Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Canada has made tremendous efforts toward eliminating barriers to mobility for its citizens and, by extension, its tourist visitors. City pavements feature curb cuts for wheelchair travel, and larger hotels and airports sport wheelchair-accessible washrooms. A growing number of restaurants and tourist attractions are now designed for wheelchair accessibility as well, although room for improvement remains.

The Canadian Paraplegic Association (www.canparaplegic.org) runs a helpful website and also maintains an office in each of the four Atlantic provinces. In New Brunswick, call tel. 506/462-9555; in Nova Scotia, call tel. 902/423-1277; in Prince Edward Island, call tel. 902/626-9523; and in Newfoundland and Labrador, call tel. 709/753-5901.

Travelers with disabilities headed for Nova Scotia can also ask locally about accessible transportation and recreational opportunities by contacting the Nova Scotia League for Equal Opportunities (tel. 866/696-7536 or 902/455-6942; www.novascotialeo.org). The organization maintains a useful network of contacts throughout the province.

Some travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. One of the best is Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com), which can help you find a 10-day, wheelchair-accessible cruise touching Halifax and Saint John, for example.

Avis Rent a Car (tel. 888/879-4273; www.avis.com/access) has a good "Avis Access" program that offers services for customers with special travel needs. These include specially outfitted vehicles with swivel seats, spinner knobs, panoramic mirrors, and hand controls; mobility scooter rentals; and accessible bus service. Be sure to reserve well in advance.