Accessible adventures
Central Florida offers plenty of outdoor opportunities fit for people with disabilities
Despite the Sunshine State’s lack of elevation, it has no shortage of rugged trails with ruts and roots hikers must navigate. And while such paths offer access to pristine Florida wilderness and unique views, they’re not always accessible for those with mobility limitations.
Fortunately, many state and local parks, plus beaches and tourist attractions, step up to ensure accessibility for people who use walkers, wheelchairs and powered scooters for mobility. Sanford resident Sylvia Longmire has traveled in her wheelchair around Florida, finding the most accessible parks and points of interest in the state.
“The state parks here in Florida, I’m a big fan. They do a really great job of helping wheelchair users get outdoors,” she said. “I’ve been to both Disney and Universal in a wheelchair. You can always expect good accessibility there.”
Beyond Florida, the author and entrepreneur has visited 48 countries (34 of those solo), documenting some of those experiences in her latest book, “What Happened To You? A Solo Wheelchair
Travel Memoir.” She also recently took a 39-day road trip with her two sons to explore destinations in 18 states.
“It’s definitely my mission in life to make accessible travel as easy as possible and to spread as much information as I can,” said Longmire, who runs an accessible blog, Spin the Globe. “The more I travel, the more confidence I build.”
Throughout her travels, Longmire has learned to become more self-reliant but takes extra steps before getting in a car or on a plane: checking hotel accessibility, calling attractions and researching destinations online. In previous years, the service-disabled Air Force veteran with multiple sclerosis has also become an advocate for increased accessibility.
“We are a huge market. Just in the United States alone, people with disabilities spend over $17.3 billion every year just on travel,” Longmire said. “Let’s see more ramps. There are a lot of restaurants and stores in older towns and cities that we can’t get into … A simple ramp can make us feel wanted as customers.”
Here are some accessible attractions and adventures worth exploring in Florida. Be sure to call destinations ahead of time to verify accessible amenities.
Beaches
Siesta Key Beach has been ranked as one of the top beaches in the country with its powdery white sand and Gulf Coast sunsets. The beach also offers a Mobi-Mat mat made of recycled plastics that’s more than 400 feet long and five feet wide, allowing wheelchair users to roll onto the beach. Other beaches, such as Lido, Venice, Nokomis and North Jetty have wheelchair-accessible facilities. Any guarded county beaches offer free beach wheelchairs at lifeguard towers from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., or from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Siesta Beach concessionaire. More information: visitsarasota.com
Fernandina Beach, set on the northern coast of Amelia Island, provides an accessible Mobi-Mat at the Main Beach Park access ramp to help wheelchair users, strollers and walkers access the beach. The city’s parks and recreation department has three beach wheelchairs and one Mobi floating chair capable of going into the water, which can be reserved ahead of time. More information: fbfl.us
New Smyrna Beach and Daytona Beach offer drive-on vehicle access, helping wheelchair users get closer to the water in cars. Vehicles with a handicap parking permit or insignia are admitted to the beach for free. Beach wheelchairs are available from lifeguard stations on Flagler Avenue, Dunlawton Avenue, Beach Headquarters and Cardinal Avenue. More information: volusia.org
The Palm Beaches provide a number of accessible ramps and parks including Atlantic Dunes Park in Delray Beach, which has a boardwalk and a Mobi-Mat for beach access. In Boca Raton, mats installed at South Beach and Spanish River parks help people with strollers, canes and wheelchairs get onto the sand. More information: thepalmbeaches.com
Parks
Lake Lotus Park, set on more than 100 in Altamonte Springs, has one mile of raised boardwalks that take visitors through woods and wetlands. Wheelchair users can access the boardwalks with relative ease to see Florida flora and fauna. Visit 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday at 1153 Lake Lotus Park Road in Altamonte Springs. More information: altamonte.org
Leu Gardens is Orlando’s 50-acre botanical oasis, offering visitors the chance to explore camellias, azaleas, tropical plants and more on paved, well-maintained paths. The garden’s welcome center has complimentary wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 4-17. Leu Gardens is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 1920 N. Forest Ave. in Orlando. More information: leugardens.org
Wekiwa Springs State Park contains 7,000 acres of pristine Florida wilderness to explore, tucked just away from the urban sprawl of Central Florida. Wheelchair users can use a ramp and swim lift for spring access; the park also has four accessible campsites. Wekiwa Springs will someday be home to a Serenity Garden designed for seniors, people with visual impairments, Wounded Warrior veterans and visitors with autism. Admission is $6 per vehicle. The park is open 8 a.m. to sundown daily at 1800 Wekiwa Circle in Apopka. More information: floridastateparks. org
Kelly Park at Rock Springs is a Central Florida favorite for tubing down a crystal-clear spring run and beating the summer heat. Recently, Orange County refurbished the park with additional concrete paths and ramps to allow wheelchair users to get close to the spring head. Admission is $3 for a car with one to two people and $5 per vehicle with three to eight people. The park is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily at 400 E. Kelly Park Road in Apopka. More information: ocfl.net
Blue Spring State Park is known for wintertime manatee viewing and 72-degree spring water. For visitors using wheelchairs and other mobility aids, the park offers accessible amenities including a boardwalk, boat tours, a fishing dock, picnic facilities, restrooms and campsites. Admission is $6 per vehicle. The park is open 8 a.m. to sundown daily at 2100
W. French Ave. in Orange City. More information: floridastateparks.org
Silver Springs State Park has been known far and wide for its famous glass-bottom boat tours, which date back to the 1870s. Earlier this year, the experience became accessible with the addition of a boat designed with wheelchair users in mind. The park’s main entrance also offers four wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is $8 per vehicle. Silver Springs is open 8 a.m. to sundown daily at 1425 N.E. 58th Ave. in Ocala. More information: floridastateparks. org
Myakka River State Park is a hidden gem comprising 37,000 acres of natural land near Sarasota. The destination offers accessible amenities including boat tours, concessions, campsites, exhibits, trails and more. Admission is $6 per vehicle. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset daily at 13208 State Road 72 in Sarasota. More information: floridastateparks.org
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park gives visitors a unique look at a Florida savanna habitat just south of Gainesville. The park contains wheelchair-accessible boardwalks to view the natural space, which is home to bison, wild horses and other wildlife. Admission is $6 per vehicle. Paynes Prairie is open 8 a.m. to sundown daily at 100 Savannah Blvd. in Micanopy. More information: floridastateparks.org
Attractions
Orlando Science Center (777 E. Princeton St. in Orlando) brings a family-friendly, educational outing for residents and visitors to The City Beautiful. Accessible parking, restrooms and exhibits help make the experience available to wheelchair users. Tickets are $21 for adults, $19 for students and seniors with ID and $15 for children ages 2-11. Nearby, the Orlando Museum of Art (2416 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando) and Mennello Museum of American Art (900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando) are also among accessible local attractions. More information: osc.org; omart. org; mennellomuseum.org
Gatorland is one of Central Florida’s oldest attractions, opening in 1949 as a roadside tourist stop. More than 70 years later, it’s still owned by the same family that brought gator encounters and shows to the public. The park offers easy access for wheelchairs and scooters, plus an accessible zip line. Tickets cost $19.99 per child ages 3-12 and $29.99 per adult with discounts available online. Gatorland is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at 14501 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. More information: gatorland.com
The Wheel at Icon Park provides a unique vantage point of Central Florida from 400 feet up with capsules that are wheelchair accessible. Nearby, many International Drive attractions are accessible including WonderWorks, The Crayola Experience and The Escape Game. Visit Icon Park with shops and attractions open daily at 8375 International Drive in Orlando. More information: iconparkorlando.com
Walt Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld represent Orlando’s most popular tourist attractions and all have accessible amenities and services available to visitors. At Disney, guests can use the Disability Access Service program for accessing ride queues and explore many other accommodations. Universal Orlando Resort has queues accessible to guests in manual wheelchairs and hotels that meet accessibility requirements. SeaWorld takes steps to helps visitors with autism, people who use mobility aids and those with allergies, detailing access in a comprehensive guide available online. In many cases, rides are accessible but may require guests to transfer from a wheelchair. More information: disneyworld.disney. go.com; universalorlando.com
Additional resources
SportsAbility Alliance helps promote sports and outdoor recreation for people with disabilities in Florida. Formerly known as the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association, the group offers an online database of accessible destinations and opportunities in the Sunshine State. More information: sportsability.org
Visit Florida helps visitors with disabilities by providing resources and suggestions for accessible destinations in the state. Find information about attractions and scooter/ wheelchair rentals in Florida: visitflorida. com
Florida Hikes, a popular resource for researching the Sunshine State’s outdoor experiences, provides a page that lists parks with accessible trails. More information: floridahikes.com