BROOKLYN BY WHEELCHAIR -- PART 6

BROOKLYN

No barrier-free visit to Brooklyn would be complete without visiting one of the most mythical seaside destinations on earth.

Coney Island is a sensory overload of roaring roller coasters (the Cyclone, world renown, but not accessible), towering Ferris Wheels (Deno’s Wonder Wheel, a landmark that has towered over the Boardwalk since 1920, is accessible) and a world-famous strand (totally barrier-free), forever immortalized on black and white postcards displaying hordes of humanity assembled at the Atlantic in a by-gone era.

Heading toward the ocean on W. 16th Street, visitors come upon an iconic figure used in many movies.

The old Parachute Jump, a part of Steeplechase Park’s heyday, rocks gently in the summer breeze.

The landmark ride entertained Coney Island visitors from 1941 until ’65. It’s been repainted and shored up, but chances are slim that funseekers will ever again ride its parachutes to the ground.

The Boardwalk is plenty wide to accommodate wheelers, Rollerbladers, walkers and all other visitors to the beach.

An eastward stroll and roll on the Boardwalk takes visitors past the ocean on one side and the old time shooting galleries and various amusements on the opposite side.

BROOKLYN BY WHEELCHAIR -- PART 5

BROOKLYN To walk off the calories from Junior’s, stop at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a verdant oasis in this dense, urban, stickball-playing-in-the-streets borough. Roll among wide paved paths. Explore the Steinhardt Conservatory -- a series of glass structures so beautiful that wedding parties seem to be perpetually posing among its palms and perfect leafy backdrops. The conservatory is very accessible and there’s an elevator down to barrier-free restrooms. The Japanese Hill and Pond Garden is one of the oldest outside of the land of the rising sun. The looping, gently sloped roll around the pond is so peaceful, one completely forgets about the frenetic cacophony of the surrounding city. In the summer, the Lily Pool Terrace delights with tropical water lilies blended with elegant lotuses and other aquatic plants displayed in large ponds. The beauty can be viewed easily from wheelchair height – there are no rails or obstructions. The pool attracts dozens of photographers -- pro and amateur -- spellbound by the floral delights and the magnificent reflections they cast into the water.

BROOKLYN BY WHEELCHAIR -- part 4

BROOKLYN If the Grimaldi’s pizza was shared and the belly is ready for some late afternoon refueling, pop in to Junior’s -- a true Brooklyn legend. The neighborhood is a little rough around the edges, so the urban safety-conscious wheeler might want to visit before sundown. Those of are more “devil may care” will visit the diner-like deli from 7 in the morning till past midnight. Who knows if Junior’s has the best corned beef and pastrami? Let the hundreds of New York delis battle that one out. What Junior’s does have is nostalgia, a true living, breathing slice of old Brooklyn. Brooklyn lost cityhood around the turn of the century, the Dodgers in the fifties and Steeplechase Park in the sixties, but Junior’s lives on. Enter through a stately art deco building using a wide, level entrance off an extension of fabled Flatbush Avenue. You will find people who have been coming for more than half a century for deli fare, along with lots and lots of barbecued chicken dinners. The cheesecakes are huge, fabulous and consistently voted the best in New York by critics and everyday diners alike. And a hint to those in need of an accessible restroom: steps are required for the old facilities but there’s a big, new, accessible restroom by the kitchen.

BROOKLYN BY WHEELCHAIR -- PART 3

BROOKLYN If chocolate ice cream isn’t your thing, then roll a few paces away from Fulton Landing to Grimaldi’s Pizza. Roll through the level entrance door and the aroma of coal oven pizza convinces you to ignore any diet you’re on and contemplate downing an entire pie by yourself. The décor is red-checkered tablecloths and autographed photos of Frank, Dino, Tony and lots of other famous Italian singers on the walls. The place is old, so clearance around tables is tight and the restroom isn’t up to ADA standards. One other note of caution: you will succumb to temptation and burn your mouth while rushing to eat a molten slice. Don’t worry; the pleasure far outweighs the pain. Brooklyn Heights Promenade is just up the hill from Fulton Landing. This level and accessible strip of scenic parkland rises above the East River and provides a panoramic view of Gotham's steel and stone skyscrapers. The serenity of the park epitomizes the beauty of the neighborhood's exquisite old apartment buildings, corner markets and mature tree lines. The walkway is one of the most special places in the city, where one can gaze off into New York Harbor and look at the Staten Island Ferry, and at Lady Liberty herself. Walkers, joggers and wheelers of every age congregate on the Promenade to take in the western sunset over Manhattan – or to just sit and read a book in one of New York’s most picturesque settings.

BROOKLYN BY WHEELCHAIR -- part 2

BROOKLYN The Fulton Ferry Landing is completely accessible. Water Taxi captains and conductors are quite adept at easing up to the pier and assisting with a ramp, depending on the water level. The Water Taxi can be boarded at one of seven piers in Manhattan. The ride is not for the faint of heart, because the little watercraft bobs like a cork along the Hudson and East rivers until you reach the Fulton Landing. But the view is well worth it and we (Heidi has used a wheelchair for more than 25 years) vouch for the safety and accessibility. When exiting the Water Taxi, you can’t help but look up at the hulking Brooklyn Bridge. The landing site is the perfect place to gawk at the massive bridge from below and to take spectacular photos of lower Manhattan on the horizon. The Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory, with its inexpensive cups of creamy traditional flavors, is within spitting distance of the Water Taxi station. The sweet tooth nirvana is ramp-equipped for access.

ACCESSIBLE BROOKLYN

ACCESSIBLE BROOKLYN

Brooklyn. Is there any other word in the American vocabulary that conjures up so many images?

Hearing the word “Brooklyn” instantly paints pictures of a spectacular and famous bridge, a much-parodied accent, a world of Italian pizza houses and Jewish delis and the home of Coney Island.

Brooklyn is the stuff of movies and stand-up comic routines and teary-eyed nostalgia for the Dodgers, who packed up for LA in the fifties.

Brooklyn has so much art, architecture, ethnicity, history, culture, neighborhood character and unique dining, it would take more than a month to explore it.

Fortunately, the mystical place over the bridge from Manhattan can be explored and experienced quite well by wheelchair. To meander freely about without freezing, it’s best to visit between mid-May to mid-October.

Brooklyn can be reached from a Manhattan hotel by rolling over the completely accessible Brooklyn Bridge walkway or taking a taxi or lift-equipped bus on the famed bridge’s roads. Nothing, however, beats the drama of arriving by water.

ROMPING THROUGH WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE MANHATTAN -- part 5

WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE MANHATTAN We watched a play from our wheelchair-accessible seats at the John Golden Theater, then taxied it to the Beekman, where an express elevator provided easy wheelchair access to the Top of the Tower. We were weary from packing so much into one day, but the Beekman’s ethereal charms set the stage for the most atmospheric of all our New York moments. Vodka martinis in hand and a stunning starlit view of the metropolis before us, we knew we had taken Manhattan. Author Steve Wright has published more than 2,500 travel stories. His spouse, an ADA expert, has used a wheelchair for four decades.