TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Eliana Satkin

What would you do?

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WHAT WOULD YOU DO? SCENARIO #4

Each month we try to address various accessibility issues that may arise with the TravelAbility community. 

A group from the Blind Seniors Association will be attending a conference in your destination and have inquired what there is to do for them on their free day. How would you go about researching and finding this information?

Responses:

Tom Babinszki, blind travel blogger

This can get quite time consuming, as I’m finding that accessibility information is often not available. I would look for events, exhibits, concerts, museums, etc. I would check if the venue has accessibility information on their site, and if it is sufficient. Otherwise, I would just contact the places I find interesting. Oftentimes you may be surprised that there is more accessibility than what they tell you about on the web site.

Be proactive and hire a local blind person, or content creator, to work with you on accessible itinerary options, like this Seattle site.

Natasha Dillinger

Natasha Dillinger, Seattle-based mom and content creator

Be proactive and hire a local blind person, or content creator, to work with you on accessible itinerary options, like this Seattle site.

Tami Reist, President/CEO, Alabama MountainLakes Tourist Association

  1. Outdoor experiences

Lake Guntersville State Park:Offers accessible trails and sensory experiences, such as the sounds of birds and water.

Monte Sano State Park:The park has accessible picnic areas and sensory gardens where the textures and scents of plants can be enjoyed.

  2. Music and Cultural Events

Alabama Music Hall of Fame (Tuscumbia): Enjoy guided tours with descriptions of music history and audio experiences.

    Helen Keller Birthplace: Experience the history of Helen Keller through tactile exhibits and guided storytelling.

 3. Dining and Social Experiences

   Local Cafés and Restaurants: Enjoy the rich Southern cuisine with friends or family. Many establishments are happy to accommodate special needs.

   Farmers Markets:These provide an opportunity to enjoy the fresh smells and textures of locally grown produce.

4.Community Centers and Clubs

  Senior Centers

Many offer social activities, like music nights, storytelling sessions, and group outings, specifically designed to be inclusive for people with disabilities.

   Church Groups: Many churches in the area have programs and gatherings that cater to seniors, providing a sense of community and belonging.

5. Historical Tours

   Guided Audio Tours: Many historical sites in North Alabama offer audio tours, allowing a blind person to enjoy the rich history of the region through detailed descriptions.

6. Art and Craft Workshops

   Tactile Art Classes:Some community art centers offer classes where participants can create art through touch, such as pottery or textile crafts.

 These activities can provide an enriching and enjoyable experience for a senior blind person, allowing them to connect with the beauty and culture of North Alabama in a meaningful way.

Hilda Dunford, blindness advocate and mom

We call each place we hope to visit and ask what accommodations they have for someone who is blind.

Jason Holic, CDME, Sr. Vice President of Operations & Community Engagement, Experience Kissimmee 

I would reach out to Lighthouse Central Florida (https://lighthousecfl.org/). They are a non-profit partner of Experience Kissimmee that specializes in teaching independent living skills to those with vision loss or low vision in the Central Florida area, including Osceola County. Tapping into their network of resources would provide plenty of insights and ideas. I would also reach out to the Greater Orlando Council of the Blind (https://www.fcb.org/GOCB) for additional thoughts.

News from the TravelAbility Community

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Triumphs of our own – How the TravelAbility Community is Leading Accessibility Innovators in Transforming Travel and Tourism Worldwide!

State of Colorado Introduces Accessible Travel Pilot Program with Wheel the World

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Lincoln City, Oregon Ramps up Coastal Accessibility with Curb Cuts and Mobi-Mats

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Michigan Names Traverse City First Autism-Certified Destination After Extensive Training Program 

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Dutchess County Earns Title as a Wheel the World Verified Destination as 50 Local Businesses Meet Rigorous Accessibility Standards

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News from Around the Web

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Information and inspiration from around web.

TV Host: “Pets Are Treated Better On Planes Than Disabled People” | Business Insider

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Making Shakespeare In Tahoe Accessible To Everyone | Sierrasun.Com

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Travelmation Announces Inaugural Accessibility Cruise | Travelage West

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A Round Up Of Free Travel Apps For Greater Accessibility And Convenience | Travel And Tour World

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Spanish Tourist Office Releases “Launching Point” Report Designed To Spur Best Practices In Accessible Travel  | Travel Weekly

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Uae’s Amsaan Accessible Tours Introduces A Series Of Guided Tours In International Sign Language | Corporate-News – Gulf News

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Sdc Launches Singapore’s First Accessible Beach Track Along With Inclusive Tours

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Pottery Barn Adds Dozen Of Pieces Of Furniture Designed With Accessibility In Mind | Disability Scoop

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This Travel Booking Site Just Made It Easier For Travelers With Disabilities To Find Accessible Campsites

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2024 Preliminary EMS Agenda

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The Emerging Markets Summit is happening November 13-15th in San Francisco at the Argonaut Hotel.Click the link below to download the Preliminary Agenda-Times, topics and speakers are subject to change. The conference is close to sold out so if you have not yet registered click here.

2024Summit-updated-and-edited-v6.1-2Download

Turf Battles: Cities Grapple with Making Outdoor Dining ADA-Compliant

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By Dan Tobin

It’s hard to remember the depths of the claustrophobia we all felt in the spring of 2020. With the pandemic raging and social distancing in full force, schools, workplaces, and many retail businesses were closed. But help was on the way. 

Boston resident Doug Bacon recalls the joyous moment in the summer of 2020 when he first noticed local restaurants adding tables and patios that spilled out into the street. It was “magical” he said. 

Outdoor dining proved to be one of the few positive legacies of the COVID-19 crisis. Four years later, many cities are still working on rules to make outdoor dining a permanent summer feature, including ensuring compliance with ADA requirements that were brushed aside in 2020.

“We did change the parameters of the program after the pandemic,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said in a recent radio interview with GBH (July 9th episode). “During the pandemic it was basically meant as a restaurant rescue and relief program where regulatory agencies looked the other way on accessibility requirements and on some of the requirements we’ve determined for safety when you are eating so close to traffic. Now many of those requirements have been codified for the permanent program.”

Portland, Oregon has put together an extensive guide on how to incorporate ADA requirements into outdoor dining. Here, for example, is an illustration of ways to maintain a clear pedestrian pathway:

(From the Portland Bureau of Transportation)

But Portland restaurant owners have reported mixed results with outdoor dining. And the costs have been significant, with most spending $5,000-$6,000 to build a wooden structure on four or five parking spaces. “[We spent] a ton of money,” said Lisa Shroeder of the popular Mother’s Bistro and Bar in a recent panel discussion with Oregon Public Broadcasting. “Which is why I was very concerned when I heard that the business permits might not be renewed, over $5,000 at least, especially with the cost of wood currently. So I was very worried that I was going to be losing a lot of money if I had to deconstruct that.” And the demand for the outdoor seats has been underwhelming, Schroeder adds. 

In the same conversaton, restaurateur Carlo Lamagna of Magna Kusina, reported great success with the outdoor seating area. “In total, we spent about the same amount as Lisa did, running around $6,000 in total for the entire structure. . . . it’s been pretty amazing. It’s been adding quite a bit of revenue for us. So yeah, we are definitely benefiting from the structure.”

Few cities embraced outdoor dining during COVID as enthusiastically as New York. Many restaurants built elaborate outdoor dining structures seemingly overnight, which served as a stark contrast to the usual response to ADA requirements, wrote Peneliope Richards of the restaurant blog Eater. Richards, who uses a wheelchair, made her point clear in the title of her column:  “If Restaurants Can Build a Sidewalk Shed, They Can Accommodate Disabled Diners.”

“Complying with ADA guidelines should not be considered an added expense or something that restaurant owners can push to the wayside. It is the law, just as state mandates for indoor and outdoor dining, limited capacities, and other social-distancing protocols were. It’s disheartening to see how quickly and ingeniously many restaurants are able to pivot when it’s the bottom line that’s at risk (and understandably so: I am sympathetic to their need to survive), rather than the needs of their customers with disabilities.”

We agree wholeheartedly with Richards’ comments, but it shouldn’t be an either or. Diners with disabilities like to eat outside too, and that also contributes to the bottom line.