New York is the richest city in the United States as well as the world, consisting of high-rise buildings, business epicenters, the hustle and bustle of daily life, and lively urban energy. With a population of over 8 million, it’s the most densely populated city in the country, built on approximately 300 square miles. From Central Park and Times Square to the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, NYC offers world-famous iconic landmarks for tourists.
The city’s five boroughs— Staten Island, Manhattan, Queen’s, Brooklyn, and The Bronx— have plenty of amazing spots for tourists. As a primary tourist destination, New York is accessible, offering disabled-friendly infrastructure in public transportation, sidewalks, restaurants, hotels, and sky-high buildings. If you are visiting The Empire City as a disabled traveler and are unsure about where to start your travel itinerary, this article is for you. We’re ranking the New York City boroughs based on the accessibility— including walkability, inclusive infrastructure, easy transportation, or social awareness.
1) Manhattan
Manhattan is arguably the most popular borough of New York— a home to the top tourist attractions of the city. Its hotspots include the Central Park, Broadway, Times Square, Empire State Building, Wall Street, and the Statue of Liberty (located in Liberty Island, which is part of Manhattan). In MTA’s 2020-2024 Capital Program, about $6 billion were invested for the upgradation and accessibility subway stations. While 67 stations received an ADA-accessible upgrade, 78 stations had new subway elevators. A significant number of those stations were from Manhattan, transforming it to one of the best boroughs of New York for disabled travelers.
Besides the subway upgradation, Manhattan’s other transportation systems— including the ferries, dispatch taxis, and buses— are wheelchair friendly with ramp facilities. For instance, when you take a ferry to Liberty Island, you will be offered a boarding ramp for your wheelchair, with the staff assisting you for a smooth experience. A visit to the iconic Central Park gives an accessible entrance gate and road, but refrain from visiting the lake area where you may experience uneven paths. Furthermore, the Manhattan sidewalks are generally wide for a perfect wheelchair ride, while ADA-complaint public restrooms are in many places.
2) Brooklyn
Followed by Manhattan, Brooklyn, the most populous borough of NYC with nearly 3 million people, offers a wide range of wheelchair friendly facilities. The famed Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Museum, Borough Hall, Madison Square Garden, Barclays Center, and Coney Island are some noteworthy tourist hotspots. As a disabled traveler, whether you take a subway, bus, or ferry— every form of transport has excellent accessibility features for an unforgettable experience.
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In the previously mentioned Capital Program, Brooklyn made the second most subway station accessibility upgrade after Manhattan. Tourist attractions like Brooklyn Museum and Brooklyn Botanical Garden have complete step free paths, wheelchair rental facilities, and disabled-friendly restrooms. Brooklyn also built 23 new and upgraded accessible public rest rooms, reflecting the borough’s focus on disabled community. With wide pavement, most Brooklyn neighborhoods are disabled friendly, with new audible pedestrian traffic signals introduced at Court Street.
3) The Bronx
Located in Bronx County, this borough is in the northern part of the city. The Yankee stadium is at The Bronx— in addition to the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx Zoo, Bronx Museum of the Arts, and The Hub. With a population of nearly 1.5 million, it is the third most populous borough of NYC. The Bronx neighborhoods have remarkable infrastructure, offering inclusive facilities for travelers with limited mobility.
The Bronx has accessible subways with recently completed elevators for disabled passengers. In the New York Botanical Garden, you can enjoy amenities like tram rides, disabled friendly ramps and roads, and accessible bathrooms. Similarly, in the Bronx Zoo, you receive similar facilities along with an accessible monorail, allowing close encounters with zoo animals through a fun ride. At Pelham Bay Park— which is three times bigger than Central Park— you get a touch of nature in the urban hustle, offering easy braille signs, disabled friendly swings, smooth pavements for wheelchairs, and easy-to-reach handrails. Additionally, The Bronx took a big leap towards accessibility by introducing 10 renovated or new public bathrooms, including for people with disabilities.
4) Queens
Situated to the western side of Long Island and adjacent to Brooklyn, Queens is the biggest borough of NYC by area. It has a population of close to 2.5 million as per the last census. Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Museum of Moving Image, Rockaway Beach, and Citi Field are some popular sights for travelers. Queens’ accessibility is comparable to other places of the city, but some areas may be difficult to navigate for people with disabilities, placing it second last among the boroughs of New York for disabled travelers.
With an inclusive upgrade of subway stations of New York, Queensboro Plaza station— one of the major stops of Queens borough— is getting the elevator facility, which will make traveling easier for disabled tourists. Like the other botanical gardens of the city, Queens Botanical Garden has accessible roads, ramps, and restrooms for a memorable visit of wheelchair users. As part of the city’s goal to build modern and inclusive public toilets, Queens is getting 14 new or reconstructed ones. Since Queens is one of the oldest areas of NYC, the old infrastructure may pose challenges to travelers with wheelchairs or limited mobility.
5) Staten Island
Staten Island may be the third largest borough of NYC in terms of area, but it’s the least populated, boasting a population of less than a half million. Unlike other parts of the city, it isn’t connected by subway. It, however, has a Staten Island Railway or SIR, serving 24 hours every day and making local transportation easier. It’s the least accessible borough for having no direct connectivity to the subway.
Taking a ferry from Manhattan— which also serves everyday for 24 hours— is the easiest way of reaching Staten Island. The ferries are inclusive, offering ramps for disabled travelers. A ferry ride would present you with stunning views of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty from a distance. In NYC’s initiative of introducing high-end and modern accessible public bathrooms, Staten Island is only getting 7— the least out of five boroughs. Compared to the other four, Staten Island doesn’t have many tourist hotspots nor broad accessible amenities.
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