People with disabilities that enjoy the beach use these non-motorized wheelchairs to access bordering outdoor water activities. Several different versions of beach wheelchairs have been designed including pool wheelchairs, sand wheelchairs, and aquatic wheelchairs. They usually require users to be accompanied by someone pushing them, although several California locations offer motorized chairs which may be self-propelled. Typically, visitors may borrow the chairs on a first-come, first-served basis, at beaches or rental shops. Some beaches also accept reservations.

The Americans With Disabilities Act requires all state and local governments “to give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services and activities.” The A.D.A. doesn’t cover the provision of beach wheelchairs, but another law — the Architectural Barriers Act — applies to national parks with beaches, which must have an access route like a boardwalk or a mat.

You can contact the beach you are interested to go to, and see if they have one.