Accessible places to visit in Chester

Home to more than 20,000 animals from 400 different species, the wheelchair-friendly Chester Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the UK – and is the long-time star of Channel 4’s The Secret Life of the Zoo. Start your accessible break with a self-guided tour, with full wheelchair access and free entry for carers. Its founder, George Mottershead, designed it to be a zoo without bars, using natural barriers like ditches and moats to separate the animals from the visitors.

Arrive in Chester city centre for lunch at the independent, family-owned bistro Moules A Go-Go. Its fixed-price menu offers good value for money and runs from 12pm to 6pm, starring fresh sustainably-sourced mussels from Anglesey. Other options include Korean-fried chicken burgers, French duck confit and Sri Lankan curry. Vegetarians and vegans are also well-catered for.

Built on the site of both a church dating back to 958AD and a Benedictine Abbey, Chester Cathedral should be high on your list of places to visit. Built using a mixture of Norman Romanesque and Gothic architecture, most of the building is suitable for wheelchair-friendly breaks; ask one of the helpful staff to provide ramp access to the Lady Chapel, Chapter House and Garth areas.

Part of the Marriott hotel group, Moxy Chester is located close to the city centre beside Shropshire Main Canal, and offers two accessible rooms with mobility aids and roll-in showers for wheelchair users. One of the city’s top accessible hotels. Enjoy dinner in a nearby restaurant – we recommend Siam Thai and Teppanyaki, the latter of which was Chester’s first-ever Japanese restaurant.

Chester’s largest independent music venue, The Live Rooms is a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike. It has hosted several big-name comics on tour as well as local music acts, and it also doubles as a nightclub. It is wheelchair accessible throughout, with free entry for companions of wheelchair users. Be sure to check what’s on during your visit, and book ahead.

The Lovell Telescope is a star attraction at the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, an hour’s drive from Chester. The third largest telescope on Earth has been delving deep into space from its spot of Cheshire greenery for more than 50 years. The interactive games and hands-on activities at the Planet and Space pavilions entertain budding space explorers of all ages. It’s all suitable for wheelchair-friendly breaks, on one level with automatic doors.

On your way back to Chester, stop off for a Sunday roast at award-winning country pub The Chester Fields, known for its countryside views and resident herd of alpacas! The pub’s menu uses local ingredients, and its roast dinners come with unlimited servings of homemade gravy. Do check its social media pages ahead of visiting, as this is a popular wedding venue too.

At Deva Roman Experience you can travel back in time to witness the sights, sounds and smells of life during the Roman era. You’ll explore reconstructions of barracks, bathhouses and market stalls, meet Roman soldiers and see real-life Roman remains. It’s suitable for wheelchair-friendly breaks, and has plenty of hands-on activities and interactive displays for all ages, to help you delve into the lives and minds of those who once lived there.

Although The Rows can’t yet accommodate wheelchair users upstairs, this street of half-timbered buildings provides an Instagrammable view of medieval-style shops. Head to Chester Market to pick up bargains from local vendors and snack on street food; it’s located on ground-level and is reachable via Exchange Square and Princess Street.

End your accessible break at the award-winning Storyhouse, which features the city’s library, theatres and cinema – all under one roof. What’s more, it’s fully accessible for wheelchair users on all levels. See the latest flicks in the 100-seat boutique cinema complete with plush red-velvet seats, or watch live music, comedy and touring West End musicals in one of the three auditoriums. Feeling peckish? Grab a bite to eat at The Kitchen.