How To Get A Free Beach Wheelchair In NYC

By Rachel Kahn, The City

July 7, 2025

Spending the day in the Rockaways or on Coney Island is a beloved New York City summer pastime. For wheelchair users, however, going to the beach can pose more challenges than just figuring out what sunscreen and beach hat to wear.

“There’ve been times where I’ve been bored and I’m like, ‘Let’s go to Coney Island,” said disability rights advocate and wheelchair user Dustin Jones. “But I’m relegated to the boardwalk.”

Since the wheels are usually thin, chairs would sink into the sand if someone like Jones attempted to venture onto the beach. One option to make the sand accessible is a beach mat: a flat mat — usually blue — that makes a pathway down the beach where wheelchairs can traverse. According to Jones, these, too, leave something to be desired.

“I’m really happy that they put down the blue tarp, because obviously it makes it easier to manage on the sand,” said Jones. “But it’s not really good enough, because most people want to go to the water.”

Since 2011, the city Department of Parks and Recreation has offered a small fleet of free beachgoing wheelchairs for people to use. They have special wide wheels that allow them to travel over sand. And in the beach chairs, wheelchair users can travel up and down the shore — and even float.

The chairs, however, need to be pushed — and starting this year they must be reserved in advance online.

Here’s what to know about reserving a beach wheelchair in New York City:

Where are beach wheelchairs available?

According to the Parks Dept. website, beach wheelchairs are available at almost all city-run beaches. That includes South Beach, Midland Beach, Orchard Beach, Rockaway Beach, Brighton Beach, Coney Island Beach and Manhattan Beach. At Brighton Beach and Coney Island, there are multiple options for pickup locations. (Keep in mind that the popular Jacob Riis Beach is run by the National Parks Service, not the Parks Dept.)

A walker at the end of Coney Island’s accessible blue mat. June 30, 2025 Credit: Alex Krales/ THE CITY

The wheelchairs are available 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, from Memorial Day through the Sunday after Labor Day, according to the Parks website. You can use them for up to three hours at a time.

How do I get one?

To reserve a beach wheelchair, fill out the online request form. The form encourages users to request a wheelchair at least 48 hours in advance of when you want to use it. You can also make a reservation over the phone by calling 718-885-2275.

You’ll need to provide your name, address and a photo of your state ID. You’ll also be asked when you want to use the chair and what beach you’ll be going to.

According to First Deputy Parks Commissioner Mark Focht the online form was instituted to accommodate an “uptick in requests in recent years.”

“The new online reservation system will allow Parks to track overall requests more easily throughout the summer months,” he said in a statement to THE CITY.

If you end up taking a last-minute trip to the beach and want to use a beach wheelchair, you may be able to get one without a reservation — but it’s not guaranteed. The city only has approximately 20 chairs citywide, and they’re sometimes moved between boroughs based on the online requests. And make sure to bring ID — you’ll need it to pick up the chair.

“While we encourage patrons to use the reservation system, we endeavor to accommodate all requests,” confirmed Focht.

Beach wheelchairs have to be pushed

Unfortunately, if you’re going to the beach by yourself, with just a small child, or with a group of friends who are also wheelchair users, you likely won’t be able to take advantage of the specialized wheelchairs unless you befriend a stranger: Unlike a standard or motorized chair, beach wheelchairs can’t be moved by the person using them — you’ll need someone to push you.

“When I go to the beach, I go to the beach with my friends who have disabilities who are already using their own equipment,” noted Jones. “That’s not going to help anybody.”

The Parks website also states that wheelchair users must be “attended” by an adult 18 or older — so if you’re a teen, make sure you bring a parent or guardian who can push your chair.

Another obstacle? The fact that, until informed by THE CITY, Jones didn’t even know the beach wheelchairs existed.

“It’s insulting to the community that they claim that they’ve been doing this since 2011 and I’ve never heard of it,” he said. “I can promise you, I’ve been wracking my brain — no one knows these things exist.”

Have you used a beach wheelchair? How did it go? Get in touch with the newsroom and let us know: ask@thecity.nyc.

This press release was produced by The City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.