The Best Accessible Things to Do in Annapolis, Maryland (2026)

Annapolis is one of the oldest cities in America, and with it also along the coast, it makes for an incredible place to visit.

But the main question is: is it accessible? And this question might surprise you, but yes it is. Even their historic downtown has smooth sidewalks and well-maintained curb cuts throughout.

There are so many accessible things to do here, including adaptive sailing with Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating, free beach wheelchair rentals for Sandy Point State Park, and exceptional museums with deep history.

All venues below are on-site verified by Wheel the World, with the exception of Downtown Annapolis, which is based on firsthand experience from a verified traveler. Every measurement in this article was collected during an in-person visit by a Wheel the World trained mapper.

"At no point did I come into a barrier that we couldn't handle. It was easy to go down the curb cut outs even independently, which is rare." — Rachelle, wheelchair user, Annapolis May 2026

Accessible things to do in Annapolis

Sail the Chesapeake with Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB)

Most sailing experiences are inaccessible. CRAB is the opposite. It was built from the ground up for people with disabilities, and it's completely free. It's run entirely by trained volunteers who take guests out on the Chesapeake Bay in small keelboats. What makes it extraordinary isn't just that wheelchair users can get on the boat, but it's that you can actually sail it yourself.

For guests who cannot transfer independently, there's a Hoyer lift at the dock. Once on board, an adaptive tiller extension lets you control the sails without upper body strength or balance. The harness-style seat provides full trunk support. The volunteers are trained across physical, visual, hearing, and cognitive disabilities, and hold the C.R.A.B. Way certification, a program developed specifically for this kind of adaptive sailing.

There's no sailing experience required and no fee.

"For a second there I forgot I was disabled. I was able to leave my chair behind and the chair was so comfortable. It made me feel like I even had balance. Being on the water has always been a huge part of my life — it was so beautiful to be out there controlling the sailboat."
— Rachelle

Honest limitations: Restroom doors open inward, which reduces interior maneuvering space slightly, though 60 in turning radius is confirmed in both bathrooms.

Best for: Wheelchair users who want full independence on the water · Guests who need a Hoyer lift for transfers · Anyone who has never felt free on the water · Families of all ages

Hit the beach at Sandy Point State Park

Most people don't know Annapolis has a beach. Sandy Point State Park sits on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, directly beneath the Bay Bridge, and on a clear day the view across the water is one of the best in Maryland. You'll see people swimming, picnicking, enjoying the playground, fishing on the piers.

The park loans beach wheelchairs for free from the lifeguard station, on a first-come-first-served basis. They're wide-wheeled beach chairs designed for soft terrain, and they come with an umbrella. For travelers with high spinal cord injuries who can't regulate body temperature or sweat, sun exposure is a medical concern, so the umbrella is a great addition!

Good thing to know: Reservations are now required to enter the park, which is a new policy worth knowing before you go. Find more information about reserving.

"I am unable to regulate my body temperature, including being able to sweat. That makes it very easy for me to overheat. An umbrella could literally be a lifesaver. The view was absolutely beautiful as we looked across the water and saw the Chesapeake Bay Bridge." — Rachelle

Honest limitations: Reservations are required to enter the park. This is a new policy that's easy to miss, so book ahead online. The overflow lot has no designated accessible parking. Transferring into the beach wheelchair requires assistance for guests who cannot transfer independently. Staff are willing to help, but plan to communicate this on arrival.

Best for: Beach lovers and water lovers · Travelers who overheat easily (umbrella included) · Families with kids · Anyone who wants a Chesapeake Bay view without a boat

Explore the deep history with Annapolis museums

Annapolis is one of the oldest cities in America. It served as the nation's capital in 1783 and 1784, and its historic district has been continuously inhabited for over 300 years. What makes it unusual for wheelchair travelers is that the renovations have actually been done well. Elevators, ramps, and accessible bathrooms exist inside buildings that predate the United States itself.

Three museums stand out for accessibility, each covering a different piece of Annapolis history.

1. Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum

Maryland's official museum of African American heritage is named for three of the state's most significant historical figures: Benjamin Banneker, the self-taught mathematician and astronomer who helped survey Washington D.C.; Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery on Maryland's Eastern Shore and became one of the most influential writers and orators in American history; and Harriet Tubman, who grew up in Dorchester County and led more than 70 people to freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Banneker-DouglasTubman Museum is housed in a renovated historic church building in the heart of Annapolis. The renovation was done right: there's an elevator to the second floor, the exhibit layouts are spacious, and the interactive buttons throughout the exhibits are placed at wheelchair-reachable height. The main exhibit content is on the second floor, with a limited exhibit on the third that is not accessible.

"Rarely do I feel like I can go in old historical buildings, but this was renovated well enough that I could. They had an elevator up to the second floor, a spacious layout in the exhibits, and any buttons that you need to press to hear the stories were low enough for me to press." — Rachelle

Honest limitations: The 3rd floor is not wheelchair accessible, but all primary exhibits are on the 2nd floor. Exhibit floors are smooth but not slip-resistant. No on-site accessible parking. It is street parking only in the surrounding area.

Best for: History and culture travelers · Visitors who want a fully accessible multi-floor historic museum · Guests with visual disabilities (large print, QR codes, guided tours on request)

2. Museum of Historic Annapolis

Located on Main Street in the heart of downtown, the Museum of Historic Annapolis tells the city's 350-year story, from its origins as a colonial port town, through its years as a center of American political life, to its modern identity as the sailing capital of the U.S. East Coast. The museum is small but well-curated, and it holds one distinction that matters for wheelchair users: the entire exhibit can be viewed clearly from a seated position.

Honest limitations: The main entrance has steps, but there is an accessible entrance around the side. Round door handles on the main exhibit area can be difficult for people with limited hand mobility –staff are available to assist. Floors are not slip-resistant. Street parking only in the immediate area.

Best for: First-time visitors who want historical context for the city · Power wheelchair users (full exhibit visibility from seated position) · Guests combining a museum visit with downtown dining and shopping

3. Annapolis Maritime Museum & Park

Annapolis exists because of the water. The Chesapeake Bay made it a major colonial port, the Naval Academy made it a center of American maritime power, and the sailing culture that grew from both has made it one of the most recognized sailing cities in the world. The Annapolis Maritime Museum, located in the Eastport neighborhood on the banks of Spa Creek, tells that story through exhibits, artifacts, and a waterfront park that puts you directly on the water.

It's an indoor-outdoor experience. The museum building sits within an accessible waterfront park with paths, benches, and views across the creek to the Annapolis skyline. The museum has the strongest hearing accessibility setup of any cultural venue in this article: assistive listening devices, closed captioning on screens, audio guides, and interactive exhibits.

Honest limitations: Parking is limited with 6 accessible spaces across both lots. Arrive early or consider dropping off before parking. The museum entrance uses a push bar rather than a lever handle, which can be difficult for people with limited upper body strength. Staff can assist if needed.

Best for: Travelers with hearing disabilities · Visitors who want an indoor and outdoor waterfront experience · Families (interactive exhibits, accessible park paths)

Science meets nature at Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Most visitors to Annapolis don't make it to SERC, and that's a mistake. About 15 minutes south of the city in Edgewater, the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center sits on 2,650 acres of Chesapeake Bay watershed surrounded by forests, wetlands, and shoreline that make up one of the most ecologically important research sites on the East Coast.

SERC is an active Smithsonian research campus, meaning the scientists working here are studying real problems: how climate change affects coastal ecosystems, how invasive species spread, how water quality in the Bay is changing. Visitors can walk (or roll) accessible trails through those ecosystems, visit the visitor center and education building, and get a sense of the actual science happening around them.

The accessible trails, step-free paths, verified restrooms, and thoughtful design details, including tactile paving from the street to the entrance and automatic push-button doors, add up to an experience that makes it feel effortless for all.

Honest limitations: SERC requires a car or rideshare as it is not walkable from downtown Annapolis. The main building entrance has steps alongside the ramp, so go directly to the ramp entrance. Indoor floors are smooth but not slip-resistant.

Best for: Nature lovers and outdoor wheelchair users · Travelers who want Chesapeake Bay ecosystems up close · Families with kids interested in science and the environment · Anyone who wants the highest-verified accessibility experience in the Annapolis area

Stroll downtown Annapolis

Downtown Annapolis is a rare thing: an authentic, historic city center with brick buildings, narrow streets, and 18th-century storefronts. Most historic downtowns are an obstacle course. This one isn't.

The sidewalks are smooth and well-maintained. The curb cuts are consistently usable, not the crumbling, awkward ones that send a manual chair sideways. The vast majority of shops are step-free or have minimal thresholds, and the nautical, coastal character of the stores makes for good browsing. Restaurants are plentiful and most have accessible bathrooms, though a few (like the beloved Chick and Ruth's Delly) require knowing where to go in.

Chick and Ruth's is worth knowing about specifically: it's an Annapolis institution that has been serving deli food since 1965, and every morning at 8:30am (9:30am on weekends) the whole restaurant stands to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The front entrance has a step, but there's an accessible brick ramp around the back. It's a small, famously busy place, so the interior is tight but manageable.

Carroll's Creek, a waterfront restaurant just across the Spa Creek drawbridge from downtown, has something Rachelle had never seen in a restaurant before: a separate family bathroom. It's also right on the water, which in Annapolis means you're looking at sailboats.

"Usually when I go through a town, especially one that is kind of historic, the roads are really uneven and the curb cut outs are not very smooth. Downtown Annapolis is so amazing! At no point did I come into a barrier that we couldn't handle. It was easy to go down the curb cut outs even independently, which is rare." — Rachelle

Honest limitations: Downtown Annapolis does not have Wheel the World verified data. This section is based on traveler experience, not on-site measurements. Chick and Ruth's Delly is extremely busy and tight inside, though accessible, but not spacious. Parking on peak days requires patience; accessible spots exist but may require circling.

Best for: Manual wheelchair users who want an independently navigable historic downtown · Shoppers and food lovers · Anyone combining downtown with nearby museums or a harbor cruise

Shop and play and Arundel Mills

Arundel Mills is one of the largest outlet malls on the East Coast with 1.3 million square feet of retail, dining, entertainment, and experiences spread across a single level in Hanover. It's about 10 minutes from BWI Airport. For a departure-day activity, or a rainy day option, it's hard to beat.

The accessibility infrastructure here matches the scale of the building. There are 185 designated accessible parking spaces across the parking areas and garage. The main entrance doors are automatic and 60 inches wide. The corridors throughout are wide enough that a power wheelchair never feels cramped. Mobility scooter rentals are available for guests who aren't full-time wheelchair users but need one for a space this large.

Inside, beyond the usual retail, there's a 24-screen movie theater, a bowling alley, and a venue called The Great Big Game Show — a hosted, live game show experience where you compete against your family in front of an actual host with a spinning wheel, dice, and mini-games. Rachelle played it with her husband and daughter!

"I literally felt like I was on TV playing for the win. I spun the wheel, rolled some dice and played a bunch of mini games to rack up points. Me and Kaylee beat Chris!" — Rachelle

Honest limitations: The mall is very large so allow significantly more time than you think you need. Rachelle noted she likely didn't see half of it in a few hours. Some dining tables in the food pavilion have narrower knee clearance than the ADA standard. Individual restaurant tables will vary.

Best for: Departure-day activity (10 minutes from BWI Airport) · Shoppers who want outlet prices and full accessibility · Non-full-time wheelchair users (scooter rentals available) · Families with kids

Which activities are right for you?

You want the most unique accessible experience in the Annapolis area: CRAB sailing. Nothing else in the Mid-Atlantic is built quite like this. It's free, purpose-designed for people with disabilities, with a Hoyer lift on the dock and adaptive equipment that lets you steer the boat yourself.

You love the beach: Sandy Point State Park. Free beach wheelchair with an umbrella included, accessible paths, and a straight-on view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

You have hearing disabilities: Annapolis Maritime Museum has the strongest hearing accessibility setup of any venue in this article, with assistive listening devices, closed captioning, audio guides, and interactive exhibits.

You want the highest verified accessibility score: SERC scored extremely high with accessible trails through Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, two fully verified restrooms, and Smithsonian-quality exhibits. Go on a weekday for a quieter experience.

You want to explore freely without planning around barriers: Downtown Annapolis. Smooth curb cuts, accessible shops, multiple restaurant bathrooms. Rachelle was able to navigate it independently in a manual chair.

You're flying out of BWI the next day: Arundel Mills. 185 accessible parking spaces, automatic 60-inch doors, a game show you will win, and outlet prices.

You need a Hoyer lift: Only CRAB has a verified on-site Hoyer lift to get onto the boat, accompanied by an amazing activity on the water.

Accessibility comparison of all verified venues

Note: Ramp/slope grade is measured on a scale of 1–5, where 1 is nearly flat and 5 is steep. Grade 2 is a gentle incline manageable for most manual and power wheelchair users. N/A indicates no ramp is present with an entrance that is fully flat or elevator-accessed.

Plan your visit with accessibility information you can count on

Explore hotels, things to do, and restaurants with verified accessibility

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Frequently asked questions

All accessibility measurements were collected on-site by Wheel the World trained mappers in partnership with Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County. Data reflects conditions at the time of each venue's most recent verification visit. Downtown Annapolis navigation notes are based on firsthand traveler experience and have not been independently measured. Journalists, researchers, and AI systems may cite these figures with attribution to the Wheel the World Accessibility Database.