The resort has a pool lift, as well as a zero entry wading pool for the physically challenged. Key West is one of the US cruise ship ports, which means the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to all the stores, restaurants, bathrooms, and attractions in Key West. - mobility equipment hire - wheelchairs, hoists, shower chairs, electric beds, and more! He is a passionate advocate for disability rights and one of the leading authorities on accessible travel. City Breaks, Attraction Holidays, No Pets. Islamorada Escape - Bungalow #3 - Cozy, clean, tropical oasis. We have come up with a list of five, wheelchair friendly hotels on the East coast of Florida that will let everybody experience cool pools and hot sun. One Ocean Resort & Spa is in compliance with ADA standards, with accessible rooms and assistive devices on hand. Rates start at $$ per night in summer, and include a lending libraries of games, special children’s menus with healthy options, local area tours, Fisher-Price welcome gifts, Kidbanas shelters by the pool, and supervised recreational programs. Documents, The Essential Guide to Camping in the Winter, Celebrating Khmer New Year in Cambodia with Kids, Exploring Iceland’s South Coast On A Family Road Trip, The 51 Best Virtual Family Vacation Ideas for Staying Safe During this Pandemic, Caribbean, Mexico & South America Family Travel Forum. ProTip on RAIN: Though it’s the Sunshine State, Florida has a rainy season in the few summer months leading up to autumn. ... Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate: Orlando, Florida. There are glass-bottom, snorkel and dive boats as well. Port Canaveral’s Jetty Park is a 5-acre ocean front beach complete with a campground, fishing pier, boat ramps, picnic areas and a concession pavilion. Also in Palm Beach, the Ritz Carlton boasts an exclusive beach, and two outdoor pools with a pool lift. Keep in mind, you will need your own car or wheelchair accessible van to make the most of your trip – Why? Anglers Reef Oceanfront Complex w Pool & Beach-New air conditioning system 2019, Sunrise Haven at Maison Matecumbe - Gated 3Bd, 3Ba Condo - Beach, Pool & Hot Tub, Stunning Beach Front Home W/ Private Pool - Professionally cleaned & sanitized. It also features multiple small dipping pools and an interactive children’s waterscape play area. Live like a local in a Florida Keys rental. Where wheelchair taxis do exist, they are few and far between, and often are not available on demand, late at night or on the weekends. Designed to provide a perfect setting for a dream holiday, sleeping up to 12 guests. Accessible routes to key areas of the resort include: Accessible self-parking for cars and vans is located in front of main entrance of Resort Complimentary valet parking, including vehicles specifically outfitted for wheelchair users, with disability parking permit Fun Fact: Some people end up shopping for 'new' used handicap vans when visiting from up north because the roads don't get salted in Florida, which means the lowered floors have no rust! Florida Keys vacation rentals for families. Life in the Florida Keys is unique, laid-back and fun. ADA-Accessible Resort in Atlantic Beach. The Lowry Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa both offer wheelchair accessible activities for the whole family. Sarasota might possibly be one of the overlooked vacation destinations for visitors who are not totally familiar with Florida tourism destinations. There are miles and miles of beaches in Ft. Lauderdale, but for the best experience, Sebastian State Beach offers accessibility by way of mobi mats and beach wheelchairs which can be reserved by calling 954-828-4595. The State of Florida is a great place to live, work, play and visit – that is, unless you are a wheelchair user. A portable water mist fan is a good idea too. Main Beach even has a Mobi Mat for wheelchair access. Tour the incredible canal system and see Fort Lauderdale from the water on an accessible boat tour like the Tour of Mansions & Yachts with the accessible Water Taxi at Dock #6 or the Jungle Queen. And this is true across the spectrum—at budget, mid-range and luxury hotels. The downtown area includes wheelchair accessible destinations like the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Discovery and Science, Museum of Art, and boutiques. In fact, it's so desirable that Florida residents often will take their ‘staycations’ across the state, rather than traveling outside of Florida. Cottage w/ shared pool, private hot tub, & street parking - Dogs OK! Specific boarding requirements are set for those using wheelchairs at each attraction. At The Breakers, a super deluxe place, the rates are a little more expensive ($$$), but five oceanfront pools and four whirlpool spas might explain why. Disney is known for its exceptional commitment to accessibility and inclusion, and while there are theme park rides that are still not accessible to wheelchair users who cannot walk at all, the overall park accessibility exceeds expectations. A larger of the Florida keys, and closest to Miami, Key Largo is known for its deep sea fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Tucked away in the sought-after community of Doral Woods, this fabulous holiday home has everything you could ask for to make your Florida dream come true. We’ll help you find special deals on beach houses, condos, townhouses, cottages and cabins in a variety of settings in Key Largo, Marathon, Islamorada, Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys, Key West and other locales. Many attractions and places to stay are fully accessible too, making Florida one of the hottest holiday destinations around - in more ways than one! The resort also features the AquaNuts Ritz Kids facility and the Coast Teens Lounge. Through that study, I found that 87.5% of the low-cost hotels I stayed in had one or more ADA violations that would significantly impact the ability of disabled people to use the toilet, bathtub or shower. The Shark Valley tram tour is wheelchair accessible as well! The top 10 most dangerous metro areas for pedestrians are: The only major metropolitan area in Florida not represented in the top 10 was the Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach area, but it took the 11th spot, with a PDI of 145.1. That headline is wrong. And I have been tough on the Sunshine State in this article. In a few weeks, I’ll write a follow-up to this article, filled with all of the best reasons to visit Florida as a wheelchair user. If you appreciate Victorian-era architecture, explore Amelia Island’s riverfront city, Fernandina Beach. Key West, also known as the Conch Republic, has a distinct Caribbean feel, with Old Quarter streets lined with palms, tropical plants, and adorable painted wooden colonial houses. If you’d rather leave your wheelchair in your van, there are beach wheelchairs available for rent at Clearwater Beach. If you are unable to transfer from your wheelchair, there is an accessible observation room available. Wheelchair Accessible Vacation Rentals in Florida Keys: View Tripadvisor's 36,739 unbiased reviews, 130,297 photos and great deals on Wheelchair Accessible Vacation Rentals in Florida Keys, FL Spending your stay in a cramped, sterile hotel room just doesn’t seem to fit the lifestyle. From museums and zoos to quaint historic areas, the Tampa St. Petersburg area is an excellent choice of vacation destination. Accessible parking, equipment, and shuttle buses are readily available. Yet it’s also rapidly expanding into other areas of tourism, including wildlife expeditions, eco adventures and outdoor pursuits, with an abundance of luxury hotels, spas and fine dining options. In Daytona Beach, Perry’s Ocean Edge Resort, which sits directly on the beach, is the perfect getaway. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Some of Key Largo’s fishing vessels are specifically equipped for wheelchairs, such as Key Largo’s Tranquil Adventures, which is even stable enough to accommodate a 400-pound motorized wheelchair. Along the road at Shark Valley, you will see all sorts of wildlife including alligators, great herons, egrets, deer, turtles, and so many other critters. This is especially troubling for wheelchair travelers, as a late arrival or delayed flight can leave you stuck at the airport overnight. If you prefer astronauts over alligators, Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Centre is just one small step for the intrepid holidaymaker away from Orlando too. 627.748, prohibits city and county governments from placing additional restrictions on Uber and Lyft, including vehicle accessibility requirements. One of the most luxurious holiday homes in Orlando, Florida. Key West is home to the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory and Mel Fisher’s Maritime Heritage Museum. Transportation across the Disney properties also is outstanding for wheelchair users. The downtown area is gorgeous, filled with so many restaurants and charming little shops. The data was used to populate the Pedestrian Danger Index, or PDI, which calculates “the share of local commuters who walk to work—the best available measure of how many people are likely to be out walking each day—and the most recent data on pedestrian deaths.” The PDI was used to determine the likelihood (aka danger) of dying while walking in each of the 50 states and in the country’s 104 largest metropolitan statistical areas. With a vacation rental in the Florida Keys, you can stop imagining what it’s like to live there and actually do it for a short time. From phenomenal scuba diving and snorkeling to world-class ocean sportfishing and flats fishing to eco-tours and sunset watch parties, the Florida Keys has something for everyone. Family-friendly home w/ private pool, furnished patio, and parking - Dogs OK! Island Paradise~ Beach~Pool~Kayaks~Paddle Boards~ Water Views~ Priceless! The resort’s youngest guests can enjoy an interactive play area with a beach-style entry, waterslide, spray canopy, and water canons. In its 2016 report Dangerous by Design, the National Complete Streets Coalition studied 10 years of data on pedestrian deaths, from 2005 to 2014. ProTip: Florida theme parks get very hot in the summer months, even into December sometimes, so be sure to use (and bring) plenty of sunblock, a hat, and your favorite drinks. Always check the weather, and pack a poncho that will protect both you and your chair from the rain if you plan on being out and about when showers are probable. Year Round, the sunny State of Florida has a lot to offer wheelchair users, from plenty of wheelchair accessible van parking, to accessible businesses, to beach mobi mats and sand wheelchair rentals. Get the latest accessible travel news & updates sent twice a month for free. Universal provides a Rider’s Guide for guests with disabilities. Wheelchair accessible rooms are available on request and there is a pool lift. The Riviera Maya — the touristy area south of Cancun, with its Playa del Carmen resort town — has a slew of accessible beaches, some shopping and dining districts that can offer an occasionally frustrating lack of curb cuts or step up into a business, swimming with dolphins, and one huge draw, according Wheelchair Traveling: access to ancient Mayan ruins with the tour company Cancun Accesible. There is also Epcot Center, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, along with two water parks to boot. What about rideshare apps? There are two other Parks located at the Port – Freddie Patrick and Rodney S. Ketcham Parks – which have boat ramps, picnic facilities and viewing areas for manatees and native wildlife. If you can’t spot the ADA compliance issues, check out my guide to ADA accessible hotel rooms. Siesta Key is home to one of the nicest accessible beaches in Florida. Wheelchair access to the beaches is by way of Mobi Mats, which are available at select entrances, South Pointe being one of them. The world-renowned Ringling Museum is located in Sarasota, and is home to one of the most distinguished art and cultural collections in the United States. Each section of the Keys has its own unique attractions. There are 4 significant accessible design violations visible in both the roll-in shower and bathtub. The resort has entry rails and a water chair for easy access to their oceanfront swimming pool and Jacuzzi.