If a trip to the windy city is in your future, then you're in luck as far as access is concerned. Not only does Chicago boast a wide range of wheelchair-accessible attractions and lodging options; but a bevy of free tours and accessible travel planning resources are also available.
Chicago's First Access Guide
Released earlier this year, Easy Access Chicago, tops the resource lists. Published by the Open Doors Organization in partnership with the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, this 32-page print guide features detailed access information on hotels, transportation options, tourist attractions and restaurants throughout the Chicago area. From which hotels have roll-in showers and what "L" stops are wheelchair-accessible, to how to find accessible ground transportation at the airport, this helpful resource is packed full of useful information.
Best of all, it's free! Just call the Illinois Bureau of Tourism at tel. 800/266-6328 and they'll drop a copy in the mail to you. And if time is of the essence and you can't wait for the postman, then surf on over to the Illinois Bureau of Tourism website (www.enjoyillinois.com/brochures) and download a PDF copy of the guide.
Two Great Websites
Additionally, the Easy Access Chicago website (www.easyaccesschicago.org) contains access updates and news along with an easy-to-use search feature that allows users to customize their hotel searches. So for example, if you're looking for a hotel in the Loop with a roll-in shower and an on-site restaurant, just check those boxes on the search screen and a list of properties matching that criteria will be returned. It's a very helpful tool for finding accessible lodging with specific access features.
Another useful website, Accessible Chicago (www.accessiblechicago.org) focuses on wheelchair-accessible outings for kids. What started as a graduate school project for Catherine Marsden, has grown into an interactive network of travelers sharing their own experiences about access in Chicago. Catherine started the website because she had a disabled daughter and she wanted to share her resources and information with other parents in the same boat. And the idea grew from there.
Today the website features detailed access information about local attractions and ground transportation; plus information about user-recommended hotels and restaurants. It's a great resource for parents.
Free Chicago Tours
There's no shortage of free tours in Chicago, and the good news is many of them are accessible.
Chicago Greeter (tel. 312/744-8000; www.chicagogreeter.com) tops the freebie list, with over 40 free tours available to visitors. Introduced in 2002, this volunteer-based program is overseen by the Chicago Office of Tourism and staffed by volunteers. Because each tour is customized, accessible options are available. A typical walking tour lasts two to four hours and is conducted on public transportation. Advance reservations are required.
If you'd like to learn a little bit about the local architecture, then check out the free lunch time lecture series presented by the Chicago Architecture Foundation (tel. 312/922-3432; www.architecture.org). Held every Wednesday, from 12:15-1:15pm, these informative programs are presented in the wheelchair-accessible John Buck Lecture Hall Gallery, which is located in the ground-floor atrium of the Santa Fe Building. Topics include everything from Chicago landmarks to prairie architecture, and it's a very popular series with architecture buffs. Guests are invited to bring a sack lunch to enjoy during the lecture.
Last but not least, if you'd prefer an independent tour, then visit the City of Chicago Tourism website (www.cityofchicago.org/tourism) and download one of their free MP3 tours. These entertaining audio tours travel along accessible routes, and they're a very economical and accessible sightseeing option.
So hit the bricks and explore a very accessible Chicago this summer.
Candy Harrington is the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of 101 Accessible Vacations; Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.barrierfreetravels.com.
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