Spotlight City: Washington, D.C.

By Krista Flores
Washington, D.C. is one of the most popular tourist sights in the country. People come to D.C. from all parts of the world to visit such sites as the White House, the Capitol, and the many Smithsonians. As the center of Democracy for the United States, D.C. should serve as a model of accessibility, but for visitors with disabilities the district can be difficult to manage. Considering the age of this area and historic buildings, which make up Washington, D.C., the district has made remarkable efforts in creating accessibility, but knowing how to find it can be a challenge.

When traveling to D.C. the first obstacle is transportation. Although there are means of accessible transportation from all of the local airports and train stations, it is always a good idea to call ahead and let them know that you are coming to avoid any last minute delays. From Dulles International Airport and Baltimore Washington Airport the best modes of transportation are Super Shuttle or a Cab (companies such as Red Top have wheelchair accessible vans, however, you must first have a reservation.) When arriving into Regan National Airport, one has an additional transportation options and that is the Metro trains. All stops on the metro rails are wheelchair accessible, however, it is important to make note of the elevator outages ahead of time, often times one or more elevators are out for repairs, a station agent can assist you with this information. Although Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), will shuttle patrons with disabilities to the stop where the elevator is out of service, this is will ultimately add additional travel time to your schedule.

Often times the best form of transportation throughout the district is public transportation, weather it is the bus system or the rail system you can access most areas of the district and most of the tourist attractions. Navigating through the mall, the area between the Capital and the Lincoln memorial, involves a lot of walking/rolling to reach all of the areas, however, if you are driving, you can park at the base of all of the monuments which eliminates a lot of the walking distance. Nine of the, eleven Smithsonians are located on the perimeter of the Mall. Although all of these are accessible, again visiting these sights does involve a lot of walking/rolling. So, when visiting these sights allow a lot of time and be prepared for long days. Due to the size of mall and of the Smithsonians it is impossible to cover it all in one day, keep that in mind and choose what you visit accordingly. There are accessible tours through the White House and the Capital but these are scheduled tours, call ahead of time to get all of the accurate information. During times when Congress is in session check with your representatives office to get tickets for the gallery to see the debates on the floor.

When visiting historic areas of the district, such as Georgetown and Adams Morgan keep in mind the fact that these locations are historic for a reason. The old buildings and streets are difficult terrain to navigate and many of the sites are inaccessible. Make sure to call ahead to see if the specific location you want to visit is accessible, and make sure to check with the WOW! website to check out the accessibility of the local restaurants.

Overall, Washington D.C. can be viewed as a fairly accessible vacation spot, with lots of things to see and do. As always, make sure to do your homework, plan ahead and make calls if you have specific needs. This will ensure a vacation with minimal frustrations.