The short answer
- Seven destinations with level places to enjoyWhitby, Devon, Somerset, the Cotswolds, the Lake District, Norfolk and the North Wales coast each have promenades, gardens or museums with step-free routes and Blue Badge parking.
- The base decides how the week goesA ground-floor room with a level route from the car and a shower your relative can use matters more than the view from the window.
- Coach holidays have rules about mobilityA coach company can expect passengers to board, manage steps and get around at stops on their own or with a companion. Ask before you book.
- A carer can come tooOn PrimeCarers a carer charges £15 to £20 an hour for company or £18 to £25 with personal care, or from £1,050 a week to live in. Their travel, room and meals are agreed with them before you book.
Figures are what carers on PrimeCarers charge, with our fee included. Place details come from each venue's own access information, checked in 2026.
Where to go
Seven UK destinations for an older relative with limited mobility
These seven suit somebody with limited mobility because each has level seafronts, gardens or museums with step-free access, and a way of getting there that does not mean driving the whole distance.
Destination
Why it can suit limited mobility
Worth knowing before you book
A traditional seaside town with a harbourside walk that needs no steps, and Scarborough's long flat promenade a short drive down the coast.
The 199 steps lead up to the abbey, but you can drive to the headland car park instead. Whitby has its own station on the Esk Valley line.
Two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, and five National Landscapes, with flat seafronts at Exmouth and Paignton and step-free routes along the Exe estuary.
Exeter has a mainline station with direct trains from London Paddington. Exmouth runs a free beach wheelchair service in summer.
The Somerset Levels are flat wetland country, and Wells, Glastonbury and Bath put a cathedral, an abbey and the Roman Baths close to each other.
Bath has direct trains from London Paddington. The Roman Baths are below street level and can be crowded at busy times.
Honey-stone villages across six counties, gardens and arboretums with long hard paths, and a tea room never far from a short walk.
Some village streets are steep, such as Burford High Street. Local buses can be infrequent, so check a timetable before relying on one.
Miles without Stiles, 50 routes marked out by the National Park Authority, covers lake and valley walks with no stiles, and a small heritage railway shows the scenery from a seat.
Routes are graded for all, for many, for some or challenging, so check the grade first. Windermere has a station on the branch line from Oxenholme.
Flat country and a coast of piers, nature reserves and wide beaches, several of them with step-free routes and Blue Badge parking close by.
Norwich has direct trains from London Liverpool Street, and the Bittern Line runs on from Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham.
Long level promenades at Llandudno, Llanfairfechan and Prestatyn, with the mountains behind and Anglesey across the Menai Strait.
The castles are steep inside, so plan on the lower courtyards. Llandudno Junction and Rhyl are on the North Wales Coast line from Chester.
Under each destination below are a few places we have checked against the venue's own access information, with links to the full list for that county. Access details change, so ring a venue before a visit that the day depends on.
Whitby and the North Yorkshire coast
Whitby is a traditional seaside town on the North Yorkshire coast. Parts of the town are steep, but a walk along the harbourside and a sit on a bench looking at the boats need no steps. The town's famous 199 steps lead up to Whitby Abbey, but you can drive to the headland car park and visit the abbey without them.
Scarborough's South Bay promenade, a short drive down the coast, runs flat along the whole bay. Whitby has its own station at the end of the Esk Valley line, which helps if nobody wants to drive the whole way.
Checked places with access details
- Whitby Abbey, Whitby. It can be reached by car to the headland car park, avoiding the 199 steps from the town.
- Scarborough South Bay, Scarborough. The promenade runs along the whole bay close to the facilities, so a flat seafront stroll with plenty of stops is possible.
- Castle Howard, Malton. Free parking with Blue Badge bays at the front, and a paved route in the Stable Courtyard to the cafés, toilets and ticket office.
Places to visit in North YorkshireAccessible holidays on the Yorkshire coast
Devon
Devon has two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, and five National Landscapes, but for somebody with limited mobility the easier parts are the seafronts and the towns. Exmouth has a long promenade you can walk for as long as suits and then turn back, and the town council runs a free beach wheelchair service from May to October. Exeter has step-free routes along the Exe estuary and a museum well set up for visitors who cannot manage stairs.
Torbay adds Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, where the seafronts and harbours are flat enough for a short stroll. Exeter has direct trains from London Paddington.
Checked places with access details
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter. Two lifts with level access on each floor, accessible toilets on both levels and two wheelchairs to borrow free.
- RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington. Free parking with 22 accessible bays near the entrance, wheelchairs and mobility scooters to hire, and up to two carers go in free.
- Exmouth seafront, Exmouth. The town council runs a free beach wheelchair service from May to October, and the long promenade can be cut short at any point.
Places to visit in DevonPlaces to visit in TorbayAccessible holidays in Devon
Somerset
The Somerset Levels are flat wetland country, with nature reserves where the main tracks are level and hard-surfaced, and the small cathedral city of Wells, Glastonbury and Bath are all close together. That gives a week a good mix: a garden one day, a reserve to watch the birds the next, and a city day in between.
Bath, in the neighbouring council area of Bath and North East Somerset, is busier but has good access at its main sights. The Roman Baths are below street level and can be crowded at busy times, so an early slot is easier.
Checked places with access details
- The Bishop's Palace, Wells. Wide, level paths throughout, a lift, accessible toilets, a scooter and wheelchair to hire, and Blue Badge spaces to book 48 hours ahead.
- RSPB Ham Wall, Glastonbury. The main track, the Reedbed Trail and two of the viewing points are wheelchair accessible, with Blue Badge spaces near the viewing platforms.
- The Roman Baths, Bath. Lifts reach the museum and the Great Bath, and the site says it is 90 per cent accessible to wheelchair users.
Places to visit in SomersetPlaces to visit in Bath and North East Somerset
The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds spread across six counties, from Gloucestershire to Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire and the edge of Somerset. Some of the honey-stone villages are steep: Burford High Street climbs sharply, and parking near the bottom by the river keeps you on the flatter end. Bourton-on-the-Water is very busy at weekends and in good weather, so a weekday visit is calmer.
Where the Cotswolds stand out for limited mobility is in their gardens and arboretums, such as Westonbirt with its miles of hard paths. Local buses can run infrequently, so check a timetable before relying on one instead of a car.
Checked places with access details
- Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury. Ten miles of hard paths for wheelchairs and scooters, a fully accessible Treetop Walkway, 21 accessible parking spaces and mobility aids to book.
- Batsford Arboretum, Moreton-in-Marsh. The visitor centre, café and toilets are on one level with disabled parking outside, though only about a quarter of the arboretum suits wheelchairs.
- Blenheim Palace, Woodstock. Wheelchairs and scooters to hire from the Access Desk, a lift to the state rooms, and companions of Blue Badge holders go in free.
Places to visit in GloucestershirePlaces to visit in Oxfordshire
The Lake District
The Lake District is better known for fell walking, but the National Park Authority has marked out 50 routes called Miles without Stiles, covering lake and valley walks with no stiles to climb. Each is graded for all, for many, for some or challenging, depending on the gradient and the surface, and the routes graded for all are the ones to look at first for somebody using a wheelchair or walking frame.
Plenty can also be enjoyed from a seat or a short walk from the car, such as the lawns at Brockhole looking over Windermere. Windermere has a station on the branch line from Oxenholme, and a base near the lake you most want to see saves long drives on narrow roads.
Checked places with access details
- Brockhole on Windermere, Windermere. The café and house are near the car park, with lawns and benches looking over the lake, so the steeper paths to the shore can be left out.
- Keswick Museum, Keswick. Three Blue Badge bays outside the entrance, wheelchair access through the public areas and an accessible toilet, and registered carers go in free.
- Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass. Level public areas and accessible parking at Ravenglass, and carers of passengers with access needs travel free on standard fares.
Places to visit in CumbriaAccessible holidays in the Lake District
Norfolk
Norfolk is one of the flattest counties in England, which helps anybody who tires on hills. Its coast has piers, wide beaches and nature reserves, several with step-free routes and Blue Badge parking close by. Cromer Pier has level access all the way along, and the Lookout at Holkham gives a view of the beach without going down onto the sand.
Norwich has direct trains from London Liverpool Street, and the Bittern Line runs on to Cromer and Sheringham, so a coastal base can be reached without driving.
Checked places with access details
- Cromer Pier, Cromer. Step-free level access along the pier, an adapted toilet at the Pavilion, seating along the way and Blue Badge bays nearby.
- Holkham Beach and The Lookout, Wells-next-the-Sea. The Lookout has ramped step-free access, level floors and an adapted toilet, with Blue Badge parking at its own car park.
- Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Good level access, lifts to the café, a wheelchair-accessible toilet and free wheelchair loans to book ahead.
The North Wales coast
The North Wales coast suits a holiday built around gentle walks by the sea. Llandudno has a long, level promenade with shelters and benches, and the promenades at Llanfairfechan and Prestatyn are smooth and flat too. Across the Menai Strait, Newborough on Anglesey lends a beach wheelchair free of charge.
The castles are impressive from outside but steep and uneven within, so plan on the lower courtyards rather than the towers. Llandudno Junction and Rhyl are on the North Wales Coast line from Chester.
Checked places with access details
- Llandudno promenade and pier, Llandudno. A long level promenade with shelters and benches, so you can walk as far as suits and turn back.
- RSPB Conwy, Llandudno Junction. Eight Blue Badge spaces, two accessible toilets by the café, and wheelchairs and scooters to hire if booked ahead.
- Llanfairfechan promenade, Llanfairfechan. The council describes the coast walk as a level path suitable for wheelchairs, with a car park close by.
Places to visit in ConwyPlaces to visit in DenbighshirePlaces to visit in AngleseyAccessible holidays in North Wales
If a physical disability rather than age is the main concern, where can I go on holiday as a disabled person? sets out how to check a detailed access guide before you book anywhere, and accessible seaside towns in the UK looks at the coast in more detail. For days out closer to home, days out for older people lists checked places county by county.
Choosing the base
Where to stay with limited mobility: choosing the base
Where you stay shapes the week more than which county you choose. A good destination with the wrong room can mean a week of struggling with steps and a bath.
Static caravans and park lodges
Common at coastal holiday parks
Ground-floor holiday apartments and cottages
Self-catering, at your own pace
Accessible farm stays
Quieter than a hotel
A hotel built around older guests
Merton House, Ross-on-Wye
The most useful question to ask any place is about the route from the car, coach or station all the way to the bed and the bathroom, not whether the building as a whole is described as accessible. A single step at the front door, a gravel drive or a narrow bathroom door can undo an otherwise well-chosen base. Merton House in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, is a charity-run example of a hotel set up for older and less mobile guests.
It also helps to think about where the base sits. A ground-floor flat a short, level walk from a seafront, a café and a pharmacy gives your relative something to do on the days they do not want to go far, and a base close to most of your outings lets you come back for a rest in the afternoon.
Tourism for All, a national charity for accessible tourism, lists accessible hotels, bed and breakfasts and holiday parks across the UK. Whatever you find, ring the place, ask the questions below and write the answers down so you can compare.
Questions to ask before you book a roomSection titled Questions%20to%20ask%20before%20you%20book%20a%20room
- Is there level access from where we park to the front door and on to the room, and how far is it?
- Is the room on the ground floor, and if not, is there a lift big enough for a wheelchair or walking frame?
- Does the bathroom have a level-access shower, a seat and grab rails, or a shower over a bath?
- How wide are the doors, and is there room to turn a wheelchair or frame beside the bed?
- What height is the bed, and can a second bed be added for a carer or family member?
- Is there somewhere to charge a mobility scooter, and somewhere safe to keep it?
Coach holidays
Coach holidays for the over 70s: what to look for with limited mobility
A coach holiday takes away the driving, the parking and the route planning, which is a large part of its appeal later in life. Whether one suits somebody with limited mobility depends on the operator's rules and the walking on each day, so it is worth asking a few questions before you pay a deposit.
Coach holiday companies set out who their trips are suitable for, and the rules can be stricter than families expect. Shearings' fitness to travel guidance, for example, says passengers need to be able to board, use the facilities and leave the coach safely, and move around at stops without staff lifting or carrying them. It also asks that passengers manage steps, uneven surfaces and the walking on excursions, on their own or with help from a travelling companion. Wheelchairs must fold to go in the luggage hold, and mobility scooters must weigh no more than 20kg and come apart, usually with a limit of one per coach. Other operators have their own rules, and it is the operator's own guidance that counts.
Some holidays are sold as luxury coach holidays. Operators use the word for different things, such as more legroom or better hotels, so ask what it means on your tour and whether it changes anything about access.
Who runs coach holidays for older travellersSection titled Who%20runs%20coach%20holidays%20for%20older%20travellers
We have no arrangement with any of these companies, and the details of each tour are on their own sites.
- Shearings runs coach holidays across the UK and Europe, and publishes the fitness to travel guidance quoted above.
- Saga sells holidays for people over 50, including tours of the UK.
- Limitless Travel sells accessible coach holidays in the UK for people with disabilities and limited mobility, and says it brings its own carers on every trip.
If your relative needs more help than a coach company expects, a travelling companion can make the difference. That can be a family member, or a carer who travels as a paying passenger, which is covered under bringing a carer below.
Questions to ask a coach holiday company
0 of 8 ticked
The coach and the journey
The hotel and the days out
A weekend away first
Starting with a weekend break before a longer holiday
If it has been a while since your relative went away, or their mobility has changed since the last trip, two or three nights somewhere close to home can tell you a great deal before you commit to a week.
A weekend is easier to cut short than a week, and it shows you how your relative copes with the journey, a strange bed and an unfamiliar bathroom.
- 1
Choose somewhere within a couple of hours of home
Short journeyIt leaves energy for the stay and makes it easy to come home early. - 2
Book a base you have checked by phone
Before you payUse the questions in the section above. - 3
Plan one outing a day
Two or three nightsA seafront, a garden or a museum in the morning, a rest in the afternoon, and a meal out or in the evening. - 4
Notice what was hard
When you are homeWrite down what your relative found hard, such as the journey or the shower, to plan the longer holiday.
The trip brief at the top of this page works for a weekend as well as a fortnight, and a carer working by the hour may suit a short break better than one living in.
The journey and the pace
Planning the journey and the pace of the week
For somebody with limited mobility the journey can be the hardest part of a holiday, so it deserves as much thought as the destination.
If you are going by train, National Rail's Passenger Assist service arranges help at stations and with getting on and off the train. National Rail says that train companies now accept requests up to two hours before the journey, but recommends booking as early as you can. You can book through the Passenger Assistance app or website, or by calling 0800 022 3720.
If you are driving, take your relative's Blue Badge, as it belongs to them and not to the car, and see using a Blue Badge abroad if you are taking the car overseas. Break a long drive every couple of hours, and plan the stops so you know where there is an accessible toilet.
What tends to help
- One outing a day, with a quieter day after a big one
- A pharmacy near the base, and a GP practice that will see a temporary patient, checked before you go
- A few extra days of medication packed, in case the return journey is delayed
- A base within a short drive of the day's outing, rather than in the middle of everything
What tends to go wrong
- A week planned back to back, with no day left to recover
- Assuming a pretty village has level access without checking a detailed guide first
- Booking a room with a shower over a bath and hoping it will do
- Leaving a train assistance booking until the day you travel
Travel insurance needs care when an older relative has a medical condition, because conditions have to be declared. Travel insurance with a pre-existing condition goes through what to tell an insurer. If the trip involves a flight, flying with a wheelchair covers airport assistance.
You can get the free printable PDF to keep with this guide.
Bringing a carer
Bringing a carer on the holiday
If your relative needs help getting up, washing, dressing or moving about, a carer coming with you can make a holiday possible and give the rest of the family a break too.
A self-employed carer can travel with you and help through the days you agree. If your relative already has a carer they trust, ask whether that carer would consider coming away; some carers prefer not to work away from home, and that is a reasonable answer. Otherwise, describe the trip in the brief at the top of this page: the dates, where you are going, what the carer would do and where your relative lives. It looks for carers near home rather than near the destination, so you can meet them before you go.
The carer can work by the hour or live in for the trip. On PrimeCarers a carer charges £15 to £20 an hour for company, or £18 to £25 an hour with personal care, with our fee included. A live-in carer costs from £1,050 a week. Under the standard contract a bank holiday is charged at 1.5 times the carer's normal rate and Christmas Day at 2 times, and the contract adds nothing for evenings or weekends. The carer's own travel, room and meals are agreed between you and the carer before you book, and travel expenses are only charged if they have been agreed in advance and in writing.
Every carer on PrimeCarers has had an ID check, a right to work check and an enhanced DBS check (PVG in Scotland, Access NI in Northern Ireland) issued within the last two years, and an online interview with us. We do not check qualifications, training or references. References a carer has collected and reviews from families appear on their profile but are not verified by us, so ask the carer yourself about their experience with mobility, transfers or a hoist. Separately, carers on PrimeCarers are covered by the insurance we arrange for visits booked through PrimeCarers, within its terms (no clinical procedures). PrimeCarers is an introductory service, not a care agency, and the arrangement is between you and the carer.
More is on the carer-supported holidays page, and cruises for older and disabled passengers covers a trip at sea.
Questions
Questions families ask about holidays for an older relative with limited mobility
Whitby and the North Yorkshire coast, Devon, Somerset, the Cotswolds, the Lake District, Norfolk and the North Wales coast all work well, because each has level seafronts, gardens or museums with step-free access and Blue Badge parking. The seven destinations are compared above.
The harbourside can be enjoyed without any steps. The 199 steps lead up from the old town to Whitby Abbey, but you can drive to the headland car park and reach the abbey without them.
A ground-floor holiday apartment or cottage, a single-level park lodge, an accessible farm stay, or a hotel set up for older guests such as Merton House in Herefordshire. Ask about a step-free route from the car or station to the room and the bathroom, not only whether the building is described as accessible.
They can be, but check the operator's rules first. A coach company can expect passengers to board, manage steps and get around at stops on their own or with a travelling companion, and wheelchairs may need to fold into the luggage hold. Ask about the coach steps, the hotel lift and the walking on each excursion before you book.
Somewhere within a couple of hours of home, with a ground-floor room and a level walk to a seafront, a garden or a café. Two or three nights shows you what to plan for on a longer holiday.
Yes. A carer on PrimeCarers can travel with you, at £15 to £20 an hour for company, £18 to £25 with personal care, or from £1,050 a week to live in, with our fee included. Their own travel, room and meals are agreed with them before you book, and travel expenses are only charged if agreed in advance and in writing. Can you take a carer on holiday with you? covers this in full.
Attendance Allowance is worth £77 or £115 a week in 2026/27 and is paid in cash with no rule about how it is spent, so it can go towards a holiday or a carer. If your relative has a direct payment from the council for assessed care needs, ask the council whether it can be used while they are away. Attendance Allowance: who qualifies and how to claim.
A familiar routine and a short journey tend to matter more than which region you pick. Dementia-friendly holidays and should people with dementia go on holidays? cover what to check before you book.