Beach wheelchair use and safety
You can use beach wheelchairs on gentle, sandy areas without rocks or debris when weather and beach conditions are good. If there are cobblestones or other obstacles at the tideline, you may not be able get to the edge of the water in your beach wheelchair. Waterfront supervisors and beach staff will tell you which areas of the beach have good conditions to use the chair. Please follow all directions and requests from DCR staff while using a beach wheelchair.
An adult must be responsible for the beach wheelchair at all times. Please avoid sharp turns and be mindful of your surroundings and ability to control the wheelchair. We recommend always wearing the seat belt or harness while you are in a beach wheelchair. We also recommend that you use the parking brake on a sunbathing beach wheelchair whenever you are stopped. Floating beach wheelchairs do not have parking brakes, so you should always have a companion nearby to control the chair.
When using a floating beach wheelchair, you will need to bring an able-bodied person with you to stay close for help and supervision while you are in the water. Floating beach wheelchairs will stay upright in calm water if you are sitting in the chair securely. If you rock or jump in the chair or if it is tipped, the chair can flip over. The manufacturer states that you should wear a life jacket while in the water. We recommend that you bring a U.S. Coast Guard certified lifejacket to the beach and wear it while you are floating in a beach wheelchair.
Sand and sunbathing beach wheelchairs
Sunbathing beach wheelchairs can get you out on the sand to enjoy the beach.
Sand and sunbathing beach wheelchairs are made of PVC pipe and have a cushioned seat and four fixed wheels. You sit upright in a sand beach wheelchair, while a companion pushes the chair with a handle at the back. All sand and sunbathing beach wheelchairs have a seat belt, a footrest, a parking brake, and a beach umbrella holder: bring your own umbrella if you'd like some shade! We recommend that you keep your seatbelt fastened while using the chair and set the parking brake when you stop. Some models of sand beach wheelchairs have a movable arm for transfers or mesh bag in back to stow your gear.
Sunbathing beach wheelchairs can go across the sand, but you can't take them into the water because the chair can tip over. If you want to go into the water, you'll need to use a floating beach wheelchair.
The weight limit for people using sand and sunbathing beach wheelchairs is 275 pounds.
Sunbathing beach wheelchair measurements
- Seat width: 21 inches
- Seat depth: 21 inches
- Seat height: 22 or 25 inches
- Seat back height: 18 inches
- Push bar height: 41 inches
- Footrest height: 6 inches
- Footrest to seat: 17 inches
- Overall width: 35 inches
- Overall length: 42 inches
- Minimum turning radius: 8 feet
- Chair weight: 100 or 160 pounds
- User weight limit: 275 pounds
Floating beach wheelchairs
Floating beach wheelchairs have three wheels, back and leg support, and floats under the arm rests.
Floating beach wheelchairs let you go into the water and float in calm conditions. These chairs are made of aluminum with three wheels. The front wheel swivels to make turning easier. Your companion can push your floating beach wheelchair using a handle on the back and tow the chair using a strap in the front. You sit in a reclined position in this chair, with your legs out in front of you. The chair back is adjustable and is high enough to give you head support. Floating beach wheelchairs have a chest harness and a strap for your legs. The weight limit for people using floating beach wheelchairs is 300 pounds.
Floating chairs can only go into the water in good weather and water conditions. At some beaches with strong currents, you can only use floating chairs on the beach and can't take them into the water. We recommend that you bring a U.S. Coast Guard certified lifejacket to the beach and wear it while you are floating in the beach wheelchair. You will need to bring an able-bodied person with you to stay close and give help and supervision while you are in the water. An adult needs to be responsible for the chair at all times.
Floating beach wheelchair measurements (approximate)
- Seat width: 18 inches
- Seat depth: 17 inches
- Seat height: 17 inches
- Back Height: 36 inches
- Push bar height: 38 inches
- Footrest/leg rest height:13 inches to 18 inches
- Overall width: 38 inches at tires, 42 inches at floats
- Overall length 60 inches
- Minimum turning radius: 9 feet
- Chair weight: 66 pounds
- User weight limit: 300 pounds
Boston area beach wheelchair locations
| Location | Community | Sunbathing Chairs | Floating Chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Brook Spray Deck | Belmont | 1 | 0 |
| Carson Beach | South Boston | 3 | 1 |
| Connell Memorial Swimming Pool | Weymouth | 1 | 0 |
| Connors Memorial Swimming Pool | Waltham | 0 | 1 |
| Constitution Beach | East Boston | 1 | 1 |
| Houghton's Pond, Blue Hills Reservation | Milton | 1 | 1 |
| Mystic River State Reservation, Shannon Beach | Medford | 1 | 1 |
| Nahant Beach | Lynn | 1 | 3 |
| Nantasket Beach | Hull | 3 | 5 |
| Olsen Spray Deck | Hyde Park | 1 | 0 |
| Pleasure Bay Beach | South Boston | 1 | 1 |
| Quincy Shores Reservation, Wollaston Beach | Quincy | 2 | 0 |
| Revere Beach | Revere | 1 | 2 |
| Spectacle Island Beach | Boston Harbor | 1 | 1 |
North region beach wheelchair locations
| Location | Community | Sunbathing Chairs | Floating Chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Palmer State Park Wading Pool | Topsfield | 1 | 0 |
| Breakheart Reservation, John A. Pierce Lake | Saugus | 0 | 1 |
| Harold Parker State Forest, Berry Pond Day Use Beach | North Andover | 2 | 0 |
| Maudslay State Park Trails | Newburyport | 2 | 0 |
Salisbury Beach State Reservation Main Beach You can't take floating chairs into the water at this beach because of strong currents. | Salisbury | 9 | 1 (beach only) |
| Sandy Point State Reservation Beach | Ipswich | 1 | 0 |
| Walden Pond State Reservation Beach | Concord | 2 | 2 |
| Willard Brook State Forest and Pearl Hill State Park Trails | Ashby-Townsend | 1 | 0 |
South region beach wheelchair locations
| Location | Community | Sunbathing Chairs | Floating Chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borderland State Park Trails | Sharon | 2 | 0 |
Demarest Lloyd State Park Beach This beach has cobblestones. You may not be able to get to the edge of the water. | South Dartmouth | 2 | 0 |
| Fort Phoenix State Reservation Beach | Fairhaven | 0 | 2 |
Horseneck Beach State Reservation Main Beach This beach has cobblestones. You may not be able to get to the edge of the water. You can't take floating chairs into the water at this beach because of strong currents. | Westport | 5 | 3 (beach only) |
| Massasoit State Park Campers Beach | East Taunton | 1 | 0 |
| Myles Standish State Forest College Pond and Fearing Pond Day Use Area | Carver | 2 | 0 |
| Nickerson State Park Beach | Brewster | 0 | 1 |
| Scusset Beach State Reservation Beach | Sandwich | 4 | 2 |
| South Cape Beach State Park Beach | Mashpee | 2 | 1 |
| Watson Pond State Park Beach | Taunton | 1 | 0 |
Central region beach wheelchair locations
| Location | Community | Sunbathing Chairs | Floating Chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland State Park Beach | Ashland | 1 | 0 |
| Cochituate State Park Beach | Natick | 1 | 1 |
| Douglas State Forest, Wallum Lake Beach | Douglas | 1 | 0 |
| Dunn State Park, Dunn Pond Beach | Gardner | 1 | 1 |
| Erving State Forest, Laurel Lake Beach | Erving | 1 | 1 |
| Hopkinton State Park Main Beach | Hopkinton | 1 | 1 |
| Lake Dennison Recreation Area Day Use Beach | Winchendon | 1 | 2 |
| Lake Wyola State Park Beach | Shutesbury | 1 | 1 |
| Quinsigamond State Park, Regatta Point Beach | Worcester | 1 | 1 |
West region beach wheelchair locations
| Location | Community | Sunbathing Chairs | Floating Chairs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beartown State Forest, Benedict Pond Beach | Monterey | 1 | 0 |
| Chicopee Memorial State Park Beach | Chicopee | 1 | 1 |
| DAR State Forest Day Use Beach | Goshen | 1 | 1 |
| Hampton Ponds State Park, Lamberts Beach & Kingsley Beach | Westfield | 2 | 2 |
Additional Resources
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Open DOCX file, 695.51 KB, DCR Beach Wheelchair Locations (English, DOCX 695.51 KB)
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| Date published: | September 15, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Last updated: | June 27, 2024 |