Discover Accessibility with Chelsea Bear

Digital content creator Chelsea Bear uses social media as a platform to share her personal journey, living and traveling with cerebral palsy. While Chelsea can walk independently, the condition has impacted her legs and the way she walks, so she primarily uses a mobility scooter that she’s nicknamed “Scootz” when traveling and for long distances.

With more than 360,000 followers on Instagram and a growing following on TikTok and YouTube, Chelsea documents accessible travel and highlights her personal life, including adaptive fitness, dating, cooking and more. While the 31-year-old grew up in Broward County, she currently lives in Tampa and completes around 15 domestic and international trips a year. She has visited 12 countries and has done everything from cruises to group trips and road trips around Florida.

We spoke with Chelsea about the highlights of her recent vacation in Greater Miami & Miami Beach, how she views accessibility in Miami, and her expert advice on how to best navigate traveling with a disability.

How Did You Become A Digital Content Creator?

I did public relations for seven years but, in the back of my mind, I always wanted to do motivational speaking and tell my story of living with cerebral palsy. I launched a blog as a cathartic outlet to express what I was going through, with the core message that disability doesn’t need to be an uncomfortable topic.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, I transitioned from blogging to social media because I felt that visuals make it easier for people to understand. When Instagram Reels came out, my videos blew up overnight. At the end of 2021, I transitioned to full-time travel content, focused on disability and mobility aid. I used to, and still do, get anxious about traveling to a new place with a mobility scooter because you never know what will be accessible. Part of what motivates me to share is to show others that it’s possible for people like me to travel and it’s possible for them, too.

What Do You Want Others To Know About Traveling With A Disability?

The more you travel, the more comfortable you become. It’s really important to do your research and plan as much as possible. Go into any trip knowing that, as with life, things pop up. More times than not, when you ask for assistance or when you call in advance for accommodations, most people want to give you the best experience possible or make sure that you’re included.

Any Personal Tips For Traveling Successfully With A Disability?

Never forget to advocate for yourself, whether it’s something for fun or for work. Follow other disabled travelers on social media, like me, to learn more about what they do and what destinations they go to. I’m a huge advocate for that visual aspect; just seeing people like me in places that I want to go definitely helps ease my own anxiety when traveling somewhere new. It’s a big part of why I share my experiences.

How Does Miami Stand Out When It Comes To Accessibility?

I found Miami to be really accessible. I didn’t have any issues with my mobility scooter. What set Miami apart for me was meeting a variety of people who make the accessibility decisions, from transportation to attractions to the ADA coordinator of Miami-Dade County. It’s refreshing to know that they are committed to making things accessible for everyone – and not just physical disabilities, but whatever someone’s specific need is. A lot of the time the biggest barrier is getting people to listen and take action.

What Was The Highlight Of Your Miami Trip?

I visited Shake-A-Leg Miami in Coconut Grove, and it was really cool to see what they do there and how passionate they are. They have summer camps for kids of all abilities, and they get them out on water, teach them life skills and build up their confidence. I also got on a pontoon boat with my mobility scooter, and that was a first for me, outside of being on a massive cruise ship. It was so pretty to see Miami from the water. That was a bucket-list thing to do.

Any Other Favorite Miami Attractions?

Zoo Miami in South Dade was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. A highlight was feeding the giraffes; I’ve never been that close to a giraffe, so that was cool. I also loved Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Coconut Grove, where I took a tour of the house and spent a lot of time in the beautiful gardens. I found Vizcaya very impressive accessibility-wise. The house is so old, and it was definitely not built with accessibility in mind, but they put a ramp over the steps to get on the main platform. A lot of times, I find that places are like, “It’s historic, we can’t make any changes,” but I feel like you could add a ramp over one or two steps (like Vizcaya does), and that would change someone’s entire experience. I gravitated to the aquarium at the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Downtown Miami, where I could see all of the aquatic life from above and below. I was able to navigate the different levels thanks to ramps and elevators.

You Toured The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. What Stood Out To You?

I spent two hours touring all of the different auditoriums at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Downtown Miami. It was incredible to see how accessibility was designed into the architecture of the building and how the architects went out of their way to make it a priority. At the entrance door, there’s a little bit of an incline that was created that way on purpose; it’s a ramp that everyone uses. They have a beautiful central ramp to the second floor that enters into the auditorium; normally, you have to go down a side hall to find a ramp, so for it to be a central part when you walk in was really nice. They also have removable seats in one of the auditoriums, so if you’re coming in a wheelchair and you tell them in advance, the actual seat can be taken out so that you’re in line with everyone else. I definitely hope to make it back for a show.

You Stayed At The Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay. How Did The Hotel Fit Your Needs?

It was perfect and a central location to many of the things that I experienced. They have working elevators, and I could scoot around the different floors and locations. I stayed in an accessible room; traditional hotel beds are often too high, which can be challenging, but the lower bed at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay was easy to get in. It was amazing to wake up to the incredible views and see the sunrise. The food and drinks there were amazing, and the bar area has an accessible seating area where two of the seats are lowered, which is rare to find. The valet was also helpful; I use a scooter lift on the outside of my car, and they always made sure it was positioned the right way.

You Toured loanDepot Park. Do You Feel It Prioritizes Accessibility?

Growing up in South Florida, the Miami Marlins are my favorite baseball team. I’ve been to loanDepot park in Little Havana before, but even I didn’t know about all of the things that they offer. They have accessible seating in every section as well as elevators and signs that say priority goes to people with disability needs. They have nursing pods that are accessible, and they even have ramps that go down to the dugout. They also have a really incredible sensory room. Whether it’s a Marlins game or a concert, it’s nice to have a quiet space with soundproofing and activities to escape the loud noises.

You Experienced A Brightline High-speed Train. What Did You Think?

I’ve been on plenty of trains and had my fair share of inaccessible trains, but the Brightline goes above and beyond. At MiamiCentral Station, I didn’t need to flag down someone to put a ramp over the door gap, because the train is designed so I could roll right on. I scooted around the different cars and saw the variety of accessibility seating. The Brightline is spacious and clean, and they have an accessible bathroom with grab bars and touchless features.

What Were Your Favorite Meals In Miami?

I really enjoyed Cerveceria La Tropical in Wynwood and dinner at Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen Miami in Downtown Miami, where I had some of the best food I’ve ever had, especially the pan-seared scallops. It was cool to see how they mimic everything in the show, and the service was incredible.

Is There Anything Else You’d Like To Do On Your Next Visit?

I didn’t have time to visit the beach, but I know there are specially designed mats on the beach, so hopefully next time I’ll get to check that out. I would like to spend more time in the Downtown Miami and Brickell area and definitely attend a show or performance at the Arsht Center.

Learn more about accessible attractions in Miami.