San Francisco touring in a wheel chair
 

We will be traveling to San Francisco early next year with a friend who recently had hip replacement and may require the assistance of a walker or wheel chair during this trip. We would appreciate advice on areas that are handicapped accessible.

Not to be discouraging, but SF is not, I think, going to be particularly easy for someone with limited mobility. I hope others can correct my impressions, but:

the tourist areas (Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, Ferry Terminal, for example) are very crowded and can be somewhat difficult to maneuver even on foot. The cable cars and streetcars are not accessible, and the terrain in the center of the city is very, very steep.

On the other hand, the waterfront parks, the Presidio, the museums, even Muir Woods, are all fine, and IIRC, the buses are accessible as is BART.

Clearly tons of people with mobility issues live in SF and the rest of the Bay area and get around fine, but I am just not sure about being a tourist.

If your friend has a handicapped tag, this may be one of the rare times I might recommend renting a car because you could use handicapped spaces, but I will look forward to better answers.

Thanks for your honest advice. We will have a vehicle and she has a handicapped sticker. Any other suggestions for easily accessible locations would be greatly appreciated.

I might book a Grey Line city tour - especially if it is a walker needed and not w/c (by that time, it is unlikely a w/c would be necessary unless there is something else going on). We took one a few years ago - stopped right at a variety of sites and also gave an interesting narrative. Ours was a half day tour with an add-on of Alcatraz in the afternoon. If I remember, Alcatraz has a tram option for those with mobility issues - but I would certainly check on that.

If friend can walk say 50-100 feet with walker and can do a few stairs, then I think the trip can work. If not or if must use w/c all the time, this could be a very difficult trip.

I believe that all above ground buses are equipped for wheel chairs, and the seats near entrances to the buses are reserved for wheel chairs. When we were riding the underground Muni Metro yesterday, the elevator at the Powell station was under repair for 3 months. All corners/crosswalks are sloped for wheel chairs. My wife broke her foot last year & had a handicapped parking placard - but unfortunatly, there are too few spaces available in The City. You do not need to put money into parking meters if you have a placard, nor do you need to observe any 24 min parking limits (green zones). Restaurants and all stores are requred to be wheelchair accessible. We found locals to be very accommodating to those with handicaps - and I suspect that tourists are the same.

Stu Dudley

Although the City has it's many hills, it's also reasonably disability friendly, as is Berkeley across the Bay.
I think you'll find these are two of the easiest places to travel when using a wheelchair.
Both my daughter's boyfriend's parents have CP and they are able to get around, and he to commute and work in San Francisco, with relative ease

Thank all of you for your wonderful advice. Hopefully by then she will be needing only a walker. We plan to spend several days touring SF, wine country and surrounding areas. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated as wonderful restaurants and off the beaten path places.