In Brief: A new study by Upgraded Points identifies the best U.S. vacation towns for accessible stays, highlighting destinations where hotels and local infrastructure offer enhanced accommodations for travelers with disabilities.
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New Upgraded Points Study Reveals the Best U.S. Vacation Towns for an Accessible Stay – Image Credit Unsplash
Upgraded Points analyzed 100 popular U.S. leisure destinations – including beach towns, mountain getaways, resort communities, historic towns, outdoor recreation hubs, and major tourist cities – to determine which offer the most complete accessible experience; from lodging and dining to trails, tours, and public restrooms.
“Accessible travel planning takes real research, because truly accessible means looking well beyond lodging,” said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points. “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.”
Methodology
Researchers evaluated 100 popular U.S. leisure destinations across eight factors tied to accessible lodging, dining, recreation, and public amenities. Availability metrics were standardized per 1,000 permanent residents using 2026 population estimates. Key factors were weighted as follows:
- Median price of accessible Airbnbs for a flexible 5-night stay, two guests (weight: 3.0; source: Airbnb)
- Number of accessible Airbnbs (weight: 3.0; source: Airbnb)
- Wheelchair-accessible hotels (weight: 3.0; source: Hotels.com)
- Wheelchair-accessible tours and activities (weight: 3.0; source: GetYourGuide)
- Wheelchair-accessible trails (weight: 3.0; source: AllTrails)
- Accessible public restrooms (weight: 2.0; source: Refuge Restrooms)
- Wheelchair-accessible restaurants (weight: 2.0; source: Tripadvisor)
- Wheelchair-accessible bars (weight: 1.0; source: Tripadvisor)
Each destination’s final scores were combined into a composite out of 100.
Top 10 U.S. Vacation Towns for an Accessible Stay
- Pensacola Beach, Florida – 91.3: The Gulf Coast destination has 64.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants and 16 accessible public restrooms per 1,000 residents, anchoring the strongest all-around profile in the study.
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee – 89.6: The mountain destination has 42.4 Airbnb listings with step-free access; the highest rate in the study.
- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware – 75.5: Rehoboth Beach led more individual factors than any other destination, including 30 accessible hotels and 68.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants.
- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – 75.3: Pigeon Forge stood out for accessible lodging and activities, with 24 step-free Airbnb listings.
- Cape May, New Jersey – 71.4: The coastal destination posted strong results across dining, public amenities, and activities, led by 16.1 wheelchair-accessible restaurants per 1,000 residents.
- Ogunquit, Maine – 70.5: Ogunquit leads for accessible public restrooms, at 61.9, more than twice the rate of any other top-10 destination.
- Ka’anapali, Hawaii – 66.6: The resort community ranked first for wheelchair-accessible tours and activities, at 5.
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, California – 65.9: Carmel-by-the-Sea stood out for its mix of dining, trails, and public amenities, all led by 20.3 wheelchair-accessible restaurants.
- Leavenworth, Washington – 63.9: Leavenworth had the lowest median 5-night Airbnb price in the top 10 for a step-free listing, at $1,463.
- Bar Harbor, Maine – 61.1: Bar Harbor rounds out the top 10 with a balanced accessibility profile across lodging, dining, and public amenities.
Most Airbnb Listings With Step-Free Access (Per 1,000 Residents)
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee: 42.4
- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: 29.2
- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee: 24
- Ka’anapali, Hawaii: 22.5
- Mackinaw City, Michigan: 13.8
Most Hotels With Accessible Bathrooms and Stair-Free Entrances (Per 1,000 Residents)
- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware: 30
- Moab, Utah: 25.1
- Malibu, California: 13.1
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee: 11.4
- Pensacola Beach, Florida: 11.3
Rehoboth Beach and Gatlinburg are the only destinations to appear on both top-5 lodging lists. Rehoboth Beach ranked first for qualifying hotels and second for step-free Airbnb listings, while Gatlinburg placed first for Airbnb listings and fourth for hotels.
Check out all cities analyzed by visiting the full study online.
No ranking can capture every traveler’s needs. Before booking, confirm room layouts, entrance conditions, bathroom features, transportation options, and activity requirements directly with each provider. The best destination is ultimately the one that supports the specific accommodations a traveler needs throughout the entire trip.
