars and an indoor pool with an accessible lift.
– By Matt Wastradowski
Top photo: Courtesy of David’s Chair