A Barrier-Free Beach Vacation at Rish Park
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PSN Team 
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A Barrier-Free Beach Vacation at Rish Park
Most families enjoy soaking up the sun’s warm rays on a pristine and sandy beach, but if you are a person with a disability, or have children with disabilities, that statement takes on a whole new meaning because finding an accessible beach can be like searching for an elusive oasis.
Florida residents (and others) with disabilities need search no farther. William Joseph “Billy Joe” Rish Recreational Park is a 98 acre beach paradise located at Cape San Blas in the Florida Panhandle. This park was built specifically for persons with disabilities and their families and models the 2013 Outdoor Accessibility Guidelines to create an affordable, barrier-free, outdoor recreational experience for all abilities.
More than a beach
A unique feature that Rish Park offers is access to both the St. Joe Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The bayside of the park is currently being renovated to improve its accessibility. Soon, the north side of the park will permit access to the bay through a boardwalk, which is renowned for its scallops, fishing, wildlife and estuaries. Visitors with the appropriate fishing permit are welcome to capture their limit of scallops in the St. Joe Bay,or seasonal limits of freshwater fish.
The southside of Rish Park drops visitors into miles of sugar white beaches that are known for seasonal sea turtle nesting. Through the available beach wheelchairs and Mobi mats, wheelchair users can equally enjoy the beach with their family.
The park has two family cabins that can house up to seven people. They each contain a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and two bathrooms that are complete with a roll-in shower. The cabins are maintained in a rustic fashion and users must bring personal items such as sheets, towels and groceries.
Rish Park can also house 107 people in the six dormitory-style group cabins. Visiting groups can utilize the industrial kitchen located in the main lodge. If the weather is unfavorable, the main lodge contains a large projector screen that allows groups to watch movies and play video games. Next to the main lodge is an Olympic-size, accessible swimming pool. Visitors can use the grills located by the pool while listening to music of their choice over a speaker system.
Groups and visitors are encouraged to bring personal equipment like kayaks, pontoon boats, snorkeling gear, and anything else that could be useful on your family or group vacation.
Visitor information
Rish Park is open all year and encourages both overnight stays and day visits. Reservations can be made by calling (850) 482-9386 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday. An online application is available on the Rish Park website, https://apd.myflorida.com/rish-park/
Overnight guests pay $15 per night per person. Groups of more than 60 people pay $10 per person per night. The day visits are $5 per person. Groups can rent the entire park for $650 per night.
The physical address of the park is 6773 Cape San Blas Road, Port St. Joe, FL 32456.
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