The city of Gulf Shores has been recognized by National Geographic as one of the most wheelchair friendly beaches in the United States.

In an article written by Cory Lee Woodard for National Geographic, Gulf Shores is recognized along with Pensacola, Fla.; San Diego, Calif.; Wilmington, N.C.; Muskegon, Mich., for making accessibility a priority.

According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study, one out of every seven adults in the United States report a mobility disability, which is defined as serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs. When planning a vacation, such limitations become important factors when picking a destination.

Gulf Shores considers accessibility a priority and in 2018 installed the first Access Mats making it possible to take a wheelchair out on to the beach. Access Mats are made of a non-woven polyester that provides a surface safe to roll a standard wheelchair onto without worry it will become stuck in deep sand.

In addition to the two Access Mats, the Beach Safety Office, located at Gulf Place Public Beach, has beach wheelchairs for the public to use on a first-come-first-serve basis. The Beach Safety officers and lifeguards are happy to assist anyone needing help accessing the beachfront.

Beach Power Rentals, locally owned and operated by Stacy and Tim Collings, is also featured prominently in the National Geographic article. This local company offers the rental of beach ready power wheelchairs that are designed to drive directly on the sand. They also offer beach umbrellas, manual beach wheelchairs, electric scooters and shower chairs and they deliver.

When visiting the gulf coast of Alabama there is nothing standing in the way of every member enjoying our beautiful beaches.