Every venue and event we recommend went through the same test: we showed up and ran the whole visit on Mike’s power chair, instead of trusting a phone call or the venue’s own accessibility page.
A website can say ADA compliant and mean a ramp around the back by the dumpsters. We would rather tell you what actually happened when we tried it.
The five checks
Every place gets the same five, scored 1 to 5, in this order.
Parking
We look for ADA spots, how close they sit to the entrance, and whether staff can point you to them.
Entrance & Maneuverability
We check for step-free ways in, ramp grades, elevators, and how much room a power chair has once you are inside.
Customer Service
We note how staff handle access questions, seating swaps, and the curveballs that come up mid-visit.
Restrooms
We confirm there are accessible stalls with grab bars, and that you can reach them without leaving the building.
Dining
We check counter heights, table clearance, and whether food and drinks sit within easy reach from a chair.
What the dots mean
Each check gets 1 to 5 gold dots. Five means it worked without a workaround. Four means it worked with a catch, like the top-level ramp incline at Angel Stadium. Anything lower comes with an explanation, because a score without a reason is just decoration.
What we do not do
We do not certify venues, and we do not score places we have not visited. Buildings change, staff change, and a review is a snapshot of the day we went. When something big changes, we go back and check again.
If a venue ever pays us for coverage, the article will say so right at the top.
The first full score card is the Savannah Bananas at Angel Stadium. Read it, then grab the free LA guide, which shows what every venue publishes about its own access, next to the score cards we have run in person so far.
