While in Falmouth yesterday my friends and I stopped at The Flying Bridge restaurant to see if it’s wheelchair accessible. The Flying Bridge is located right on the Falmouth Harbor. There are 4 handicap parking spaces located close to the front entry door. There are two entry doors you will need to enter and neither are automatic. Today both sets of doors were wide open so I didn’t need help opening the doors.
The lobby is spacious. I noticed a large staircase to the right of the hostess desk. My friends and I asked if there is an elevator to the second floor. We were told that there is no elevator and the second floor is used only for special functions like wedding receptions etc.
We then checked out the restroom located off the lobby. It has a very large handicap stall with the required safety grab bars. There are two accessible sinks but the pipes under the sinks are exposed and not covered as is now ADA required. Next we went into the lounge. There is a tall bar that is not wheelchair accessible. The tables in the lounge are a good height for a person in a wheelchair. An area of the lounge is not wheelchair accessible for there is a step.
We soon discovered that The Flying Bridge is a multi level restaurant. There are many dining sections that have steps leading to it up or down. You can chose to sit at a table inside or outside on the open deck. The dining area inside off to the left is accessible and the tables are a good height for a person in a wheelchair. An outdoor dining area off this is also wheelchair accessible.
If you want to sit at a table in the outside dining area located on the Harbor you will need to go back outside to the side of the restaurant and wheel along a paved sidewalk to get to the rear outside dining area. This paved sidewalk is sloped and is in need of repair for there are a few high bumps with large cracks. You’ll need to make sharp turn at the end to enter the outside dining area. Be careful for if you miss the turn you will fall off a small hill for there is no railing or retaining wall. It reminds me of the sloped sidewalk at Pilgrim Hall Museum.
All the employees were very friendly and courteous. The prices of the meals are a little high but it’s nice to view the Harbor while you dine.
I give The Flying Bridge TWO STARS for wheelchair accessibility. To earn the other Three Stars they would need to install an elevator, repair the paved side walkway, place a railing along the turn of the paved sidewalk where you enter the outside dining area and cover the exposed pipes under the restroom’s accessible sink. It would be very nice if they replaced some of the steps with ramps or sloped flooring leading to many of the dining areas.