From giants like Disneyland to little gems like the Santa Barbara Zoo, many attractions in California proactively accommodate guests with visible and invisible disabilities.
Most theme parks provide online guides that note alternative foods, entrances for the disabled and quiet spaces. They give a heads up of the specific sensory stimuli guests will find on each ride or attraction. Many zoos and museums offer simple guides as well as special hours or days of the month for children with cognitive or sensory limitations.
The following locations offer extra support for young guests with autism and special needs:
East Bay
Oakland Museum of California: museumca.org/visit/accessibility
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Concord: sixflags.com/hurricaneharborconcord/plan-your-visit/accessibility
San Francisco and the Peninsula
California Academy of Science: calacademy.org/accessibility
CuriOdyssey: curiodyssey.org/visit/accessibility-and-inclusion/
Exploratorium: exploratorium.edu/visit/accessibility
Walt Disney Family Museum: waltdisney.org/visit/visitor-information/accessibilityy.org/visit/visitor-information/accessibility
Silicon Valley
Children’s Discovery Museum: cdm.org/visit/plan-your-visit/access-and-inclusion/
Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo: paloaltozoo.org/Visit/Accessibility
The Tech Interactive: thetech.org/visit/accessibility
Santa Cruz and areas to the south offer comprehensive tourist guides.
Santa Cruz County: scaccessguide.com
Santa Barbara County: santabarbaraca.com/itinerary/activities-for-kids-with-disabilities
Los Angeles County: latourist.com/index.php?page=access-guide
San Diego County:.sandiego.org/plan/visitors-information-services/accessible-traveling/attractions.aspx
Statewide: visitcalifornia.com/experience/great-california-attractions-special-needs-families/
Nationwide: autismtravel.com/travel-directory/?search_keyword&directory_category
Cities
The cities of Concord and Visalia cater to travelers with autism and special needs at tourist attractions as well as at hotels and on public transport.
Concord:
General disabled visitor information: visitconcordca.com/accessible-concord
Visitors with sensory disorders: visitconcordca.com/accessible-concord/accessible-concord
To register for Practice Stay: visitconcordca.com/things-to-do/accessible-concord-1/accessible-concord-practice-stay
Air Travel
JSX Airlines is holding a practice boarding this fall for children with autism and their families at Oakland International Airport. Register to get an invitation once the date is set.
Go to https://autismchecked.com/autism-flies/ and scroll down to Oakland.
Help for air passengers with disabilities is available from the following:
Oakland International Airport: ifly.com/airports/metropolitan-oakland-international-airport/medical-handicapped-disabilities
San Francisco International Airport: flysfo.com/passengers/services-amenities/accessibility/travel-planning-resources
San Jose Mineta International Airport: flysanjose.com/accessible-services
Transportation Security Administration: tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares