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The Leader in Accessible Van Rentals

Quarterly Newsletter

January, 2001

Internet Resources for Disability Travel

 
For persons with disabilities, planning a vacation or an extended trip can often be time-consuming and difficult. However, there are now numerous internet sites available that specifically address disability travel issues and concerns.
Whether planning for a trip in the United States, overseas, or on a vacation cruise, Internet travel resources can help you find information on accessible travel destinations, hotels, transportation carriers, travel agents, and travel books. Internet travel resources provide information on everything from obtaining a passport to taking an attendant. To make your search for information a little easier, I have organized several sites together according to the information they provide.
For a general website about accessible travel, go to Access-Able Travel Source at www.access-able.com. Access-Able Travel is a website dedicated to providing information about a variety of accessible travel needs. Their large databases contain information on hundreds of accessible restaurants, attractions, and hotels around the world. Information for the databases are obtained from disabled travelers’ personal travel experiences.
Another helpful database for accessible travel needs is found at www.internet.com/disabledtravel.htm. This database is produced by Internets, Inc., a company that specializes in providing a global link (on hundreds of topics) to thousands of online resources. 
For information about escorted tours, contact Accessible Journeys at www.disabilitytravel.com. Accessible Journeys has been in business since 1985, providing accessible trips for slow walkers, wheelchair travelers, and scooter users. In addition to offering tours, their website contains travel tips, additional links, and a free newsletter subscription. 
 For those who may have to travel with an assistant, Medical Travel, Inc. offers a full service medical travel agency designed to help people with disabilities travel all over the world. Medical Travel, Inc.’s website showcases their many products: dialysis and oxygen cruises, pediatric cruises, oncology cruises, land vacations, and travel companions. You can visit Medical Travel’s website at www.adavacationsplus.com.
Another great website you can visit for information on accessible cruises is www.wheelchairtravel.com. This site gives contact information for various cruise packages and destinations.
If you are interested in publications dealing with accessible travel, visit Emerging Horizons at www.emerginghorizons.com for a free sample of their quarterly travel newsletter. Many other publications can be viewed or bought at the Accessible-Travel bookshop. A visit to this site will give you the opportunity to purchase disability travel books through Amazon.com. The Accessible-Travel bookshop can be found at www.accessible-travel.com.
For the global traveler, Global Access is the perfect site for information about accessible trips across the world. This site includes features like travel archives, travel books, disability travel links, city access guides, and special trip highlights. You can visit Global Access at www.geocities.com/Paris/1502/index.html.
A final website that will aid your travel research is found at www.taconicresources.net/acctrav.htm. Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. maintains this website that provides hundreds of great links for accessible travel, recreation, and vacations. Also, many of the websites previously mentioned in this article can be found on Taconic’s site.
Researching for accessible travel information is the first step in planning a great vacation. I hope this article navigates you through the vast amount of travel information on the Web and aids you in planning your dream vacation. 

Accessible Travel in Colorado

Photo courtesy of Colorado Wine Industry Development

HELPFUL HINTS
Colorado’s Accessibility Resources 

Accessibility is the key that enables nearly every Colorado visitor to experience a wide variety of the state’s natural environment from mountain tops to
wetlands. The following is a list of resources:

*Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center:
1-303-453-6422
*Boulder Parks and Recreation: 1-303-441-3400 
*Craig Hospital Therapeutic Recreation Department:
1-303-789-8290
*Colorado Council for Handicapped Horseback Riding:
1-303-499-9754
*Colorado Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation Department: 1-303-866-3437
*Denver Parks and Recreation Special Needs Coordinator: 1-303-331-4030
*Easter Seals Handicamp: 1-303-892-6063
*MISTIX (reservations for handicap campsites):
1-800-283-CAMP
*National Sports Center for the Disabled (Winter Park):
1-970-726-1540

Rocky Mountain National Park Handicap:
1-303-586-2371
*Wilderness on Wheels Foundation: 1-303-988-2212
*Wheelchair Getaways Van Rental: 1-800-238-6920

The beauty of the state of Colorado inspired Katherine Lee Bates to write “America the Beautiful” from the top of Pikes Peak. The state boasts of 300 days of sunshine each year, 2 National Parks, 8 National Monuments and National Recreation Areas, 15 National Forests and National Grasslands, 40 State Parks, and 52 Mountain peaks over 14,000 feet high.

Article provided by Jan Thulin, Colorado Franchise

 Colorado’s Amazing
Accessibility
by Jan Thulin, Colorado Franchise and
Holly Romine, Marketing Coordinator

 Thousands of skiers flock to Colorado year round to Colorado’s world famous ski resorts. However, there is a lot more to do in Colorado besides skiing. Colorado offers 222 state wildlife areas, spectacular forests, gold-rush ghost towns, Native American ruins, and the famous Rocky Mountains. Additionally, Colorado is one of the most accessible states to visit.
Denver, the state’s capital, boasts an amazing 40 accessible hotels/motels/bed&breakfasts and over 30 accessible attractions, theme parks, and national museums. Some of these accessible destinations include Six Flags Elitch Gardens, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Colorado History Museum, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, and a free tour of the Coors Brewing Company.
Those who are “cowboy” at heart may enjoy a trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Here, cowboy enthusiasts can visit the fully accessible Pro Rodeo Museum and Hall of Fame. Afterwards, travelers can eat at the Flying W Ranch, where a chuckwagon dinner and stage show is performed in both indoor and outdoor dining areas. Other points of interest in Colorado Springs are: Santa’s Workshop, Pikes Peak Highway, and the Hall of the Presidents.
For those who do wish to visit Colorado for their wonderful ski slopes, Colorado offers many adaptive ski programs.
The Vail Ski Area boasts of being one of the most accessible ski areas in the world. They have a full range of adaptive ski equipment available to use during a lesson or for rent. Vail has the largest blind skiing program in the nation and wheelchairs are available at eight different locations around the mountain. For more information on the Vail Ski Area call 1-970-476-5601.
The Breckenridge Outdoor Adaptive Ski Program also offers adaptive skiing in Colorado. For more information call 1-970-453-6422.
If you need to reserve an accessible van for your trip to Colorado, please call Dave Thulin at Wheelchair Getaways of Colorado at 1-800-238-6920. Dave has 5 mini-vans and 5 full-size vans to meet your accessible needs in Colorado and Wyoming. 
For more detailed information on hotel accommodations in Colorado go to Access-Able Travel Source online at www.access-able.com. For information about Colorado and travel in Colorado visit www.colorado.com. 

Take The Time To Travel To South Carolina’s Best Beaches 
by Corby Phillips, South Carolina Franchise and 
Holly Romine, Marketing Coordinator 

Welcome to South Carolina! The opening of Wheelchair Getaways’ new South Carolina franchise allows many opportunities for vacationers with disabilities. With its unspoiled beaches, friendly residents, and endless sunny days, South Carolina has a wealth of things to offer everyone. 
South Carolina is famous for its three major vacation spots: Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Hilton Head Island. 
First, Myrtle Beach offers clean beaches, excellent golfing, and plenty of entertainment. If you are interested in traveling shore-side, beach going wheelchairs are available. These chairs are free to use, and they come equipped with an umbrella and large balloon tires that are easy to push through soft sand. For more information about Beach Wheelchairs, call 1-843-626-7645 extension 129.
One great place for entertainment in Myrtle Beach is the Pavilion Amusement Park, which offers over forty rides and attractions varying from roller coasters to water rides. The Pavilion also offers great shopping with 40 shops located right on the oceanfront. The Pavilion is completely accessible. For tickets and more information on the Pavilion, please call 1-843-448-6456.
If you are planning on staying in Myrtle Beach, two of the following places are accessible for your needs: the Best Western Myrtle Beach (3 accessible rooms) 1-843-280-4555 and the “At Last” beach house operated by Dunes Realty. “At Last” is a five bedroom, completely accessible house located on the beach with an accessible walkway to the beach. For more information about the beach house call 1-888-621-4192. 
A second major vacation spot in South Carolina is the historic town, Charleston. Here you will find a community that has withstood the test of time. This town has seen the likes of great fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, pirates, and a civil war. Charleston is home to 73 pre-Revolutionary buildings and 136 buildings dating back to the eighteenth century. Today, its streets are abundant with shopping and art and, like Myrtle Beach, the Charleston area also offers great beaches to visit and relax.
The Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureau has an access guide available for the greater Charleston area. It includes information on attractions, accommodations, transportation and more. If you would like to receive a copy of the guide, please call 1-843-720-5678.
A third major vacation spot in South Carolina is Hilton Head Island. Hilton Head Island is part of South Carolina’s Lowcountry “Resort Islands.” Located down near the Georgia boarder, this area offers great opportunities for the vacationer. Hilton Head is home to many resorts that feature activities on more than 20 championship golf courses and over 300 tennis courts. 
The Island’s four man resort communities are Palmetto Dunes, Port Royal Resort, Sea Pines, and Shipyard Plantation. The resort areas feature 12 miles of broad beaches and average yearly temperatures ranging from the ‘50’s in the winter to the high 80’s in the summer.
Some activities of interest scheduled in Hilton Head this year include the Springfest in March and the Worldcom Classic in April. 
The Springfest is a month-long celebration beginning March 1 and ending March 31. The Springfest includes over 200 festivals, events, and activities. Celebrate the coming of spring with food, crafts, sports, children’s events, and more. Contact Jill Golden for more information at 1-843-686-4944.
The Worldcom Classic is an annual golf tournament played over the famed Harbor Town Golf Links. This tournament is the only PGA Tour stop annually in South Carolina. For more information about the WorldCom Classic, call 1-800-234-1107.
For those of you who enjoy coastal activities without the extreme heat and over crowding of other beaches, come take a look at the beautiful beaches of South Carolina. To contact the Wheelchair Getaways office in South Carolina, call Corby Phillips at 1-866-288-8118. 
For more information on vacation areas in South Carolina, visit the state’s site on the web at www.travelsc.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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