The Ultimate Wheelchair Accessible Fort Lauderdale, Florida Travel Guide

Hotels.com asked me to share these accessibility suggestions for Fort Lauderdale, so I’m thrilled to bring you this article! As travel today remains uncertain, please keep your safety and the safety of others in mind at all times. If you are comfortable with traveling, please travel responsibly and within regulation. Any travel is at your own risk.

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Florida is a popular vacation destination, but if you’re looking for something a little different, consider visiting Fort Lauderdale on your next trip. There’s plenty to do here, and many places of interest are wheelchair accessible. You can explore downtown Fort Lauderdale, museums that highlight the history of the area, or kid-friendly options such as the wildlife sanctuary, which will give you a new outlook into animal rescue. 

Wheelchair users should feel confident traveling to Fort Lauderdale because there’s plenty to do and it’s all a great time. Check out this wheelchair accessible Fort Lauderdale travel guide below, which includes accommodation recommendations, attractions, and even how to get around the city –

Where to Stay

When visiting Fort Lauderdale, your hotel should offer an ocean view and of course have an accessible pool. All three of these wheelchair accessible hotels in Fort Lauderdale are great for relaxing and unwinding, and can be a great getaway on their own or a pleasant stay to accent any Fort Lauderdale trip. 

1: Ocean Sky Hotel and Resort 

Located right along the ocean, this hotel offers a standard two double-bed room with accessibility. The wheelchair accessible elements include a roll-in shower or tub with grab bars and a hand-held shower head. Each accessible room also has a coffee maker, fridge, and a microwave. Throughout the hotel, there are wheelchair accessible routes from accessible entrances to each amenity on the grounds. The pool has a lift and there is a ramp to provide access to the pool deck. The only area not accessible is from the beach directly to the pool deck. The resort also has a tiki bar, on-site restaurant, room service, and a gift shop.

2: W Fort Lauderdale 

This hotel and spa offers a range of wheelchair accessible features in each accessible 

room. The standards, such as a roll-in shower, grab bars throughout the bathroom, transfer shower, handheld shower head, and a bathtub seat, meet all the needs, but the room goes beyond this with lowered deadbolt locks and lowered outlets for easy access. The pool and spa are also wheelchair accessible, allowing you to relax and enjoy every aspect of this hotel. 

3: The Atlantic Hotel and Spa

There are several ADA compliant guest rooms available, each with a roll-in shower and bathroom grab bars. The rooms are designed to be larger than standard hotel rooms, which gives wheelchair users more room to navigate through each space. Each room has its own balcony and many offer a view of the ocean. The pool has a lift and both the restaurant and lounge are wheelchair accessible. 

Wheelchair Accessible Fort Lauderdale Attractions and Things to Do

1: Downtown Fort Lauderdale 

Chances are you’ve chosen a hotel or accommodations near the beach, but you should definitely plan to spend some time in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This is the perfect place to explore the shops, dining, and culture. The heart of downtown is Las Olas Boulevard, a quaint yet bustling old town street. You can spend hours here exploring the dining options, from a snack or a coffee to lunch and dinner, shopping at the range of boutiques, and even catching a festival if you’re visiting at the right time. 

The accessibility of Las Olas Boulevard and downtown Fort Lauderdale is similar to any other busy city. There are parking garages with wheelchair accessible and handicap parking, as well as limited street parking. You can also take public transportation or the water taxi to visit downtown. The Boulevard is a long strip with sidewalks on either side. Each sidewalk has plenty of room to move up and down the space. There is a large map and directory to help you find specific shops or restaurants to help plan your visit.

2: History Fort Lauderdale

The location of History Fort Lauderdale brings several historic buildings together, giving you a window into the beginning of the city. The main building on this site is the 1905 New River Inn, the oldest tourist hotel. The hotel serves as a place to provide a tour on the history of Florida. Scenic walkways connect the buildings, with beautiful views of the New River. You can visit the School House Museum, Pioneer House Museum, and Hoch Library. 

Most of the buildings at History Fort Lauderdale are wheelchair accessible. Tours are available, both self-guided and guided, each for an admission fee. There are outdoor walkways to guide you from one building to another. The campus is L-shaped and has plenty of space outside to navigate and enjoy the outdoors. There is a complete campus map as well as accessibility chart to help you plan your visit and ask any questions if needed. 

3: NSU Art Museum

The NSU Art Museum is known as a cultural attraction in South Florida. The museum has over 6,000 works in their permanent collection, giving visitors plenty to explore alongside seasonal and visiting exhibitions. The art ventures outside as well with outdoor murals. These murals add color and texture to the building and invite visitors inside to continue exploring. 

Some highlights of the permanent collection include 19th and 20th century American realist paintings and drawings, and post-WWII avant-garde work. The museum is a popular destination for hosting events, indicating that the venue surrounding the work is beautiful as well. The museum supports local art education, giving visitors a way to encourage and support the continuation of art while enjoying the collection. 

The NSU Art Museum is completely wheelchair accessible from the main entrance to the public areas and galleries. Each floor is accessible from a public elevator and handicap parking is available at no charge with any valid handicap parking placard. The museum strives to maintain an ADA compliant status.   

4: Broward Center for the Performing Arts

This location is home to the Florida Grand Opera and is one of the top 10 most visited theaters in the world. If you’re someone who enjoys performing arts, this is a must-see attraction. The event calendar runs throughout the year hosting opera, Broadway performances, music, dance, and family entertainment. The Broward Center supports many other cultural venues throughout the area, so by visiting, you’re helping to support the arts throughout Florida. 

The Broward Center is ADA compliant with the proper signs, railings, supports, and wheelchair accessible seating needed for wheelchair users. The parking garage has a skyway, which keeps patrons protected from the elements and provides easy access to the theater. Wheelchair accessible seats can be reserved for one wheelchair seat and up to 3 companion seats for each event. Accessible seating is limited, so it is suggested to reserve your tickets early. There is a “Request Accessible Tickets” option when you’re shopping online, or you can call the theater directly. The center also has wheelchair accessible and family/companion restrooms throughout the center. Speak with Guest Services for their locations.

5: Visit the beach at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park

No trip to Florida is complete without a trip to the beach. Fort Lauderdale Beach Park is a great sandy strip of Florida beach that brings tourists and locals alike to a nice spot for swimming, relaxing, and gathering. The park has everything you’d expect at a standard local beach, from basketball and volleyball courts to grills, picnic tables, restrooms, and a playground. The Beach Park is a very local beach and will have a neighborly vibe compared to those you’d experience at the resorts. This location gives you a place to enjoy the ocean and the sand if you’re not staying at a hotel or residence that has beach access. Beach Park seems to be one of the more popular local beaches with wheelchair accessibility. 

All of the local beaches and parks strive to provide accessibility and details about every park are on the website. For the Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, there is a beach wheelchair available from 10AM to 4PM, but please call ahead to reserve the wheelchair. There are also accessible showers and bathrooms at this location, perfect for rinsing off after some time in the sand. 

6: Flamingo Gardens

There are several options for exploring and enjoying the outdoors in Fort Lauderdale, and visiting Flamingo Gardens is a great way to get a taste of Florida. The grounds are both a botanical garden and a wildlife sanctuary, along with a home museum. The arboretum is home to exotic trees, plants, a stream, pond, and a waterfall. The seasonal garden is home to a variety of flowers that attract both butterflies and hummingbirds. There’s also a children’s garden, where they can interact with and touch the plants for a more sensory experience. 

The wildlife sanctuary has a host of local species to visit, from the alligator lagoon to the flamingo pond and turtle walk. There’s also a wide range of exotic animals including panther, bobcat, parrot, seabirds, otters, black bears, and birds of prey, along with a separate aviary. This is a great opportunity to learn about wildlife rescue and how it differs from a traditional zoo, as well as explore the wildlife that thrives in the area. 

In terms of accessibility, Flamingo Gardens has both manual and electric wheelchairs available for rent on site. The wheelchairs for rent are provided by a third party supplier, so you may want to call ahead to reserve one if needed. Parking is always free, which includes handicap parking. As this is a wildlife sanctuary and botanical garden, only ADA required service animals are welcome on the grounds. Tickets can be purchased online or on site at the ticket booth.

7: Young At Art Museum

This isn’t your standard art museum, as Young At Art Museum believes that art can inspire and teach children of all ages. YAA provides artistic and interactive experiences that are designed for all ages, not just children, to promote creativity and encourage visitors to explore and understand their world. This museum encourages not only art appreciation, but self-esteem, education, self-confidence, and that art belongs in everyone’s lives. This is a great place to experience art in a completely new way and teach every visitor how interacting with art has a place in their daily life. There’s plenty of color, sensory experiences, and fun exhibits to create an engaging conversation and help visitors look at art in a new way.

The accessibility of YAA is very inclusive, as the museum works to recognize the diversity of all visitors and provide a welcome and friendly environment for all. All of the public spaces of the museum are completely wheelchair accessible and the main entrance has a power assist door. Both standard and motorized wheelchairs are welcome throughout the museum. There are wheelchair friendly bathrooms on the first floor, along with a family restroom. The museum has a program called YAA For ALL, which makes art approachable and inclusive to those with sensory needs. This is just one other way the museum is working to make art open and accessible to everyone.

How to Get Around Fort Lauderdale

Yellow Cab Broward is a great option for taxi service while in Fort Lauderdale. They offer online reservations, as well as reserving a car using their app, which makes it a little easier to book a wheelchair accessible vehicle. They are also service animal friendly. Using Yellow Cab provides honest and guaranteed pricing with a safe, cell phone free, and smoke free ride. Reservations can be made through their phone number, with the app, or online, which is very different from the standard calling a cab. This is a great option for getting around if you need an occasional ride during the day or night. 

Public transportation is another option, as most public transportation is ADA compliant. The Broward County Transit, or BCT, has an app to give you access to the bus stops and the schedule. All BCT buses are wheelchair accessible, which makes it easy for anyone to check the schedule and catch a ride around the city. This may be a good option if you’re looking to explore most of Fort Lauderdale, as you won’t have to worry about finding and paying for parking during your stay and can easily move throughout the city.

There’s plenty to do in Fort Lauderdale and so many attractions are wheelchair friendly. Now you can confidently plan your trip to Fort Lauderdale knowing that you can have a great time shopping, learning of the location’s history, checking out art at the museums, and meeting some wildlife. Beyond these attractions, there’s all sorts of dining, beaches, and resorts to provide an all-inclusive style vacation.

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