arrow-down arrow-left arrow-right arrow-up play-button plus tab-indicator dots close menu search facebook google-plus instagram pinterest rss twitter tiktok youtube rss-two heart Check FeaturedBadge linkedin minus apps placeholder linkedin

San Diego Beach Wheelchairs

Getting disabled beachgoers on the sand & in the water

San Diego's beaches are more welcoming for travelers with disabilities and others with limited mobility looking for an exhilarating holiday.

Providing Sand and Water Access for All

The beach is a way of life for many San Diegans and those who visit it. It offers endless views, ocean breezes and the chance to take in all that Southern California offers. And now the beach is even more accessible for travelers with disabilities and others with limited mobility due to the availability of special equipment. Through the efforts of the City of San Diego, Port of San Diego, local residents and council members, there are now a variety of manual, powered and floating beach chairs plus sand access mats available at various beaches throughout San Diego County.

Manual, Powered and Floating Beach Chairs

To ensure that all visitors can enjoy the sun, surf and sand, San Diego offers free manual or power beach wheelchairs at nine popular beaches for travelers with disabilities or limited mobility. A hybrid of the common power wheelchair and dune buggies, the power beach wheelchairs are comfortable, sturdy, self-propelled and designed to navigate the soft sands. Most wheelchairs are offered on a first come, first served basis. The manual chairs do require you bring a friend to help you navigate through the soft sand.

You can find the manual and powered chairs at Ocean BeachMission BeachCoronado Beach, Silver Strand State Beach, Imperial BeachLa Jolla Shores and Oceanside Harbor Beach.

For more information, visitors can call the following telephone numbers:

City of San Diego Beach Wheelchair Line (Mission Bay, Mission Beach, Ocean Beach, La Jolla Shores) (619) 525-8247
Coronado Beach (619) 522-7346, ext. 3
Silver Strand State Beach (619)-435-0126 (manual beach wheelchairs only)
Imperial Beach reservation line (619) 685-7972
Oceanside Harbor Beach and Pier Beach (760) 435-4018 (manual beach wheelchairs only)  

Two floating beach chairs are available at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. The chairs are available at no charge on a first-come, first-served basis at the lifeguard tower, 7 days a week from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. For questions, call 760.633.2740.

Sand Access Mats

For beach access on-demand year-round, the San Diego company Access Trax rents and sells lightweight, portable wheelchair-accessible mats you can take anywhere. Invented by occupational therapists, they're easy to use and can be set up in seconds by only one person.

Select beaches also offer sand access mats to provide an easier pathway to access the beach. Large spikes hold the mats in place and sand is swept off the mats daily. 

  • Imperial Beach
    The mats are installed at Pier Plaza and Dunes Park, which both have handicapped parking nearby. The mat size can be manipulated to accommodate events in other areas.
  • Cardiff State Beach 
    During the summer season, a mat is placed at Lifeguard Tower 15 to provide a firm access surface to the mean high tide line.
  • Moonlight Beach 
    A 150 ft. mat is in place year-round near the lifeguard tower.

With the many considerations available for people with mobility disabilities, San Diego is the perfect destination to access the great outdoors. Plan a visit today and experience San Diego's wheelchair accessible beaches for yourself!

Find a place to stay

Book online or call 1-800-350-6205 to speak with a local expert

Related Articles and Features

Deals just for you

Parks & Gardens

Campground Guests Get 10% OFF Zipline Tours

La Jolla Indian Adventure Park
Valid: Jan 15 - ongoing

Plan an overnight getaway at the historic La Jolla Indian Campground, located within La Jolla Indian Adventure Park, and GET 10% OFF our exhiliarating zipline tours at Zip Zoom Ziplines! 

Tours & Sightseeing

Save 20% on an Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure

Amazing Scavenger Hunts by Urban Adventure Quest
Valid: Jan 30, 2025 - ongoing

Turn San Diego's Old Town or Balboa Park into a giant game board with this fun Scavenger Hunt Adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour. Guided from any smart...

Activity

Centennial Season Pass Offer

Belmont Park
Valid: Mar 3 - Apr 30, 2025

To celebrate turning 100, we are offering $100 season passes so you can celebrate with us all year long! 

Events to check out

Event

San Diego Crew Classic

Mar 28 - Mar 30, 2025

Regarded as the first major regatta of the year, the San Diego Crew Classic brings together thousands of athletes from more than 100 universities, clubs and high school programs across the United...

Event

Port of San Diego's Day at the Docks

Apr 13, 2025

A San Diego sport fishing tradition, The Port Of San Diego’s Day At The Docks is the West Coast’s largest public celebration of sport fishing. Signaling the official start of Southern...

Event

La Jolla Half Marathon & Shores 5K

May 17, 2025

The La Jolla Half Marathon is one of America's most picturesque and beautiful point-to-point races. Starting at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the course follows a scenic coastal route before reaching the...

Stay in touch

Sign up to receive the latest news, events, and updates about San Diego. Our monthly and weekly newsletters will keep you informed about the latest and greatest happenings in the destination.

Sign Up

Partners

Explore

Plan

Stay

Follow Us

Language:

English | Change Language

Select your country or region

China
Germany
Great Britain
Japan
Mexico
Korea
Switzerland
Brazil
France
Australia
Canada
USA

Or use Google Translate

Afrikaans
Albanian
Arabic
Belarusian
Bulgarian
Croatian
Danish
Deutsch
Español
Estonian
Filipino
Finnish
Francais
Georgian
Greek
Haitian-Creole
Hebrew
Hindi
Hungarian
Icelandic
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latvian
Lithuanian
Macedonian
Malay
Maltese
Nederlands
Norwegian
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
Serbian
Slovak
Slovenian
Swahili
Swedish
Telugu
Thai
Turkish
Ukranian
Vietnamese
Yiddish