After a fairly pleasant 5 hour flight we experienced disorganised chaos at Newark Airport New Jersey….. took 2 hrs to get my chair out at baggage! I was worried my chair had been broken or left in San Francisco…..but thankfully it was just slow to come out. Then we were told it would be a 3 hour wait for accessible taxis so we hopped on a public bus which had a hoist so we could load the scooter, powerchair and all our luggage!!!
The view of the NYC lights from the freeway was magical. I felt like Dorothy entering the Emerald City. Annette the bus driver was super helpful and although she could only drop us on the corner of 42nd and 8th Streets, she hailed us wheelchair accessible taxis to make sure we were safe and could get to our hotel. Midnight pizza while Tony from Brooklyn sorted out the base of my bed as it was a metal bed frame no hoist access!!!! Even though specifics had been emailed and confirmed! I guess that’s the advantage of staying at a hotel with 24 hr reception and an Engineering Department!
We have arrived in the Big Apple and it is organised chaos but truly incredible!!! Today we spent the afternoon meandering through the classy streets of the Upper West Side and our first visit to the iconic Central Park, just taking it all in. What we noticed: squirrels are so cute; unusual birds; filming and photo shoots; frisbee game on steroids; delightful pond and row boats; street entertainment with lots of audience participation.
Met people from Latvia, Italy, Brazil, Australia and the US. A lone lady standing amongst the trees playing the saxophone. It is so green and although there are people everywhere somehow it feels serene. Ate tiny hotdogs and a refreshing icecream. On the way back to the hotel we talked to chatty NYFD officers. Dinner at Gold White Butchers for a delicious Rib Eye and free drinks!! Concrete jungle where dreams are made NYC we can’t wait to see more of you. Despite their reputation we found that New Yorkers are so friendly!
We dashed through Central Park to 5th Ave, ducking under the awnings of the apartments and hotels on our first showery day. So many poodles and labradoodles! NYPD Officer Walsh helped me put on my poncho as the showers got heavier. Local guy Jeff kindly gave us directions to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, affectionately known as the MET. A friend had lent us her members pass so we saved 50 dollars and went straight in. So many galleries of art and artifacts it was like the history of the world in one monumental building!! Galleries we viewed included Samurai armour, Heavenly Bodies, Ancient East Persia and Roman sculptures. Felt smarter as went left the MET, but needed a few more days to view the collection entirely. Very good access and helpful staff. Dinner at Bellini’s Italian pizza and the tattletale lamb ragout was delicious!
Today we wheeled along the Hudson River bikeway for another perspective of this awesome city. Ventured downtown to see the Lincoln Centre, Time Warner Centre, Broadway, Radio City Music Hall and the impressive Rockefeller Centre. The ‘Top of the Rock’ is the perfect place to see just how incredibly huge this place is!!! 5th Avenue and Central Park led us back to our Upper West Side base. Locals, vendors and tourists alike have been extraordinarily friendly and helpful. Crazy awesome, organised chaos – Manhattan you Rock!! Arrived at our hotel with only 2 battery bars left – the sign of a wonderful day with my beautiful man. Dinner ‘to-go’ from the Beacon Bar right next door to our hotel.
Another day in this electric city and we visited The American Museum of Natural History, seriously, what a place! You could spend days exploring all collections in the many halls; we enjoyed an Amazon film about the evolution of species based on butterflies; huge dinosaur collections and bought my nephew a dino; Margaret Mead famous anthropologist I studied at university; found Dum Dum (for those of you who have seen Robin Williams and Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum); loved taking photos of all the old mammals and birds; found the Tigers (so special); and the main entrance foyer was epic!! Quick bite to eat and terrible coffee before heading home to get dolled up for the American Ballet!!!
Note: Wheelchair access is via the side entrance
Dinner with a friend at a French restaurant and we made it to the Lincoln Centre on time to see the American Ballet Theatre performance of Romeo and Juliet – stunning!! I’d booked a wheelchair accessible spot ticket a few days earlier over the phone, however they hadn’t removed the chair in my spot, but let me sit in aisle until first intermission when they removed the chair. Great view and a night to remember.
Take me out to the ball game!! New York Yankees V Tampa Bay Rays at the historic Yankee Stadium. I booked accessible spots via email in advance as the games all sell-out (see details at the end of this post). We needed two cabs and Steve didn’t fit his scooter in one so had to wait for a third! The Hotel bellhops are great at hailing accessible cabs for you! Party atmosphere, great game, yummy chicken – the Yankee fans are so passionate! I wanted to buy a balloon from a young boy who I thought was selling them. Turns out he wasn’t, but he insisted I take some of his balloons!
Subway adventures on the way home from Yankee Stadium – The NYC subway has no guards and very few staff to assist but we found the public to be more than helpful and courteous. We hopped out at 81st St to find no elevator access so we waited 40 minutes for the next train. The ballerinas we befriended looked on their phone app and said 59th is listed as accessible but when we got out we found the elevator out of service! Getting on and off trains with no ramps and some small step and gap was a bit of an adrenaline rush (and really quite dangerous). On this ride a friendly group of 3 New Yorkers recommended places for us to visit while a flash-mob entertained us…
….we got out at 42nd St to find the exit of the station was via a series of obstacles – ramps, platform lifts and double doors. We were kindly assisted by a lovely African American woman with a 7 month old baby in a pram. It took her 3 trips and over 15 minutes to get all of us up to street level – and I had to look after the baby on the street while she went back for Steve and the pram! I gave the woman ten dollars for her time (I was feeling tip happy) before we found out they were homeless. I was humbled that she was helping us. The woman said was grateful to have money for dinner that night. It was like an episode of Humans of New York. A genuine and unexpected moment of gratitude in the subway.
After 6 nights exploring the gorgeous Upper West Side we checked out of the Hotel Beacon to move down to our next location in the Times Square/Midtown area, so we could be closer to the attractions. Our support workers needed two taxis to lug all of our gear, while we meandered through Central Park. So many people enjoying a leisurely Sunday in the park, warm weather and the jazz quartet were enchanting. Crazy busy wheel down 5th Ave – I had no idea that Tiffany’s has 4 levels!! Lunch on the go from our favourite chain store Pret a Manger for healthy fresh wraps and sandwiches – such helpful staff opening our drinks, wiping my table – nothing was a problem!!
Made it to Times Square for some photo opportunities. The sheer chaos of the advertising, people everywhere, traffic – a real assault on the senses. Saw the famous big ball and a naked lady playing guitar! After entering the wrong hotel, we found The Stewart Hotel, a lovely 89 year old building recently refurbished but still has its old world charm. Situated opposite Madison Square Garden and near to Penn Station the Stewart has a stylish art deco lobby, however wheelchair access was a bit inconvenient via heavy double doors and an extra lift at the side entrance. Our suite was on the 16th floor and had an iconic NYC street view. And it was loud, very loud, so we got amongst the chaos with drinks at an Irish pub called Fiele and dinner next door at the Blarney Rock Irish pub – the salad, bangers and mash were a nice break from American style food!!
Another hot day in New York city and it continued to amaze us. Bryant Park was a moment of tranquility after the harsh reality of Midtown and Times Square. The NYC Library grandeur and history was spectacular, as was the bustling and beautiful Grand Central Station. Both very accessible and well worth a look. We were still pinching ourselves that we were in New York!!
We took advantage of staying right near the bustling Penn Station and booked our train tickets to DC directly at the station a few days before our departure. I had tried to book online before the trip but the measurements of mobility devices allowed on trains looked tight for Steve’s scooter so we were crossing our fingers.
We received help from an eccentric, brash stationmaster called Brandel (although we think he looks like Super Mario!). It was like a Mr Bean episode as he took us from the special assistance queue to a lift which never arrived…..so then we followed him into the loading dock into Penn Station…. into the goods lift which closed on Steve as he went walkabout to return the keys. Brandel then followed us around Penn Station like we were his adopted kids, and made sure the booking officer looked after us. We didn’t think he was going to leave us alone but in the end Brandel was quite helpful giving us mobile numbers for the red hats, so they can help with luggage on the day we leave NYC. Memorable experience!
You can hop on cruises around Manhattan at both Midtown and the Downtown areas of the city. We were staying in Midtown so it was about a 25 minute wheel to Pier 83 (lots of construction to navigate). The Circle Line were nothing but helpful in getting us booked and onboard our accessible 90 minute Landmarks cruise. Thanks to my amazing friends Anita and Melissa for their generous gift of a Citypass which covered this attraction’s ticket. What a thrill to see Lady Liberty up close, travel under the Brooklyn Bridge and see a different perspective of this incredible city from the water, all set to fascinating and witty commentary by our guide David. Definitely a highlight of our time in NYC! (I know this because I was so excited I bought the souvenir photo pack). Great wheelchair accessible cruise, and you can sit inside and outside on the boat.
Next we set off along The Highline, which follows the old train tracks and rooftops through NYC. It was a very accessible and groovy way to explore the ever-changing cityscape and take shelter in its much-needed shady nooks! Exiting by ‘elevator’ (as no one knows what lifts are here) at Chelsea, we set east to the cosmopolitan Flatiron district. Steve was in photography heaven and I mingled with other tourists before queuing for delicious gelato from Eataly🍦 That evening it was “all that jazz” with my friend Leah and I at Chicago on Broadway, while Steve did a night time photo shoot. This city has it all!!
After a later start we drove in our chairs back to the Flatiron district and checked out bustling Madison Ave Park. Explored Union Square Farmers Market and Gramercy area. Traffic so bad that an ambulance couldn’t get through so pedestrians started directing traffic! I love NYC! Arrived at Washington Square Arch where a woman dressed as a “handmaid” was doing a silent protest campaigning for refugee children not to be removed from their parents. Not listening to the news whilst holidaying we were a bit out of touch from current affairs so it was good to have a chat with the woman who was a teacher, and learn what was going on. Visited the political stall set up in the square and bought an anti-gun badge. Great to see grass roots action in this democratic hotspot!
$1 pizza in SoHo as recommended by some friendly NYPD officers. The cast iron district had great architecture with almost every building having the famous fire-stairs. Wheeled back to our hotel along new streets with secret gardens some beautiful churches.
We took separate taxis downtown to the very moving 911 Memorial and Museum. Mixed emotions, but mainly sadness. So many stories and so very well curated. The resilience of the people of New York shone through the darkness. We went on to check out the Wall Street Financial District, Girl and Bull statue and Battery Park. Steve drove his scooter all the way back to Times Square while I cabbed it to save power! Dinner at the Molly Wee Irish pub – a really fun place! A day of absolute contrast.
One last day exploring as many iconic buildings as we can. Macy’s, Chrysler Building, the United Nations Headquarters.
We topped off this epic adventure with the Empire State Experience at sunset. Spectacular. Romantic. Magical. New York you’ve been an absolute blast….concrete jungle where dreams are made….we’ve wheeled 120kms around you and seen, smelt and felt so many incredible things. Now we are ready for a relaxing train journey south to the capital.
Accessible tips
My name is Gordon Osmond, I am a retired acrylic and oil artist and I live in West Albury NSW. I have a debilitating neuromuscular condition called Inclusion Body Myositis or IBM.
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Email: info@mdnsw.org.au
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Muscular Dystrophy NSW
ABN 11 774 587 436
Phone: (02) 9888 5711
Freecall: 1800 635 109
Email: info@mdnsw.org.au
Postal Address: PO Box 3071, North Strathfield NSW 2137
Muscular Dystrophy NSW would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, and we pay our respects to their Elders past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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