TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Parks and Public spaces

Wisconsin State Park Offers Accessible Tree Top Canopy Walkway

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Elevated wooden walkway and viewing tower.

The 63-foot-tall Eagle Tower with its stunning vistas of Green Bay and its canopy walkway represents not only an impressive feat of imagination, but also a stellar example of comprehensive accessibility planning. The tower offers everyone, no matter their mobility levels, a unique experience in Wisconsin’s Peninsula State Park.

Our Take: People with mobility challenges regularly face barriers in public parks – stairs, narrow entrances and high stone walls at overlook view positions are just a few examples. TravelAbility sees a positive trend developing as several states now offer canopy ramps so everyone can enjoy the pleasures of the outdoors from above the tree tops!

To read more about Eagle Tower, see the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources press release.

Summer’s Here: 9 of the Best Wheelchair Accessible Beaches in the USA

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Lifeguard stand on beach at sunset.

It’s summertime and America’s beaches are open! For wheelchair users, a beach day can offer a welcome respite from everyday life – a chance to enjoy the sun, sand and waves while spending a day out with friends.

Accessible travel writers Barbara and Jim Twardowski recently published an article in Smarter Travel highlighting nine of the best wheelchair accessible beaches in the United States.

Two beach destinations that really stand out are Huntington Beach, California and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In Huntington Beach, there are multiple accessible beach entrances, but also an adaptive surfing program! Beach wheelchairs are available for rent from a local vendor.

In Myrtle Beach, more than 40 wheelchair accessible beach access points are used by disabled visitors. Parking is free for people with a disabled parking permit, and loaner beach wheelchairs are delivered free of charge.

Our take: Park and Recreation departments, which fall under the purview of the City Manager’s office, are now becoming more proactive in accommodating people with disabilities by establishing budgets for adaptive equipment such as mat surfaces and beach chairs so that locals as well as visitors can enjoy them.

To read more about the top wheelchair accessible beaches in the USA, check out the article in Smarter Travel.

Airbnb Offering Accessible Outdoor Experiences for Wheelchair Users

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Adaptive surfing and person on beach wheelchair.

In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Airbnb partnered with No Barriers, a non-profit organization that connects disabled people with opportunities to engage with nature.

As part of this collaboration, Airbnb has highlighted accessible experiences and places to stay that have accessibility features available for disabled guests.

Suzanne Edwards, Airbnb’s head of accessibility standards, said that “we continue working to grow the number of stays and Experiences for guests with accessibility needs.” A wheelchair user herself, Suzanne said that she’s “been inspired by Hosts’ stylish rural homes with accessibility features.”

The accessible experiences available through Airbnb include a beginner’s horseback ride designed for neurodiverse guests and an adaptive canoe excursion.

To learn more, read the full article in Travel + Leisure.

Nature Calls: UNWTO Answers – Best Practices for Improving Accessibility in the Great Outdoors

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Wheelchair bike on national park trail.
NPS/Jacob W. Frank

The UNWTO’S Working Group on Accessible Tourism, in coordination with its Affiliate Members Department and the Spanish Network for Accessible Tourism has published “Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development: Compendium of Best Practices.” The publication addresses the topic of accessibility in the outdoors and public parks.

The document provides examples of best practices for improving accessibility in nature to attract travelers with disabilities. The publication is an important step in opening nature areas to disabled people, which is a priority for destinations around the world.

To read the full report, which includes valuable case studies, visit the UNWTO website. You can read more about the publication in this article from ENAT.

National Park Service Produces Film Series to Showcase Accessibility at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

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Tourist standing at foot of giant tree in Sequoia National Park.

The National Park Service has produced 6 films to highlight accessibility at the breathtaking Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

On its website, the Park Service states that it hopes the films give disabled visitors “an in-depth tour of selected features and facilities so that you can decide whether a visit, hike, camping trip, or tour are within your reach.

The individual films, each about 3 minutes in length, describe accessibility features such as tours of the Crystal Cave with American Sign Language, tactile exhibits on the Grant Tree Trail, wheelchair accessible Sequoia Shuttles, accessible campsites and more.

To learn more about the accessibility at the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and to watch the videos, visit the NPS website.