Momentum - Summer 2012

hortly after his diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 1986, Jerry Lacroix assumed his days of adventuring must be over. He thought even a cruise would be out of the question—until he went on one. “It was disappointing—I couldn’t disembark in some of the ports—but I didn’t have anything to compare it with, so I went on two more,” says Jerry, 61, who uses a power wheelchair. “Then I went on my first accessible cruise, and I realized how much more I could see and experience.” Similarly, he says, he didn’t think he’d be able to fly, until he met someone else in a power wheelchair who had flown to Florida. Previously, Jerry had made that trip with his brother, but driving some 26 hours from their homes in New Hampshire instead. “That really opened up the world for me. I’ve been flying ever since.” Jerry’s wife, Kristy, 62, got so caught up in making their trips happen that she became a travel agent and started her own business specializing in vacations for wheelchair users ( wheelchairescapes.com).

Their story is not all that unusual, now that many travel services are moving beyond simple compliance with legal requirements, says Jani Nayar, executive coordinator at the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (SATH), a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness, remove barriers, train the travel industry and educate the public.

STEVE LOWRY PHOTOGRAPHY

“Providers are realizing that there’s money in disability travel and are making it easier and more enjoyable,” Nayar points out. According to a study conducted by the Open Doors Organization, Americans with disabilities spent $13.6 billion in 2002 on travel. Unofficial estimates of today’s figures are much higher.

So, where to?

The possibilities are nearly endless. “These days, if you are willing to get out there, you can do a lot: skiing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, mountain climbing, bungee jumping in a wheelchair, deep-sea fishing, sailing, scuba diving, horseback and bicycle riding, whale and dolphin watching, camping, downhill skiing and more,” says Nayar. Here are several options to whet your appetite.

Natural wonders

Many of the most gorgeous national parks in the United States—Acadia, Arches, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Yosemite— offer accessible trails, lodges, museums and visitor centers. So do many state parks, national battlegrounds, preserves, recreation areas, lake shores, scenic trails and state forests. Camping enthusiasts can even bring accessible tents, which can be set up from a seated position and have features such as zipperless doors and extra-large entrances ( blueskydesigns.us).

U.S. citizens who are permanently disabled are entitled to the Access Pass, which allows free lifetime admission to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites throughout the country and half off many fees. The pass typically admits all the passengers in a vehicle; when a per-person charge applies, it admits the holder, spouse and children. The Access Pass is available at national park entrances and visitor centers; a one-time processing fee of $10 is charged for mail orders. Visit nps.gov for information on accessibility in national parks and store.usgs.gov/pass/access .html to learn more.