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Everyone deserves and loves a vacation! Fortunately there are many amazing places to travel that are accessible to people with disabilities. The following agencies provide a vast amount of information regarding the various national and international accessible places to travel.
The
Great Outdoor and Recreation pages (GORP)
GORP provides resources to various activities and places in North
America that are accessible to people with disabilities.
http://gorp.away.com/gorp/eclectic/disabled.htm
Everglades
National Park Headquarters
Everglades National Park has many trails many of which have wooden
boardwalks or are paved. Eight of their trails are wheelchair accessible.
These trails offer sites such as forests, birds, alligators, and
other wildlife. Some trails are more accessible during different
seasons.
Everglades
National Park Headquarters
(305)242-7700
40001 State Road 9336
Homestead, FL 33034-6733
http://gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/fl/acc_ev.htm
Yosemite
National Park
Yosemite National Park has activities in Yosemite Valley that are
wheelchair accessible, with assistance. They have some self-guiding
trails that may be partially paved. Before starting a trail one
can pick up a trail guide to know what parts of the trail are paved.
Yosemite Valley also offers sightseeing by car. One just needs a
temporary disabled placard available at park Visitor Centers. Citizens
or permanent US residents who have a Golden Access Pass have their
entrance fee waived. The pass also provides the permit holder and
those that accompany him/her to use a private non-commercial vehicle.
Park Headquarters:
Yosemite
National Park
(209) 372-0200
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite, CA 95389
http://gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_national_park/ca/dbl_yose.htm
Access-Able
Travel Source
Bill and Carol Randall created Access-Able Travel Source, an information
service. Carol has Multiple Sclerosis, and she uses a wheelchair
or scooter. They have first-hand experience with traveling and access
problems they encounter. Access-Able Travel Source is dedicated
to aiding travelers with disabilities.
http://www.access-able.com/
Napa Valley wine train-Caroline travels up and down the Napa Valley. Its dining cars offer your choice of brunch, lunch, or dinner. The trip is about three and a half hours and passengers get to do some wine tasting during their trip. The train is accessible with advanced reservations.
1275
McKinstry Street
Napa, CA 94559
http://www.access-able.com/dBase/details.cfm?id=3977
Medical
Travel INC.
Medical travel inc. is a full service medical travel agency. They
offer vacation packages for dialysis patients, patients with respiratory
problems, ventilator users and wheelchair travelers. They also provide
travel insurance for travelers that have pre-existing medical disabilities.
Medical
Travel INC.
(800)778-7953
5184 Majorca Club Drive, Boca Raton, Florida 33486
http://www.medicaltravel.org
Access Aloha Travel specializes in travel accommodations to Hawaii for those with disabilities. Some of their services include booking hotels, conference planning, and accessible car rentals.
Access
Aloha Travel
(800)480-1143 - toll free
(808)545-1143 - local
414 Kuwili Street, #101 Honolulu, HI 96817
http://www.accessalohatravel.com
Many of the above destinations and agencies were found on the following
websites:
http://www.access-able.com
http://www.makoa.org/travel.htm
http://www.medicaltravel.org
Just like able-bodied individuals, people with disabilities want to travel and see the sights. Some travel agencies specialize in accessible travel for people with disabilities. These travel programs range from vacations to group cruises, escorted group tours, and other resort packages.
Accessible Journeys, Inc.
Accessible Journeys, Inc. provides services such as accessible travel planning, accessible group tours, accessible individual/group cruises, and other disability travel resources, Accessible Journeys endeavors to serve mature travelers, slow walkers, wheelchair travelers, and their families and friends. Aiming to “make the world more accessible,” their tours include diverse countries such as Holland, Spain, Italy, France, Canada, South Africa, India, Philippines, Australia, etc. They also have programs in the U.S. to Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon for example.
While customized accessible travel planning is costly and time-consuming, Accessible Journeys does not charge a fee on their clients. Their earnings are based on the commissions they receive from hotels, service providers, and airlines which the general public cannot collect. Nevertheless, Accessible Travel Planning does require a refundable “Goodwill Deposit” of $250.00 USD to show your preparedness for travel. Basically, the deposit will be refunded if you (1) decline their services after reviewing their initial quote of the custom itinerary (which includes all costs of the trip); (2) complete the travel program successfully provided there are no unpaid expenses (with Accessible Journeys or their overseas suppliers).
Usually, it is necessary to contact Accessible Journeys and make a deposit at least seven weeks in advance. If you need to depart within seven weeks or less, though, you still can do it with a nonrefundable Goodwill Deposit. Therefore, if you do not accept their initial travel plan, your Goodwill Deposit is forfeited.
They do not design tours specifically for visually impaired persons, however, all are welcome on their tours. They also have a newsletter to which you can subscribe.
Accessible Journeys, Inc.
35 West Sellers Avenue
Ridley Park, PA 19078
(800)846-4537
(610-521-0339
sales@accessiblejourneys.com
http://www.disabilitytravel.com
Wheelchair Travel & Accessible Tourism
Wheels Up!
Realizing that no able-bodied travel agent can fully understand disabled travelers’ specific needs, Wheels Up! was established by a person with MS who uses a wheelchair and her husband who aim to make use of both their good and bad travel experiences with their customers. Wheels Up! is a personal travel service specializing in planning and arranging travel for people in wheelchairs as well as those with limited mobility. They include aspects of travel such as airlines, hotels, car (and wheelchair vans) rentals, and cruises.
Wheels Up!
(888)389-4335
Best Bets Travel, Inc.
Besides being an active member of CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) and SATH (Society of Accessibility in Travel and Hospitality), Best Bets Travel’s workers are also licensed by the ICTA (Institute of Certified Travel Consultants) and have worked in the travel industry with more than 20 years of experience. In addition to providing booking services for their clients, they also inspect ships and hotels to gain first-hand experience on the accessibility of the product. They have a list of cruises, tours, and freestyle packages for you to choose. If you are interested in their services, you can to request a quote on your dream vacation by registering on their website.
Best Bets Travel Inc.
(321)243-0251
(866)392-6858
info@bestbetstravel.com
specialneeds@bestbetstravel.com
http://www.bestbetstravel.com
Connie George Travel Associates
Specializing in resort packages, tour and cruise vacation planning for wheelchair users, slow walkers, deaf, and non-disabled travelers, Connie George Travel Associates has 35 years of experience planning trips. They are known for featuring group “barrier-free” and “barrier-reduced” cruises with special facilities and arrangements. These include (1) rental of medical equipment such as manual wheelchair, power wheelchair, electric cart, walker, commode, Hoyer lift, hospital bed; (2) arrangements for service dogs; (3) raised toilets seats; (4) oxygen; and, (5) plastic flatware.
A “barrier-free” cruise means the ship is fully or nearly fully accessible. These ships also may be newer. On a “barrier-reduced” cruise, the ship is still mostly accessible but some parts may not be fully accessible. For example, there may be a ramp to the balcony in your cabin, but the ramp may be steep. Generally, “barrier-reduced” ships are older. If you are not sure which to choose, your cruise specialist at Connie George Travel Associates can assist you in determining the cruise (ship, tendering, and ports) best meets your needs.
Connie George Travel Associates
P.O. Box 312
Glenolden, PA 19036
(888)532-0989
(610)532-0989
info@cgta.com
http://www.cgta.com
Accessible Vacation Home Exchange
Hosted by the Independent Living Institute, the Accessible Vacation Home Exchange webpage provides contacts for individuals with disabilities who would like to travel and exchange homes with one another. Currently, the database has over 120 home entry choices with countries all over the world including the United States, New Zealand, UK, France, Belgium, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Thailand, South Africa, etc. Although there is no charge to use this service, the website is not responsible for any problems. Vacation Home Exchange merely provides the contacts, not the arrangements.
To start using the service, you will need to post an ad on their website including your name, e-mail, location, and describe some general information of your home. In addition, you need to specify how your home or apartment is accessible for people with disabilities, and whether accessible transportation is available near your area. If you do not have an e-mail address, you might also put down your address and phone number in the description field for contact. If you need to make corrections after you post the ad, please send e-mail to admin@independentliving.org
http://www.independentliving.org/vacaswap.html
Mobility International USA (MIUSA)
The mission of MIUSA is to empower people with disabilities around the world through international exchange, information, technical assistance, and training and to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in international exchange and development programs.
P.O. Box 10767
Eugene, OR, USA 97440
541-343-1284
info@miusa.org
http://www.miusa.org/
Accessible Tours (Division of Directions Unlimited)
A travel agency designing worldwide tours, cruises and/or vacation planning for persons of all disabilities including visually impaired persons.
Accessible Tours (Division of Directions Unlimited)
720 N. Bedford Rd.
Bedford Hills, NY 10507
(800) 533-5343 or (914) 241-1700
Alaska Welcomes You!, Inc.
Accessible Alaska Adventures
Getaways designed to meet the special needs of slow walkers, seniors, families with small children and travelers with disabilities.
Box 91333
Anchorage, AK 99509
(800) 349-6301 voice/TTY
Send E-mail
Flying Wheels Travel
A travel agency which specializes in worldwide tours and cruises for persons who use wheelchairs. All are welcome on their tours.
143 West Bridge Street, Box 382
Owatonna, MN 55060
(800) 535-6790
http://www.flyingwheelstravel.com/
The Guided Tour
A company (not a standard travel agency) which provides vacation programs for adults with various disabilities, primarily developmental or developmental plus other disabilities including visual impairment.
7900 Old York Road, Suite 114B
Elkins Park, PA 19027-2339
(800) 783-5841 (215) 782-1370
http://www.guidedtour.com/
Nautilus Tours and Cruises, Ltd.
A tour company which specializes in worldwide tours and cruises for persons with disabilities.
22567 Ventura Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 591-3159 or (800) 797-6004 outside CA.
Wilderness Inquiry
Offers wide variety of wilderness trips for persons of all abilities and ages. Schedule is available in large print, braille or cassette.
808 14th Avenue SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414-1516
(612)676-9400
Wilderness Inquiry
