Travel with a disability can be a smooth, enjoyable journey
From searching for accessible destinations to packing medical documentation, there are tools to overcome obstacles
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A view from Bak Restaurant of the IJ River in Amsterdam. Lauren J. Mapp |
Research accessible hotels, tourist attractions online
Longmire said a destination’s website may have accessibility tips for navigating their attractions, public transportation and the restaurant scene.
Venture out close to home
Look for accessibility-friendly cities
While doing research on navigating a particular bucket list location, visiting cities known to be highly accessible can take some of the guesswork out of the planning process.
Wheelchairtravel.org has a list of guides for cities considered accessible to those who are disabled. It provides information about public transportation, accessible taxi service, attractions, professional sports team venues and shopping.
Among the many destinations listed, some of the most accessible American cities include Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle on the West Coast; New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C. on the East Coast; and Chicago, Las Vegas and Denver in between.
Some of the international destinations listed on the site include Seoul, Berlin, Shanghai, Amsterdam and London.
Longmire said that despite having bad experiences with maneuvering around certain cities, she is always glad to go somewhere and learn something new.
“Bucharest is a rough place — the accessibility is horrible,” Longmire said. “But I learned so much about Romanian history, the remnants of communism and the earthquake that kind of leveled the city some decades ago that they’re still recovering from.”
What to pack, or download
When it comes to preparing for a trip, what you put in your bag is highly personal. There are certain items that can be important.
Depending on where you’re traveling, it’s important to do research about the rules of bringing your medications with you. The U.S. State Department reports that medications should be stored in their original, labeled containers when traveling abroad, and it reminds travelers to check with the embassy of the country you’re visiting to ensure that those medications are allowed in the country.
Wheelchair and mobility device users may want to pack a mobile shower chair, battery charger for power wheelchairs and/or a portable ramp, if traveling by car.
Blind or low-vision travelers can use the free Be My Eyes mobile app to gain assistance from sighted volunteers, who can read signs and menus for someone, or help them navigate unfamiliar surroundings.
A pencil and notepad can be helpful tools for deaf travelers to communicate with hearing people who don’t know sign language, according to the site BRB Gone Somewhere Epic, which is written by a deaf travel blogger.
There is also free video relay service available through the Federal Communications Commission that deaf people can use to have interpreters translate conversations for them. There are multiple providers through this program, and Yu uses Purple Communications to make calls with people who don’t know know sign language.
Yu said it’s important to be vigilant while traveling.
“There’s no one to give us information,” Yu said. “If you can’t hear anything, you have to make sure that you’re visually aware.”
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