Travelers With Disabilities
Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and resources out there than ever before. A clearinghouse of official Canadian federal government information on disability issues, including those related to travel and transportation, is available from Persons with Disabilities Online, www.pwd-online.ca. The Canadian Paraplegic Association (tel. 800/720-4933; www.canparaplegic.org) can offer advice for mobility-challenged travelers as well as address issues for those with spinal cord injuries or with other physical disabilities. From the national website, you can click to find provincial organizations.
A World of Options, a 658-page book of resources for travelers with disabilities, covers everything from biking trips to scuba outfitters. It costs US$18 (US$30 for members) and is available from Mobility International USA, P.O. Box 10767, Eugene, OR 97440 (tel. 541/343-1284 voice and TDD; www.miusa.org).
Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers escorted tours and cruises that emphasize sports and private tours in minivans with lifts. Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifically to slow walkers and wheelchair travelers and their families and friends.
Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include the Moss Rehab Hospital (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: US$45 adults, US$30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), which provides information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.
For more information specifically targeted to travelers with disabilities, check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons ($14.95 per year, $19.95 outside the U.S.; www.emerginghorizons.com).
