Last week, I was able to visit the three National Parks in Florida. We started the trifecta tour at the Everglades National Park. It was was beautiful and very accessible! The Anhinga Trail was wide, sturdy, clean, and lovely. Benches and places to prop, great space for wheelchairs and strollers. The Flamingo area was nice though not quite as accessible, but there are boats and bikes to use to tour.
Next up, we took the Yankee Freedom boat to the Dry Tortugas National Park. The boat is accessible, though it does rock some so watch out moving about while in motion! The island has a lot of sand, uneven ground, and mortar washed away from bricks. The fort is not accessible. Beautiful place, but if you have mobility challenges, you may want to stick close to the dock!
Finally, we went to Biscayne National Park. The visitor center was fully accessible with elevator and wide areas and handrails. The area outside of the visitor center had nice wide sidewalks, with only a bit of unevenness and one spot under reconstruction, and benches or picnic tables. The options to experience the bay may not be as accessible depending on your needs; snorkeling, boat, fishing, and kayak trips are available. Book early! We chose not to take a trip based on the Ranger’s knowledge of the day’s weather and the impact and selection of snorkeling site.
Finally, we went to Biscayne National Park. The visitor center was fully accessible with elevator and wide areas and handrails. The area outside of the visitor center had nice wide sidewalks, with only a bit of unevenness on the main sidewalk and one spot under reconstruction, and benches or picnic tables. There was also a small gravel path. It was flat but may pose challenges for those with a wheelchair, scooter, walker, or stroller.
The options to experience the bay may not be as accessible depending on your needs; snorkeling, boat, fishing, and kayak trips are available. Book early! We chose not to take a trip based on the Ranger’s knowledge of the day’s weather and the impact and selection of snorkeling site.
Florida National Parks ✔️
