Shopping in St. Maarten with kids and wheelchair

[kerry1379]

While in St. Maarten, we were hoping to do a little walking around/shopping. We will have young children with us (one in a wheelchair). So my questions are: 1. Is there any place near the pier to do this? We were hoping to just walk there at our leisure and leave when the children's interest has waned. 2. Would the shopping have anything children would be interested in or is it primarily jewelry or alcohol? 3. Would you consider this area to be safe enough to wander around with kids? 4. Would these areas be generally wheelchair accessible? (I know ADA doesn't apply and some areas may not be-but generally?)

Thanks for helping me plan!

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Only small shops near the pier but there is a good taxi stand there. The area is safe, they love tourists and cruisers we bring in $$$$$.

Its a small journey to the center of the town, in the heat and due to your circumstances a taxi is advised.

As a main port of call the locals will adapt to people who are less able to get around. And have mobility requirements.

I do not think everything would be accessible but there should be enough.

 

[Gigi22]

Downtown St. Maarten is not very wheelchair accessible. I have recollections of some fairly high sidewalks and uneven pavement, although the streets and sidewalks can be quite wide in some areas. The pier area and the nearby more modern, smaller shopping area is more accessible, but I wouldn't really count on it there either.

I've always found St. Maarten quite safe to walk around, but the usual safe tourism rules apply.

 

[Alexle2007]

The first time we were in St. Marteen, we did a morning excursion and then went back to the ship, ds6, at the time, was more than happy to stay in the kid's club than to walk around the shops. We found them not to be worth our time and much more expensive than the outlets at home. It did feel safe. Then 2nd time, we skipped the shops all together since we knew there would nothing we wanted.

 

[over50visits]

While in St. Maarten, we were hoping to do a little walking around/shopping. We will have young children with us (one in a wheelchair). So my questions are: 1. Is there any place near the pier to do this? We were hoping to just walk there at our leisure and leave when the children's interest has waned. 2. Would the shopping have anything children would be interested in or is it primarily jewelry or alcohol? 3. Would you consider this area to be safe enough to wander around with kids? 4. Would these areas be generally wheelchair accessible? (I know ADA doesn't apply and some areas may not be-but generally?)

Thanks for helping me plan!

We were there recently, and it was one of the most welcoming ports we've been to in the Caribbean/Mexico. The people are wonderful (they should be with their Dutch heritage), the port city clean and quite safe, and the few taxi drivers we interacted with were all great. It's a bit of a walk for a wheelchair from the ship, so I'd advise a taxi. Then get out, walk around, enjoy the beach view and the shopping, stop at the Yoda Guy if (1) Star Wars interests you and (2) you can navigate up stairs with the wheelchair since it's on the second floor.

It is a great port. Enjoy

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm changing that sentence around...."stop at the Yoda Guy if ...you can navigate up stairs with the wheelchair since it's on the second floor. And if Star Wars SERIOUSLY interests you."


I liked Sint Maarten, and all we did was wander leisurely around. We did take the water taxi, and I don't know if that's accessible, but a taxi gets you there, too.

OP if you haven't taken a good look at the St Maarten port, do so. There's a road from the port area to the Front Street (or the Dutch version of those words). There's also a water taxi that takes you to the middle of the front area of the beach.

There's a decent free beach there. Plop down a towel and have a nice day. Or rent a lounger/chair from the person that pops up when you sit down on said lounger/chair, and have a nice day. There are restaurants and bars and it's all pleasant. Although I haven't been there (darned DH and DS who insisted on the very boring Hard Rock Cafe), reviews and looking at the menu tell me that my family will be heading to the restaurant that is named after a Blue "female dog".


Some pictures of the free beaches right there on the beach side (lol) of Sint Maarten. You can also see the main drag there, and how wide and good the sidewalks are.

If anyone is in the market for fake Legos, there's an electronics store that sells them. Don't have a dad there during negotiations...DS and I were doing just fine (with my saying "no no no" to the f'egos as I call them because I meant "no no no") until silly DH came up and then the price stopped coming down.