Custom Mobility Inc. : Accessibility Review

Showing posts with label Accessibility Review. Show all posts

Monday, October 5, 2026

Accessibility Review: FloridaRAMA

At FloridaRAMA's front desk, Lindsey and Kyle buy their tickets. Lindsey is a manual wheelchair user, wearing a blue dress with a pattern of white palm leaves. She has dirty blonde hair, which extends passed her shoulders, in length. The color of Lindsey's wheelchair is dark purple. Kyle is a power wheelchair user, who is wearing a green polo shirt. His power wheelchair has a black frame. They are in front of the checkout desk, purchasing their tickets from the receptionist, who is typing on a tablet. She has a black shirt and auburn hair, which extends passed her shoulders, in length. The front of the counter is painted a grayish-blue color, with a pink monster across the entire length of the desk. It has a number of pink tentacles, which reach upward, and appear to have circles at their tips. Along the top of the desk looks like green slime, reaching down with tendrils, every so often. Behind the help desk are a few screens, listing the cost of admission, additional information, and other, colorful ads for FloridaRAMA. On the left side of the desk is a tank, in a yellow case, which has a lot of underwater-themed trinkets. Above that, the FloridaRAMA is painted in pink, yellow, blue, and orange, in a 50's style font. Underneath it is art that mirrors what's painted on the front desk.

Accessibility Grade: A-

Nestled in the art district of St. Petersburg, you'll find the incredibly immersive, interactive art exhibit known as FloridaRAMA. For me, it was a wonderfully nostalgic experience, which left me feeling like a kid at a Chuck E. Cheese. There were games, colorful and interactive art installations, scavenger hunts, and immersive displays, all nestled within the package of a 1950's-themed Floridian hotel. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, which made the experience that much richer. Since a lot of that magic hides within the exhibit's mysterious nature, I'm going to do my best not to spoil too much. What I will say is that the entire experience was awe-inspiring. However, you're here because you're probably wondering: is FloridaRAMA accessible for people with disabilities? Pull up a folding chair (unless you brought your own seat, like me), grab a cold drink, and join me on this rare and magical adventure, through an experience that I'd describe as oddly Floridian, in a strangely-extraterrestrial kind of way.

A sensory friendly map of FloridaRAMA. The map lists each exhibit, by name, and shows which senses are potentially impacted by each exhibit. For more details, tap or click the image, which will take you to FloridaRAMA's official website, which has further instructions about the map and exhibits.

Before we get into the museum itself, it's really important to note FloridaRAMA's sensory friendly map. Since the exhibits feature a variety of sounds and flashing lights, which some museum patrons may find abrasive, this resource will be really important to our neurodivergent readers. In the bottom, right-hand corner of the map, you'll notice a number of pink symbols. Each of these symbols represents a different type of sensitivity zones, including: visual, headphone zone, gentle touch, share, strobe, and scent. To view a detailed description of the sensory friendly map, click here. If you'd like, while purchasing your tickets at the front counter, you can request to look at a copy of this map.

Kyle and Lindsay navigate Python Alley. The ramp is pretty long and is painted to look like a wavy-looking road. To the right is a mural, mostly comprised of figures that are yellow, pink, and light blue. The FloridaRAMA is painted directly in the middle of the mural. On the left, is some fake, tall grass. Among that are three road signs. The first one is a metallic-looking sign that says "Gator Xing." Beyond that is a red and white sign that says, "BE ALERT." A snake-like creature, that's also red and white, is coiled around the sign. Lastly, the final sign looks like a large, green road sign that you'd see on an interstate. It says, "Interstate 275: Mermaid Star Motel," with an arrow pointing diagonally upward and right. The left wall is painted black, and a brightly colored UFO is painted to look as if it's in the distance, protruding a beam of light from its underside. Directly in front of Kyle and Lindsay, a circle is shown, depicting the road as if it were wavy, before it disappears into something that looks like a tunnel. Sturdy, black hand rails line the left and right side of the path. Kyle, in a power wheelchair with a brightly colored Pokemon backpack, is wearing a green, collared shirt. He looks to high right, at Lindsay, who is using her right hand to pull manual wheelchair up the ramp. She's wearing a navy dress, with a pattern of white, palm leaves. Both have their backs to the camera.

After purchasing our tickets, before venturing to the exhibit hall, we made our way through Python Alley. Here, patrons will notice a brightly colored art piece that decorates the wall on the right. To the left are a few road signs, as well as some fake grass, and a interstate-style street sign that directs you towards the Mermaid Star Hotel. As a power wheelchair user, this space was fine for me; however, my friend Lindsay, who's a manual wheelchair user, found the incline to be a bit steep. In order to propel herself up this ramp, she had to use the handrail, which you can see in the picture to the right. After having this experience, I was a bit skeptical about the rest of the exhibits. For the most part, they're pretty accessible, but we'll talk about those in just a minute. If the incline wasn't as steep, even by a little bit, Python Alley would be much easier for people who use manual wheelchairs, walkers, gait trainers, and even canes. I digress.

Lindsay uses her manual wheelchair to head into the entrance of FLoridaRAMA's Motel Lobby exhibit, while Kyle follows behind in his power wheelchair. In front of Kyle is a bright, neon sign, made to look like a hotel sign from the 1980's. In bright pink, it says the word "MOTEL," though the framing of the picture cuts off the "M" from view. Behind the pink letters, a bright blue mermaid tail is shown, accented by blue bubbles and yellow stars. Lindsay is heading through an open, pink doorway. To the left of the door is a pink window. The outer walls of the room are colored blue. The top and bottom halves of the wall are separated by a pink line. Below that line are fish scales, outlined in pink and filled in with blue. Above the line, there are smudges of a lighter-colored paint, which almost look as if somebody threw bleach on them. A white mailbox hangs on the wall, to the right of the doorframe, with "2606" written on top of its cover. In the distance, bright lights and brightly colored objects can be seen in the background.

After exiting, we entered a large, courtyard-looking area. From here, you're free to visit the exhibits in any order you'd like. I'll be detailing the path that we took; however, that doesn't mean you have to follow our example! Since it was close to the entrance, we decided to make our way to the Motel Lobby. We didn't want to show too much of it, but know that the room looks like the lobby of a hotel, complete with fake brochures to fake attractions, as well as a guest book that you can sign. Leading up to the lobby,

Against the outer wall of the Motel Lobby exhibit, Lindsay and Kyle park their wheelchairs, where they look at an advertisement for a fake soup can for "Meatgard's Escapism Soup." In the background, above Lindsay and Kyle's heads, the bottom of the motel's neon sign can be seen. Beyond that, groups of people make their way to different exhibits that are located off-screen.

there was an illuminated putting green, which was decorated with small, plastic alligators, boats, plants, etc. The most striking object was located outside of the hotel lobby's entrance, which sports a bright blue, pink, and yellow neon sign. The bright blue mermaid tail, the pink lettering that spells "HOTEL," as well as the yellow stars and blue bubbles, are on prominent display. I really loved the neon sign and thought it added a very interesting and unique charm.

In her manual wheelchair, Lindsay looks curiously at a display in the Lampscape exhibit. She rests her left hand on the left wheel of her wheelchair, while she rests her chin on her hand. She's wearing a navy dress, decorated with white leaves and flowers. Behind her, Kyle is wearing a green Polo shirt, in his power wheelchair, also observing some of the lamps on display. From right to left, the light from the lamps go from a cool blue, to a soft purple, to a hot red. All of the lamps are white, and are in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some look like palm trees, while others look more like ornate vases.

In fact, if I were to use one word to describe FloridaRAMA's exhibits, "charming" would be pretty appropriate. Making our way into the Lampscape exhibit, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. Visible in the picture to the right, the walls of the room were completely made of mirrors. In front of these mirrors, we peered into black shelving, which held a large number of white lamps. Each of these lamps had a different shape. Some felt a bit over-the-top, while others looked like something you might have in your own home. I also noticed that none of these lamps had lampshades, which created an interesting spectacle in the reflection from the mirrors, as well as the direct light from the lamps. For those who have photosensitivity, this exhibit might be a bit too much. For wheelchair users, like us, there was plenty of space to maneuver; though, we did notice that people packed into the room pretty quickly.

Kyle is wearing a green Polo shirt. From the seat of his power wheelchair, he is facing away from the camera. He looks back at Lindsay, who is looking towards the ceiling. She is wearing a navy blue dress, with white flowers and foliage, and uses a manual wheelchair. On the floor, there are a number of green, blue, red, and purple orbs. As a result of a black light, which can be seen overhead, these colorful circles are glowing. To the left, there is both a window and a doorway that leads into the previously-mentioned exhibit, called Lampscape.

After leaving Lampscape, Lindsay and I made our way through an interesting looking hallway. It wasn't quite wide enough to fit both of our wheelchairs side-by-side; however, there was plenty of room for each of our wheelchairs. I was mesmerized by the multicolor, glow-in-the-dark orbs, which were scattered all over the floors, walls, and even a little on the ceiling. Here, from the lights, I didn't witness any strobing effects. If you are sensitive to black light, please be mindful of this area. It's also important to note that this area has a few, accessible restrooms. This hallway is also the only way to access the Ballet of Final Anthozoans exhibit, so I felt like that detail was important to note.

Kyle and Lindsay are in an exhibit, made to look like a bedroom. The lighting has a pink hue, which matches the pink carpet, pink drapes, and a painting, of flamingos, that sits above the window, and spans the width of the drapes. To the left of Kyle, sitting atop a series of four, pink drawers, is an old-fashioned tube television. To the right is a bed, with a pink bed spread, and a pink dressing bench. Sticking out, from underneath the bed, is a large, stuffed, blue tentacle. Above the bed, on the wall, is a pink and blue painting of flamingos, whose necks are coiled in a snakely fashion. To the left of that, an opened suitcase rests upon a suitcase rack.

From here, we made our way into the Sunnymooners Suite. Because this exhibit is set up like a bedroom or hotel room, there was a decent amount of room. As you can see in the picture, the exhibit had ample space for both of our wheelchairs. Wheelchair users, and other patrons with mobility disability, should be careful not to trip over the stuffed tentacles, which extends from beneath the bed and into the center of the room. If you are a fan of pink, as am I, this exhibit will feel oddly comfortable. While the light seemed to be kind of low, patrons with visual disabilities may want some assistance to navigate the room, especially to avoid tripping over the tentacle. For what it's worth, I thought this room was really interesting and oddly nostalgic.

Lindsay and Kyle look up at a ceiling, decorated with a number of neon signs and reflective objects, such as disco balls. Behind them, the walls are white with small, yellow polka dots, as well as a variety of similarly-sized paintings. On the rights wall, behind Lindsay, there is a large number of spoons hanging on the wall. They are placed either very close together, or overlapping. From further away, they make the room look as if it's dripping in silver.

Our next stop was the Sugar Coat Disco exhibit. Because this room had a lot going on, at once, we tried to make sure that our picture didn't give too much away. For Lindsay and I, it was pretty easy to maneuver our wheelchairs in and out of the room; however, yet again, we did take up a fair bit of space. This room is filled with objects that are either brightly lit, or reflective of light. If you have epilepsy, or anything similar, you might want to be a little conscious of this detail. The contents of this exhibit were brightly colored, in such a fun way. While neon signs and disco balls hung from the ceiling, the walls were covered in a variety of shiny objects. Seen in the picture above, one section was decorated with spoons, which were arranged in a really interesting way, that gave the appearance that the wall was dripping with silver. This room also a fun activity, that incorporates the spoons, which I won't spoil that for you in this Accessibility Review. If you want to discover this secret, for yourself, then you'll need to check it out!

Lindsay and Kyle are talking on the right side of the picture. A pink glow emanates throughout the entire room. The upper-half of the wall shows a variety of strawberry plants, along a white backdrop. The bottom-half of the wall is solid red, framed by a white, dividing line. A put-put golf hole sits in front of Lindsay and Kyle, which features a centerpiece of strawberries, glued together, to look like a larger strawberry. A pink light radiates from the perimeter of the piece. To the left of that is a pink castle, which looks as if it were painted on, and cut out of, large wooden pieces. Behind Lindsay is an odd-shaped chair, which looks like a tall, plastic strawberry.

Next on our list was the Strawberry Room. This exhibit felt a bit smaller, which you can probably tell by looking at Lindsay and myself, in the picture shown to the left. In here, pink lighting blended a bit with the strawberry theme. Strawberry wallpaper decorated the top-half of the wall, while the bottom-half remained a solid red. A strawberry-themed put-put golf hole, similar in shape to the one we saw in front of the Motel Lobby exhibit, took up a decent amount of the exhibit's floor space. If you have the ability to transfer, or if you aren't a wheelchair user, a strawberry seat is nestled in the corner of the room. A large pole was also located in the center of the exhibit, which took up more room. Since there wasn't much room, we didn't spend very long in this exhibit, though it was really cute.

Lindsay and Kyle are looking show, in their wheelchairs, going through the open jaws of a giant, fake alligator. Lindsay looks back at the camera, over her shoulder, and smiles, while Kyle turns around in his wheelchair and pretends like he's screaming. In front of Kyle is a screen, showing some abstract art.

As we exited the Strawberry Room, the Alley Gator 3030 exhibit quickly caught our attention. While we weren't able to fit side-by-side, as shown in the picture, you can see that there was plenty of room to accommodate both of our wheelchairs. While pretty simple, as we went through it, Alley Gator 3030 had Lindsay and I feeling like we were kids again. While there were green lights around us, nothing appeared to have a strobing effect or anything like that. Younger kiddos may feel a little apprehensive, but I felt as if this exhibit was pretty fun. What's better is that it was also pretty accessible. While you head through these illuminated jaws, make sure you pay attention to the little details lining the walls, as well as the area beyond.

Lindsay, surrounded by yellow light and blue dots, as if from laser pointers, reaches up to interact with the Searchlight Sanctuary exhibit. Beyond her, we can kind of see white outlines of tree trunks, on a black background. She reaches forward, resting her wrist on the front of the exhibit, which stretches out, in front of her, off-camera.

After making it through the jaws of Alley Gator 3030, we found our way to Searchlight Santcuary. Because this exhibit was so interactive, I want to make sure that I don't explain it in too much detail. Surrounding you, on both sides of the room, as well as the back, was an interesting depiction of a forest. A sensor was laid out before us, which interacted with the exhibit, by following the location of your hand. Because the sensor was pretty tall, both Lindsay and I struggled to reach the sensor that operated the exhibit. If you are a wheelchair user, you may need some assistance to interact with Searchlight Sanctuary.

Lindsay sits in front of a fake mirror, which displays an image, as if it's a computer monitor. She stares into it, wide-eyed and full of awe. To her left is a pink chair. Under the fake mirror, in front of her, is an ornate makeup counter. On its right side is a fake snake, to the left is a glass and clear vase, filled about a quarter of the way with water. In the center, the top of the makeup counter has been removed, which holds a variety of sparkly objects. To the left of the counter is an orange, octopus plushie. There are blue lights, shining from shelves, which hold objects that aren't easily visible because of the camera.

So, I just want to point something out: Mermaid Dressing Room was probably my favorite exhibit. If you have an affinity for aquatic- or nautical-themed décor, this exhibit will probably feel extra special to you, too! The room was filled with objects and decor that were mostly pink and blue. As you can see, in the picture above, it was arranged like an actual dressing room, makeup counter and all. Again, I don't want to give too much away. There was enough room for both Lindsay and myself, though there was some furniture that you'll need to navigate around. Other than that, this exhibit was pretty relaxing and mainly had diffused or soft lighting, throughout. There was much more in this room, so you'll have to experience it for yourself.

Lindsay smiles, looking to her right, at an object that's barely visible. It is some kind of tan cylinder, decorated with shells, with a glass dome on top. There are multicolored cylinders, throughout the exhibit, which are partially blocking our view of Kyle. There are two, black pipes, sticking out of the ground, each of which have a red wheel, at the top.

The Fountain of Life was a pretty interesting exhibit. It was a bit different than the others, in the sense that you are encouraged to move through it, rather than simply entering it and looking around. There wasn't room for Lindsay and I to stand, side-by-side; however, there was plenty of room for each of us to move through the room. The brightly-colored cylinders, shown in the picture above, line the walkway. These encircle the focal point of the exhibit, at the center of the room, which I'm purposefully concealing.

Lindsay reaches out her right hand, hovering it over a white circle, at the center of a control panel. There are three, white squares above the circle, and three, white squares below it. Everything appears to be bathed in a blue light. Behind Lindsay is another monitor, with a different set of buttons.

Lastly, we made our way to Centcom, the exhibit that feels like it's at the center of the entire museum. Here, you'll find a bevy of buttons, sensors, and switches. You can use these devices to interact with different kinds of games and videos, which are displayed on a variety of monitors, throughout the exhibit. Since Lindsay has hands, and since I don't, she had an easier time reaching out and interacting with the exhibit. There was plenty of room, for both of us, to navigate with our wheelchairs. Since Centcom has a lot of lights and sounds, people with sensory sensitivities, such as people who are on the autism spectrum, may find this exhibit overstimulating.

To round things off, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at FloridaRAMA. All of these exhibits were so unique, interesting, and well-made. This museum was definitely one of the most, interactive places I've ever reviewed. While some of the exhibits were a bit difficult for wheelchair users, such as Searchlight Sanctuary, most of them were easy to navigate. Some of the exhibits do have objects on the floor, which could make it difficult for people with disabilities that impact their mobility. After pointing that out, I do want to mention that these grievances were pretty minor, which didn't impact my overall experience. I left with a sense of renewed wonder, which will have me returning, so that I can share the experience with more of my friends. Lastly, it's worth noting that FloridaRAMA's lobby also has an art gallery, featuring local artists. These pieces are available to purchase. So, the next time you're looking for something new and exciting, I'd highly recommend checking out this interactive museum.

Author: Kyle Romano

Kyle is wearing a seafoam, button down shirt. He is wearing black-rimmed glasses and has short, brown hair.

Photographer: Luis Rodriguez

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

Accessibility Review: Sunken Gardens

A retro-looking sign that says "Sunken Garden" in blocky, blue text. Above that, written in a red, cursive font, is the word "Beautful." There is a pink strip, going up the left side of the sign, as well as a green accent piece, in the shape of an arrow, pointing to the right. On the right side of the sign is a plant that has groupings of either pink flowers, or green leaves in the shape of stars. Beneath the Sunken Gardens sign are two more, one of which is an electronic sign for "awaken yoga." The other sign, to the right, is a purple sign for "Great Exporations."

Accessibility Grade: B-

At about 100 years old, Sunken Gardens is an historical landmark in Downtown St. Petersburg . It's the area's oldest, living museum, boasting a collection of plant species that range into the thousands, as well as a number of different animals species. Let's meander our way through this lush landscape, and give you the lowdown on the accessibility of this iconic, roadside attraction.

A series of four, accessible parking spaces. In front of them are two buildings. To the left Carrabba's is visible and, to the right, is the gift shop for Sunken Gardens.

As we usually do, I'll start things off by briefly mentioning the accessible parking situation. Sunken Gardens shares a parking lot with Carrabba's Italian Grill. In front of the restaurant, there is a small section of accessible parking spaces, which include a total of four spaces and three unloading zones. There are two more spaces, sharing one unloading zone, that are located to the left of the spots that are shown in the picture above. Since there aren't a ton of accessible parking spots, and since they are shared with the restaurant, I'd recommend arriving early to find accessible parking.

A sign, located amongst some ferns and before the entrance to Sunken Gardens, that reads, "Welcome to Sunken Gardens. These Gardens are a historic landmark and not all areas are ADA accessible.

When we were approaching the entrance to the Sunken Gardens gift shop, where you purchase tickets and actually make your way into the park, we happened upon this sign. Sadly, since Sunken Gardens is considered an historical landmark, there are areas within it that aren't very accessible. For example, as you'll see in other pictures that we've taken, there are some paths that aren't wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs. There are also some stairs and places that are either uneven or steep. We did our best to show these areas as accurately as possible but, due to my own safety, had to be careful while doing so. It's not that I want to start this Review off on a negative note, but I thought it was really important to note. Personally, this was pretty disheartening, because the entire park is really pretty. I digress.

Kyle is on artificial turf in his black, power wheelchair. His back is to the camera, and he's looking forward. There is a covered area, which has a single bench. The area is covered by a leafy, green vine. Surrounding it are a few, green shrubs that are pretty low to the ground. Above them are some red ferns. On top of the covered, seating area are a large number of pinkish-red flowers.

After making our way through the park's entrance, we were greeted by a nice, open courtyard. In the center of this outdoor lobby, the ground is made of artificial turf. Along the outskirts is a concrete path, which was widened by adding a walk space made out of a different, patterned material. Though the artificial turf may be more difficult for some manual wheelchair users to maneuver, the concrete/stone paths also may be a bit bumpy. Choose the area that's easiest for you to navigate and be as safe as possible, but make sure to look around as much as possible! There are a lot of magnificent flowers, bushes, and trees that frame the area.

A walk-through garden made of desert plants such as cacti. A path made of light and dark grey pebbles marks the path through the garden. Green cacti, ferns, and succulents frame the path. In the center, outlined by larger stones, is a smaller area of these plants. While there's a path that goes around it, allowing visitors to see the back of this cluster, as well as some more plants located in the corner of the display, it's too narrow to accommodate most wheelchairs.

After making our way through the first section, we came across a variety of themed gardens. There are a lot of exhibits, such as the mini-desert garden pictured on the right. Here, there is a gravel path that leads into a rocky garden that's full of cacti, as well as more desert-dwelling vegetation. While I'm usually wary of taking my power wheelchair through gravel, this path was packed enough so that I didn't have a problem. Of course, it may not be very accessible for manual wheelchair users. It could also be difficult for people who use canes or other walking aids.

Kyle is facing away from the camera, in his black power wheelchair. He is on a wide, stone sidewalk, looking up at a hunk of branches and vines. They hang completely over the path, shading it from the sun. On the ground, to the right of the path, are green ferns, palm trees, and taller trees. To the left is a wrought iron fence. Behind it is a metal enclosure for an animal, which is not in the shot.

Continuing forward, we made our way further into an area that seemed like a tropical paradise. To the left of this wide pathway were some enclosures, which home to a few species of birds and other animals. Looking up, I noticed an intricate tangle of vines and tree limbs. They offered some nice coverage from the hot, Florida sun, and were really beautiful.

Kyle, in his black, power wheelchair, is in front of a wrought iron fence. As he looks over it, there are green ferns, trees, and vines all around him.

Through out the park, there are a number of great viewing areas. These spaces are usually overlooking a particular exhibit. While I was able to see over the fence, as well as the vines growing all over it, I need to mention that I sit fairly tall in my wheelchair. In order to see into some exhibits, manual wheelchair users and kiddos may need to get as close to these fences as possible. In these kinds of situations, power wheelchair users may find it helpful to use their seat elevators and raise themselves to an appropriate viewing height.

Kyle navigates his wheelchair down a narrow, concrete path. There are rocks to his, most of which are grown over with a bright green plant. On his left, a lot of those plants can also be seen. Though they look like bushes, they may be overgrown rocks as well. The path gently curves to the left, and a black, wrought iron gate, lays open. Larger trees and ferns are growing closer to the gate.

While some walkways are plenty wide, there are a number of them barely has enough room to accommodate my wheelchair. Whenever I came across another person, the narrow path didn't leave much room for them to pass by me and continue on their way. Since many of the walkways are lined with trees, bushes, etc., it made it even more difficult for me to accommodate people passing by. They also had a tough time leaving enough room for me to move passed them.

Kyle is in his black, power wheelchair. He's facing a waterfall in front of him, but is looking to his right, passed the camera. The waterfall is made of fake rocks. Surrounding it are a variety of ferns, most of which are green, though a few are red. There's a sign at the left side of the picture. On the sign are three arrows, all of which are pointing left, and arranged in a row. To the right of each arrow are the names of destinations in the park. Next to the first arrow are the words "Oak Pavilion." Next to the second arrow is "Wedding Lawn." Next to the bottom arrow is "Exit & Restrooms."

What would a jungle be without a waterfall? Surrounded by a variety of ferns and other plants, this exhibit was pretty easy to get around. I could drive my wheelchair right up to the waterfall, which actually felt cooler than the rest of the area. With the afternoon heat blaring down on me, this ended up being one of my favorite spots in the park.

Kyle drives his black, power wheelchair over a cracked and worn path. To his left and right are a variety of plants, ranging from ferns, to trees, to vines. Red mulch is on either side of the path. Above is a vented roof, made of wood, supported by wooden beams that follow the length of the path.

Though not completely out of the sun, we came upon a semi-shaded and paved area that resembled a large pavilion. There were two, wide sidewalk, that led visitors along this garden. Here, there were a number of beautiful, potted plants, trees, ferns, and even some vines. Though the roof of this pavilion was vented, meaning that it didn't offer complete coverage from the sun, it still gave us a bit of shade.

Kyle looks into the large koi pond, surrounded by ferns and trees that are bright green. This fish are variations of orange, black, white, and yellow. Kyle stands at a section of the pond that is curved, which lets him see the entire pond easier.

As mentioned above, Sunken Gardens displays a number of exhibits featuring a variety of fish, birds, and reptiles. The koi pons was surrounded by beautiful vegetation some of which displayed flowers during the time of our visit. As I've noted in other Accessibility Reviews, I have always been an animal person. There was a good number of koi, all of which were as large as they were beautiful. The pond itself was also made in an interesting shape, including an outer wall that wound to the left and right, giving the appearance of waves. What was great about this wave-like design, is that I could get a bit closer to the water than usual. Pulling up, I noticed that it made me feel as if I was in the pond.

Two, adult red foot tortoises turn to look at the camera. The one on the right, has the left half of his body in a water dish, which is being filled by a hose dangling at the top of the picture. There is gravel behind them, and a wall, made of fake rock, behind that.

Anybody, who knows me, is well aware that I absolutely love turtles and tortoises. When I saw this red foot tortoise exhibit, I felt like a kid again. All of the animals seemed to be well taken care of, whether it was one of these tortoises or any of the other critters.

A flamingo enclosure. It has a shallow pool in the right side of the exhibit. On the left is a section of grass, plus a smaller section of sand. There are two structures built in the sandy area, which give the enclosure some shade. There are a variety of ferns and water plants in the enclosure as well.

Kyle is using his wheelchair's power seat elevator to look over a black fence, and into the flamingo enclosure. The cross sections of the fence are curved to look like leaves. There is a short strip of mulch that separates the concrete from the fence.

The flamingo enclosure was absolutely beautiful, and seemed pretty accessible. In the picture on the right, I'm using the seat elevator on my wheelchair, which is raising me well above the fence that surrounds the flamingo exhibit. If you are on the shorter side, and have a seat elevator, this could be a good place to use it. Though the exhibit can be seen through the fence, the pattern of it may prove to be too distracting for some park goers. Otherwise, manual wheelchair users should try to get as close to the fence as possible; however, in front of the fence, there is a section of mulch that spans the entire width of the exhibit. Though this seemed to be packed pretty hard, and was easy enough for me to deal with in my power chair, the front casters of manual wheelchairs may get stuck here. Additionally, people that use walkers, canes, and other mobility aids, should be careful.

Continuing passed the flamingo exhibit, you'll find yourself at an information center. This building is a great place to hide from the sun, and to give yourself a few minutes to cool off.

Once inside, you'll find a treasure trove of information that'll take you through the history of Sunken Gardens. There is a panel in the back of the room, which has a series of buttons on it. Pressing each of these buttons will start a different video. Unfortunately, brail is not provided for these buttons, meaning that people with visual impairment won't be able to tell which button they're pressing. I also didn't notice a brail version of the information that was written all over the walls.

Sunken Gardens is an historical, outdoor museum that displays a beautiful assortment of plants and animals. Though I did have a good time, and though staff were accommodating, it pains me to say that the accessibility of this park was... lacking in a lot of ways. Some areas were completely inaccessible. I recognize that adding accessibility features can alter the integrity of an historical landmark; however, as a wheelchair user, that doesn't feel like it should also excuse a place from being accessible. This is my personal opinion, though. Depending on your disability and your limitations, your experiences at Sunken Gardens will differ. While I did enjoy my time, this reality loomed over my head during my entire visit.

Author:

Kyle Romano

Photographer:

Luis Rodriguez

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Accessibility Review: Tampa Riverwalk

Kyle is wearing a white, button-down shirt and black, thick-rimmed glasses. He smiles into for the camera. Seated in his wheelchair, he is in front of two palm trees and a series of benches, all of which are in front of a large, grey building. Windows line the top of the building's wall, with an overhang mounted on posts in front of it. A sign on the building reads: "Tamp River Center."

Accessibility Grade: A

Winding its way along the iconic Hillsborough River, the Tampa Riverwalk ushers visitors through a number of scenic parks, museums, restaurants, and art installations that are located around Downtown Tampa. To say that there's a lot to see is a massive understatement! During our time, we only had the chance to go through a portion of the waterfront path's expansive 2.6 mile length. Come with us as we journey along some of the most picturesque parts of the Downtown Tampa area, accessible to us because of the Tampa Riverwalk.

A blue minivan is backed into an accessible parking spot. There is another spot, which is empty, located closer to the camera and on the opposite side of the unloading zone. There is a sidewalk that runs behind the minivan, a series of trees behind it, and then a fenced in field that's located behind that.

As we usually do, let's start things off by talking a little about the parking situation. Since Riverwalk covers such a wide area, there are a few places that you can park; however, accessible parking isn't always the easiest to find in Downtown Tampa. This rings especially true if you are on the hunt for parking that's both free and accessible. While it's possible to secure a free spot at Armature Works, which is a location that I'll mention further along in this Review, there's no guarantee that you'll find accessible parking in their lot. Having multiple options will give you the best chance to find accessible parking. On this trip, we ended up finding free, accessible parking at the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.

An empty, accessible parking spot. To the left is an unloading zone, and to the right are some shrubs, which stand in front of a small, grey, concrete bricked wall. In the background is a series of trees. To the right of them is a pavilion with a number of picnic tables and benches.

When we arrived, we noticed that there were a decent amount of spaces. Even though this is the case, during events, they tend to fill up quickly. If you're attending a festival, celebration, etc. at the park, I'd recommend showing up earlier in the day. This location seemed to be pretty central to a lot of the restaurants, parks, etc. Since this was the case, this parking lot ended up being the perfect place to begin our excursion through the Downtown Tampa area.

Kyle is shown, driving his wheelchair. on the right side of the picture. In front of him is an art installation. It is three pillars, aligned in a triangle formation. At the top of each pillar are a series of metal-looking rings, extend upward and towards each other.

The Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park has a number of beautiful, art installations, such as the one pictured above. It greeted us as as we exited our vehicle, which set the tone for the rest of our trip. Moving further into the park, I noticed that the paths were all very smooth. The sidewalks were very wide, which is always great for manual and power chair users, as well as other people who use mobility devices like walkers or canes. This area felt really easy to get around, also making it great for caregivers, family, and friends, who push and/or assist people who use dependent mobility devices. As I mentioned above, we went to the Riverfront Park during a time that wasn't crowded. If you find yourself there at a peak time, such as during a busy event or on the weekend, please know that accessible parking spaces may appear more limited than during the time of our visit. This detail may be important, especially for individuals who experience high amounts of social anxiety, or those who have high sensory sensitivity.

Kyle is shown in his black wheelchair, looking to his right, at a "Welcome" sign for the Juilian B. Lane Riverfront Park. There is a tall post to the left of that. At the top of it is a blue sign, with a wheelchair symbol. Underneath it are the words "West Riverwalk & Boathouse." Beneath that is an arrow pointing to the left. Behind the signs is a path of pebbles and a series of benches along it.

While the Riverfront Park's lot can be a good place to park during the day, if you are planning to visit Riverwalk during the evening, make sure to find a different location. The public park is open from sunrise until 10:00 P.M., which also means that you'll only be able to leave your vehicle in this lot during those hours.

Kyle is driving his wheelchair along a curving section of sidewalk. There is thinning grass on either side of the sidewalk. Slightly behind him, and to his left, is a blue sign indicating an accessible route. It's pointing in the direction that he's facing, which is facing away from the camera. In the distance is a bridge and, beyond that, are a series of tall buildings in Downtown Tampa.

Within Riverfront Park, as well as along Riverwalk, there are a number of "accessible route" signs. These were really helpful, and pointed out the most accessible paths for visitors to take. These routes also featured wide sidewalks that were relatively smooth. While they aren't always wide enough to allow two wheelchair users to roll side-by-side, they are definitely wide enough to accommodate most types of mobility devices.

Kyle looks to his right, where the Hillsborough river meanders into the distance. He's parked, in his wheelchair, behind an aluminum fence. On the other side of it are some mangrove trees and rocks. Behind Kyle, you can see the boat ramp.

In front of the Tampa River Center, which is also shown in the first picture of this Accessibility Review, is a nice area that overlooks the Hillsborough River. There are a number of benches for people who aren't wheelchair users. In front of these benches is a fence, which may be too tall for some manual wheelchair users to see over. Luckily, though it's kind of tough to tell in this picture, it's easy to see through this fence because it's made of thinly-dispersed cable. In this area, there is also a boat ramp and two docks, both of which can be accessed by two, large ramps.

As you make your way through the park, you'll notice a bunch of plaques, much like the one in the picture shown on the left. Each of these gives park goers a little information, telling a bit about some historical events that took place either in the city of Tampa, or in the Tampa Bay area. Once you venture outside of the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, you'll pass a few more of these historical plaques, some of which also feature statues of the individuals that they are describing. As we make our way further down Riverwalk, I'll show a few of them a bit later in the article.

Two, unisex and accessible bathrooms are shown. They're in a small building, the outside of which is decorated with tile that is varying shades of green and white. To the left of the building are a few trashcans.

As we made our way through the park, we ended up coming across a couple of accessible, unisex bathrooms. From my own experience, finding accessible restrooms can be both nerve wracking and difficult. Needless to say, I was pretty relieved to find them. Though they were pretty roomy inside, these restrooms didn't have automatic doors. If you have difficulty getting in and out of doors (especially since these were kind of heavy), you may need assistance to enter and exit these bathrooms.

Kyle is looking toward an art installation, title 'Form of Wander,' that is situated on a walking path that extends over the Hillsborough River. It looks like a series of interwoven or tangled tree roots, and is light green in color.

Next to the Tampa River Center, an art installation decorates a concrete path that extends over the Hillsborough River. The piece is titled 'Form of Wander,' and was created by Marc Fornes and the art studio THEVERYMANY, who are based in New York.

A picture, taken across the Hillsborough River, of the Straz Center. The river extends in front of the large, grey building, which is surrounded by trees and other buildings located in Downtown Tampa.

This space offers a great view of some buildings located on the opposite side of the river. From here, it's easy to see some other landmarks, such as the renowned performing arts venue, the Straz Center. Of course, by turning around, you can also catch a great view of the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park.

Kyle is driving his wheelchair along the walking path for an industrial-looking bridge. He's facing forward, looking over his right shoulder, back at the camera. The floor is grated metal.

Continuing onward, we crossed a bridge that allowed us to access more of the park, which extends to the opposite side of the river. Crossing the bridge takes you along a path made of grated metal. My power wheelchair didn't have much trouble navigating it, though it was definitely a much bumpier ride than I expected. I imagine that the experience would be similar for somebody using a manual wheelchair, and that the bumpy surface may make it more difficult to propel yourself over. For those using other mobility devices, such as canes or walkers, this surface may make it tough for you to walk over. The bumpy ride may be difficult for wheelchair users who have difficulty with their posture, including sitting up, or holding their head in an upright position.

Taking the bridge, you'll swing through another section of the park, featuring a number of sculptures and other art pieces. Even though these sidewalks weren't as wide, they led down to a path that ran right along the water's edge. Here, it was much easier to get around. Getting that close to the water was also a really nice experience, especially since I try to be careful with my wheelchair whenever I'm near any body of water.

Kyle drives his wheelchair on the right side of a wide sidewalk. To his right is a aluminum guardrail and, on the other side of that, is the Hillsborough River. the sidewalk extends into the distance, where some people can been seen walking on it. To the left is a long patch of grass and a long series of palm trees. A blue sign for Riverwalk hangs on a lamp post, to Kyle's left.

Even though this path was much wider, I'd like to mention that we saw a number of joggers and cyclists along the way. Because of that, while you're on this path, I'd recommend staying to the right. That way, people travelling at high speeds can pass you safely.

A bronze bust of an historical, Tampa figurehead. It rests atop a marble stand and has a plaque, detailing who the bust is based on. Behind the bust is the Hillsborough River. To the right are a few, white blocks that can be used as seats. Beyond them are a series of palm trees. A bridge can be seen in the distance.

As I mentioned above, there are a number of statues and plaques that dot the Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park. Here, you'll find statues every so often, which feature historical figures that depict people who were prominent in Tampa's history.

Located under the Fortune Taylor Street Bridge, is an art piece, named 'Woven Waves.' This side of the piece has a series of swirls that are orange, yellow, and green, in varying patterns. The art piece is a high contrast to the bridge around it, which is grey.

If you're looking to cool off a bit, crossing beneath some of the bridges can be a great place to get out of the sun and catch the breeze. Much like the picture on the left, there are a number of fantastic art pieces that are feature through out all of Riverwalk. This one, located under the Fortune Taylor Street Bridge, is named 'Woven Waves' and was a collaboration between Re:Site and Metalab. Depending on where you view the piece, it can have a different appearance. Looking at it, from the other side, will also show a different design than the one shown in this picture.

Kyle is rolling over the light and dark gray, brick path. In the distance is a section of Armature Works. It's made of red brick, and has a sign over the door that reads, "Heights Public Market." To the left are sections of grass, broken up by section of mulch that have ferns and young trees growing out of them.

The end of our journey, along the Tampa Riverwalk, brought us to Armature Works. Whether you're looking to grab a coffee, get some food, or scratch your shopping itch, Tampa's Armature works is a great collection of local restaurants, bars, and stores. It also hosts different kinds of events and other forms of entertainment, featuring regular musicians and holiday celebrations.

If you've been searching for an interesting place to spend the afternoon, Tampa Riverwalk meanders through some great parks and even leads to some of the great food and beverage spots that Downtown Tampa has to offer. Whether you're looking to exercise, relax, grab dinner, or even attend a festival, Riverwalk is a fun and interesting way to pass the time.