Seattle area outings, with crutches and/or borrowed wheeled assistance?
November 28, 2019 7:18 AM Subscribe
My 19 year old son had knee surgery last week. His medical crew want him to be up and moving, to get better at using crutches and generally for exercise/circulation benefits. He’s also starting to get pretty bored with the same four walls. So, I’m looking for outing ideas in the Seattle area that aren’t too exhausting while upright, or where we can rent or borrow a wheelchair or scooter.
I lived in Seattle for a long time but haven’t been here much in the last ten years, and didn’t have need to look at the world through this lens back then. My ideas so far include the Volunteer Park Conservatory (upright but not a huge amount of walking) and the Woodland Park Zoo (which rents wheelchairs and scooters.) We love the aquarium but would prefer to visit other attractions.
I lived in Seattle for a long time but haven’t been here much in the last ten years, and didn’t have need to look at the world through this lens back then. My ideas so far include the Volunteer Park Conservatory (upright but not a huge amount of walking) and the Woodland Park Zoo (which rents wheelchairs and scooters.) We love the aquarium but would prefer to visit other attractions.
If he's into Minecraft the Mopop is featuring it now. They do have loaner wheelchairs and a drop off area.
posted by ptm at 8:39 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by ptm at 8:39 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Not to threadsit, but: yes, DarlingBri, that’s why I’m asking. Our location is not good for a walk around the block and for a variety of reasons going out to eat isn’t a suitable option. Also, malls on Black Friday are bad for obvious reasons.
The Conservatory is a building that’s far less than a block in length from end to end and I can drop him off at the door.
The zoo is much bigger, but after the exertion of getting from the car through the gate, has the option of riding around for a while.
I’m looking for suggestions of other places that are either small nice places to be upright, or bigger places with wheelchair/scooter rentals.
posted by Sublimity at 9:15 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Conservatory is a building that’s far less than a block in length from end to end and I can drop him off at the door.
The zoo is much bigger, but after the exertion of getting from the car through the gate, has the option of riding around for a while.
I’m looking for suggestions of other places that are either small nice places to be upright, or bigger places with wheelchair/scooter rentals.
posted by Sublimity at 9:15 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Not the question you asked but consider looking at iWalk as alternative to crutches. Helped me a great deal when I broke my foot. I was even able to mow the lawn using it.
posted by terrapin at 10:36 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by terrapin at 10:36 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Museums? There's SAM and Frye, and the Bellevue arts museum if you don't mind crossing the lake.
posted by mollywas at 10:50 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by mollywas at 10:50 AM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
The Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way isn't very large (which is a bonus to you here) but has SO MANY benches at short distances (like...every twenty feet) and very level and well maintained gravel paths. It has the ability for you to drop him off near the gate and then go park in the main parking lot. It's quiet and hasn't been crowded when I've been there. The Bonsai are so pretty.
posted by foxfirefey at 12:22 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by foxfirefey at 12:22 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
What you're looking for re: museums are their accessibility services. For example, the Seattle Museum of Art offers free wheelchair loans.
It also lists things like dropoff locations, etc.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:10 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
It also lists things like dropoff locations, etc.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:10 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Kubota Garden and Seward Park, both on the South End, are really nice and accessible. Neither has chair/scooter rentals (Seward is a public park) but both are accessible. The former is a bit hillier than the latter, which is almost completely flat (at least if you stick to the path ringing the park).
Golden Gardens in Ballard is also really nice. Lovely public beach with a paved pathway and lots of parking right there. Gorgeous views of the Bay and the Olympics if the clear weather holds.
posted by lunasol at 3:19 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Golden Gardens in Ballard is also really nice. Lovely public beach with a paved pathway and lots of parking right there. Gorgeous views of the Bay and the Olympics if the clear weather holds.
posted by lunasol at 3:19 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Is there a Dave and Busters around? An arcade seems like a good place to be vertical while not walking around a whole bunch, plus driving/sitting games for when you do need to sit down.
posted by sexyrobot at 4:54 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by sexyrobot at 4:54 PM on November 28, 2019 [1 favorite]
Was coming here to say Seward Park. Nice and flat and outside and you can scoot around a lot or a little and the views are knockout.
posted by jessamyn at 8:04 PM on November 28, 2019
posted by jessamyn at 8:04 PM on November 28, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:28 AM on November 28, 2019 [5 favorites]