For persons with disabilities, planning a vacation isn't just a way to make sure they hit the top sights at their destination. It's a necessity, according to Linda Crabtree, CEO of AccessibleNiagara.com, who uses an electric mobility scooter herself. Because there are so many different types of disabilities, the term "accessible" can mean different things to different people. Crabtree, who has Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT), has used a wide variety of mobility aids throughout her life, including braces, canes, orthopedic boots, a walker, and a wheelchair as well as her scooter. I talked with Linda Crabtree about planning an accessible vacation, and she shared tips derived from her many years of travel experience.
Plan Ahead
"Do your homework first," says Crabtree. "It's so important to know you're going to have a seamless vacation. Where are you going to go? Where are you going to use the washroom (restroom)? We've had [hotel] people tell us they were accessible because the elevator goes to the top floor."
Crabtree recommends telephoning or emailing every hotel you plan to stay at to be sure the rooms are accessible for persons with your particular disability. She suggests asking questions like, "Where's the plug to plug in my scooter or wheelchair next to the bed?" and, "Is there a telephone between the beds?" Crabtree even asks about restroom doors. "Some motels put doors on the toilet / shower area that open inward, so you have to get in and turn around to shut the door – and you can't," she says. These details are important to travelers with disabilities, and, since 2.6 million persons over age 15 with disabilities live in Canada, according to Statistics Canada, and Census Bureau reports show that there are over 54 million persons with disabilities in the United States, they should also be important to hotels, restaurants and travel providers.
Make a Friend
If possible, find someone with a disability who lives where you plan to travel and ask that person for tips and recommendations. "You've got somebody right there to tell you where to go, where to eat, where to shop," says Crabtree, who created the AccessibleNiagara.com website to help travelers with disabilities enjoy the region she calls home. If you can't find a website that includes detailed accessible travel information for your destination, Crabtree suggests joining an online community for travelers with disabilities, such as Access-Able.com's Travelin' Talk Network, which, for a modest membership fee, connects persons with disabilities who are willing to share accessible travel information and help a member traveling nearby if a crisis occurs. You can also look for websites that feature reader-submitted travel stories, such as Global Access News, which sends out quarterly Travel E-Zines packed with destination-specific information.
Consider Alternatives to the Group Tour
Group tours can be wonderful; you don't have to plan how you will get from place to place or where you'll eat dinner. But, says Crabtree, for persons with disabilities, a group tour might not be the best option. The daily schedule on a typical group tour can tire out any traveler, and early departures present special challenges for persons with disabilities, whose morning routines often require more time to complete.
Use Your Hotel's Concierge
Once you arrive at your hotel, Crabtree says, "The concierge is your best friend." A knowledgeable concierge should be able to recommend accessible restaurants and give you information about accessible attractions and public transportation. For example, AccessibleNiagara.com has created a brochure for hotels in the Niagara area to offer their guests; the brochure includes helpful information on accessible public transportation, free attractions in the local area and even a list of things to do when it rains in Niagara.
Organize Your Day
"Go before you go!" is one of Linda Crabtree's travel sayings. For Crabtree, mornings are a good time to take care of "things that are private and personal," as she puts it, freeing her to enjoy her mid-day meal, sightsee in the afternoon and dine at an accessible restaurant that evening. Your pre-vacation research will truly pay off once you begin your travels, because you will know, for each day of your trip, which attractions are completely accessible, which restaurants have restrooms that can accommodate scooters and wheelchairs and which buses and trains are best for users of mobility aids.
The Bottom Line
Travel at its best is open to everyone. For persons with disabilities, more planning might be necessary, but it's very possible to enjoy an accessible vacation with family and friends. For accessible travel and CMT advocate Linda Crabtree, promoting travel opportunities that are truly "open to all" is a way to raise awareness and contribute to the well-being of her fellow travelers.
