“Where can I go on vacation?” is the one question that seasoned travel writer Candy Harrington hears time and again. The editor of Emerging Horizons, a magazine that has been focusing on travel for people with mobility disabilities since 1997, is the author of a new book, 101 Accessible Vacations: Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers.
Accessible Vacation Choice—Where to Go?
“Your vacation choice depends on your personal taste, so there's not one ideal accessible vacation option for everybody,” Harrington says. “If you like cultural attractions, fine dining, and the theater you're probably not going to be thrilled staying in a lean-to in the Adirondacks; however both options have accessible choices.”
Unlike most travel guides that extol the virtues of a particular geographic area, 101 Accessible Vacations is organized by interest and activity. If you are a nature lover, check out the section titled “The Great Outdoors,” which covers adventurous African safaris to spectacular viewing at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. If visiting museums is more to your liking, flip to “A Little Culture,” which ranges from outings in Memphis to Montréal.
Many of the destinations in Harrington’s book could easily fit within more than one category. If your favorite metropolis can’t be found in the “Bright Lights, Big City,” chapter, the 18-page index is a handy tool.
Accessible Travel Resources—What to Do?
Within each section of the book, Harrington has devoted three or four pages with photos and a list of resources. In “Historic Haunts” she describes post-Katrina New Orleans and the walking tours in Williamsburg, Va., Daytona, San Diego and St. Louis are covered under the “Family Fun” chapter. “Road Trips” highlights Vermont and Ohio. Heavy on descriptions of things to do—from murder mystery plays to scuba diving—the book is a smorgasbord of travel options.
Perhaps you never have considered Paris accessible or contemplated staying in a hostel. Harrington’s book offers readers bite-size tastes of a wide variety of destinations and activities. Once you have decided where you would like to go on your next vacation, you will want to use the resources Harrington lists and gather up more guidebooks before departing on your travels.
Planning Your Accessible Adventure—Using an Adaptive Travel Agent
Planning an accessible vacation takes a lot of research.
“If you're not willing to devote some time and effort to it, then perhaps it's best to turn it over to a professional," Harrington says. "But to be honest, most travel agents really won't touch domestic flights or accessible land trips, because they take up a lot of time and they don't really pay much (if any) of a commission. I can't fault travel agents for this, as everyone should be paid for their work, but it does leave a large gap in the services offered.”
For example, if you want to fly to San Francisco and rent an accessible van and stay in a hotel in Union Square with a roll-in shower, Harrington says you are better off doing the research yourself and booking it on your own. On the other hand, if you are going on a cruise and want accessible, truly accessible, shore excursions, then it's a good idea to book with a travel agent who specializes in accessible cruises.
Harrington emphasizes the importance of choosing a travel agent who is very knowledgeable about access.
“With the aging of the Baby Boomers, it seems that every travel agent "specializes" in accessible travel these days,” she warns.
Accessible Ground Transportation
Ground transportation is the biggest obstacle to accessible travel according to Harrington, who explains it is quite a challenge just to find an accessible taxi in New York City.
“Sure they have them, as they do in many large cities, but they just don't have enough of them," she explains. "It’s improving, and of course it's much better than it was 15 years ago. I expect in another 15 years it will be even better, but today the logistics of finding accessible ground transportation can sometimes be mind-boggling.”
Baby Boomer Paving the Way
The hospitality industry has been very responsive to the needs of travelers with disabilities.
“They realize that the Baby Boomers are aging, and that they have a good chunk of disposable income,” Harrington says.
The cruise industry is one example of a business that caters to this market. They've voluntarily had accessible cabins on their ships for a long time, even though it's never been mandated.
“Technically they still aren't required to have a minimum number of accessible cabins or any specific access features (the regulations are still in the works) but they all seem to work pretty hard to make their ships accessible,” Harrington says.
Penning her magazine and books keeps Harrington traveling about a third of her time. Her favorite accessible destination is Yosemite.
“I’m a mountain girl and I grew up not far from there, so it's just a favorite place of mine," she says. "It's changed a lot over the years, and part of those changes includes improved accessibility. Just a few years ago they unveiled a great new accessible trail to the base of Yosemite Falls. The trail they had before was a bit dicey for wheelchair-users, but some folks could do it with a lot of assistance. The new trail is beautiful, and not only is it very accessible, but it also blends in with the natural environment. It was designed by the same landscape architect who did the FDR Memorial in Washington, DC, and he did a great job.”
Harrington has traveled the world. The one place she would still like to see is Ireland. Both her parents are first-generation Irish-Americans. This spring, she has an Ireland trip scheduled. She says it's going to be a totally non-working trip.
“No work at all—no notebooks, no tape measure, and no laptop.”
Resources101 Accessible Vacations Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers by Candy B. Harrington
www.demosmedpub.com
352 pp Softcover
ISBN 1932603433 / 9781932603439
Regular Price: $24.95
Web Price: $22.45
Do a little research: guidebooks - The bookstore shelves are lined with guidebooks on every major city and region of the country. Browse your local bookstore for the latest version. Still, before you get your heart set on seeing a particular attraction, it's prudent to call the place of interest and verify the accuracy of the information and confirm accessibility concerns.
Newspapers - Many newspapers publish guides for visitors, too. For example, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans has a “Visitor” heading on its website. Before setting off for a location, search for its local newspaper online. This site has links to every major paper in the U.S., as well as smalltown non-dailies.
Convention and Visitors Bureau - The Internet has thousands of websites for travelers, but one of the best places to start is with a community's official source—the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). The simplest way is to find a CVB website. Most offer money-saving coupons, maps, detailed descriptions of attractions, and suggested itineraries, too. You may want to request a free visitor's packet from the CVB by e-mail, phone, or in writing. Ask if the city has an accessibility guide.
SeeAmerica.org - The Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) created a site to promote the U.S. as a premiere tourist destination and has more than 10,000 links to hotels, airlines, attractions, CVBs, state tourism offices, and more.
“A typical search for travel information on Google would return a gazillion sites. But are they legitimate? SeeAmerica.org is a living site that is constantly updated,” Cathy Keefe, TIA spokeswoman, says.
Under “Hot Travel Deals” consumers can search for savings on hotels, cruises, and more. You can click on “Traveler Tips and Tools” to calculate the distance from one city to another, find an ATM, or check current gas prices. Sign up for free newsletters and email alerts from tourism websites to keep informed of upcoming events.
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There are many questions people have while traveling with a disability. For more information on common travel questions, see Resources for Traveling with Disabilities.
Need help planning your next accessible getaway? See Travel Agents Specializing in Adaptive Travel for more information.
