The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, also known as Pentagon City Mall is located within a mile of the Pentagon and only minutes from Washington DC. During my recent trip to Washington DC, where I PROUDLY witnessed the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, my friends and I went to this mall and were pleased that it is very wheelchair accessible, with only a few recommendations.
Again, THANK YOU Representative Steve Canessa and Congressman Barney Frank for the wonderful opportunity to witness the most exciting event of my lifetime:>)
From Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington Virginia where we stayed, we took the Metro from the Crystal City Metro stop to the Pentagon Center stop. The mall entry door we entered from has an automatic door; I needed to push the button for it to open. I did find the entry door very narrow and my friends had to help me maneuver my wheelchair inside for it was a tight squeeze getting in.
Once inside we needed to take an elevator to the main shopping level. To get to the elevator I had to wheel down a very narrow hallway; the elevator is on the right side; there is a very sharp turn that I found difficult making so my friends helped me maneuver my wheelchair so I was able to make the tight turn into the elevator. Once inside we found this elevator to be quite small and we had to squeeze together in order to all fit. There are larger elevators located in the mall once you reach the main shopping level.
Once I reached the main shopping level of the mall, I was happy to find it very spacious and with plenty of room to wheel my wheelchair throughout the mall. There is a large elevator that takes you to all shopping levels of the mall. My friends and I bought some wonderful souvenirs and some cool President Obama collectibles for some friends and family.
We were hungry after a long day of wonderful sightseeing so we headed to the Food Court located inside this mall. The Food Court is large and wide and I found it easy to wheel my wheelchair around. Most restaurant/vendors in the food court have wheelchair accessible service counters of a perfect height so it is easy to place your order. Most all tables are of a perfect height for my wheelchair as well. Most of the food court is very wheelchair friendly.
The only restaurant/vendor that is not wheelchair friendly is ‘Johnny Rockets’. The service counter where you place your order is way too high for me in my wheelchair; their tables are not wheelchair accessible for they only have booths and one VERY SMALL table that I could not fit my wheelchair under. ‘Johnny Rockets’ have recently opened restaurants in the Massachusetts area that I have wanted to eat at but couldn’t due to lack of wheelchair accessibility:<)
The mall public rest rooms are fully wheelchair accessible; entry door leading into the restroom is wide with very easy access; it has a large handicap stall with the ADA required safety grab bars located at a perfect height; a wheelchair accessible sink with the pipes underneath covered as required is of perfect height; automatic hand dryer and soap dispenser are within my reach; the mirror is of a good wheelchair accessible height as well.
I give the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the Fifth Star, they would need to widen the entry door and hallway where we entered from to allow for independent and easier access into the mall and onto the elevator. We only visited this mall twice during our short stay in DC and both times entered through the same entrance. There may be easier wheelchair access from other locations. You may want to call ahead of time and ask the mall information person for the location of the most wheelchair accessible entrance.
