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Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a very wheelchair accessible city with many warm and friendly options for exploring, both indoors and out. The next operates as a guide to help anyone plan a vacation to Oklahoma City, especially wheelchair users searching for accessible things to do, accommodations, and the ways to get around the town. There are many fun destinations within the city, in the zoo and science center to the water taxi to discover the canal. There are also several locations that are open all day and night, such as the memorial museum and park, so even if you're around for work, you can still perform a bit of sightseeing.
Where to Stay
1: Hyatt Place OKC / Bricktown
Staying in wheelchair accessible accommodations in Oklahoma City and Bricktown puts you in the actual center of everything, which makes it easy to travel using the local transit to see all of the sights and visit popular restaurants. Hyatt Place Oklahoma City / Bricktown is really a modern hotel having a luxury feel, giving you an appropriate destination to relax after a busy day. There are three kinds of wheelchair accessible rooms, two king rooms, one with a roll-in shower and one with a tub, along with a two queen bedroom by having an accessible tub. These rooms also have wider doors to accommodate wheelchairs, added alerts for the smoke detector, phone, noisy alarms, along with a mini fridge in addition to the amenities available throughout each room.
2: Ambassador OKC
The Ambassador Oklahoma City is yet another great wheelchair accessible option inside the city for an elegant hotel experience. The Ambassador really wants to make every guest feel in your own home, which makes it simple for one to ask for assistance and accommodations. The whole campus is wheelchair accessible, from the lobby and the restaurant to offering ADA rooms and suites, hearing impaired rooms by request, and both the fitness center and outdoor pool are wheelchair accessible. When booking an area at this hotel, there's details about the accessibility depending on which size of room and elegance you are looking for.
3: Staybridge Suites OKC Downtown / Bricktown
Another hotel recommendation is Staybridge Suites Oklahoma City / Bricktown, that makes it simple to book a wheelchair accessible room. In addition to the hotel's main space accommodations for wheelchair users, each accessible room highlights the room's accessibility features, providing you with no shocks of the items each room can offer. There's two various kinds of accessibility rooms, hearing and mobility. The mobility rooms incorporate a tub, raised toilet, grab bars, and a full kitchen.
Wheelchair Accessible Oklahoma City Things to Do
1: Oklahoma City Zoo
The city zoo is definitely an excellent accessible destination because of the open spaces and outdoor setting. The Oklahoma City Zoo is really a wide, open zoo having a unique layout, highlighting various kinds of animals from the kid's zoo close to the front of the property to island life, the cat forest, Oklahoma trails, an Asia sanctuary, or even a Dino Safari. There are a number of activities in the standard zoo pathways to extra VIP events for feeding animals and learning more about the highlighted animal.
While the Oklahoma City Zoo does not specifically highlight their accessibility online, they do offer wheelchairs, strollers, and electric convenience vehicles available for rental on the first come, first serve basis. Service dogs will also be welcome on the property, but aren't allowed on the train or in the aviary exhibits. Visitors with service dogs should sign in at Guest Services upon arrival to go over these restrictions. Wheelchair users could also want to visit Guest Services to inquire about a wheelchair friendly map to have a guide for accessible bathrooms and pathways which may be more wheelchair friendly.
2: National Cowboy Museum
When many people think of Oklahoma, they think of cowboys, so while you are planning for a trip, why don't you visit a cowboy museum to find out more? The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum includes a large collection of Western art and artifacts that are on display to focus on the storyline and good reputation for the American West. Between the range of art, the on-site tours, and also the host of events throughout the year, this is a good way to explore a brief history of the area and expand your understanding of what it means to be a cowboy. The tour typically lasts at least an hour, dealing with a brief history displayed through art from mountain men, frontier military life, and also the evolution from the working cowboy including the media's portrayal of the cowboy in television and film.
The National Cowboy Museum is wheelchair accessible, with each area of the museum providing accessibility. On-site, you will find wheelchairs and strollers open to borrow during your remain at free, but they are in limited supply and available on a first come, first serve basis. The events will also be wheelchair accessible, but may be slightly limited depending on the nature of the event.
3: Myriad Botanical Gardens
Another great outdoor destination is the Myriad Botanical Gardens, along with the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. The property is split into indoor and outdoor spaces, using the botanical gardens outdoors and also the indoor space from the Crystal Bridge lobby and conservatory. This is a great place for enjoying the weather and being familiar with Oklahoma's native plant life. There is a free guided walking tour to provide information, education, and inspiration for your own garden. Each month the tour varies to highlight new growth. Self-guided tours are also available, giving a handout for any tour at the own pace.
Both areas of the Myriad Botanical Gardens are wheelchair accessible. All the exterior grounds are ADA compliant, and also the interior, the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, is accessible too. Inside, there's two levels, the first level and third level, both of which are accessible with the use of the elevator found in the South Lobby. Around the third level, there's a catwalk that enables guests to go to the north side and go back to the lobby to reach the very first level. Admittance to the causes is free for all guests and the outdoor grounds are open daily, however the interior and visitors center are closed on Mondays.
4: Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum
Oklahoma City has additionally seen tragedy, using the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. The grounds of the tragedy have been preserved and are the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. The property has two pieces, the outdoor symbolic memorial with a field of empty chairs to remember those lost, a reflecting pool, rescuer's orchard, a survivor's tree, and children's area. The outdoor space is open every single day, 24 hours a day, and it has a strong light display after sunset. The indoor space may be the museum where you can discover the stories of those lost, the survivors from the blast, and those that responded as a direct consequence.
The accessibility of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum is completely wheelchair accessible, both outdoors as well as inside the museum itself. A roadmap from the grounds helps highlight the wheelchair accessible parking on the north side of the museum on 6th Street between Harvey Ave and Robinson Ave. You will find wheelchair accessible entrances on three sides from the grounds, giving visitors the opportunity to access each component on the paved path. The museum is wheelchair accessible in the entrance to each level, and wheelchairs are for sale to rent on-site if needed.
5: Bricktown Water Taxi
If you are planning to explore downtown Oklahoma City, you will have to stay in historic Bricktown, home from the Bricktown Canal. This can be a good way to explore the city through pedestrian pathways, but the Bricktown Water Taxi is a nice way to get a new view of the town and to catch a cool breeze while researching the history of Bricktown. The water taxi supplies a narrated tour while traveling the 40 minutes round the canal. The water taxi docks at one main dock, giving a tour of the canal and is not a traditional taxi, providing travel from one location to another.
The Bricktown Water Taxi is wheelchair accessible. Water taxi has a portable wheelchair ramp for use of and in the dock, in addition to 2 wheelchair locations on board complete with tie down straps to help keep everyone safe. The canal by which the water taxi travels can also be wheelchair accessible having a mix of elevators and ramps, based on which portion of the canal you're exploring. Visitors may have accessibility water's edge, the dock, and the water taxi itself where it accumulates and drops off passengers.
6: Science Museum Oklahoma
For some indoor fun, consider visiting Science Museum Oklahoma. This can be a family friendly space that showcases some unique educational environments from aviation and space to weather, light, and curiosity. There's a science live space in addition to a planetarium, providing individuals with an area to explore and fasten having a range of science topics. In addition to the exhibits, both permanent and visiting, there's a small cafe for snacks, a lunch room and picnic area for outside food, as well as an outdoor garden space with picnic benches.
The accessibility of the Science Museum Oklahoma is wheelchair accessible throughout. Wheelchairs are available to reserve free of charge at a first come, first serve basis and can be reserved in advance with an online form. You will find also sensory kits open to rent for free that include earmuffs, a timer, fidget toy, gloves, sunglasses, and a sensory focused map and story. Addititionally there is an adult changing station around the second floor and it is marked around the maps provided with admission. You will find wheelchair accessible facilities on-site and many, if not all, from the exhibits are accessible to any or all visitors.
How to obtain Around Oklahoma City
Aside in the usual options of the car rental or perhaps a ride share service, there's two ride services to consider in Oklahoma City. The very first is a paid transportation service that specializes in wheelchair transportation, and the other is the public transit service. Often public transit is a great option as many are ADA compliant, but when you're traveling beyond the city or route limits, an alternate transport may be required.
Medride
Depending how often you'll need transportation, Medride is available to supply wheelchair accessible transportation for wheelchair users along with ambulatory persons. Although this is not a typical taxi run, it's a service that gives rides to individuals for health appointments as well as recreational appointments. This would be a suitable ride for any excursion, tell the zoo or even the science center, somewhere you'll be for the majority of your day, and Medride can drop you off and collect you together with your party if you're traveling with just a few people.
Embark
For a public transit option, try Oklahoma City Embark, a riding on the bus that includes buses and ferries. The Embark product is comprised of wheelchair accessible vehicles, all of which possess a wheelchair lift and features to accommodate everyone. This is a good choice for those traveling a lot inside the city, as you can get on and off at various stops within the city itself. Wheelchair users may also be eligible for a a reduced fare card, which requires a credit card applicatoin ahead of time. The normal rate for a single ride is about $1.00, so this option can also be a more affordable option compared to a rideshare or taxi service.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma is a very accessible place to go for exploring museums and native tourist hotspots, ranging from the zoo and the botanical gardens towards the science center and also the memorial museum. Between the accessible things you can do and transportation, combined with the accessibility of local downtown hotels, any wheelchair user can seem to be comfortable and excited to plan a trip to visit Oklahoma City. Using this guide, you can now plan their next trip looking forward to the enjoyment and family friendly options OKC provides.
