Overview

I visited the wildlife sanctuary and gardens with my grandmother, who is a wheelchair user, and we had a great day. The animals are fantastic, beautiful Florida panther, cute otters and, of course, flamingos, among many others. The gardens also host many fantastic plants. We were disappointed, however, that the premises were limited for wheelchair access. Firstly, we had to pay $6 in addition to the entry fee to borrow a push wheelchair, a charge that is unusual in Florida where so many patrons are elderly and have limited mobility. In addition to this, many paths were gravel and more or less impossible to push someone in a wheelchair. There are multiple pathways where there was a blunt curb with no ramp. Although the curb looks small, it was not possible to push someone in the wheelchair over it. So my grandmother had to get out of the wheelchair in order to get to the viewing platform for the panther as well as again to get through the aviary entrance. There are some inclines as well, which I could manage but it requires the person pushing the wheelchair to have muscle. Having said that, the staff were all friendly and were happy to help her get onto the tour vehicle. An electric wheelchair may have fewer troubles. To rent an electric wheelchair cost $25 in addition to the ticket. There was no information on if carers would be admitted for free or at a reduced rate. I hope they invest in improving the accessibility of the gardens in the future.

Transport & Parking

3

Access

1.5

Toilets

2.5

Staff

4.5