Wheelchair Travel Newsletter: From Raleigh to Cali and a Group Trip Preview
Wheelchair Travel Newsletter: From Raleigh to Cali and a Group Trip Preview
Important information about the 2024 Wheelchair Travel Group Trip, plus an Amtrak trip report and a detailed review of an incredible San Diego hotel.
“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.”
—Anthony Bourdain
Hello, everybody!
I’ve recently returned home from cross-country travel that took me to Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as to San Diego, California. San Diego wasn’t originally part of my itinerary — Portland, Oregon was — but there was a last minute change and I was forced to adapt on short notice.
Fortunately, San Diego is a very wheelchair-friendly destination, making the change fairly easy to manage. Yes, I needed to cancel travel bookings and reserve new flights and hotels, but the rest was simple — the public transit systems in Portland and San Diego are both accessible, and San Diego is an exceptionally walkable (or “rollable”) city, so I did not worry about getting around.
After meetings concluded for the day, I made the most of my time in beautiful Southern California — I visited the San Diego Museum of Art and the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park, dined in Little Italy, and visited a “secret” bar in the Gaslamp Quarter. That fun reenergized me to finish out the year strong, which brings me to the biggest news of all…
Wheelchair Travel Group Trip — Sales begin Monday
Want to travel with me and a group of Wheelchair Travel readers? I am excited to announce that the next Wheelchair Travel Group Trip, taking place September 18 to 27, 2024, will take us to Barcelona and Madrid, Spain! An optional add-on tour of Portugal will also be available to those who wish to extend their vacation, from September 27 to October 2. Mark your calendars!
The full itinerary, costs and inclusions will be shared on Monday, with bookings opening first to paid newsletter subscribers. If space remains, the larger WheelchairTravel.org community will have an opportunity to reserve a spot on the tours beginning Wednesday, December 20. You can be the first to receive details for this and future group tours by upgrading your subscription.
Looking ahead: It’s less than two weeks until the Christmas holiday, and I have not purchased flights to see my family — whether booking with frequent flyer miles or cash, fares are outrageous, so I may end up celebrating Christmas alone this year in Boston. New Year’s plans are still up in the air, but my Seminoles will take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl on December 30 — ringing in the New Year on South Beach doesn't sound bad. In January, I will be traveling to the Richmond, Virginia region to create a new wheelchair accessible travel guide — a city I haven’t visited since I was in kindergarten!
Talk to you soon,
— John
Latest Accessible Travel Articles
Trip Report: Wheelchair Accessibility on Amtrak’s Carolinian Train Service
The Amtrak Carolinian offers service from Charlotte, North Carolina to Penn Station in New York City — while I didn't ride the full route, I was able to take a look at accessibility onboard during my three hour journey.
Most accessible hotel in San Diego? Review of The Guild Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio by Marriott Hotel
The Guild Hotel, with its wheelchair-friendly hotel rooms and roll-in showers, is one of the most accessible hotels in downtown San Diego.
London Replaces Green Man on Crossing Signals with Wheelchair Symbols
The iconic green man on London crosswalk signals has been replaced with another style of pedestrian — manual and electric wheelchair users!
Holiday Gift-Giving Guide for Wheelchair Users and Disabled Travelers
Whether you’re shopping for yourself, a family member or friend, the holiday gift-giving guide for wheelchair users features thoughtful and unique gifts to excite disabled people of all ages.
In Case You Missed It
Mailbag: Easy Accessible Destinations for First-Time Disabled Travelers
These 5 cities are among the easiest and most accessible destinations to visit for your first trip as a wheelchair user in the United States.
Check out these articles too:
Do Nondisabled People Exclude Their Disabled Friends from Trips and Vacations? — Inaccessibility impacts both disabled people and their nondisabled travel companions, but does it impact their desire to vacation together?
Monthly Update: Wheelchair Damage Levels from the November 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report — Data from the November 2023 Air Travel Consumer Report includes insights on airline wheelchair damage from the first three quarters of 2023.
Inaccessibility, College Football, and Why FSU Fans are Experiencing the Emotions Disabled People Know Well — People with disabilities face a similar range of emotions frequently if not everyday, and it's worth taking a moment to reflect on why.
Hi! Do you ever do group trips in the US?
Hello John, Great article/summary. Have you ever been to Biltmore Castle in NC? if so, did you find it very accessible ? Merry Christmas and safe travels.