Hawaii is on almost everybody’s bucket list as a dream destination, but Honolulu is particularly special for wheelchair users because of its fantastic accessibility. From its wide sidewalks to public transportation to accessible taxi service and van rentals, and large number of hotels with accessible rooms, visitors with disabilities and family members who use wheelchairs can have a relaxing vacation in Honolulu knowing they’ll be able to engage in a variety of activities. 

Having experienced all of this during my second visit to Honolulu (my first was before using a wheelchair), I have known for years that I wanted to take my two sons there. On the quest to help them visit all 50 states, I was able to make this trip a reality when their spring break schedules lined up in April 2025. 

Because my multiple sclerosis has progressed since my last visit to Hawaii in 2019, I was concerned about my leg spasms on such a long voyage from Florida. Honolulu has plenty of options for wheelchair users who struggle on long flights, with shorter connecting flights from multiple West Coast cities. I decided to break the trip up with direct flights from Orlando to Seattle, then Seattle to Honolulu.  

We stayed at the Marriott Vacation Club hotel in Waikiki in a one-bedroom ADA suite with two double beds and a sofa bed in the living room, and it was some of the most comfortable sleep we’ve ever had. Our room also had a small dining area and kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator and dishwasher. Our suite had an accessible tub because a room with a roll-in shower was not available for the dates of our stay. However, the bathroom was incredibly spacious, with a roll-under sink and an accessible toilet with a deluxe bidet attachment. 

Day 1 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and there’s no better place to enjoy it than Castro’s in Waikiki. Chef Luis Castro hails from Colombia and offers a wide-ranging menu of Latin American flavors. For a more traditional breakfast sandwich, I highly recommend the Buen Dia. My kids swear by the Tres Leches French Toast with caramel rum sauce and dragon fruit whipped cream. There is limited seating inside, but plenty of easy access tables on the sidewalk in the shade where you can enjoy the lovely Hawaiian breeze. 

With a full stomach, now it’s time to explore Oahu by air. Take an accessible taxi with Handi-Van to Blue Hawaiian Helicopters on the outskirts of the Honolulu airport. They have a specialized chairlift that allows you to transfer from your wheelchair to the lift seat, then raises you up to the same level as the helicopter backseat. The lift does have armrests, but you’ll need to have some upper body control or someone to support you. The staff is more than happy to help you with the transfer and make sure that you can get into the helicopter safely, then they will roll your wheelchair to a hangar until you return.  

Blue Hawaiian offers several different tour packages, and we opted for the 50-minute Oahu Island tour that took us over the beaches and inland mountains for an unforgettable experience. I hate flying as it is and I’m always extra-nervous on helicopter flights, but the crew were great at helping calm my nerves, and the jaw-dropping views helped all of my anxiety fade. 

After seeing the beach from the air, it’s time to enjoy it on the ground. Just two blocks away from the Marriott Vacation Club, you can roll to Fort DeRussy Beach Park for a beautiful afternoon of sun and sand. There are no beach mats here, but there is a paved boardwalk that runs the entire length of the park and gets very close to the water in spots. Free beach wheelchairs are also available. At the end of the boardwalk, there’s a small lagoon that has another wooden boardwalk around it, and there are plenty of accessible restaurants and drink shacks for a break from the heat. 

When you’re done getting cleaned up from your beach afternoon, you can roll for about 15 minutes to the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel for the ‘Auana Cirque du Soleil show. Unlike the bigger productions in Las Vegas, this one is in a much smaller theater and has a very intimate feel. We had accessible seats in section 102, and had an amazing view of this stunning acrobatic and musical show that highlights Hawaiian history and culture. It was so exciting and impressive that even my teenage sons were in awe, especially loving the comedic interludes between acts. 

You can grab a quick dinner at any number of restaurants along the famed Kalakaua Avenue, then head back to the Marriott Vacation Club for a relaxing night swim in their rooftop infinity pool. The pool lift makes it easy to dip in and enjoy an incredible view of the beach you just visited a few hours earlier, while sipping your favorite cocktail from the rooftop bar.  

Day 2 

Start your day early with a wheelchair-accessible half-day tour to Pearl Harbor with Roberts Hawaii tours. You can call a couple of days before the tour to arrange for an accessible bus, which will pick you up only one block away from your hotel. From there, you’ll ride for about 30 minutes to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial visitors center. You’ll have some time to visit the museum and learn all about the history of the area and naval base, as well as the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Then you’ll take a wheelchair-accessible ferry to the USS Arizona Memorial so you can see the final resting place of over 1,000 sailors who died during the attack. After you board your bus, you’ll go on a roughly one-hour historical city tour and a drive-by of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. 

Souvenir shopping is a must-do in Honolulu. Kalakaua Avenue is the main thoroughfare in Waikiki, and it is world famous for its luxury shopping and restaurants. You can find all the high-end brands, as well as lower-budget souvenir shops. It can get very crowded on weekend evenings, but the sidewalks are extremely wide and all the shops have accessible entry. This is a great place to find that Hawaiian shirt you’ve been looking for, or even browse some ukuleles. Don’t forget to indulge in some pineapple soft serve ice cream, or even a poi doughnut. 

You can’t visit Honolulu and not go to a traditional Hawaiian luau. The problem is that there are so many options, it can be tough to choose one. There are several that offer shuttle service to their locations from your hotel or one nearby, and some do have accessible shuttle options. Most luaus can be very large with family-style outdoor seating at long tables and a buffet dinner, but you can call ahead of time for accessible seating.  

For us, it was easiest to book our luau at The Royal Hawaiian resort just a 15-minute roll from our hotel. It was definitely more expensive, but it was much smaller, with table service right on the beach and a beautiful view of Diamond Head crater. Almost all the tables were in the grass, but they had two set aside on a paved area for wheelchair users. The show itself was fantastic, with beautiful music and dancers who told the story of Hawaii through movement and sound. Make sure you stay until the end for the fire dancers.