The Best Ways To Plan Your Dream Vacation With Mobility Issues

There are a lot of different forms that mobility issues can take, but whether you temporarily struggle with standing for long periods of time, experience daily joint pain, or regularly use a mobility aid such as a cane or wheelchair to get around, you may have had moments where your physical needs make your dream travel plans feel out of reach. While it's certainly true that many activities are more challenging when managing mobility issues, a solid plan can help make it feel more achievable. If you plan ahead, you can find out where to go, how to get there, where to stay, and what accommodations are available at your ideal destination, so that when you actually arrive, all you have to do is enjoy the experience.

If you're looking for the simplest solution, your best bet may be choosing trips which you know will suit your physical needs and interests. A summer weekend relaxing on an accessible Miami beach, an off-season adventure hopping on and off accessible buses in Barcelona, or a visit to the iconic Yellowstone National Park, which happens to have one of the best hiking trails for wheelchair users, might be the perfect fit. If the trip you've been dreaming about isn't so convenient, that doesn't mean it's impossible. A travel agency that specializes in working with disabled travelers can make your itinerary for you, but with a little extra planning, you can do it yourself.

If you want to see Tokyo and Osaka in the same trip, you're going to have to figure out how to travel long distances in Japan — and even if you're just hoping to see Times Square and the Met in the same trip to New York, you're probably going to want to think about getting a cab or jumping on the subway. If you have mobility issues, you may want to minimize the amount of walking you're doing on your trip, and often, that means getting on public transit of some kind. If you require mobility aids like wheelchairs and power scooters, you may need to look into whether or not the transit at your destination has elevators and ramps. In the United States, the ADA requires public transit to be accessible, but you may have a harder time abroad.

Using a public transportation app like Moovit can help you avoid hassles with car rentals — but for some, the simplest option may be using taxis or rideshare apps like Bolt — though depending on your needs the vehicles may be too small. Some cities in the U.S. have a specific wheelchair accessible van option through Uber and Lyft, but that won't be an option everywhere. Fortunately, there are accessible taxis and independent wheelchair accessible van rentals all around the world — you just may have to call ahead.

A key part of any travel itinerary is deciding how many activities you want to do each day and figuring out how to fit them all into a day — but that's even more important if you struggle with joint pain. If you know that, for instance, you have bad inflammation in the mornings, you may want to schedule your must-see attractions for later in the day. If you know that you may wake up feeling great but will be in more pain as the day goes on, plan your favorite activities for early in the day and have a restful evening.

You may also want to build periods of rest into your schedule. If you may get fatigued or know that a particular activity is going to take a lot of effort for you, consider stopping back at the hotel in the middle of the day for a quick nap before moving on to your next activity. In the event that your itinerary is going to be especially exhausting, you may even want to plan a rest day where you spend more time in your hotel than on the move. On the flip side, joint pain and stiffness may get worse if you aren't moving. Have a long train trip or plane ride? Try to schedule a stop. If that's not possible, at least take any opportunity you get to stretch during your journey.

Even if the neighborhood you're staying in is considered walkable, you may want to take a closer look. Whether you're planning to walk the tricky cobblestone streets of Paris or the uneven sidewalks of Thailand, you're going to want to know what you're up against. The time to find out that the only way to access your hotel is up a flight of concrete stairs is not when you're exhausted from a day of sightseeing. If you need curb cuts, wheelchair access ramps, or wide sidewalks, don't leave that up to chance and hope that the route between where you're staying and the restaurant you flew halfway around the world to try has them.

Luckily, there are some great apps for making your travel plans, and finding out how tough the route between the airport, your hotel, and the stops along your journey is can be as simple as typing in the addresses. Consider using a mapping app like Google Maps and selecting street view so that you know whether or not the way you are planning to go is doable for you, what precautions you might need to take to make it work, or if you'll need to find another way. Since energy and pain levels can be unpredictable, you may also want to scout out areas where you can take a break, whether that means a park bench where you can catch your breath or a cafe where you can recoup for an hour or so while admiring the scenery before rushing off to your next destination.

According to the Department of Transportation, you generally don't need to request accessibility accommodations in advance from U.S. airlines; they should be available to you either way. However, if you want to make sure that your trip goes without a hitch, you may want to reach out before the day of your flight so everything is as stress-free as possible. While airports around the world are different, they should be able to offer you help getting to your gate, help with your bags, and priority boarding if you need extra time to get to your seat.

If you are bringing your own wheelchair, walker, cane, or other mobility aid with you on the flight, definitely take the time to find out the protocols for your airline. In general, they aren't counted as luggage, and can be folded up and stored on the plane during your flight so that you have them when you need them. If you use an electric wheelchair, this process can be a little more complicated, so you may want to research different airlines and select a flight that will be able to accommodate you, and what they'll expect from you to do so. Even an airline that is willing to fly a power chair may not know how to handle it, so consider pre-printing instructions so airline staff know how to take care of it while it's out of your hands. Some travelers even remove delicate parts like the joystick and bring it into the cabin with them so that they don't have to worry about it being damaged en route.

If you've been dreaming about visiting a specific location, you probably have a lot of things that you want to do there rather than sitting in your hotel room all day, but choosing the right home away from home might be the most important decision you make while planning your trip. Choosing a large chain hotel may make things easier, since they tend to be standardized and you'll have a good idea of what to expect before you arrive. If you are going to stay at a local hotel, though, you're going to want to contact the ones that you're considering and make sure that they have everything you'll need to be comfortable during your stay.

Make sure to ask about stairs if you are looking at rooms that are not on the ground floor — and be aware that "first floor" refers to the floor about the ground floor in many countries. Many hotels in Europe only have stairs, so if you book a room without checking, you may find yourself having to climb several flights of stairs. If you are hoping to have grab bars, lower beds, roll-in showers, or other accessibility features not usually found in hotel rooms, search for accessible hotel rooms. Specific search engines like the one available from Wheel Around the World may make finding these options easier. Just make sure to choose your hotel well before you leave, as accessible hotel rooms are limited and may sell out.

If you are in a wheelchair, you may find that many locations in Europe do not have accessible bathrooms, and in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America you may find squat toilets are the norm. Your first step while planning should be reaching out to places that you hope to visit to ask what the bathroom looks like. If that's not possible, you can check if there are accessible bathrooms available in the area using apps like Wheelmate. Large chains owned by U.S. companies are a good place to start your search.

Some places have accessible bathrooms, but not everyone can use them. For instance, in London, you will find accessible bathrooms which are only usable if you have a special key known as a RADAR toilet key, which you can purchase in advance. If the region you're visiting truly has no accessible bathrooms, you may want to consider some kind of portable commode — just make sure to test them out before you leave and make sure that they work for you.

When you contact vendors, tour guides, hotels, and venues at your destination about accommodations, many will offer assistance even if they don't officially have anything in place for people with mobility issues. Some of their offers may seem unconventional; for instance, world traveler Renee Bruns told Wheel the World that tour guides had offered to physically carry her on their backs so that she could experience trips where she wouldn't be able to use her wheelchair.

While you might not be open to being physically carried by a stranger, there's nothing wrong with asking for and accepting help if you're comfortable with it. While you're planning, you should consider your comfort level and decide what kind of assistance you would like in order to make your dream vacation a reality. This is a matter of personal preference, and there are no wrong answers.