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The Florida Keys may seem like a world apart—Key West is in fact closer to Havana than Miami—but the ADA is definitely at work here.  Not only are city streets, transportation, attractions, restaurants, and lodgings accessible, but even some passenger vessels. And the welcome is genuinely warm, maybe due to the famously laidback atmosphere.

The Keys, a necklace of islands strung together by 43 bridges, begin just south of Miami in Key Largo and end 126 miles later in Key West.  Each of the Key’s five regions—Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West—has its own unique ambiance and attractions. Many visitors fly into Miami International Airport and rent a car or van. Greyhound Keys Shuttle (800-231-2222) also offers lift-equipped transport three times daily.  Alternatively, one can fly into Marathon or Key West, but these smaller airports have no jet bridges.

Key Largo, home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving. Two companies catering to visitors with disabilities are Tranquil Adventures (888-449-0697), which offers private tours, diving and snorkeling via adapted boat, and Admiral Dive Center (800-346-3483), which has a PADI/HSA scuba instructor and offers open water and advanced certification.

Islamorada is a year-round angler’s paradise. A fun stop here is World Wide Sportsman (800-327-2880), part museum/art gallery/aquarium and part retail store. For accessible accommodations, upscale Cheeca Lodge and Spa (305-664-4651), with 7 adapted rooms and suites, can’t be beat. Cheeca boasts not only a 9-hole golf course, onsite sea activities and a marine education camp for kids, but also a fully accessible spa with pool lift.

Marathon is known for family fun. In addition to natural history and children’s museums, there are five interactive dolphin centers including Dolphin Research Center (305-289-1121). One can also visit sea turtles in rehab at the Turtle Hospital (305-743-6509). On nearby Big Pine Key, Bill Keogh of Big Pine Kayak Adventures (305-872-7474) welcomes paddlers with disabilities on his guided eco-tours.

Night or day, Key West marches to its own beat. The accessibility is great, with a variety of lodgings to choose from such as Curry Mansion Inn (800-253-3466), a Victorian B&B, and Pier House Resort and Caribbean Spa (800-327-8340), which has a pool lift. The Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square is a must, as are a stroll down Duval Street and a slice of key lime pie at Blue Heaven (305-296-8666) in the Bahamian Village. All three modes of public transport--Old Town Trolley (305-296-6688), Conch Train and Bone Island Shuttle (305-293-8710)--can accommodate wheelchairs. Accessible attractions include Key West Aquarium, Mel Fisher Museum and the first floor of the Ernest Hemingway house. And no one should miss a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park and historic Fort Jefferson, reached via high speed catamaran. The Yankee Freedom II (800-634-0939) boards visitors by wheelchair lift and ramp and has an accessible restroom.

For more information, visit www.fla-keys or call 800-FLA-KEYS.

Laurel Van Horn is an access consultant, educator, and journalist who has specialized in accessible travel and tourism since 1987. In addition to her travel columns for Able News and the Open Doors Organization website, her articles have appeared in Pulse, Agency, Inc., Travel Agent Magazine, Travel World News, Exceptional Parent, Paraplegia News, Caribbean Vacation Planner and Review of Disability Studies.