Accessible Dining

Vancouver’s dining scene has something for everyone: family-friendly cafes for a sunny lunch, creative brunch spots, romantic rooms where the view is the only thing more spectacular than what’s on your plate, and critically-acclaimed establishments with a focus on local ingredients and sustainable sourcing. And many of them are accessible to all visitors. Below is a selection of accessible dining options to cover whatever it is you’re hungry for.

Black + Blue

Forget the old, stodgy steakhouse – Black + Blue serves up their steak with a side of style! Aside from the bar itself (and there are accessible height tables in the same area), all areas of the restaurant are accessible to those using a wheelchair or scooter, including the spectacular rooftop dining area and lounge.

Cactus Club

Locally owned, Cactus Club cafes are known for their casual fine dining atmosphere, whether you’re looking for a quick lunch, a catch-up over drinks, or a night out. All of Cactus Club’s locations are wheelchair accessible, but the Coal Harbour and English Bay locations are especially popular with visitors because of their waterfront views. Both offer wheelchair accessible dining room and patio seating, with access to washrooms on the lower floor via elevator.

Café Medina

Start the day right at Café Medina, serving up delicious Eastern-inspired brunch dishes every day of the week. All of the restaurant is accessible, even the bar, and you’ll find one wheelchair-friendly private washroom.

Chambar Restaurant

One of the coolest reservations in the city, Belgian-influenced Chambar is very conveniently located by Rogers Arena and BC Place Stadium for a pre-show dinner, or post-game drink. The front entrance is accessed by a ramp through automatic doors, and while guests using mobility aids are given priority seating on the main floor, the lower level of the restaurant can be accessed via elevator.

Di Beppe

The perfect place in Gastown to stop for a casual aperitivo or a loaded table of pizza and pasta! The restaurant is on one level with a flat entrance from the street. Seating in both the café and restaurant sides can accommodate wheelchair users at a comfortable height, and there’s also an accessible washroom.

Hawksworth Restaurant

Chef David Hawksworth’s eponymous restaurant is one of the fanciest rooms in the city, and perfect for celebrating a big occasion with its Pacific Northwest menu. The restaurant is accessible to anyone using a wheelchair or other mobility aid, with access to the second floor York Room available via elevator.

Minami Restaurant

Located in the city’s fashionable Yaletown neighbourhood, Minami is one of Vancouver’s best Japanese restaurants. The entire restaurant is on one level and accessible by wheelchair, with the only restricted access being seating at the bar and sushi bar. But the same menu items are available throughout the restaurant.

Steamworks Brewing Company

Right at the entrance to Gastown by Waterfront Station, Steamworks was one of the city’s first craft breweries, and it’s still turning out excellent beers and in a picturesque location to boot! The patio and both floors and the restaurant are accessible via ramps and an elevator, and accessible washrooms are located on both floors.

Tap & Barrel – Shipyards

With a view back to the downtown Vancouver skyline, this spot in North Vancouver is known for its vast selection of local craft beers and BC wines in tap, as well as the solid menu of casual bites. Both the main floor and the patios are fully accessible, although the upper mezzanine areas can only be accessed via stairs.

The Teahouse Restaurant

As the sun sets out over the Burrard Inlet, there’s no more romantic place in the city than a table at The Teahouse in Stanley Park. Entrance to the restaurant is via a ramp that leads directly from the accessible parking at the front, and with the exception of the Conservatory Room (which is down two steps), the entire restaurant is wheelchair and scooter accessible.

West Restaurant + Bar

This fine dining destination in the South Granville neighbourhood has long been one of the best places in Vancouver to sample the city’s unique take on seasonal, regional cuisine. Right by the Stanley Theatre, it also makes a great choice for a pre-show dinner. The whole space is on one level, from the street level entrance to the wheelchair-accessible washroom. The only area with restrictions for those using mobility aids is the very front, where space is tight.

Accessible Outdoor Adventures

For many visitors to Vancouver, a big part of their vacation is getting to explore the vast and spectacular natural environment that the city borders. Travellers with disabilities will find many of the outdoor adventures that they’ve read about are open to them, as Vancouver has a vast network of organizations that work together to ensure that our nature is accessible to everyone.

Vancouver’s Parks and Gardens

The emerald in Vancouver’s crown, Stanley Park is at the top of most visitors’ wish lists. The seawall pathway that runs around the outside of it (all 9 km / 5.6 miles) is wheelchair accessible and mainly flat. Wheelchair-friendly washrooms are available at Brockton Oval, Stanley Park Pavilion, and at Third Beach.

Queen Elizabeth Park is located at the highest point in the city, making it one of the best places to take in view of the downtown skyline against the backdrop of mountains. The entire garden is cross-crossed with paved pathways, including the Quarry Garden – a popular place for wedding photos! The Bloedel Conservatory, inside an iconic geodesic dome on top of the hill, is also wheelchair accessible, with loaner chairs available.

VanDusen Botanical Garden boasts 22.25 hectares (55 acres) of greenery divided into many smaller, specialized gardens. Most of the pathways are paved or made of compacted gravel, suitable for wheelchairs and scooters – a free map indicates wheelchair-friendly routes, so be sure to pick one up at the entrance. For those with limited walking ability, the garden offers guided cart tours three times daily, from April through October, and advance reservations are recommended for these.

Summer Adventures

For those looking to surround themselves with Vancouver’s towering trees and breathe in that fresh forest air, the British Columbia Mobile Opportunities Society makes the city’s outdoor recreation adventures accessible to anyone with a physical disability. Their custom one-wheel “Trailriders” are chairs that, with the assistance of two “Sherpas,” can tackle any terrain. Each summer, the organization runs a hiking program in Pacific Spirit Regional Park, and reservations are required. BCMOS also rents Trailriders for self-guided hiking adventures. Spinal Cord Injury BC also maintains a list of wheelchair accessible trails throughout the Greater Vancouver region.

In addition to the hiking program, BCMOS also offers an adaptive paddling program in False Creek close to Science World, using adaptive equipment including accessible kayaks and wheelchair paddleboards. Reservations can be made via their website. For those that enjoy time out on the water, the Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia offers excursions using their fleet of Marlin 16 sailboats, which are designed to be used by all levels of ability using joystick controls or sip and puff technology. DSA has an electrical hoist and sling for those requiring assistance transferring to and from the boats. Bookings for sailing lessons can be made via their website.

Another organization offering adaptive outdoor recreation is Power To Be, with programs offered in both Vancouver and Victoria. Their activities, mainly day-trips but sometimes overnight, are for anyone with physical or cognitive disabilities, and can include geocaching, canoeing, hiking, yoga, snowshoeing, indoor climbing and more.

Visitors using mobility devices can now easily experience Vancouver’s beaches. At both Kitsilano and English Bay beaches, “mobi-mat” non-slip pathways have been installed, allowing wheelchair users to move from the sidewalk down to the beach’s tide line in a regular chair. The City also has water wheelchairs available at no cost at 10 beaches and public pools, including Kitsilano and English Bay beaches. Water wheelchairs require advance reservations, and two attendants per chair for the beach, and one attendant per chair for use at a pool. In addition, some of the City of Vancouver public pools, such as Hillcrest Aquatic Centre and Templeton, offer aquatic pool lifts.

Winter Adventures

Sitting right at the foot of the North Shore Mountains, and just a two-hour drive to Whistler, Vancouverites like to get out and play in the snow! In the city, Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports offers programs on all three of the city’s local ski mountains (Grouse, Cypress and Mt. Seymour), aimed making the mountains accessible to all. While their focus is on multi-week lessons, there are some drop-in opportunities for experienced adaptive skiers. Up in Whistler, Whistler Adaptive Sports Program offers skiing, snowboarding and sit-skiing lessons, as well as a huge range of other adaptive sports programs throughout the year. If you’re exploring further afield in the province, BC Adaptive Snowsports offers a map listing other adaptive winter sports programs.

As a world leader in providing barrier-free airport facilities, Vancouver International Airport wants to help bring awareness to accessibility issues. They are very proud to partner with Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports to make the best backyard in the world accessible to everyone!

Other Recreational Organizations

BC Blind Sports and Recreation Association
604-325-8638 or 1-877-604-8638

BC Deaf Sports Federation
TTY: 604-526-5010

BC Wheelchair Sports Association
604-333-3520 or 1-877-737-3090

Accessible Accommodation

Many Vancouver hotels are equipped to meet the needs of travellers with disabilities. Some offer fully-accessible rooms, while others offer a mix of amenities that may include wider doorways, automatic door-openers, lower light switches and door peepholes, roll-in showers, bath benches, bathroom grab bars, raised-height toilets, lower desks and vanity units, accessible-height beds, visual alarms and notifications for those with impaired hearing, TDD/TTY communication systems, and/or braille signage and materials.

A good place to start is searching our Accommodation section. Click the “Amenities” menu and you can choose the features you’re looking for in your accessible room and see if the hotel is certified by the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessible Tourism Certification.

Because needs can be very specific, it is recommended that visitors requiring accessible accommodation call ahead, both to ensure all needs can be met, and because in some cases, these rooms are not bookable online. Since accommodations and services will vary, you should be very clear about your specific needs and requirements, and document what accommodations have been agreed upon.

Some helpful questions to ask might include:

Is there designated handicap parking close to the entrance?
Is there a ramp or lift to the front entrance?
Do entrance doors open automatically?
Are elevators large enough to accommodate wheelchairs and scooters?
Are all public areas accessible?
Are rooms/suites totally accessible, with wide bathrooms, grab bars, raised toilets and roll-in showers, light fixtures at appropriate height, easy-to-open doors and cabinets, etc.
What visual notification systems does the property offer for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, for instance fire alarms, door bell, TV closed captioning, Hearing loops (induction loops) at reception counters, etc.?
Does the hotel have braille signage?
Is the hotel contact thoroughly familiar with the kind of room requested? If not, speak to someone who is to avoid any unwanted surprises.

When you arrive, check out the room before you check in, and let the hotel know of any discrepancies between what was discussed and what is in the room so that they can make sure that you enjoy your stay.

See our Accommodation section for details and contact information for Greater Vancouver hotels.

Resources for Travellers with Disabilities

Spinal Cord Injury BC – Accessible Travel Project

Spinal Cord Injury BC has published an Accessible Travel Project, which includes tutorial videos to help wheelchair users work out how they can get to and from the airport, the steps needed to check in, go through security and transfer onto a plane. They have also created Your Accessible Travel Guide, a travel tips eBook that is free to download.

Government of Canada’s Travel Website

The Government of Canada’s Travel site contains information to help those with disabilities plan their travel. It includes tips on arranging flights, getting through airport security, travelling with a service animal, and information on taking any mobility aids and medications with you.

SPARC BC

The Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia (SPARC BC) works with communities on income security, accessibility, and community development. They’re the organization behind BC’s accessible parking permit program.