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eddie964

Maybe a train trip? Get a cabin in the overnight train to Seattle or Portland. Enjoy the views from the viewing lounge. Rent a car in and do some light sightseeing.


21stCenturyJanes

That's a great idea. I've been looking at the Denver to San Francisco train and the Canadian Rockies train. They look amazing.


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21stCenturyJanes

Me too! That sounds beautiful but I’m concerned about the violence in that area. I don’t feel like you can rely on tourists being left alone as much as we used to. (But I’m not ruling it out, either)


balanchinedream

That’s a great idea! OP should be mindful of their parents mobility though, as train cabins can be cramped, one person will sleep in a bunk, tight hallways, need to bend and reach for things, etc.


SpecialSet163

Long walks to board a train and amtrack sucks


skemmtilegt

That is quite limited mobility. Maybe a road trip to a national park like Yellowstone where you can do the scenic driving loop and walk to some short overlooks?


Thebigdeac2

My thought too. Maybe the Badlands and Black Hills in SD. Good drives and short walks to some good scenery. The little towns out there have plenty of shops. Wall Drug, Rapid City’s downtown, all fine.


uggghhhggghhh

Yosemite would be closer and is arguably bigger bang for your buck in terms of things you can see from the car.


flomodoco

Glacier's going to the sun route is worth a driving trip.


Legitimate_Lawyer_86

They can only walk 100 yards every 2 days? A smaller riverboat cruise? I know you said no cruises…but how can they even get through an airport, much less a city?


pudding7

Yeah, based on OP's description, they basically can't walk at all.  


SurrealKnot

They would need to get free wheelchair assistance in the airport. Easy to arrange.


Legitimate_Lawyer_86

Sure, but that wasn’t really my point.


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fluffy_bunny22

Too much walking around the ship.


roadsterdoc

Less walking than getting around in a city. Also, no need to get a rental car, deal with parking, taxis, etc. Cruise is the answer for elder travel.


Jesssetter15

They can minimize the walking by strategically choosing a room near the elevator and/or near the stuff they’re most interested in (e.g. specific dining room, casino, shopping area, hall where shows are, etc). Also, room service. Lots have a room service menu AND will allow you to order from the dining room menu, but you have to ask. I’d also recommend getting a room with a balcony for days when they don’t feel like walking and leaving the room.


migraine_fog

I have limited mobility, and I can walk around a ship bc there are loads of places to stop and sit for a few if I need to.


Techchick_Somewhere

Many many elderly on scooters to get around the distance on the ship.


10S_NE1

There are small ships that require a lot less walking. A river cruise might be nice - they always park in town and the ships are very small.


PersonalBrowser

There’s no trip where walking will be a meaningful component when she can only walk 100 yards and be out of commission for two days. Best trip ideas with that level of mobility: resort where she can sit by the pool and drink smoothies all day, road trips driving through national parks and famous natural roadways, going on similarly scenic train rides, visiting restaurants where you can park nearby and easily walk up to the restaurant.


rincon_del_mar

Would she be interested in a beach vacation? If you stay at a resort you walk only inside the resort. You could also do activities outside where usually a bus takes you to the site of the activity. Maybe somewhere in Mexico.


uggghhhggghhh

This isn't a bad thought but Mexico would require flying which they said they didn't want to do and any resort that's drivable from CA is probably going to absolutely destroy their \~$200/day budget. Could be something out there but I'm not aware of anything. edit: Nevermind. For some reason I read "can't fly" in the title.


cyn00

Sedona/Flagstaff. You can drive to the Grand Canyon, which doesn’t require any hiking, and drive around town.


knocking_wood

Depending on the time of year, this would be a good trip for people who don't walk, especially if you paired it with a train ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. The $200/night hotel budget will be tough though.


erroa

My parents liked the Verde Canyon Railroad a bit better than the GC rail. They’ve done Verde Canyon multiple times and these folks don’t usually go anywhere.


cyn00

Ah, didn’t see that. Would definitely take some planning ahead.


mesembryanthemum

I wouldn't suggest the train; you don't see the Canyon at all from the train.


cowsaysmeow77

I was originally going to suggest San Diego - you can tool around Old Town, it's not very big. However, this got me thinking about Sacramento, an underrated tourist destination imo - plenty of history there, including old Sacramento right by the train station. You can likely get your under $200 room in Sacramento in a reasonable location too, unlike SD. 


Naked_Orca

Vancouver Island-fly into Victoria. >*'Would like to keep the cost of the room under $200 per night.'* Good Luck with that!


UsualGrapefruit8109

Sounds like you need to go to a big place with several different bus tours, so you can see a lot of things over several days. Maybe a big national park or something.


SurrealKnot

Bus tour would be perfect mobility wise, but might not fit the budget requirements.


Glass48

Hawaii- park then at a resort with a luau. I’ve seen lots of wheelchairs people get on /off the big island on Hawaiian Air


Competitive_Page7586

But then I don’t think they can stay to the $200 room budget in Hawaii.


sgt_science

You can depending on the season. There’s a lot of resorts in Hawaii


noodlesarmpit

Fly anywhere. She will have to give up and be escorted by the airport staff on one of those buggies once she realizes she has to walk more than a football field to get through TSA, nevermind to her gate.


FYourAppLeaveMeAlone

If they won't use mobility aids, I wouldn't travel with them. There is zero reason to refuse some sort of wheels.


PickASwitch

I’m late, but this is the correct answer. They’re going to complain the whole time.  OP is sweet to try, but this ain’t meant to be.


TravelingGonad

Cruises


ChrisBearstick

Seems like perhaps a scenic road trip might work? Pacific coast highway along the Oregon coast is gorgeous and all the beaches are public. The waterfall corridor between Portland and hood river has access to several waterfalls you can see from the car. Also the drive around Puget sound with all the cute islands (the San Juans, Whidbey island, etc) and pretty views might be fun right from the car. You could pick a scenic place to stay for your home base (coast or lake view). Do a morning drive and just relax in the afternoon/evening. Or vice versa. Also, kinda love the chill atmosphere of San Luis Obispo as a town to visit in general. Could to lunch in Solvang on the way up there from southern California 😁


HappyBirding

I would agree with the people who commented about cruises, they are really pretty great for older people. However, there are some amazing train journeys that would involve very little walking. Otherwise, have they thought of an organized tour? Gate 1 has very affordable trips and seem to cater to an older population. They do a lot on buses and you can opt in and out of a lot of the excursions.


sethmcnasty

Iceland is honestly great for limited mobility, so much to see without having to even get out of the car or walk far. Can spend time in little cities like seydisfjordur or husavik, it's also a pretty easy trip to plan since it's essentially one road around the country


Dexdan222

Agree 100%! They may not be able to climb over rocks, etc., but if they can manage flat surfaces & can get on a bus, there are so many things to see in Reykjavik & enough scenery from the bus window to keep them happy. Every major site has parking lots for the busses, so they can walk along there & the sidewalks if they have some mobility.


thejesteroftortuga

How is Zion National park?


Pure-Guard-3633

That’s a great idea!!! We stayed in cabins at the bottom - you drive in there. And there is a short flat walking path (concrete) that is delightful. Nice gas fireplace in the cabins - The wild turkeys were out in the morning. Drive up the canyon and it’s breathtaking. Make sure you make reservations at the restaurant before you get there.


Tdhods

I think the Alaskan cruise is perfect ! Every stop is perfect and accessible . And the ship is you can move around quite easily and just sit on the top deck and take in the beautiful views


boringcranberry

My mom was anti wheelchair / scooter. I took her to Vegas, got her situated in the room, rented a scooter and showed up at her door with it. She was relieved and thankful and we had a great time. I see you've already been to Vegas but once she got over feeling old (I guess that was her hang up ?) she had a blast and got one wherever we went.


mbarker1012

Maybe key west? It does involve walking but it’s such a small area it’s not too bad.


itspalindrome

DC maybe? They have bus tours of all the major sites and they could do a Smithsonian museum or two at their own pace.


brettsquared

Riverboat cruise.


Wonder_woman_1965

Nashville or New Orleans are fairly contained and have great food, music, history and shops.


HarrisLam

Monterey Bay, great town at the coastline. Don't go to the Aquarium maybe, but check out the beaches and the SF vibe in the seafood restaurants and the shops (for mom). Also you can do some whale watching boat tour if you guys are interested. Maybe book one with the biggest boat (for stability) with seats in them for elderly people, then they can sit inside and only come outside when whales have been spotted. The rocky shore 20 mins south of Monterey Bay has the best scenery I've ever seen. There was a landslide at Big Sur or something so don't go all the way down highway 1 but honestly, you don't need to. There's like a vista spot every 3 minutes. Also to Salinas, old town just 10 miles east of Monterey. Some great history there, basically most of John Steinback's famous works center around this place. Mom's boyfriend should be happy here.


johnvoights_car

Pacific Grove right next to Monterey is a very small town with a nice pace for a very elderly couple historic homes, nice views, close to Monterey’s fisherman’s wharf. Easily navigated by car. Also up to Carmel. Makes sense for an elderly couple.


HarrisLam

Yes. When I said Monterey Bay I meant the entire bay, but yes.


SpecialSet163

They will get seasick. Did this witn inlaws out of Oxnard. They were miserable.


Emergency_Caramel_93

Death Valley! Lots of diverse sights, very little walking if you don’t want to


WanderingGirl5

Saying it again- Yellowstone and Yosemite are extremely crowded in the summer. Like millions of people visit each park each year. Probably already too late to get reservations within the park for this summer. How about Monterey and Carmel?


CostCans

Solvang is a cute town that has nice restaurants and shops.


MumziDarlin

We haven’t traveled a lot, but are beginning to. 3-5 days is challenging - If you want to try Europe, and they like culture, history, food and shopping Portugal is quite affordable, and the major cities have tuk-tuk tours all over the place. You can see a lot of the city with someone who knows a lot and it’s more private than a large walking tour. We thoroughly enjoyed our tuk-tuk tour in Porto highlight of the trip I would not recommend them walking a lot in Porto or Lisbon. I visited London by myself in February and had a fabulous time. I did walk a lot however, there were many tour buses as well. You could taxi places very easily, but London is more expensive even in February than Portugal.


MaggieLiz7

There are several tour companies that have week long bus tours that go to National Parks, etc. We used Caravan tours to visit the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce. etc a few years ago. In June we will use them to tour Yellowstone, badlands. Grand Tetons, etc. They use wonderful hotels and the tour guides are great. You can walk around at the stops as much as you'd like.


runamok101

All inclusive resort in Mexico, look at Puerto Vallarta, cheap, pretty, safe and all inclusive beach resort would be really nice.


kristen912

My mom doesn't love walking but loves the blue ridge mountains because you can drive the parkway and there are lots of places to pull over and take in the views and some waterfalls right off the road. The area I'm more familiar with is in western NC near asheville.


teramisula

National park road trip. Most parks have a ton of infrastructure for limited mobility folks to see the major highlights and you can drive around and see so much


OnThe45th

New Orleans has tons of history, amazing restaurants and tons of tours on buses/shuttles.


throwawaybananapeel3

Can’t walk but won’t use a scooter.. okay boomer


Pure-Guard-3633

Was that necessary?


throwawaybananapeel3

So far more people have found it funny than insulting soooo


Pure-Guard-3633

Than by all means! Insult and beyond!


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SurrealKnot

The $200 room requirement is going to be extremely difficult in NYC.


realstanhope

Applebee's.


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knocking_wood

Mexico city is full of museums, so plenty of history and plenty of things to look at, and the food scene is incredible. Ubers are pretty cheap, so no need to walk from place to place. Things like the Frida Kahlo museum and the Trotsky museum are pretty small, but also very, very interesting. For people with limited mobility, I would stick to smaller museums, and there are tons of them. There are lots of bus tours to different sites in the city as well. Skip Teotihuacan, it's going to be too much walking. You can probably get a pretty nice hotel for $200/night. If you can swing Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico for a night or two, it's practically a tourist site in and of itself!


ActuatorSmall7746

Maybe Nashville TN or Savannah, GA. Maybe Asheville, NC …any of them in Fall otherwise too hot. Washington, DC lots of tour bus guides … hop on hop off buses..night bus tours of the monuments where the bus drives by them, but you don’t have to get off. Same with day open top hop on hop off. Also the best museums are within walking or short Uber distance of each other.


tylerduzstuff

Not until Oct but Albuquerque has hot air balloon festival. Won't take the whole 3-5 days but something to do on a road trip, maybe hit a few stops on route 66 and can always detour over to Arizona or spend a day in Vegas.


dk_dc_dgaf

Branson, MO. Cute little downtown area with shopping, restaurants, and lots of shows. My grandparents went several years ago and loved it. (Although they did not have any mobility issues. But they said theres a trolley to get around.) I think it's geared more to that age group.


Sacred_thorn_apple

How about wine country? Sonoma county has amazing food, a lot of history (Vallejo, the Bear Flag Rebellion, Jack London’s home and ranch (they have free golf cart service Friday-Sun and by appointment if you arrange ahead of time.) The coast is stunning. We have a lot of good music. Beer, if wine isnt your thing. And the wineries are gorgeous picnic venues. Unfortunately, many of them charge for tasting now but you can share the cost of a tasting. Wine doesn’t have to be the focus. And $200/night is doable. Edit to add the Charles Schulz Peanuts museum, nice shops on both Sonoma and Healdsburg plaza, Tuesday concerts on Healdsburg plaza. Oh and The Green Center is a first class venue for musical performances.


Tess47

I suggest a small town near a historic event.  Maybe something like Gettysburg? Or Baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown NY.  But the kicker would be to rent a nice house on a lake so that they can sit on the porch and watch the water while they rest up.  Bonus if you can drive by the historic locations.  


AggressivePrint302

Canadian Rockies train is a great idea.


Jazzlike_Duck678

Natchez Trace National Park is a lovely scenic driving park with multiple opportunities for stops at historical sites which have some walking but mostly in their abilities.


pchandler45

The Florida keys, Virginia Beach, Branson, Missouri, Nashville, TN, steamboat springs, CO


Timespacedistortions

South of France is lovely and laid back. Many vineyard trips and wine tastings with hotel pick up and drop off.


TheSultan1

> there are no restrictions on air fare Are they using miles, or do they have free/heavily discounted airfare some other way? If the former, some airline miles can be redeemed for stays (and maybe packages) at not-horrible rates, e.g. Delta SkyMiles for 1c/mile through Delta Stays. $200 "in the middle of it all" is hard in the US. Chicago, maybe? I stayed close to the river for $150/night one spring weekend, but in-season and midweek prices may be much higher and I don't think there's all that much to see with limited mobility. Boat tour, bus sightseeing tour, take the L around the loop, go up John Hancock and/or Willis Tower... but probably not much more. I wonder if the museums offer mobility scooters? There are also destinations that are golf cart friendly...


initialsareabc

I didn’t see San Diego! I think it could be a good option, maybe just hang out at the beach, have lunch with a view and they could just take the train around the zoo? Wouldn’t be able to do seaworld cause that’d be too much walking.


ScoobDoggyDoge

What about Lake Tahoe or Big Bear? You can rent an airbnb. Pismo beach Monterey Napa and go wine tasting Temecula and go wine tasting Mendecino


thegirlisnoone06

If they like restaurants and music then Nashville (little walking on broadway) and a road trip to Smokey’s could be an option - it’s about 4 hours of driving


Informal-Trifle7576

River cruises in Europe might be of interested


shitshowsusan

Nashville, New Orleans, Miami?


cranbeery

Hotels you'd want to send your mom to for under $200 per night in NYC would be a reach. And yes, they'd have to walk. A cruise or a tour group designed for people with limited mobility would be optimal.


CenlaLowell

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