Web sites designed to help the disabled traveler

By Darren M. Green
Special to the Tribune
Published March 11, 2007


Airports, airplanes and tight schedules can raise the stress level of even the healthiest traveler. Those who face the added challenge of traveling with what is commonly referred to as a mobility disability, such as confinement to a wheelchair, have yet one more obstacle to overcome in getting from point A to the beach or mountains. While the online landscape is dotted with dozens of Web sites professing to facilitate every type of travel to every possible location, under the surface the Internet offers an array of far deeper research and planning tools within highly specialized subsets of the travel universe--wheelchair travel being one such category. Here are some of the better ones.



www.globalaccessnews.com. Also known as the "Disabled Travel Network," this rather basic site serves as a sounding board for disabled travelers to share good and bad experiences. Start by clicking on the Travel Archives link, and from there you can explore the world by country or region (or even by cruise). For example, a click on the Britain '02 link under the Great Britain & Ireland heading yields the following information about the writer's travels: "Central London is full of sloped curbs and pedestrian crossings, so apart from the distances my partner ... pushed me, it was easy traveling. Brave persons can try the `wheelchair accessible' buses, but you definitely need a manual chair and help, as most drivers do not even flip the ramp down, and you have to compete with pushchairs. . . ." Though this information is four years old, it remains worthwhile for someone headed to those parts with a wheelchair in tow.

www.access-able.com. Launched back in the Internet dark ages (1995), Access-able is the brainchild of a Coloradobased husband-and-wife team who decided they wanted to create a resource to assist travelers with all types of disabilities (mobility included). In addition to loads of practical suggestions regarding transportation options and accommodations, the site affords those traveling with a wheelchair the opportunity to learn about activities that are navigable via wheelchair. (For example, Xcarat in Cancun is mostly accessible by wheelchair.) For those planning on hitting the high seas, the site's Cruise section offers wonderful reviews broken down by operator and ship. Finally, check out the Links page for a listing of other Web sites that may be of assistance in making travel plans.



www.disabilitytravel.com. Launched by a company called Accessible Journeys, this site focuses on arranging wheelchair-accessible group travel packages. Pre-packaged and custom trips are offered in countries across the globe, including a "continuous travel" package around the world. Those who prefer "turnkey" service providers will enjoy these adventures, as Accessible Journeys handles everything from travel insurance to foreign mobility equipment. Frequent travelers may also want to subscribe to the "Access-to-the-Planet" e-newsletter, which provides targeted advice and suggestions for those traveling with a wheelchair.



www.flying-with-disability.org. Launched initially with the stated purpose of serving as an open forum between the airline industry and disabled travelers, this site now provides a wealth of information and advice to make the journey more enjoyable. Topics are listed along the left side of the home page, each of which points to a screen full of recommendations regarding various aspects of air travel. For example, a click on the At the Airport link turns up the following advice: "It is a good idea to supply assembly instructions with the chair in the instance that it will be necessary to dismantle your wheelchair. This may be the case if your chair is battery operated." The site is replete with other rather non-obvious suggestions and explanations.



www.emerginghorizons.com. This is the virtual counterpart to Emerging Horizons magazine, which focuses solely on accessible travel. While basic information is available to all Web site visitors, full online access to the current issue and archived issues of the magazine is reserved for subscribers (available at the Web site for $17 per year). Nevertheless, there's plenty of free (and worthwhile) information posted at the site, including wheelchair-related meanderings of the editor (posted at the Editor's Blog), news clips within the In the News Section and informative Q&A behind the Ask the Expert link. For those heading to the UK, an "expert" response to a recent inquiry suggested that wheelchairs could be rented in London through the National Federation of Shop Mobility Web site located at www.just mobility.co.uk/shop.



www.accessiblechicago.org. As with most travel categories, once you've knocked off the big ticket items for your trip (e.g. destination and flight), there are countless "local" Web sites that can prove invaluable working through the details. AccessibleChicago, which takes "the guesswork out of traveling in Chicago with a wheelchair," is one such site (and a good one at that). Sports fans will be glad to learn that White Sox games are easy to enjoy with a wheelchair--simply park in the handicapped lot near the entrance and use the VIP elevators to get to the accessible seating. At the other end of the spectrum, parking at and navigating through Chicago's wonderful museum campus is, according to the site, not an easy endeavor for those in a wheelchair.

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