There’s nothing more refreshing and rejuvenating than a beach holiday. It is especially true when you’re visiting a vibrant destination like Miami. Bestowed with picture-perfect beaches, stellar museums, and stunning Art Deco architecture, the coastal city is every travel lover’s wonderland.
The best part is that most outdoor and indoor tourist attractions in Miami are wheelchair accessible. Likewise, most accommodation options in Miami are also fairly ADA-compliant. This isn’t surprising considering that millions of tourists visit Miami every year from all over the globe.
Whether you’re looking to spend time sunbathing on the gorgeous beaches or exploring Miami’s Art Deco gems, you’ll find plenty of wheelchair-accessible options. But if you’ve got a disability and are visiting Miami for the first time, planning your itinerary might seem like a daunting task.
You may need to check certain things before you begin your trip. For example, how accessible is the public transport system in Miami? Do the restaurants and cafes have provisions for accommodating people with disabilities? How good are the wheelchair-friendly hotels in Miami?
In this blog, we’ve curated all the necessary information you need to plan a wheelchair-accessible trip to Miami. Let’s take a look.
Getting Around in Miami
Public transit is the first thing that comes to your mind when you make your travel plans. Miami offers a wide array of public transportation options, including the Metrorail, Metromover, and bus services. However, these options aren’t particularly suitable for travelers with mobility issues.
The good news is that Miami-Dade county has now introduced wheelchair-accessible cabs. These cabs are readily available and will take you to any tourist spot within the city. You can find the complete list of such taxicab services on this link.
If you’re more of an independent soul, you can even rent your own wheelchair-friendly vehicle with services, such as Miami Airport Wheelchair Van Rentals and Wheelchair Getaways. It is, however, a good idea to book your vehicle in advance to avoid any last-minute hassles.
Accessible Accommodation in Miami
Being one of the liveliest tourist destinations in the U.S., Miami is replete with a cornucopia of properties offering wheelchair-accessible amenities. Boutique hotels and hostels, such as Selina Hostel Miami Gold Dust, leave no stone unturned to provide ADA-compliant facilities.
Even the older properties in Miami have been quick to catch up. Today, you’ll find that most traditional resorts and hotels in Miami are also wheelchair-accessible. We recommend that you choose a property that’s only steps away from the city’s tourist hotspots.
Selina Gold Dust Hostel is just a stone’s throw away from major attractions, such as Downtown Miami and Miami Beach. Irrespective of where you choose to stay, make sure you inform the administration about your specific needs in advance.
Wheelchair-Friendly Tourist Spots in Miami
If you’re looking for accessibility inclusive tourist attractions in Miami, the sheer variety will leave you spoilt for choice. To begin with, most beaches in Miami offer free manual and motorized wheelchair facilities.
While motorized wheelchairs won’t operate in water, you can take the manual ones into the sea. But the depth of the water shouldn’t be more than 6 inches. The number of wheelchairs at every beach is limited and they’re allotted on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Various organizations, such as Shake-A-Leg and Team Paradise, also curate water sport adventures for people with disabilities. This means you don’t have to miss out on the fun of enjoying a healthy dose adrenaline rush in Miami.
Most parks and outdoor recreational areas, such as the Art Deco District, feature ramped entry and exit points, as well as top-notch sidewalks. This means moving around in these places won’t be a hassle. Some places, such as Zoo Miami, even offer wheelchair facilities for visitors. Even the monorail and trams at the zoo are equipped to accommodate two wheelchairs on every ride.
If you’re fascinated by the diversity and enigma of marine life, a visit to Miami Seaquarium is also recommended. Situated near Downtown Miami on the Biscayne Bay, it’s one of the oldest oceanariums in the U.S.
The 38-acre oceanarium offers stunning views of the Miami skyline along with a broad spectrum of recreational opportunities. The best part is that most of the attractions and restaurants inside the seaquarium can be accessed using a wheelchair. However, certain animal interactions at the park may not be particularly safe for people with disabilities.
Your trip to Miami would be incomplete without exploring the myriad historic attractions and museums in the city. Most places, including Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and Perez Art Museum, are wheelchair-accessible. And so are most of the markets, eateries, and shopping malls in Miami.
Do you have any useful tips for planning a wheelchair-accessible trip to Miami? Share your suggestions in the comments section below.
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