My Piece In Travel + Leisure: The State of Accessible Travel

accessible travelSeeing your byline in a beautiful glossy magazine is PEAK writer dreams…and also incredibly rare these days! After all, my last print byline was for Good Housekeeping in 2017. And now, three years later? Well, what a way to kick off 2020 — with a print piece all about the state of accessible travel…

Yes, accessible travel.

As you can probably imagine, I was BEYOND excited when the magazine’s editor reached out to me about writing this piece. Accessible travel isn’t something we typically read about in mainstream publications and, honestly, I think there’s still a lot of misunderstandings and misconceptions about what it’s like to travel with a disability.

For example, take our NYC adventure last summer. It had been nearly a decade since I went on vacation and in addition to the usual stress of scheduling and packing, a host of questions loomed: Will my wheelchair be OK on the plane? Will the cars be accessible? Will I be able to navigate the Big Apple sidewalks? What if the buildings don’t have elevators?

Thankfully, we had a wonderful trip (yay for accessible taxis!), but we worried because accessible travel hasn’t always been the most, well, accessible for people with disabilities, who make up roughly 15% of the world’s population, according to the World Health Organization. My childhood was filled with one family vacation after another, with stops at hotels, historical sites, state parks and rest stops, and I learned early on that traveling is never easy when you have a disability. From inaccessible buildings to rental cars that aren’t exactly wheelchair-friendly, there’s a lot to consider before you jet off for fun!

accessible travelBut the good news? Society is finally making strides when it comes to accessibility, which is why it was so important for me to write this article! Plus, to my surprise, the travel industry is making even more strides than I thought. And not just stateside, either! And not just when it comes to physical disabilities, either! Places like London’s Heathrow Airport are at the forefront in creating a stress-free travel experience for people with invisible disabilities like autism.

It was such a thrill and an honor to get to talk to travel industry insiders and hear all the cool stuff they’re doing to help disabled travelers! Hats off to those who are paving the way for more inclusive, more enjoyable and more FUN travel adventures for disabled people! I can’t wait for my next adventure too! Be sure to check out the February issue if you can!! xoxo

New York City, Here We Come…

New York City New York City New York CityYes, friends!! You read that post title correctly!! We are leaving on a jet plane bound for New York City!! The Big Apple! The city that never sleeps! The city so chic that you feel like you’re dripping in diamonds!!

Alright, so I may have made up that last one, but it’s probably an accurate description. I mean, this is the same city that is home to the one and only Carrie Bradshaw, and she’s about as chic and fashionable as they get, so I’m pretty sure New York City is just waiting for me to soak up all the culture, charm and sophistication its five boroughs have to offer.

As you may remember, this isn’t the first time I’ve entered a New York state of mind — pun intended! I’ve been there once before, all the way back in 2002. In fact, it was the last family vacation that we ever took before my father was diagnosed with cancer; that bittersweet notion certainly isn’t lost on me. I wonder if all the memories of that trip will come flooding back as we walk through Central Park or cruise around Times Square.

New York CityHere’s a photo from that trip, when my #1 requirement was paying my respects to the MTV studios!! Even in my early twenties, I was a woman who knew her priorities!

There’s no doubt that it may be a bit emotional, but I’m so excited to see my family! It’s always a wonderful reunion when my mom’s family gets together, and my cousin Mona is the perfect New York City tour guide — she’s got lots of fun stuff planned for us, including taking in a Broadway show! Can you guess which show we’re seeing? Maybe this post will give you a hint!

We’ll be gone all week, but I’ve scheduled some posts for your reading pleasure! And don’t worry, a huge blog post (or maybe several…) is coming up when I get home!! After all, I’m sure I’ll have lots of stories about my adventures and tons of fun photos to share! Can you imagine little old me in the bustling metropolis? Ooooh, this is going to be the trip of a lifetime — I can feel it, and we haven’t even left yet!

Feel free to follow me on Twitter and Facebook. Really, let’s just state the obvious right now, shall we?? I’m going to overshare the heck out of this trip!!! New York City, get ready for me!!!!! xoxo

Let’s Talk Travel: My Guest Post on accessibleGO…

Guest PostYesterday, I shared my interview with Miriam Eljas from accessibleGO, the new travel service for people with disabilities! I was thrilled when accessibleGO turned the tables and asked me some questions for their awesome blog!! The questions were thought-provoking and made me reminisce about all my travel adventures over the years! Here’s an excerpt of my guest post, complete with some classic touristy photos of my family in the Big Apple…

My parents made sure that my sister and I grow up having lots of travel adventures! We traveled twice a year (in the summer and at Christmas) to visit my grandparents in Alabama. We’d drive down there any always stop at places along the way, like Nashville or the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. My parents wanted each trip to be fun and educational, and those trips are some of my favorite childhood memories. We also flew to Disney World when I was 13 for a Make-A-Wish trip, which was exciting since I’d never been there before.

It’s interesting because being on vacation with my family was one of the only times growing up when I didn’t have to think about my disability or worry about an upcoming surgery. It was a time when I could be just me and that was such a special gift my parents gave me!

You can read the full guest post here! Also, good news: accessibleGO is having a $250 travel gift card giveaway in March for people who submit a hotel accessibility review! Click here to submit your review and happy travels, friends, wherever your adventures may take you!! xoxo

How One Travel Platform Helps People With Disabilities

travel platform helps people with disabilitiesAs you all know, I’ve taken lots of vacations over the years! My childhood, especially, was filled with one road trip after another, with stops at hotels, historical sites, state parks, rest stops — every trip had the hallmarks of a classic family vacation. Still, traveling is never easy when you have a disability, as my family has learned over the years. From inaccessible buildings to rental cars that aren’t exactly wheelchair-friendly, there’s a lot to consider before you jet off for fun! That’s why I was so excited when accessibleGO contacted me a few months ago! The full-service travel platform helps people with disabilities take the stress out of vacations, and I recently got the opportunity to interview Miriam Eljas, the company’s incredible founder and CEO! Read on for tips for traveling with a disability and how accessibleGO plans to expand in the future…

So tell me about accessibleGO. How did it come about and when?
I started accessibleGO because of my mother, Emma Eljas. accessibleGO is a travel platform for people with disabilities, offering bookings, reviews and community.

My mom had multiple sclerosis and was a wheelchair user for as long as I could remember. As a kid growing up in Silicon Valley, I saw her go from using a cane to a walker to a wheelchair as the disease progressed. I have strong memories of trying to go with her to places that, as a wheelchair user, were not accessible, and frequently getting information over the phone that was completely inaccurate, though well-intentioned.

I always wanted to do something for accessibility that would make a difference and travel has this amazing ability to impact your life in more ways than just seen as a pleasant trip. Travel can lift you up, inspire you and leave lifelong impressions. Travel is also an area that needs significant change so that everyone can enjoy the same experiences no matter what personal situation they have.

My mom was also the kind of person that would never take “no” for an answer and she always found a way, no matter what. This attitude is an incredible gift she gave me and that mentality has helped shape accessibleGO.

These powerful childhood experiences inspired me to create accessibleGO along with my partner and co-founder, Jeff Schlanger.

Why is it so important to have a travel service specifically for people with disabilities?
So many hotels, attractions, landmarks and more are still not accessible and it’s amazing in this day and age, even with ADA laws, to arrive at a destination and to experience barriers.

One wheelchair user on Facebook recently told of her experience where she booked a hotel that claimed to be accessible — only to find the hotel lobby elevator banks could only be reached by stairs. So her husband had to carry her heavy power chair over the stairs every time they wanted to go in or out.

Another wheelchair user reported traveling to a resort for his honeymoon to find the accessible bathroom was not usable, so he had to “shower” with a sink for two weeks.

To pay hundreds of dollars for a hotel stay, or to fly across the country to visit a special attraction you’ve dreamed of and find this kind of surprise is unacceptable. We feel that the power of the crowd is critical and the more users we have, the more we can demonstrate strength in numbers by reviews, comments and other calls to action to affect change. These days, hotel live by their online reputations and a hotel with accessibility problems cannot ignore a powerful demographic writing negative reviews and sharing it online.

How has the company expanded since its creation?
We released the website this past July, when we launched our booking engine for hotels, along with our Trip Resources of local travel information as well as a Travel Ideas section for travel inspiration. We have chosen to focus on the top 20 most popular cities in the USA, offering content like Top 10 Accessible Things to do in Orlando or 48 Hours in Las Vegas. We also launched a community blog of popular bloggers!

Next month, we are launching the car and flights booking capabilities along with a few exciting new account offerings, as well as some new sections offering more tools for creating a community of like-minded travelers sharing information about accessibility.

We’ve also started a project of gathering accessibility data on hotels, so that when you use our booking engine, it will not just say if a hotel claims to be accessible but will also state all the data we have, like if the hotel has a step-free entrance or if they are very welcoming to service animals. Even though all of this is required by the law, it helps to know when a hotel actually promotes these accessibility features.

How do you hope to expand in the future?
Right now, we are focusing on domestic travel in the USA and will eventually expand globally.

While you can use the booking engine to book hotels around the world, all our content in the Travel Ideas section and Trip Resources is based around the top 20 USA cities. We are about to release another 10 cities on our platform, which we are very excited about, including cities in Hawaii by popular demand.

What is your #1 travel tip for people with disabilities?
Planning ahead, combined with being flexible, is the single most important travel tip we can offer. The secret to a successful trip is doing everything you can to ensure a smooth experience, as planning is critical for traveling with a disability, but accepting the fact that things may not go as you plan and to know this too is part of the journey.

travel platform helps people with disabilitiesThank you, Miriam!! Be sure to follow accessibleGO on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date on all the fun adventures!! Happy travels!! xoxo

Cute City Totes

City Totes City Totes City TotesHow awesome are these city totes from Brooklyn artist Claudia Pearson?? She designed these adorable bags based on her own drawings of landmarks and iconic spots in various cities across the United States!

I love how each bag seems to capture the heart of what makes a city so special. The Bean in Chicago! The beach in Miami! The fish market in Seattle! The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco! There’s something for everyone, which is one of the things I love about visiting big cities! I also love that there are memories tied to each place I’ve visited, you know?

Which city tote is your favorite, friends? What wonderful city have you had adventures in lately?? I’m just daydreaming over here in the cold Midwest winter!! xoxo

P.S. More city-centric goodies: Posters and tattoos!