beyond the
basics
awealth of publications and websites devoted to accessible travel can answer
questions, offer advice, and give leads and
details about destinations. Here are several to
get you started:
n
Abilitytrip.com provides frequently
updated information on accessible travel
and links to other sites.
n
DisabledTravelersGuide.com
contains comprehensive travel tips and
destination guides around the world.
n
EmergingHorizons.com is an online
quarterly newsletter that provides news,
resources and destination information for
travelers with mobility challenges.
n
Globalaccessnews.com offers
worldwide travel reports and resources.
n
NationalMSSociety.org has a newly
updated travel and recreation page (go
to the home page and search for “travel”)
that lists additional travel resources and
tips for people with Ms.
n
Opendoorsnfp.org, the open doors
organization, teaches businesses how to
be accessible to people with disabilities,
with a focus on travel and tourism.
n
Sath.org, the society for accessible
travel and Hospitality, provides news,
fact sheets and destination access guides.
n Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts
Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers,
by candy b. Harrington, is a wide-ranging
guide to travel and advocacy.
Once aboard the plane, people with MS should
have a strategy for handling jet lag. For many
travelers, that means adapting to the meal and
sleep/wake cycle of their destination as soon as
they get on the plane. If it’s dinner time when
you board in New York, it’s already late night in
London; you may want to bring a sleep mask, ear
plugs and any medications that your doctor has
approved to facilitate sleep. And be prepared to
drink lots of water and take frequent rests during
your first day or two on the ground.
Flying, of course, isn’t the only option. The
scenic charms of traveling by rail are hard to beat,
and train travel is generally considered the most
accessible way to travel, too. Amtrak offers a 15
percent discount to passengers with disabilities or
reduced mobility, and to a traveling companion.
Be aware, though, that Amtrak requires
reservations for wheelchair space, transfer seats and
accessible bedrooms on all trains, including those
on which reservations for ordinary seats are not
required (
Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL).
If you hear the call of the open road—or just
want to get around a city without relying on
public transportation—you might want to rent
an accessible van from a provider like Wheelchair
Getaways (
wheelchairgetaways.com). The
company’s full-size vans and minivans have features
such as wheelchair ramps, securement systems,
hand controls and power transfer seats for drivers.
The company delivers vehicles to many locations,
including major airports and rail stations.
A place to lay your head
Once you get where you’re going, there’s an art
to finding the right lodging. Advance research
helps, but so does asking questions and learning
to read between the lines. The terms “accessible”
and “ADA-compliant” are meaningless unless you
understand how a particular hotel defines them,
says Candy Harrington, author of Barrier-Free
Travel. To find out, call the hotel directly, rather
