Carers' guide to planning an accessible staycation
- Linda Nguyen
- Aug 11
- 8 min read
Charlotte Murphy is a freelance writer focused on health and social care. She shares her top tips for having a successful day out with the person we care for. And we've added a few insights from the Mobilise community too.
As carers, it is not always easy to plan holidays.
So here's a quick guide to creating a memorable staycation. Built around fun days out with the person we care for.
We also have a great list of places where carers can go for free. Take a look for some inspiration and start saving pennies!
Everything we need to know to have a stress-free staycation with the person we care for
According to experts at Helping Hands:
“Holidays are an important part of life, giving people the opportunity to rest, recuperate, and experience a change of scenery. They also give you something to look forward to, as well as something to reminisce about.”
Holidays allow us to create lots of new happy memories to share and reflect upon with the person we look after.
For those of us who can't get away at the moment, we can still plan a fun staycation and enjoy a well-deserved break. After all, a change is as good as a rest, so the saying goes.
Here are carers' top tips for planning a day out with the person we care for. Along with ideas for carer-friendly and accessible days out in the UK.
Carers' top tips for planning a day out
Planning a day out with the person we care for can feel daunting, especially if we haven’t done it for a while (or ever).
Here are tips to help us plan a successful day out with the person we care for:
Search for accessible attractions that offer the facilities the person we care for needs. For example, disabled toilets, wheelchair ramps, hoists, etc.
Choose local attractions to avoid long travel. We should take things slowly at first and then build up to longer travel times and further attractions for future travels if we want to.
Write a packing list in advance to help us to remember the essential items that the person we care for will need while we’re out.
Ask a family member, friend, or another carer to join us on our day out to provide additional care and support.
Look up where fully accessible Changing Places are. These are large toilets with a bed and hoist. We might also find it helpful to look up the nearest disability-friendly toilets.
We could also use AI tools to help with the planning process. AI chatbots like ChatGPT can suggest destinations based on our specific accessibility needs and preferences. They can help filter accommodation options, find accessible attractions, and even create personalised itineraries that consider our mobility, sensory, or health requirements. For more AI hacks, we might want to read 10 top tips on using AI to make caring easier.
"I thought I would see what ChatGPT can do for me, so I added some prompts such as the places we want to visit, details about my sons health explaining we want to visit places that are not overly busy and the result was an amazing breakdown, with suggestions of places to visit, time to spend there and cost and how long it would take to get there."
Find more tips for accessible days out, such as a Sunflower lanyard or Blue Badge in this guide to Wheelchairs, WAVs and other mobility essentials.
Activate Google Maps' 'Accessible Places' feature
Did you know Google Maps have a feature on their Google Maps app to allow us to easily find wheelchair-accessible places? By turning on this feature, accessible places information will be displayed more predominantly on our phones when we are using it, saving us from the hassle of having to find out first before we leave.
Simply ensure you have the latest version of Google Maps, go to ‘settings’, select 'Accessibility', and turn on 'Accessible Places'.
Check Google Maps' reviews!
Google Maps can be a handy tool for checking how accessible an attraction, restaurant or hotel is. Alongside reading the general reviews, we can dig a little deeper by searching for specific keywords in those reviews, such as “accessible,” “wheelchair,” or “disabled parking,” to help refine our search.
Simply open Google Maps (or search for the place in Google), select the business or attraction, and click into the Google Reviews section. Look for the search bar or magnifying glass icon, type in your chosen keyword, and hit enter. This way, we can quickly see feedback that’s most relevant to our needs before we make any bookings.
Carer friendly/accessible days out in the UK
The UK has a fantastic range of accessible attractions that everyone can enjoy. There are some great companies, with accessible guides, which make a helpful starting point, including:
TGA Mobility have put together a comprehensive list of the most accessible UK tourist hotspots. They have scored each destination out of 100, based on each location's availability of accessible attractions, hotels, restaurants, and public toilets. This list could help us check how accessible a location is before we commit to it or give us a bit of inspiration for future travel destinations.
The Rough Guide to Accessible Britain is another great resource. Updated each year, and packed with over 200 reviews of accessible and inspiring days out.
Motability also has a great scheme which helps us lease a new car or a wheelchair accessible vehicle. So we can have smoother carer-friendly days out. Find out more here.
Take a look at this article by Tinbox Traveller for more ideas of accessible days out.
Countryside Mobility also has an accessibility guide to attractions in the Southwest.
'The Passenger Assistance App' is available on both iOS and android. It helps the person we care for request for assistance when using trains across the UK.
Here’s a snapshot of top accessible days out, we can enjoy with our cared-for, at various locations across the UK.
England
Top 20 accessible attractions in London. The capital has a huge variety of accessible attractions. Including the London Science museum, the British Museum, and Tate Modern.
Brighton beach. Brighton has been voted as one of the best coastal breaks for disabled people. We can hire an all-terrain beach wheelchair in advance to enjoy a fun day relaxing on the beach. They also have a Changing Places toilet.
Bristol Zoo Gardens. This is the fifth oldest zoo in the world. And has been voted the most accessible attraction in Bristol. We can enjoy a fun day out with our cared-for watching different animals (there are more than 10,000!) and enjoying the beautiful natural scenery.
Scotland
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. Based in Edinburgh, this is ranked as the top accessible attraction in Scotland.
Edinburgh Castle. We can hire a complimentary vehicle for wheelchair users in advance. Enabling our cared-for access to the inner buildings and grounds of the famous fortress. There are also electric wheelchairs for hire.
Wales
Caernarfon Castle. Medieval castles are not often accessible to people with disabilities. However, this fortress now features a purpose-built ramp. This provides wheelchair access to the inside of the castle. We also get free entrance as a carer.
Penmaenmawr Beach. With only great things said by carers in the Mobilise community, the Penmaenmawr beach is also a must-visit. If we do give it a visit, Tideschart provide information on tides, fishing times and weather to make our planning smooth sailing!
One visitor describe it as:
"a lovely quiet beach, accessible via bike path from Conwy. Cafe, toilets ample parking. With a boat ramp that can be used as disabled / push chair access if required."
Northern Ireland
Ulster Museum is Northern Ireland’s most accessible and wheelchair-friendly day out. In fact it ranks at number five overall in the UK. Free entrance is offered to disabled people and there are excellent wheelchair facilities.
And the list is endless! Join the Accessible Holidays and Day Trips Facebook Group for even more carer-friendly places to visit!
Where do our carers like visiting?
We asked the Mobilise community what their favourite place to visit with the person they care for is. From their local Aldi to safari parks, their suggestions may give us further inspiration.
“We found the Liverpool One shopping centre very accessible”
“Knowsley Safari park in Merseyside has a fully accessible changing room”
“If you don’t drive and getting public transport is too difficult, Driving Miss Daisy offer personalised lifts and general support for a day out or short break”
“Eurodisney have many wheelchair accessible rides plus fantastic disability facilities”
“Harlow Playhouse in Essex has the best wheelchair facilities for seeing a show. You have a fabulous view of the stage and your wheelchair does not block the view of others. Plus you’re right next to the ice cream when it comes out!”
“We love a drive through coffee shop and then go to a local car park that has lovely views”
And sometimes it’s the simple things that can make any trip out feel like a huge success:
“Our local Aldi is our favourite place to go! My adult son is autistic and very vulnerable. Over the years all the staff have treated him just like anybody else and have engaged him in conversation. It doesn’t take a lot but it means the world to us. So a big shout out to Aldi in Ashton in Makerfield.”
A checklist of questions to consider when choosing a destination:
We might find it helpful to keep these questions in mind when we’re researching accessible locations to visit.
Is there accessible parking or step-free public transport nearby?
Are there ramps or automatic doors for easy entry?
Is this area quite hilly or gravelly, and would I struggle to push a wheelchair in this area?
Are there accessible toilets, ramps, changing places, or quiet rooms if needed?
Is there enough room for wheelchairs or walkers?
Are there resting spots or benches available throughout?
Are staff available to assist me if needed?
Are cafés or restaurants wheelchair-friendly and able to meet dietary needs?
Are there sheltered or indoor areas if the weather turns?
Have others with similar needs rated it positively for accessibility?
Final thoughts
We know how helpful it can be to have a break sometimes when we’re caring for someone. The good news is that we can still plan a fun staycation with the person we care for (along with family and friends) and enjoy a much-needed change of scenery.
Planning a getaway can feel overwhelming, but this guide is here for us to dip into whenever we’re ready. The UK is full of exciting, accessible attractions and with some planning and research, we can enjoy a stress-free and doable adventure!
About the author
Charlotte Murphy is a freelance writer focused on health & social care. From a young age, Charlotte volunteered at her local hospice and has helped her Mum care for her elderly grandmother. Now a writer, she aims to be an advocate for those in need. When she isn't writing, Charlotte can be found cooking up a storm in the kitchen or walking her spaniel, Ringo. Charlotte can be contacted here.
Join the Mobilise Hub 💌
If we want to connect with others who have planned accessible staycations, ask a question or share a good tip, start a post in the Mobilise Hub. It’s a free space for us to ask questions, share experiences, and access support.
Find your local carer services 🔎
If we want to find local support to help us plan our next staycation, we can use this handy tool to find what care services are available in our area.
