We are great fans of taking time to get to know your destination when you first arrive in a new city. In San Antonio, the Alamo Trolley provides a great way to get your bearings. The narrated tour takes riders to the heart of Old San Antonio and covers most of the cities attractions, including the Alamo, the Missions, the King William Historic District, and more.

While anyone traveling in a wheelchair cannot “hop-on or hop-off” since the only wheelchair loading/unloading spot is located at the Visitors Center across from the Alamo at the Menger Hotel, the 60-minute tour is still very worthwhile.

Find out more here.  

Top Tip: To make accessible boarding as smooth as possible, let the company know you plan to travel at least 24 hours in advance and arrive at least 15 minutes before the arranged departure to make sure you have enough time to board.

If you are traveling with little ones, make sure to stop in at the DoSeum, San Antonio’s museum for kids. Described as “a fun and fascinating place where kids can create, make, build, invent, discover, think, dream, do,” it’s suitable for children up to age 10. There’s so much to see that one visit just won’t be enough. Depending on the age (and attention span) of your children, plan on spending anywhere up to three hours here.

The museum is wheelchair accessible.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: The museum allows same-day entry, so you can go out and return if your little ones need a break from all that playing.

They say everything is bigger (and better) in Texas and watching Alamo: The Price of Freedom in IMAX makes that hard to dispute. This 48-minute movie tells the story of the 189 Texans, Tejanos and settlers who defended the besieged Alamo for 13 days against the Mexican army led by General Santa Anna – and it tells it BIG!

The AMC Rivercenter 11 is wheelchair accessible. Assisted listening devices, audio description devices and closed captioning devices are available from the guest services desk.

Top Tip: If possible, plan your itinerary so you see this movie before visiting the Alamo to get a fuller understanding of the site.

Once you’ve enjoyed the famed River Walk from the banks, it’s time to get on the river itself. GO RIO offers a range of narrated cruises, taxi services and other specialty boat rides to take you down river (and back up again). The service operates daily until 10:00 p.m. making it a great way to see the river in both the day and nighttime.

All of the barges are accessible. For daily taxi operations, boats can accommodate two wheelchairs, with transfer seats available. Boarding ramps are available on each taxi.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: There’s no need to book to enjoy a public tour. Boats leave the docks every 15 minutes.

Start your day with a visit to the San Antonio Botanical Garden and spend time getting to know some of Texas’s indigenous species. While the whole garden is gorgeous, for an “only in Texas” experience, head to the Texas Native Trail. The 11-acre trail includes over 250 plants from the Hill Country, East Texas Pineywoods and South Texas. There are also several reconstructed Texas dwellings on the site, including an East Texas log cabin, a South Texas Adobe and the Auld House – an 1880’s homestead.

The San Antonio Botanical Garden is wheelchair accessible.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Take advantage of this beautiful site and bring a picnic with you.

It’s another day and time for another Alamo-related activity! Check out one of San Antonio’s newest attractions, Battle For Texas: The Experience. This mix of museum and interactive experience houses over 250 artifacts telling the story of the Battle of the Alamo. These include Davy Crockett’s long knife, Santa Anna’s captured sash pistol and an 18-pound cannonball fired by Texan artillery at Mexican forces.

The exhibit is wheelchair accessible.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: Entry is free to kids under the age of six.

Head to the River Walk and take the opportunity to visit the San Antonio Museum of Art. The museum is the largest center for Asian art in the southern United States. It also has one of the most comprehensive collections of Latin American Art in the country, with a collection that spans 4,000 years and covers all art media.

The museum is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs may be requested from a security guard on a very limited first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the accessibility of the building, call210.978.8100.

Find out more here.

Top Tip: The museum offers free general admission on Tuesdays from 4:00-9:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

People generally go to the theater to enjoy what’s showing on stage. At the Majestic Theatre, located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the stage is a destination in its own right. Built in 1929, the magnificent theater is a National Historic Landmark and is recognized as one of the most ornate theaters in the United States. The design is inspired by Spanish Mission, Baroque and Mediterranean architectural traditions. The Majestic Theatre is the home of the San Antonio Symphony and Broadway Across America San Antonio.

The Majestic offers accessible seating.

Assistive listening devices are available (valid ID required).

Many of the Broadway in San Antonio productions are open captioned, usually during Sunday matinee performances.

Top Tip: Don’t bring any large bags with you. They are not allowed into the theater.

San Antonio is served by San Antonio International Airport.

Family restrooms are located in Terminal A and B.

Terminal A: Level 1, across from the Baggage Claim Area and on Level 2 adjacent to Gate 12.

Terminal B: Baggage claim area, in the gate concourse between gate 3/5 and 4/6. \\

Other restrooms have three levels of accessible stalls: one with a sink and toilet, one that accommodates a wheelchair and one equipped with side rails for assistance in sitting and standing.

There is a designated service animal relief area in Terminal B adjacent to the West exit at the Baggage Claim area, near the Ground Transportation Center. 

TTY phones are located in Terminal A at the Ticket Counter Lobby and Gate Concourse and the Concourse Walkway in Terminal B.

Video Remote Interpreting for American Sign Language is available as needed.

Wheelchair-accessible parking is available in the long-term and hourly garage.

The following companies offer wheelchair-accessible transportation.

San Antonio Taxis– 210-444-2222

San Antonio Wheelchair Taxi– 210-260-6740

Yellow Cab– 210-222-222

Super Shuttle

VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority buses are accessible via ramps or lifts and have two wheelchair securement areas.

Operators will (upon request) announce specific destination stops, provide verbal or written directions to a transfer point, assist passengers onto or off the lift, and up or down the ramp, or boarding or alighting the bus.

Find out more about VIA accessibility here.

Base yourself at the 3-star Homewood Suites by Hilton San Antonio-Riverwalk/Downtown. The hotel has a prime location on the famous Riverwalk, giving guests a convenient base to explore San Antonio’s historic sites, take advantage of great shopping and indulge in delicious Texan cuisine. Enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast (served daily), evening dinner and drinks (Monday-Thursday) or just unwind in the accessible rooftop pool.

Mobility accessible suites are available with either one or two bedrooms, as well as a living area with full-size sofa bed. They feature a variety of bed options, including one king-size or two queen-size beds. Bathrooms have roll-in or transfer showers. Kitchens are built to a lower scale and include a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher and twin burner stove.  There is also a mobility/hearing-accessible one-bedroom suite, which features a visual alarm and notification devices for the doorbell or door knock and incoming telephone calls.

The business center, exercise center and swimming pool (hoist) are all accessible.

The hotel offers accessible parking. Accessible transportation is available with advance notice.

Find out more here.