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Explore North Carolina without limits at these attractions, inns, resorts and hiking trails that ensure everyone can relish in NC’s beauty and fun.
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Eddy Merle Watson Garden of the Senses
One of several gardens on the campus of Wilkes Community College, this one sprang forth from legendary local musician Doc Watson after the death of his son, Merle. Plants treasured for their strong scents engage guests beyond their eyes — a lasting legacy of Doc, who lost his sight by age 2. All plant labels include Braille, and walls textured with the shapes of animals and other subjects allow those with vision impairments to get a feel for the park.
Ocracoke Beach
The shores near the quaint village of Ocracoke are a frequent favorite of renowned beach expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach) for accessibility, cleanliness and variety. The sandy strip of Ocracoke Beach is chock-full of opportunities for surfing the waves, scouring the sand for shells and reeling in a big fish. A long wheelchair ramp offers easy access to the shore, and if you need to borrow a beach-ready wheelchair, the Ocracoke Island Discovery Center has you covered.
Hickory Museum of Art
This Hickory Museum of Art's diverse collection encompasses more than 1,500 art objects, including Hudson River School paintings, Southern contemporary folk art, pottery, studio art glass and photography. Young visitors can pick up a sensory backpack that contains noise-canceling headphones, a weighted lap pad, fidget toys and other calming items.
Dry Falls
No chasing this waterfall — it flows near the road. The 75-foot-tall Dry Falls in Nantahala National Forest is named for how it drops over a cliff, leaving space to walk behind and stay dry. Wheelchair users can enjoy the view from a lookout ramp along US-64.
Sylvan Heights Bird Park
At nonprofit Sylvan Heights Bird Park, dedicated to conserving waterfowl and wetlands, guests with wheelchairs and strollers can easily access all of the park’s aviaries and almost all of the nature trails. There’s also an ADA-accessible treehouse overlooking the wildlife-rich wetland.
Lejeune Memorial Gardens
Paved, wheelchair-accessible paths make it easy for everyone to honor those who serve our country and remember the ones who have sacrificed their lives for freedom at Lejeune Memorial Gardens. Highlights include a Vietnam Veterans Memorial and a 9/11 Memorial beam from the World Trade Center.
Honor our military's sacrifices at Lejeune Memorial Gardens
High Point-Area Lodging
Not only does the first Certified Autism Destination on the East Coast offer a variety of hotel options, but the city is also filled with attractions and restaurants that are Certified Autism Centers — meaning employees have been trained and are equipped to serve guests on the autism spectrum, their families and caregivers. Make JH Adams Inn (an iconic High Point landmark), Wingate by Wyndham or Courtyard by Marriott High Point your homebase for your inclusive stay.
High Point: A certified destination for travelers with Autism
North Carolina Zoo
From the moment you park in an accessible parking space, your day at the world’s largest natural habitat zoo will be a blast. Caregivers and personal attendants are given free admission to the zoo, wheelchairs are available for rent, and wheelchair-accessible areas include the Endangered Species Carousel, the Acacia Station Giraffe Deck and Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden. The buses and trams that provide in-park and parking lot transportation are also wheelchair accessible.
International Civil Rights Center & Museum
Three tour options suit different mobility and comfort levels. Interactive Virtual Tours are entirely online, consisting of prerecorded footage and a live discussion (via Zoom) with a senior museum docent.
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture
This community epicenter celebrating African American contributions to American culture is a lively space of music, dance, art, film, literature and more. Visitors with visual limitations can experience it all through iBeacons, which use smartphones and Bluetooth technology to audibly describe a person’s surroundings. Wheelchairs are also available for visitors to use. And a couple of blocks away, the NASCAR Hall of Fame has a wheelchair-accessible racing simulator so more people can feel the thrill of driving a virtual race car. It's also a certified Sensory Inclusive venue. Anyone in need of a sensory kit — which contains headphones, fidget tools and other items — can check one out upon arrival.
The best of wheelchair-accessible Charlotte
'Unto These Hills'
In addition to wheelchair-accessible seating, the Mountainside Theatre offers a golf cart shuttle service from the parking lot to performances of "Unto These Hills." The renowned outdoor drama, which made its debut in 1950, tells the story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. To learn even more about the Cherokee people, head to the Museum of the Cherokee People; exhibits, restrooms, the museum store and the education wing are all ADA accessible.
Lenovo Center
Cheer on the Carolina Hurricanes or see a chart-topping artist in concert here stress-free: Guests prone to overstimulation can pick up free sensory bags (including noise-canceling headphones) plus weighted lap pads and photosensitivity glasses. You can also find quiet areas and a complimentary wheelchair service.
NC Museum of Art
The NC Museum of Art works consistently with area partners to gather info on accessibility needs, staff training, and additional accommodations for events and exhibitions. Accessible features include a Soundcloud playlist for more than 20 audio-described artworks for visitors who are blind or have low vision; elevators to all floors and free wheelchair rentals for those with limited mobility; American Sign Language interpretation and CART captioning during programs and tours for travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing; and a neurodiversity guide and noise-canceling headphones to visitors who are neurodiverse.
Carowinds
Award-winning amusement park Carowinds offers alternate access entrances at its thrill rides to those with disabilities and up to three companions, plus a rider access form that lists the rides the guest can safely enjoy. And at Carolina Harbor, a water wheelchair is available for guests at Tidal Wave Bay or Surf Club Harbor, with pool lifts handy at Camp Wilderness pool.
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Watch sharks, rays and sea turtles glide behind the glass at the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, and don’t miss the adorable Asian small-clawed otters who rule the Otters on the Edge exhibit. Sensory backpacks featuring noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys are available for checkout at this certified Sensory Inclusive venue.
Greenville’s Parks
What kind of activities are you looking for today? In Greenville, options abound. At the Town Common, play on the city’s largest playground designed to welcome people of all abilities, or plan a morning of paddling from the ADA-accessible canoe and kayak launch. Even more launches can be found a few miles away at Wildwood Park, and Riverside Recreation Rentals offers services at both places. For more outdoor activities such as fishing from a 900-foot ADA-accessible pier and camping at an ADA-accessible campsite, River Park North is the spot for you. And to embrace America’s pastime, head to the Sarah Vaughn Field of Dreams, a totally accessible baseball field that’s a home run in the community.
Havens Gardens Park
The playground at Havens Gardens Park was designed with all-access fun in mind. Kids of all ages and abilities can enjoy the park’s wheelchair-friendly structures and play areas, including a wheelchair-accessible swing.
Union Point Park
A wheelchair-accessible riverwalk frames 6-acre Union Point Park at the confluence of the Trent and Neuse rivers. It’s a peaceful break from downtown and a lively one during free concerts at the gazebo. Nature enthusiasts love bird-watching while fish jump out of the water. Down the street, the North Carolina History Center provides wheelchairs to transport visitors through exhibits about coastal geography, early settlers and more. Plus all videos have captions.
Airlie Gardens
Wheelchair rentals are available at Airlie Gardens, as are free trams that take visitors around the property. (Call ahead for the tram schedule, but please note the tram is not wheelchair accessible.) Afterward, stroll the Wilmington Riverwalk — the wide, wooden boardwalk makes wheelchair navigation easy, and it connects visitors to some of the city’s best shopping and dining.
Cradle of Forestry in America
A trio of paved trails take in the scenic setting of America’s first forestry school. Preserved buildings mark the milelong Biltmore Campus Trail, and an old logging train and engine appear on the 1.3-mile Forest Festival Trail. The Discovery Center’s hands-on Adventure Zone is designed to engage people on the autism spectrum with the outdoors.
LeBauer Park
All access points to LeBauer Park are wheelchair and stroller accessible, and most of the park’s features can be accessed by anyone using a mobility device: two cafes, the 17,000-square foot lawn, a playground, interactive fountains, ornamental gardens, a dog park, restrooms and more — and be sure to wander under Janet Echelman’s aerial sculpture Where We Met, one of the focal points of the park. You can also visit the Peacehaven Sensory Space, a sculptural wall designed for people with sensory processing disorders.
Sanderling Resort
Sanderling Resort wants everyone to be able to enjoy its ocean and sound views, spa, pools and restaurants. So every wing — North Inn, South Inn and Beach House — of this Outer Banks resort offers accessible guest rooms with exterior ramps, interior elevators and roll-in showers. Resort-wide you can find accessible routes, desks and doors, plus Braille signage and an outdoor pool with a chairlift.
The Park on Main
In addition to having accessible entry points, parking spots, elevators, Braille room numbers, tubs with grab bars, strobe alarms and more — The Park on Main also looks forward to dogs joining in on everyone’s vacation fun. With no pet fees, no pet weight limits, treats at the front desk 24/7, an onsite dog park and doggy beds in rooms, it’s hard to say who will enjoy the stay more. The 650-square-foot ADA King Suite opens onto an intimate courtyard and can connect to the King Suite next door.
Chapel Hill-area Lodging
The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau published a 48-page Accessibility Guide in 2023 that gives travelers in-depth details on 15 hotels and 150-plus restaurants, coffee shops and breweries. Book confidently knowing accessibility information on parking, lobbies, common areas, bedrooms, bathrooms and more at each location. Listings were created by visiting each spot and making note of important factors for visitors with physical limitations.
Whitewater Falls
A quarter-mile, paved walkway leads to the upper observation platform of Whitewater Falls — the highest waterfall in the East — inviting wheelchair users to admire this magnificent cascade.
Odysea Surf School
In addition to teaching private surf and stand-up paddleboard lessons, Odysea Surf School and its instructors volunteer for Ocean Cure, a nonprofit dedicated to giving free surf lessons to medically fragile and at-risk youth and adults. Check Ocean Cure’s schedule for surf camps for Wounded Warriors, seniors, visually limited individuals, for people in wheelchairs and more. Plus, thanks to local groups, you can use one of several beach wheelchairs offered free of charge by the Carolina Beach Parks and Recreation Department. Reserve one for up to a week and pick it up on-site.
Grandfather Mountain
Travelers in wheelchairs have been taking in the breathtaking vista views from the Mile High Swinging Bridge since an elevator was built in the Top Shop in 2010. And in 2023, Grandfather Mountain made more huge additions to its accessibility offerings: two ADA-accessible vehicles that open up opportunities for those in wheelchairs to take part in special events such as Grandfather by Night and Grandfather Glows, plus the nature park’s Meet the Bears and Paint with an Otter experiences.
Beech Mountain Resort
Beech Mountain’s adaptive ski program was the first of its kind in the country, and the resort has invited individuals with a disability to hit the slopes at its annual Adaptive Ski Week in January for more than 40 years. Instructors during this week have received Adaptive Certification from the Professional Ski Instructors of America, and they're experienced in monoski; biski; two-, three-, and four-tracking; slider; and visually impaired instruction.
North Carolina State Parks
Special activities at NC’s state parks — including the observation deck at Mount Mitchell State Park, the Sky Lounge at Chimney Rock State Park and the Venus Flytrap Trail at Carolina Beach State Park — make it easy to enjoy views, scenery and unique carnivorous plants no matter one’s abilities. You can also find accessible camping, fishing on accessible piers and accessible swimming areas at state parks all across NC, while the Wildlife Resources Commission establishes access and opportunities to wildlife-associated recreation.
Biltmore
Most guests of Biltmore navigate America’s Largest Home via audio-guided tour, but there are other ways to experience the lavish former residence of George and Edith Vanderbilt. Printed transcripts of the Biltmore House Audio Guide are available at the front desk, and the guides are also available on tablets in an American Sign Language format. For those who can navigate stairs, the exclusive Rooftop Tour provides a VIP-style experience, as does the Biltmore House Backstairs Tour.
Plan more adventures for all abilities with The Official 2026 North Carolina Travel Guide.