Things to do during NYC visit while mobility-challenged
May 19, 2022 10:04 AM   Subscribe

I'm visiting New York City in early June and am looking for things to do. I am currently experiencing a medical condition that makes it painful to walk or stand for more than half an hour or so. Sitting is OK. See under the fold for more.

We will be based in Midtown and plan to mostly use taxis to get around. We already have tickets to an opera at the Met and a Broadway play, and plans to visit the Brooklyn Museum (I've borrowed wheelchairs in museums and it has been OK). All the folks in my group are experienced with New York, were born there, or lived there for a number of years several decades back, so we don't need to do newbie/tourist things. We enjoy restaurants so assume we're already doing that. Our cultural interests lie at the intersection of grad-school-educated-coastal and quirky-genX-weirdo. What else can I do that can be experienced mostly sitting down? I do have a cane with a seat on it to get me through some degree of line-waiting.
posted by matildaben to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I live in NYC and love to joy ride on the NYC Ferry on a nice day. There are ample seats: inside seats on the lower deck; if you're able to climb some stairs there are outside seats uptop. Lots of different routes and destinations. The ferry can get crowded on weekends, but I feel confident that the workers will help ensure that you get a seat. You can hop off in Williamsburg or other cool places.
posted by Pineapplicious at 10:12 AM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]


I was getting over a broken knee all last year - I feel ya.

How about a visit to Governors Island, and you rent one of the pedal surrey things and tour GI that way? There are a couple of different ferry lines that go there - the one run by GI itself would be closer to the bike rental spot, but the line to board might get long. The one run by NYC Ferry is further from the bike rental.

Seconding Pineapplicious about how NYC Ferry itself isn't a bad idea just for a fun ride. They have about seven different routes now, mostly along spots in the East River.

And June is when you start seeing the outdoor movies come back - and one spot screening them is close to the NYC Ferry stop in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. There's a winery and wine bar in the Navy Yard called "Rooftop Reds", and they have movie-and-pizza parties on their roof. (I doublechecked the web site - they ask that you email them at least 24 hours ahead of time to let them know if you'll need to take the elevator to the roof.) Or you can also take a taxi - they have a detailed map for how to get to their location inside the Navy Yard. (The Yard is a semi-private business campus so there are some small security hoops to jump through.)

And depending on exactly when in June, the Tribeca Film Festival may be an option...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:26 AM on May 19, 2022


A bit far out, but if you haven’t already been, at least parts of the New York Botanic Garden in the Bronx, with a borrowed manual wheelchair (first come, first serve with no reservations) and the tram tour?

Indie movie theater?
posted by eyeball at 11:15 AM on May 19, 2022 [1 favorite]


You can rent a wheelchair from many medical supply companies. DO. And buy yourself a reasonable wheelchair cushion so you aren’t sitting on the sling seat. Since you have some mobility you won’t be as hindered by needing to get up to go up a few steps as many people are. A folding wheelchair will fit in a taxi. Your life will be much better if you don’t push yourself to pain every day. Let yourself actually enjoy your trip!
posted by Bottlecap at 11:47 AM on May 19, 2022 [2 favorites]


Yikes - I just noticed that I left a MAJOR detail out of my earlier comment about the pedal surries on Governors' Island. The reason I recommended that is: everyone else in your group could do the pedaling and you could just sit and enjoy the ride.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:24 PM on May 19, 2022


Look for any events when you're here. Comedy, dance, classical, drag, any kind of seated performance really.

If it's nice out, park picnic, ferry ride, beach.

Wine tasting, multi-course dinner, chocolate tasting.
posted by greta simone at 2:04 PM on May 19, 2022


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