6 Big Accessible Travel Solutions to Common Problems (Part 1)

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6 Big Accessible Travel Solutions to Common Problems (Part 1)

Vacations are mostly good stress-relievers, especially when you have limited mobility and need a change after being cooped up all winter. There are many viable accessible travel solutions, but be very careful of where, when, and how you book. What seems minor can turn into a massive headache.

I have noticed that some people on TripAdvisor ask where they can travel when they have restricted mobility. There are no simple travel answers to problems like walking distances, the need for oxygen, wheelchairs, or walkers but planning well in advance and using credible resources can make accessible travel a comfortable reality. Here I delve into some of the biggest obstacles surrounding vacations for the disabled and solutions or alternatives to make your vacation hassle-free and, thus, more memorable.

1)      Don’t over or underestimate your travel abilities. Just because you book a room in an accessible hotel in Rome, don’t assume of all of the surrounding streets are not cobblestone. Or, suppose you book a disabled room on a cruise. What do you do when you find out that, yes, the room is accessible, but the cruise line doesn’t offer handicapped provisions for shore trips? On the other hand, don’t rule out destinations just because someone on the internet said that it was inaccessible. If you have your heart set on it, dig deeper. Ask people with mobile issues who have traveled there. Do a lot of fact-checking before you put an “X” on the destination.

2)      Look at alternative handicap accessible travel destinations. You would love to see Pompeii, but Herculaneum is an acceptable alternative because it is a lot easier to navigate and has its own historical significance. If you have a penchant for snorkeling and you’re thinking about Bonaire, know that Aruba is much more handicapped friendly. If you’re considering hilly Cortona, be more realistic and take in Siena which has its own lovely charm and will be just as memorable. This is not necessarily compromising, but rather planning an easier and more remarkable and unforgettable vacation.

3)      Should you trust hotel search engine websites? Simply, no! The truth is that not all countries are created equal. What is considered handicapped accessible here in the US is one thing. Consider all of our disability laws, regulations, organizations, local ordinances. In the US there is a lot of serious effort directed toward special needs and the disabled. Foreign countries might use entirely different standards. When a hotel says that it is designed for the disabled, it doesn’t mean that their interpretations of it are the same as ours. It’s not their fault because they are only going by their own standards, but that could vary significantly from those here in the US.  These places might not mention the aforementioned cobblestone streets.

So, there is a lot to consider. I will cover three more problems and solutions in my following post.

I’m committing myself to at least one special needs related post per week for the foreseeable future. I will share what I have learned as a certified Accessible Travel Advocate and provide workable accessible travel solutions to those types of problems.