Grand Rapids Earns Accessibility Seal of Approval

Grand Rapids has achieved “Destination Verified” status as an accessible city through Wheel the World, an online travel booking platform dedicated to enhancing global travel accessibility.

Travelers with special mobility, auditory, visual and sensory needs can now visit WheeltheWorld.com to find accessibility information about Grand Rapids hotels, restaurants, activities and attractions. “Destination Verified” status means the information has been independently confirmed, ensuring a more confident and stress-free trip for individuals with disabilities and their travel companions.

“Our partnership with Wheel the World is part of our ongoing commitment to make Grand Rapids a welcoming community for all visitors,” says Kate Lieto, vice president of marketing for Experience Grand Rapids. “We are providing accessible travelers with the detailed information they need to plan a trip that allows them to fully experience all Kent County has to offer.”

Third-party Verification

Wheel the World profiles destinations on six continents, but Grand Rapids is one of just 100 or so that have been verified. The verification process included third-party assessments of the accessibility features at 50 local businesses along with confidential advice on accessibility improvements.

The assessments were conducted by Disability Advocates of Kent County (DAKC), a local nonprofit organization providing an array of services to uplift those with physical, cognitive, mental and sensory disabilities, and their families. Wheel the World representatives trained DAKC team members to conduct accessibility audits to the travel platform’s rigorous standards.

Adding a Personal Touch

To complement this effort, EXGR invited online influencers Stefanie Shaffer and Erika Nala Franco – both of whom use wheelchairs – to visit Grand Rapids and share insights on typical barriers faced by people with disabilities. Wheel the World’s international film crew worked closely with the influencers and EXGR staff to document their experiences navigating the city’s hotels, restaurants, attractions, and transportation. 

“(There’s) definitely a lot of great accessibility for the community in the city,” said Erika, whose adventures with Stefanie included kayaking the Grand River and handcycling through Millennium Park. “Grand Rapids is very surprising because of all the stuff that’s connected to nature.”

A short highlight video of the duo’s visit can be viewed on Wheel the World’s Accessible Grand Rapids page and EXGR’s YouTube Channel.

Accessibility is Never Done

Most of this work was funded by an Accessible Traveler Grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. In addition to our work with Wheel the World, we are working with DAKC to collect detailed accessibility information for another 300+ local businesses.

The results will be published on ExperienceGR.com later this year, giving accessible travelers even more resources to plan an enjoyable and accommodating trip to Grand Rapids.

Making Grand Rapids more accessible has been a key focus of ours since at least 2018, when we teamed with DAKC to survey the accessibility features at 60 local businesses – a project that earned a 2019 Governor’s Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration from the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan (TICOM). When it comes to accessibility, our work is never done, and we look forward to empowering even more travelers to experience Grand Rapids in the years to come!