Accessible family travel tips for Arizona and beyond I met Kristen at a Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia. We were both there celebrating Chinese New Year with our little boys in wheelchairs. When she found out I run a disability travel blog for families, she shared her job running Cherry Blossom Vacations – giving away free vacation stays to adoptive and/or disabled families! When she offered to share her experiences from her recent trip, I was all over it. The world is a better place because of the community of disability moms who share as they learn. Thanks, Kristen Perso for the followin ..read more

With kids! Veering off of the accessible path at Onondaga Lake Park We drove out to Syracuse to put ourselves in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse. We made it into a long weekend so we could enjoy the wheelchair accessible family fun in the area. Even though it ended up being too cloudy to see the sun during the eclipse, we had an unforgettable weekend discovering wheelchair accessible Syracuse! When to go With sunshine and warm weather, summer is ideal for walking through town, exploring the city’s numerous parks, or hiking trails in nearby green spaces. Summer in Syracuse is ..read more

and solutions to start again With transfer help and staff who cleared the snow, this was a great accessible experience It’s a fact: a disability diagnosis for a child often puts a halt to parents’ travel plans. With ADA policies and a society where inclusion is beginning to trend, why is this still the case? We asked hundreds of disability parents to identify one thing that keeps them from traveling. The following is what we learned. Some of these things have easy, readily available solutions. Some of them are real issues that need to be addressed by the travel industry and beyond. None of th ..read more

A Comprehensive Guide Accessible adventure is out there! First, let me say that Disney California Adventure Park is the most wheelchair-friendly Disney experience we’ve ever had. Disney has always been progressive in inclusion, but with California Adventure Park’s newer build, ADA was a a central part of the design DNA. We’ve had good experiences at all three parks in Disney World, and in Disneyland Paris and Disneyland California, but none of those parks have the barrier-free build for a smooth day like California Adventure Park. Accessibility is a top priority at California Adventure Park ..read more

Travel Hacking 101 Free flights made our Yosemite dream a reality Wonders Within Reach is all about overcoming barriers and exploring the world with disabilities. The longer we do this, the more we realize that physical accessibility isn’t the greatest barrier. In fact, for most families, it’s not even second. (You can read about what I believe the biggest obstacle is, here.) When we invite others to travel with us, the cited reason for declining is invariably financial constraints. The fact is, once you’ve paid for therapies and treatments that insurance won’t touch, and you’ve stocked up on ..read more

What it is, who it’s for, where to go, and how to pay for it Walking in a LiteGait with TheraSuit If you’ve been a part of our journey for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard me talk about intensive physical therapy. I’ve had a lot of questions about intensive PT, so I thought I would put everything together in one resource. Please let me know if you still have any questions! **And don’t forget, if you’re heading to the program at Now I Can Northeast, you can use the code WONDERS24 for $500 off!** What is intensive physical therapy? It’s thanks to intensive sessions that Jaden is able t ..read more

Meeting needs and seeing the world Therapy with a view? Yes, please! Beach time after E-stim in Amelia Island. When I asked our family doctor for yet another referral to out of state care, he joked that we’re becoming medical tourists. I’d never thought about it, but he’s not wrong! Medical tourism, refers to the practice of individuals traveling to a different location or country to receive medical treatment, care, or procedures. This phenomenon has gained popularity as advancements in healthcare, transportation, and technology have made it easier for people to seek medical services outside ..read more

for all ages “You are the same person you were five years ago except for the books you have read, the people you have met, and the places you have traveled.” This is a little outside of my usual travel coverage, but in the journey of creating a world that’s for everyone, literature plays a crucial role in fostering understanding and empathy. When it comes to disability inclusion, books have the power to dismantle stereotypes and promote a more inclusive society. There are a lot of books for raising disability awareness for children, but the lists get shorter as the reader gets older. The fol ..read more

A Year in Review: The Most Wheelchair Accessible Destinations for Families Huntington State Park Beach Phew! WHAT a year! Thanks to multiple emergency hospitalizations, we traveled significantly less this year. I thought about skipping our annual accessibility awards; but, when I reflected on our year, I realized that we found too many gems and genuine award earners to let them pass unnoticed! The following were our favorite wheelchair accessible destinations – any of them would make great travel destinations for 2024! I bet some of these will surprise you. Most Accessible Beach Huntington Be ..read more

Experiences, like this trip to D.C. are my favorites, but we do gift some “stuff,” too – primarily because the kids like receiving! This is a little different than my usual Holiday guides with ideas for travelers and gifts that give back. This is a practical guide based off of what I’m actually giving, what I’ve found most useful, and what I have on my own list. I’m not huge into stuff that’s going to end up taking floor space in the playroom, but I do have some books and a few items that I know the family will get a kick out of. My favorites are gifts that give back. Specific items are linke ..read more