Huntington Beach is California’s First Sensory-Inclusive Destination

KultureCity, the world’s leading nonprofit focused on sensory accessibility and acceptance, named Huntington Beach as California’s first Sensory Inclusive-certified destination.

In order to achieve the certification, more than 1,500 visitor-facing staff throughout Huntington Beach underwent training related to sensory inclusivity. This included staff at hotels and restaurants, but also public safety personnel like lifeguards and police officers. Training focused on helping these workers recognize and support travelers with sensory needs.

These efforts build upon Visit Huntington Beach’s prior work with Wheel the World, a travel platform for disabled travelers. That work included assessing accessibility features at travel providers, such as hotels and attractions around the city, and looking at infrastructure, such as step-free entrances and accessible pathways, to determine suitability for all travelers.

“Accessibility is about more than getting to the beach — it’s about feeling confident and welcomed throughout your entire experience in Huntington Beach,” said John Urdi, president and CEO, Visit Huntington Beach. “By bringing together our tourism partners and the city through KultureCity, and providing travelers with verified accessibility information through Wheel the World, we are working toward an experience where more people can enjoy Surf City USA on their own terms.”