We nabbed one measly crab, a young ‘un we tossed back, but had a great day because it was easier and less stressful for me to scooter around. The pier was enormous, and the trail down was easy to navigate. We tried crabbing at Kings Landing Park in Huntingtown. The C&O Canal in Sharpsburg parallels the Potomac River, where nature lovers on scooters can keep pace with family members on foot (my scooter was a beast, going six miles per hour). The author at Cunningham Falls in Thurmont, MD. The sturdy, wide boardwalk takes wheelchair and scooter users right up to a prime view of the falls, and there’s a disability-friendly fishing pier that’s especially beautiful in the fall. We went mid-week and late in the afternoon to avoid crowds.Ĭunningham Falls in Thurmont is a cherished old favorite, one we’d visited a lot back in the days I was able to hike on two strong legs. The bathrooms and shower areas at Sandy Point are spacious enough for wheelchair or scooter users, however, it can get crowded. Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis offers similar access to the beach, but the distance to the water can be longer, and the fluffy sand is deeper to slog through, so renting and bringing a beach wheelchair is a must for some. My girls were even able to get me into the gentle waves in one of our extra-large inner tubes. The hard-packed sand on the dog beach on the northern end allowed me to carefully traipse to my beach chair with little difficulty and bring our Golden Retriever Henry along too. Point Lookout State Park, way down the southern tip in Scotland, also offered smooth cruising. Big shout out to our Department of Natural Resources! As a side note, I’ve always found clean, accessible bathrooms a hallmark of our state parks. Some Maryland parks have them, and some don’t, so if having a lifeguard is a must, call ahead first to check. I should probably add that there are no lifeguards at Calvert Cliffs. I used my cane to navigate the hard-packed sand. Once you get to the water, the distance from the path to the water’s edge isn’t far. The bountiful canopy of trees along the scooter-friendly paths shielded us from the hot sun. I would call first and see if that’s a thing they do regularly. We did see rangers carrying some visitors in jeeps. I’d caution against manual wheelchairs because the person pushing you probably wouldn’t appreciate the steep inclines. We made it a doubleheader by stopping at Calvert Cliffs State Park, a prime locale for scootin’ and enjoying nature. The author and her daughters on Solomons Island, MD. We stopped for cones at The Ice Cream Place and gazed out over the water. I kept pace with my family as we explored the tiny island. I hopped on my scooter and rode all over the boardwalk with a happy heart. We also went on a day trip to Solomons Island, a charming southern Maryland town loaded with history and sailboats, and water everywhere. There was plenty of handicapped parking, and the piers on the bay side are wide enough to accommodate a scooter or wheelchair should we have decided to try fishing or go crabbing. Better than riding home with sand in my pants. Assateague also scored big because of the large outdoor showers, enough room for me to drive my scooter inside and rinse off. This time I was able to drive my scooter directly to the end of the boardwalk, and my youngest daughter and husband helped me get to our nearby spot on the beach. They have extra-large rubber wheels to cut through the sand. The long sturdy boardwalks immediately caught my eye, and the sheds housing beach wheelchairs. Especially when traveling.ĭuring the first pandemic summer, my family decided to explore parts of Maryland we hadn’t before, making our way to Assateague for a day trip. Some disabilities are visible, others aren’t, and the struggle is real for each of us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 5 adult Marylanders have a disability. For seven years, I used a mobility scooter (after intensive rehab, I no longer use it), so I’m well-versed in the art of traveling with a mobility aid. My disability isn’t outright obvious my symptoms wax and wane and change. I have a dynamic disability, sometimes referred to as an “invisible” disability. Tiny bathrooms that can’t accommodate a wheelchair, one lonesome accessible parking spot, or trudging to the water through what might as well be quicksand beneath the feet of someone with mobility challenges. Travel troubles, however, take on a whole other meaning for travelers with disabilities. For many Maryland travelers, travel troubles conjure images of angst-riddled backups on the Bay Bridge, or unexpected downpours washing away all hopes of a solid beach day.
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