My name is Steve Deal, and I have been a quadriplegic in a wheelchair since 1990. I live in the Daytona Beach area, and I do some consulting re: accessible travel. I also do a bit of writing for the Daytona Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau for the Accessible Daytona Beach section of DaytonaBeach.com. I pretty much get paid to take Daytona Beach family vacations. I visit area hotels, restaurants, attractions, parks and anything else I can find and I write about the places I like that are disability-friendly. For more information visit http://daytonabeach.com/accessible.cfm. The purpose of the site is to provide visitors to the area that have disabilities an insight to some of the more accessible Daytona Beach attractions, establishments and recreational areas.
When I write these articles, I usually don't break out a ruler and take measurements. Instead, I visit the place and actually take a ride around and see how accessible it is for me. For Daytona Beach hotels, I'll also make sure there is equipment for visually and hearing impaired. Nothing I do is scientific, but it is fun to visit these places and help others at the same time.
For example, I recently visited the Main Street Pier in the heart of Daytona Beach. You know, 18 years ago I could climb the stairs to get up on that pier. But since I've been in a chair, this has been impossible. I really enjoy the nearby Daytona Beach Boardwalk because I can experience the beach without the risk of getting sand and salt water in the electronics of my wheelchair. But I always looked up at that pier and the tall set of steps that led to it, and wished there was a way for me to get up there. Now, there is!
Recently, the city of Daytona Beach built a new park, Breakers Oceanfront Park, directly next to the Main Street Pier. Included in this project was a brand-new ramp that leads up to the pier. I was pretty excited about this, and I couldn't wait to get up there. My electric wheelchair had no problem going up the ramp, but I believe that some people in manual wheelchairs, who aren't very strong, may have to be pushed.
It is easy riding up there on that pier, and the view is spectacular! I went with a friend, Lori, and decided to check it out and have lunch while we were there. Did I mention the restaurant? As we strolled out on the pier, we first saw the sky lift. This is just like a ski lift and it will take you high above the pier out to the end and then back. People love this, but I could probably never get in one. We continued and passed by several kiosks selling gifts such as T-shirts, jewelry, tattoos and more. I also spotted a viewing telescope that will let you get a close-up of anything for only $.50.
In the middle of the pier is the restaurant and gift shop. As we approached this building, I noticed a Tiki bar that is probably only used at nighttime. Lori opened the door for me and we went in to take a look around. I saw lots of interesting old photographs of how Daytona Beach looked in the past. I like seeing the old cars and styles of the early to mid 1900s. I'm pretty glad bikinis caught on like they did.
We passed a full bar on our way in before going into the gift shop. The shop was large enough for me to maneuver around and it was like most other gift shops. We could have paid a small fee to walk through the gift shop to the other half of the pier. This is where people fish or just hang out, but we opted to go ahead and just have some lunch. The only seating I saw was a narrow strip of tables and booths on the outside overlooking the water. The aisle was definitely wide enough for my chair to get through, and we chose the booth closest to the entrance. It was pretty cool seeing the surfers right next to the pier.
I had clam chowder, a fried fish sandwich with fries, and some iced tea, and Lori had a grilled grouper salad. Everything was absolutely delicious. On the way out, we passed a magician who was about to perform up there. Since we were both on a schedule, we decided to head out.
I'm really glad they put that ramp up, and they've added a new parking lot, too, with plenty of handicap spaces. The pier gives you a view you cannot see from anywhere else, and it's nice to feel the wind and to actually hear the waves break beneath us. I'm sure that every time I visit the boardwalk, I'll have to cruise up there and take a look around.
This is just one of my favorite Daytona Beach spots. Let me know if you have other aspects of the Daytona Beach area you think I should check out. I'm always up for a road trip!
