Travelling is amazing and should definitely be enjoyed by all. It’s certainly not just for the able bodied. But, for disabled people to get maximum enjoyment out of travelling it just has to be a little less spontaneous with a lot more forward planning.
Organisation is crucial as it can avoid hiccups along the way which can ruin your holiday. Decide where you’re wanting to go first then assess your options. Obviously, some locations are out of the question but many of the most popular holiday locations are disability friendly. Do some research or speak to a travel agent specialising in accessible holidays and see which areas they can recommended before booking.
For some disabled people, travelling in the UK only is preferred. The UK has quite a high standard of provisions for disabled people – you can travel safe in the knowledge that popular tourist areas are geared up for wheelchairs and frames etc. Research whether or not the locations you’re looking at have a relatively flat ground surface and whether the footpaths are wheelchair friendly.
Secondly, organise your transport to and from the holiday destination and for whilst you are there. Certain taxi firms do have wheelchair accessible cabs but it’s best to have a hire car or take your own specially adapted car, if you want to avoid waiting a long time for cabs or spending a lot of money. This way you can travel whenever and wherever you like and still fit the whole group of you in.
When it comes to booking your accommodation a lot of places have certain rooms that are specially adapted for disabled people. For example, if you’re holidaying in the UK Centre Parks have great disabled facilities and the opportunity to get involved in lots of activities. But if you’re thinking of going further afield there are some great websites like disabledaccessholidays.com which can recommend some fantastic hotels abroad.
If you’re planning on doing a lot of sightseeing on your holiday it’s a good idea to visit the websites of all the major museums to check whether they have lifts and if not, how much of the exhibitions are on the ground floor first.
Don’t be put off of going travelling; as long as you do the right research and plan as much as possible in advance you’re sure to have an awesome time.