TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Denise Brodey

Our Expert’s Jam-Packed Weekend Itinerary For Charlotte, North Carolina

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a large green house that has tons of southern charm
credit: Charlotte Tourism

Even after only a quick glance at Cory Lee Woodard’s new accessible weekend itinerary for Charlotte, North Carolina, you will know this guy’s a pro—and he’s going to tell you everything you need to stay, see and savor the city. Cory Lee’s recent visit included Charlotte Motor Speedway, which has several tracks, including NASCAR, the zMAX Dragway and The Dirt Track. (Who knew there were three tracks? Thanks, Charlotte Tourism!) He found some delicious eats, too. (Beware, he posts photos. You will be thinking about those cinnamon buns for days). His favorite stop was a visit to the Latin American cultural village while checking out the Hola Charlotte! Street Festival.  Read more.

Silversea Cruises Launches 9 New Highly-Accessible Shore Excursions in the Caribbean and Central America

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credit: Silversea Cruises

Nine highly-accessible tours are now available thanks to a partnership between Silversea Cruises and Accessible Travel Solutions, both devoted to helping guests with all of their accessibility needs. Of course, shore excursions are made accessible using vehicles with wheelchair lifts or ramps. But the cruise line goes beyond the basics: Trips are carefully designed to include sites that have step-free access, accessible restrooms, and guides who are experienced with accessibility issues. In Grand Cayman, off-shore excursions include up-close views of sea turtles. In Roatán, Honduras, participants with limited mobility can interact with primates at a sanctuary. Other accessible tours include visits to markets of all kinds, literally giving travelers a taste of Cozumel and Grenada. Read more.

Short Holiday Trips Delight a Long-Underserved Market: People with Mild to Moderate Disabilities

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girl holding a present with candy canes
credit: Kira Aufderheide

Since 1985, New Directions Travel has worked to make the lives of people with mild or moderate disabilities happier via travel. Since then, these accessible travel pioneers, based in Santa Barbara, California, have greatly expanded. They’re now super-serving this underserved niche, offering short trips during the key holiday season. Their Happy Holidays trips are planned around Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas and are run by trained staff and dozens of volunteers. The groups visit Disneyland, San Francisco, and Hawaii. Packages include luxury rooms, gourmet meals, gifts, visits from Santa and days of serious fun. Their motto is “Joy is for everyone”. That spirit shows on every smiling face on their website. Read more.

Accessible and Eco-Friendly Beach Planned for Costa Rica—and It Will Be Made of Recycled Bottle Caps

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a beautiful ocean scene with a walkway that goes straight down to theater
credit: Dona Capa

There are currently no wheelchair accessible beaches anywhere in Central America—but Costa Rican organizations are working together to change that. Currently, Jacó on the Pacific coast and Cahuita on the Caribbean coast have made plans to build walkways out of recycled plastic bottle caps—putting to good use the plastics that pollute our waterways. What makes this plan even more special? The wide walkways will be designed to connect sidewalks with the sea so that people in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility can reach the water. Read more.

Was A Disabled American Airlines Passenger Really Left Stranded in Chicago? Here’s the Truth…Caught on Video

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It’s no secret that the airline industry has a dismal record when it comes to offering quality service to travelers with disabilities, particularly passengers who depend heavily on airport porters and wheelchairs. So last month, when a local news station reported that an elderly woman was abandoned in her wheelchair overnight by a porter closing up for the night at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, many believed the accusations to be true. But wait—not so fast. Before you come to any conclusions, you should know that video footage of the event revealed a very different story. Read more.