Written by Sylvia Longmire, Spin The Globe, November 18, 2020
Florida is famous for many things, including it’s glorious sunshine and beautiful beaches. But truly, there’s no other place in the US like the Florida Keys. I grew up deep-sea fishing and snorkeling here with my family, eating fresh fish and locally-baked Key Lime pie while watching some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Key West is the biggest of all the islands in this scenic chain, and fortunately, it’s also very wheelchair accessible. Here are some of the great wheelchair accessible things you can see and do in Key West.
1. Mallory Square. If you want to be in the middle of everything Key West, then Mallory Square is the place to go. Located on the water near the primary cruise ship dock, this plaza is filled with souvenir shops, eateries, bars–and tons of tourists. However, the biggest draw is the famous Key West sunset, which is celebrated every evening at Mallory Square with music, street performers, and the unforgettable view. Keep in mind that the square is always very crowded at sunset (often with drunk and clumsy revelers), and the celebration starts around two hours before the sun goes down
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2. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Pretty much everyone who grew up in coastal Florida (like me) has heard of Mel Fisher, the famous sunken treasure hunter. Fisher started his full time treasure hunting career in Vero Beach, Florida when he moved there with his wife Dolores and their family, from California in 1963. Fisher spent the next seven years successfully salvaging the 1715 Fleet, a fleet of sunken treasure-laden ships, which sank off the coastline–which is why the surrounding area got the name, “Florida’s Treasure Coast.” He then went on to discover the main pile of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in July of 1985. This is the largest underwater treasure find in history. Fisher’s family continues the search for the remaining cargo of the Atocha today.
