Top 5 Visitable Cities - Places Where People With Disabilities Have Great Accessibility

Vacations are enjoyed by millions of people all over the world but some people with disabilities can find planning a vacation a bit daunting because of disability issues. Some may even think it’s impossible. I say, with proper planning, you can have a great vacation to remember. Here is a list of the top five most accessible places to visit in the world.

Berlin, Germany

1. Berlin, Germany

It was awarded the “Access City of the Year” in December 2012 by the European Commission due to its aggressive and forward-thinking plan of creating a fully accessible public transportation system. Its plan also includes broadening sidewalks and using tactile guidance systems at road crossings. By the year 2020, the government plans on Berlin being 100% accessible. A large majority of museums in Berlin are already accessible as are most of the more well-known hotel chains but be sure to ask when making reservations what accessible features are currently available. You can search for places to visit at Visit Berlin for People with Disabilities. 

Vancouver, British Columbia

 2. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

One of the most diverse cities in the world, Vancouver offers visitors a wide variety of cultural foods and experiences. With its great public transportation system – buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps and the Sky Train and SeaBus are also accessible – visitors have a variety of choices when deciding how to get to where they’re going. Vancouver International Airport is one of the world’s most accessible airports. Some barrier-free features include amplified handsets at service counters, low-mounted information monitors, services for the deaf and accessible washrooms. Travelers can rent vehicles with hand-controls or use the Airporter shuttle bus service to get to their hotels. For more information on where to go and what to do, go to Accessible Vancouver.

San Diego, California, United States

3. San Diego, California

When you think “California” you should also think “beach”! With its mild climate you can enjoy 70 miles of beach when visiting this city year-round. At at least fifteen San Diego beaches, beach wheelchairs are available for people with disabilities at no charge. Some even offer motorized chairs. To find a list of beaches with phone numbers check out CaliforniaCoastal Commission. You can also take accessible sightseeing tours via bus, boat or old-fashioned trolley. Go to SanDiego.org to plan your trip. 

Denmark

4. Denmark

Yes, the whole country. While all Scandinavian countries are very disability-friendly, Denmark stands out because of its “Accessibility For All” program. This is a tourism labeling system for hotels, attractions, restaurants and other places you might want to visit while there. You can search for places and other things accessible using http://www.godadgang.dk/ and narrowing it down by city, type of place, disability and more. You can also find more tourism information at VisitDenmark.com. 

London, England

5. London, England

England might call to mind old tradition but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t modernized its accommodations for people with disabilities. The subway system, called the Tube, has some stops that are not wheelchair accessible so if you’re planning on traveling that way be sure to research ahead of time to find the stops that are accessible. However, the large majority of their buses are accessible and their taxis are required by law to be accessible. You can find accessibility information at Transport For London. Many of London’s most popular sight-seeing stops are free or offer a discount for people with disabilities. There are some places that even allow one care giver in at no charge.

Special Mention:

Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, Texas – A recreational park that provides a beautiful environment free of economic barriers that all individuals, regardless of disability can enjoy. It boasts many attractions such as a sensory village, picnic area, playground and sandpit and a carousel that is accessible to all including wheelchair users. Tickets can be purchased online and are very reasonably priced. Individuals with disabilities and children under 2 get in for free. Visit their site at Morgan’s Wonderland.

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So now that you have some ideas of where to go, let’s go over a few tips on how to travel with a disability:

1.  Plan ahead! Give yourself as much time as possible to research where you are going. Here are some questions you should ask:

·         Is the destination airport accessible? Who can help you find the right accommodations?

·         Does the hotel have a no-step entrance; rooms on the first floor; wide hallways/doorways; grab-bars or roll-in showers? Do they have other accommodations such as interpreters or amplified handsets?

·         Is the local area disability-friendly? How will you be getting to local attractions and sites?

2. Bring a letter from you doctor - Preferably on a letterhead, a doctor’s note explaining your condition and necessary treatments could help you if you become ill or injured. Make sure the doctor’s contact information is on the letter.

3. Be specific - Not everybody will know what your particular disability entails or requires. When makin queries be very clear about what your needs are.

4. Know about emergency services - In the US, 911 is the universal emergency phone number. What about in other countries? Be sure to know what to do if you have an emergency.

Remember, being prepared for the worst allows you to enjoy your time better. Here are some travel sites geared toward helping people with disabilities:

Mobility-Advisor.com 

Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality 

Enable Mob Travel Resources 

Disability Travel and Recreation Resources 

Happy vacationing!

Accessible Playground For People With Disabilities

I forgot all about this park until I just came across an article about it. Thanks, Arc Circle of Family and Friends!

It’s called Morgan’sWonderland, located in Texas, and it’s designed for kids and people with disabilities to enjoy. It’s a place where special needs kids and able-bodied siblings can have fun together. Families can have meaningful quality time that everybody can enjoy.  It has some great features and it’s very inexpensive. Anybody in the disabled community knows that when you add the word “special”, or any variant of it, to something it automatically boosts the cost of the product or service by at least 20%. Not here. One-day passes for adults: $15; kids: $10: special needs: $0. Can't get much better than that!

I read an article about it in Family Circle. This choked me up when I read it:

"Before the park, I had to sit back and watch everyone else play," says 18-year-old Miguel Castro of San Antonio, who has spina bifida and is in a wheelchair. He celebrated his 17th birthday party at the park. "If I had to pick a favorite ride, it would be the swings. I hadn't been on one since I was 2 or 3 years old, and didn't really remember what it felt like," says Miguel. "Now I can go on them whenever we visit, and have fun like everyone else. It means everything to me."

Can you imagine not being able to remember what it felt like to be on a swing because your body wouldn't allow you to get into one after the age of 2 or 3? How many times did you play at the park or on the school grounds for recess with your friends? Did you slide down a huge slide or sit in the tire swing with a couple of buddies and spin, spin, spin till you got so dizzy you almost threw up? Did you play tag and chase each other on the monkey bars? In elementary school, we called the playground equipment “the big toy”. I have lots of awesome memories from playing on that thing.

My daughter has never and WILL never be able to play on a big toy. She can’t get on those swings or go up and down that slide even though she really, really wants to. I don’t even go anywhere where she would be watching other kids screaming in delight on one because of the torture on her face. If you think I’m exaggerating, take your own kid, niece, nephew, neighbor’s kid, whoever, to a park, sit them right in front of it and tell them they can watch from their seat but they can’t get up and they can’t go play.

That all sounds depressing, doesn’t it? I just keep in mind that it’s only one thing she can’t do. But I often wonder what the heck I’m gonna do when my son gets old enough to want to go to the park. I can’t NOT let him go; I can’t take the girl. The only thing I can figure is I will have to have separate play dates with my own kids!

I wonder what other parents of kids with and without disabilities do in these situations??