Accessible travel advocate Linda Crabtree and her colleague Eileen Zarafonitis created AccessibleNiagara.com to help travelers with disabilities find accessible attractions, restaurants, lodging and festivals in Canada's Niagara region. Crabtree, who uses a mobility scooter because she has Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT), has spent many years traveling in support of CMT International, an organization she founded to offer support to people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease. She discovered during her 18 years as CEO of CMT International that there was a great need in Canada for information about accessible travel, and she was inspired to found AccessibleNiagara.com. Today, Crabtree runs the AccessibleNiagara.com website, conducts audits of local businesses and attractions to determine their accessibility, gives lectures and training on accessible travel issues and moderates the CMTCAN forum, a support forum for persons with CMT.
I spoke with Linda Crabtree about her beloved Niagara region and about accessible travel opportunities there. She is very pleased with recent developments in accessible travel in the province of Ontario, particularly in the Niagara region.
Accessible Travel on Niagara Falls' Canadian Side
"They're building a brand-new inclined railway within two years," Crabtree says. This will replace the current Falls Incline Railway, which is not accessible, and will enable travelers with disabilities to easily move between the Table Rock Visitor Centre area to the hotels and attractions at Clifton Hill. The People Mover bus system is also scheduled for an accessibility upgrade, according to Crabtree, who enthuses about the number of accessible attractions and restaurants already available to travelers. The famed Maid of the Mist boats are completely accessible, although Crabtree recommends using the restroom before embarking, as there are no restrooms on the boat. "All that water!" she laughs. Crabtree also recommends the Butterfly Conservatory and the Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse. "There are lovely seasonal exhibits," she says, adding, "If it's cold or it's misty, go down there and walk or roll around and dry off."
The Niagara SkyWheel on Clifton Hill gets high marks from Crabtree, too. "Scooters fit," Crabtree says. "The ferris wheel to me was just – yes!" Above the Niagara SkyWheel, Crabtree suggest stopping for a lunch or dinner break at Antica Pizzeria on Victoria Avenue. Betty's Restaurant, on Sodom Road, is another favorite with Crabtree, not only because it is completely accessible, including restrooms, but also for its excellent Sunday buffet.
AccessibleNiagara.com includes information about free attractions in the Niagara region, of which there are many. Crabtree reminds travelers that the fabulous views of the Falls from Table Rock Visitor Centre and the Niagara Parkway are completely free. "There's no charge to see the Falls," she says. "It's open and completely free for everyone."
Beyond the Falls – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Port Dalhousie, Grimsby, Jordan and Vineland
Crabtree recommends a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but warns travelers to expect some disappointments when it comes to shopping. "It's frustrating," she says. "One store will be accessible and the next one won't be." She highly recommends the annual Shaw Festival. "The Shaw Festival is totally accessible," Crabtree says, adding, "It's a great place to roll around." She also suggests dining at one of the wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake. "We have gorgeous restaurants in our wineries," Crabtree says. "They are pricey but the food is just wonderful."
For a more "local" experience, Crabtree suggests a visit to St. Catharines' Port Dalhousie, at the terminus of the historic Welland Canal. This lakeside community is home to an antique Looff carousel, happily rescued from obscurity by Crabtree's own mother, which has been integrated into the plans for redevelopment of the port area. Visitors can also enjoy the piers. "There are two big piers," Crabtree says," and you can go from one side to the other and view the lighthouses. It's a really beautiful place to go. It's half an hour, pier to pier, via wheelchair." Port Dalhousie's one-cell jail is still there, too.
There's more to see beyond Port Dalhousie, Crabtree says. "You can go from Port Dalhousie out Highway 81 to Jordan, Vineland and Grimsby. There are wineries and fruit orchards." Grimsby is known for its Chautauqua-style homes, while Jordan and Vineland are best known for their wines. Famed hockey player Wayne Gretzky is just one of the many winery owners in the area. After you've visited a winery or two or indulged yourself at a fruit stand, you can take the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) back to Niagara Falls in just 20 minutes, according to Crabtree.
The Bottom Line
Canada's Niagara region offers a wide range of accessible travel opportunities. Hotels, restaurants and attractions await, along with stunning scenery, the beauty of the Niagara Parkway, and, of course, the world-famous Falls.
