Some of the premier beach destinations on the East Coast are the best vacation spots for wheelchair-friendly and accessible stays, according to new data from Upgraded Points.
Researchers at the Austin, Texas-based travel company recently evaluated as many as 100 popular U.S. leisure destinations across eight factors for accessibility, standardizing metrics per 1,000 permanent residents using 2026 population estimates.
Factors included the prevalence of accessible Airbnb rentals and associated costs and the number of wheelchair-accessible hotels, restaurants, bars, tours, trails, restrooms and other activities.
"Accessible travel planning takes real research, because truly accessible means looking well beyond lodging," Upgraded Points editor-in-chief Keri Stooksbury said in a statement. "It's whether an entire town is prepared for a traveler with mobility needs. So we wanted to look at the full picture: where people stay, eat, explore, and everything in between."
10 Best US Destinations for an Accessible Stay
- Pensacola Beach, Florida – 91.3 (out of 100)
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee – 89.6
- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware – 75.5
- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – 75.3
- Cape May, New Jersey – 71.4
- Ogunquit, Maine – 70.5
- Ka'anapali, Hawaii – 66.6
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, California – 65.9
- Leavenworth, Washington – 63.9
- Bar Harbor, Maine – 61.1
The Best Vacation Towns for an Accessible Stay. (Photo Credit: Upgraded Points)
Leading the way is Pensacola Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast. The city is propelled up the rankings by its 64.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants and 16 accessible public restrooms per 1,000 residents.
Second-ranked Gatlinburg, Tennessee, boasts 42.4 Airbnb listings with step-free access (per 1,000 residents), the highest rate in the study. Meanwhile, No. 3 Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, led more individual factors than any other destination, enticing visitors with 30 accessible hotels and 68.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants per 1,000 residents.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/SeanPavonePhoto)
Elsewhere in the top five, Pigeon Forge stands out for its accessible lodging and activities, with 24 step-free Airbnb listings (per 1,000 residents), while Cape May, New Jersey, fared well across key categories such as dining, public amenities, and activities, offering 16.1 wheelchair-accessible restaurants per 1,000 residents.
For travelers seeking Airbnb rentals with step-free access, Ka'anapali, Hawaii, and Mackinaw City, Michigan also stand out, with 22.5 and 13.8 per 1,000 residents, respectively.
Meanwhile, Moab, Utah, and Malibu, California, trail only Rehoboth Beach when it comes to hotels with accessible bathrooms and stair-free entrances at 25.1 and 13.1 per 1,000 residents, respectively.
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