Your Questions Answered: Great Vacation for Special-Needs Kids

Recently this note was emailed to us via our Ask page:

sxc.huHere is a big one. We have an 18-year-old son with autism and a daughter also with special needs. Despite the autism, he is very social wanting to play with younger children, which can make a family destination stressful for us.  Any suggestions? We usually do beach vacations in Michigan and have done Florida before. We live in the Chicago area. I also think a connecting flight would be hard for us. Any “special” all inclusives you may know about?

This one was a tough one for the Mamas, as it’s not a travel niche we’re familiar with. The first thought that came to my mind, however, was the Azul property that I deemed the best family-friendly resort in the Riviera Maya: Azul Beach. With just 97 rooms, this property is small and easy to navigate. Here, the very friendly and accommodating staff gets to you know you (and your children) quickly, addressing you by name. I think if I had special-needs kids, I’d feel a great sense of peace, knowing that I was at a place where the staff cares about you and is very cognizant of making guests feel at home. Again, with special-needs children, I’d rather stay at a small resort than a big one, where my family and I are just “numbers.” Finally, there are non-stop flights from Chicago to Cancun (and then the resort is a short 2o-minute drive away).

Another close-to-home option might be an indoor waterpark resort. Now, these resorts — with enclosed, massive waterparks — could be totally inappropriate, depending on the abilities and personalities of your children. The water-play areas can be very loud (chaotic in fact) which can be overwhelming to any child. However, indoor waterpark resorts are incredibly convenient — all of your entertainment, from family-friendly dining to the waterpark to arcades and other diversions, is inside the resort. No need to venture off. Check out the various locations of the Great Wolf Lodge. Find many other resorts in Sandusky, Ohio, and Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

As far as other options go, you might check out this list of travel resources for children with special needs from Babycenter.com. Then there’s an entire site called Autism Travel that is dedicated to helping parents of kids with autism plan family trips.

Still another consideration: have you thought about a cruise? Accessible travel writer Candy Harrington suggested a Caribbean cruise. She took the time to write the following:

Personally I would recommend Royal Caribbean, as they have an excellent Adventure Ocean Program for kids from 3-17. Yes, I know your reader’s son is 18, but he is considered a special-needs child so they may make an exception for him. I’ve seen this done in the past, and so has my travel agent friend Connie George (who handles accessible travel). Basically you need to contact the special-needs department at the cruise line  to make sure that this will happen. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, you should work with a travel agent who is used to doing this type of thing.

royalcaribbeanI also highly recommend the Royal Caribbean ships as, they offer lots of fun things to do. This is especially true of the newer Freedom Class ships, which have lots of cool features like the H2O zone water park, the Surfrider, a rock climbing wall and even a miniature golf course. Lot’s of fun for the whole family. And while the kids are in the Adventure Ocean Program, mom can enjoy the spa services. Plus there are lots of fun things to do ashore as a family.

You just can’t get more all inclusive than a cruise. And many Caribbean cruises stop on a private island; since this family has enjoyed beach vacations before, that seems like a good match for them. Plus, with RCI departures from Newark, Miami and Baltimore, it’s easy to find a departure city with direct air service from Chicago.

Wow, Candy! Thanks for your insight. If any other folks-in-the-know or travel agents have suggestions for our reader, please let us know via the comments below. We’d welcome any other recommendations regarding suggestions for a top-notch resort vacation for a family with special-needs kids. Travel agents and travel experts, please chime in!

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July 2, 2009 | Filed Under Family Travel, Travel News | 2 Comments 

Win a Spa Getaway Vacation in Napa Valley, CA

Quick - who here loves California’s wine country, spa treatments, and long weekend getaways? Really? Me too! Imagine that. I’m excited because one of my favorite resources for luxury family vacations, Ciao Bambino, is running a giveaway that seems tailor-made for me: A 3-night stay for a family of 4 in Napa Valley’s Solage Calistoga, plus a (get this) MUDSLIDE spa treatment for two. No wonder I’m excited.

Win a Spa Getaway (ciaobambino.com)

Honestly, part of me considered keeping quiet about this - giving myself a better chance to win - but then, that wouldn’t be fair. Solage Calistoga, after all, is a beautiful resort that is really child-friendly, somewhat of a rarity in upscale Napa Valley. Wine tastings and romantic getaways are more typical of Napa Valley vacations.

Just fill in this form to enter, and good luck. I entered too. The contest run ends July 17, 2009.

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July 1, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel, Luxury Travel, Travel News | 3 Comments 

Blue Bunny Ice Cream Giveaway

Blue Bunny Raspberry Today kicks off National Ice Cream Month and Traveling Mamas gets to participate in the fun by teaming with Blue Bunny Ice Cream and offering a giveaway of…you guessed it! Ice cream!

You might be wondering what ice cream has to do with travel, besides being the perfect snack along the journey (especially if you’re road-tripping in the hot summer months). Well, if you’re traveling through the Midwest with kids (or without!), you don’t want to miss Le Mars, Iowa, home tovisitorcenter the Ice Cream Capital of the World Museum. More ice cream is made in Le Mars - home of Blue Bunny - than anywhere else in the world. Families can stop during a road trip, or take a side trip while visiting Sioux City (25 miles south of the museum) and learn all types of fun ice cream facts, play in an interactive game room and devour ice cream in the vintage 1920s-style ice cream parlor. (Cost to tour is minimal: $3 for adults and $1 for children age 5 to 12. The little ones are free.)

bluebunnyUntil you can make it to the Ice Cream Capital of the World, let’s talk about how you can win ice cream during National Ice Cream Month.

We are giving away FIVE Bunny Bucks coupons, that’s five cartons of ice cream or five boxes of novelty ice cream treats (like ice cream sandwiches) to ONE Traveling Mamas reader. All you have to do is leave a comment about anything ice cream, such your favorite ice cream flavor, a childhood memory of eating ice cream cones, or a much-loved ice cream stand you uncovered while vacationing. The contest will run through July 8 when we will randomly select the winner and announce him or her on Thursday July 9. US residents only; one entry per person, please. Want to win even more? Head on over to Travels With Children to enter to win the Ice Cream Capital of the World trip package!

Good luck and Happy National Ice Cream Month!

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July 1, 2009 | Filed Under Travel News | 85 Comments 

Q&A with a Travel Writer: Candy Harrington, Author of Barrier-Free Travel

At Sun Studios in Memphis.

At Sun Studios in Memphis.

Traditionally we talk to other traveling mamas here at Traveling Mamas, but we’re making an exception for successful travel writer and book author Candy Harrington. She is the editor of the print (and online) publication Emerging Horizons, and she penned Barrier-Free Travel, which will be released in its third edition later this summer. This heralded book is a “nuts and bolts guide for wheelers and slow walkers,” covering everything from the logistics of air travel and how to protect your wheelchair in flight, to how to find an accessible hotel room and how to book accessible shore excursions while cruising.

As Candy points out, she and her husband are parents to an aviary full of rescued pigeons and three ring-necked doves who reside inside their California home. Plus, there’s Agnes the chicken. (”Yes,” says frequent-traveler Candy, “We do have a bird-sitter.)

How long have you been a travel writer?

About 34 years now. Outside of a sappy advice column I wrote for a now defunct hometown paper (from age 8-17) I’ve pretty much always covered some aspect of travel.

How did you start covering accessible travel?

I’m able-bodied, and I pretty much got my start because of boredom. About 16 years ago I got tired of writing what I considered fluff. I was writing mainstream travel, I needed a change and a friend suggested accessible travel. Nobody was doing it at the time and it sounded challenging, so I went for it. My colleagues all thought I was crazy, but it’s worked out well for me over the years. It’s still a challenge, which is good for me.

Do you ever cover general travel anymore, or is all your work about the accessibility of a place pr excursion?

I don’t cover mainstream travel at all — just don’t have the time or inclination. I do however cover accessible travel from every possible angle — interviews, property reviews, new products, reader questions, op-ed pieces, destinations, cruises, best practices, legal matters, rules and regulations and the general nuts and bolts. It keeps me pretty busy.

This is the third edition of Barrier Free Travel; what’s new?

A lot of access laws and regulations have changed — in major ways — since the last edition, so I’ve included updates about them. This includes everything from the Air Carrier Access Act, Canada’s One-Person, One Fare regulation and Europe’ s EU PRMS (all concerning accessible air travel) to the landmark hotels.com settlement and even upcoming changes in the ADA regulations. And since cruise travel is such a popular subject with my readers, I added a new chapter about shore excursions, which includes the contact information for 45 local tour operators who can provide accessible shore tours. Additionally I updated everything and added lots of new resources, including a worldwide list of companies that rent accessible vans. And of course I threw in some new tips and tricks, as well.

bft_160x240What U.S. city is most friendly to travelers in wheelchairs? How about a foreign city?

In the US I like San Diego — very family friendly with good accessible public transportation, some nice hotels and lots of accessible attractions like Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and Hornblower Harbor Cruises. Plus they have a great access guide published by Accessible San Diego.

Outside the US, it’s a toss up between Vancouver and London — both offer excellent access — but if I have to pick one I’ll go with London.  The deciding factor is that all London Black Cabbies are wheelchair (and stroller) accessible. It’s the law, so in that respect they are even ahead of the US in access.

I’m assuming that in general, hotels, planes and public places have become more accessible in recent years. Is there still a hold-out anywhere — some place or some aspect of travel that is not accommodating to people with disabilities?

In the US, things are looking pretty good. Laws, including the ADA, have helped that; however in the past few years I’ve also seen a huge change in attitude from the hospitality industry. They are starting to look at disabled travelers as a market segment — one they want to attract. So I’ve seen many sites go above and beyond minimum access standards. I’ve even seen wheelchair-accessible tree houses in public spaces!

Worldwide, I’d say the biggest problem is with denied boardings to wheelchair-users by domestic airlines in Asia, Australia and Africa. In fact, Tiger Airways totally ruined one family’s vacation when they refused to board their daughter on a Singapore to Athens flight. The airline was well aware that she was a wheelchair-user, but when the gate agent saw her, her whole family was turned away. There’s not much you can really do about this, but it pays to be aware of the situation when traveling in those areas.

Candy at Bandelier National Monument.

Candy at Bandelier National Monument.

Is there anything in particular that parents should keep in mind if they are booking travel for their wheelchair-bound or disabled child?

Probably the biggest hiccup comes when little ones get too big to fly in a car seat. Many parents forget that they will need to figure out some way to stabilize their child if they lack the balance or the strength to sit up unassisted. Sometimes this can be done with pillows and blankets (on airlines that still provide them), but it pays to plan ahead. And remember, you can’t bring aboard anything too bulky, or seating devices that are not FAA approved. If you can find a way to stabilize the child for take-off and landing, you can recline them for the duration of the trip. But sometimes this takes a little advance planning.

You’ve traveled all over the world. Do you have a favorite personal location? Or a spot to which you’d like to return?

Well, I’m a mountain girl, so I love Yosemite, but not in the summer as it’s way too crowded for my taste. I lived in Far North Queensland (Australia) for a few years, in a town called Palm Cove, and absolutely loved it. New Zealand, specifically the North Island, is also a favorite of mine.

What’s in the future for you? Will you keep on doing what you’re doing for a while?

I expect so. Emerging Horizons is doing well, and I will keep writing more books; and I get a lot of assignments from other publications and have several regular columns. I’m also accepting a lot more speaking engagements these days, which I really love. Accessible travel will probably be part of my life until I die. I can see myself slowing down, but never totally retiring.

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June 30, 2009 | Filed Under Mama Interviews, Travel News | 2 Comments 

Winning Wednesday: Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway for the Motorola two-way radios. Lucky commenter #100 (number generated randomly) came up the winner. That’s Reginald who said that the radios would come in handy when kids get loose at the mall. So true!

Congrats, Reginald! I’ll email you to get your snail mail address.

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June 24, 2009 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Travel News | 1 Comment 

Cool Baby Sunscreen: Baby Silk Towelettes

Between residing in Arizona and frequent traveling, my family has become baby silkaccustomed to repeated sunscreen use, especially baby sunscreen. My little girl is extremely fair and burns almost instantly when faced with the sun and my son was the same as a tot.

I was recently introduced to the coolest baby sunscreen towelettes called Baby Silk by MD Moms. These towelettes particularly interested me because when my son was little he always managed to get sunscreen in his eyes and I still have a problem getting my daughter’s face fully covered. But these wipes are exactly what I needed. The towelettes are pulled out one by one (just like tissue or baby wipes) and applied on the skin. (Just rub on!) Baby Silk was developed by pediatrician-moms and is SFP 30. The name is absolutely appropriate; when I first opened the package and pulled one out, that was the first thing I noticed, the sunscreen cloths feel like silk and the kids felt so silky after applying,  probably due to the combination of Vitamins E and B5, marine silk, aloe and oat ingredients. The kids love using them, too, because they can apply the sunscreen themselves. Plus, the towelettes make reaching places like the back of the neck and forehead are easy.

I’d have to say these designer sunscreen towelettes are great for travel because:

  • You can carry them on the plane without worrying about liquid size
  • They are super portable and are resealable
  • Baby Silk is very easy to apply
  • Every summer vacation is spent outdoors, so it’s important to protect our children from the sun.
  • The sunscreen is water resistant and sweat proof

If you’re looking for alternative baby sunscreen instead (you will pay more for these towelettes than traditional sunscreen - but it’s well worth it) you will be pleasantly surprised at the ease and quality of Baby Silk sunscreen towelettes.

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June 19, 2009 | Filed Under Travel News | 3 Comments 

Children and Flying - Unaccompanied Minors

By now most of us with an interest in air travel have heard the news about that 10-yr-old unaccompanied minor who was put on the wrong plane at Logan Airport. This was due to errors and miscommunication of Continental Airlines staff at the gate, and you don’t have to be a parent to imagine the heart-stopping fear that the child’s parents must have felt before she turned up in Newark.  After the sympathetic anxiety resides, though, parents should consider that this sort of complete mess-up is incredibly rare. After all, unaccompanied minors fly every day. How do we decide when our children are ready to fly without us?

Children Can Fly Solo on Airplanes (swiss_a320 via Flickr)

Kids have varying degrees of independence, needless to say. One 10-yr old could happily skip aboard a plane, while another may cower and cling.  The major guideline is simple: No child under 5 years old can fly as an unaccompanied minor. Airlines wisely have age restrictions with types of flights allowed broken down by age group. For example, United Airlines clearly states that 5- to 7-year-olds (the youngest age group allowed to be unaccompanied minors) may only fly on nonstop flights. Southwest doesn’t delineate age groups in such detail as United, but has a policy for children age 5-11, with kids 12 and up having aged into their Youth Fare. Most airlines have additional fees for unaccompanied minors.

Now, I can’t imagine having a 5-yr-old child of mine fly unaccompanied, but that may speak more to the relative dependence - and whine factor - of my kids when they were that age. Other young children may be capable of much more! …And other parents too; a big element of “being ready” to fly as unaccompanied minors has to do with parent readiness. My 10-yr-old may feel ready to fly solo, but me? Not so much. As a matter of fact, I’m hoping that someday in the distant future, her husband will agree with me that living in her childhood bedroom as a married couple is a TOTALLY awesome idea.

In the meantime, Continental Airlines made a huge mistake, no doubt about it. It’ll be interesting to see the fallout, if any. After all, the policies regarding unaccompanied minors are already pretty straightforward. We can’t ever eliminate the chance of human error, either…so, what do you think? Are people going to change the way they let their children travel?

(Bob Richards, via Flickr)

UPDATE - Maybe it’s just Continental Airlines: The Associated Press is reporting that the same day that the 10-yr-old girl got on the wrong flight, another unaccompanied minor was also misdirected by staff at Continental. In this case, an 8-yr-old girl intending to fly to Charlotte, NC, ended up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The AP quotes her mother as saying, “I’ve never seen so much incompetence in all my life.”

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June 17, 2009 | Filed Under Family Travel, Flying High, Travel News | 6 Comments 

Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios Review & Giveaway

motorola1Heading to a theme park, campground or ski slopes anytime soon? (Okay, maybe not ski slopes in the U.S.) If so, consider a pair of two-way radios to keep in constant contact with your traveling companions. Two-way radios are especially key in remote spots — like on camping trips — where cell phones may not work. But they are frankly fun to play with just about anywhere.

My family tested the Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios on a recent camping trip, dude ranch vacation and hotel stay. We gave the kids a radio so they’d be reachable as they walked the campground loop, and we let them take one while they tried to find our hotel room on their own (didn’t quite happen; they read the signs wrong — but they didn’t panic since they heard us on the other end of the radio). The kids actually got the most use out of them when we took two cars to the dude ranch (Dad had to leave early) and they chatted with each other between cars. Of course the most appealing feature of the radios for the kids: the built-in flashlight.

Other perks for this particular pair: you can receive weather alerts from the NOAA Weather Radio; the radios can work up to 9 miles away in “medium-interference” situations (like on a flat lake); there’s a “hands-free” option; and there’s an emergency alert button you can hit to send out a distress call (perhaps best not to teach young children this signal, lest they “cry wolf” and get in big trouble).

One feature that drove me nuts until I figured out how to turn it off: the “I’m done talking” beep that occurs when you’re finished transmitting. This so-called “Roger beep” is optional, though, so that made me happy.

motorola2Overall, this radio that retails for $80 (a pair) has more bells and whistles than the average family might need. But if you’ve got a geeky mate who might dig all the extras, it’s a fabulous gift.

That said, you can also comment below to win a pair of Motorola Talkabout Two-Way Radios. Yes, Motorola has generously offered to mail a U.S. winner a set. All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me on what summer trip or excursion you might use them. Enter until midnight (EST) Tuesday, June 23; I’ll draw a winner randomly and announce a name on Wednesday, June 24. Again, only U.S. entrants and no immediate family of the Traveling Mamas!

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June 16, 2009 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar, Travel News | 274 Comments 

Budget Summer Vacation in Sedona, AZ

Budget Summer Vacation in Sedona AZSedona is one of my favorite US vacation destinations, no doubt. Whether it’s a family trip or a romantic getaway, the glorious scenery and outdoor adventure opportunities make it one of my top recommendations for travel. So when the owner of the Innovative Analysis Group asked that I talk with him for his well-regarded aviation and travel industry’s podcast, I immediately requested that the podcast’s travel destination focus on Sedona, Arizona. Addison Schondland agreed, suggesting that the theme be summer budget travel to Sedona. After all, it’s HOT in Sedona in the summer; all the more important to get great value from a summer trip there. Smart man; these days, everyone’s looking for ways to get the most out of their vacation budget.

Talking with Addison was a lot of fun; the podcast (click here) regarding Sedona summer vacation activities came out well as a result. It may sound counterintuitive to plan a summer trip to Arizona, but my kids loved it last August, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

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June 5, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Travel News | 1 Comment 

Q&A with Nia Vardalos, My Life in Ruins Movie Star

Nia Vardalos, My Life in Ruins (foxsearchlight.com)Show of hands: Who here has seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Whoa! Maybe I should ask, who here has seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding over 5 times? …That’s still a lot of hands. Well, the Traveling Mamas are extremely proud to have Nia Vardalos with us for this Mama Interview. Nia Vardalos is, of course, the creator/writer/star of Greek Wedding, and June 5, 2009, sees her starring in another fun comedy, My Life in Ruins. This movie takes place in Greece (get it? Ruins?). I loved the gorgeous background scenery for Mamma Mia; My Life in Ruins promises to be a movie with settings that makes the travel lover in all of us want to pack our bags, too.

Nia Vardalos is also a strong supporter of the Alliance for Children’s Rights - the Traveling Mamas’ featured nonprofit this month. What with starring in movies, raising her daughter, and supporting this worthy organization, she is one busy mama. She still finds time to be HILARIOUS though.

Your movie, My Life in Ruins, takes place in Greece. Where were some of the locations? Had you been to those specific places before?

All the locations are within the Mystical Triangle: Acropolis, Olympia, and Delphi which were built 121 kilometers Movie in Greece (foxsearchlight.com)from each other…2500 years ago! I had visited all these sites (bored) as a kid. Now I see the healing powers of traveling the triangle. You’ll come out refreshed. Your skin will be clear. And you will fall in love!
How did you come to be such a strong supporter of the Alliance for Children’s Rights?

I didn’t know, before my husband and I adopted our daughter, that we didn’t have orphanages in the U.S. But we do have 500,000 kids in foster care. Of these kids, 129,000 are legally free for adoption and waiting for a family. We had waited on many waiting lists for an infant and when these routes kept falling through, turned to FosAdopt. Nine months later our daughter, at the time 3 years old, walked into our house, and turned it into a home. Now I feel compelled to tell anyone and everyone: American FosAdopt does not discriminate against age, single parents, sexual orientation, income level.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

Clearly I love Greece, and not just because the men look like my costar Alexi G, and the landscape looks like Nia Vardalos, Alexis Georgoulis; My Life in Ruins (foxsearchlight.com)the posters, but because there is a laid-back wisdom and joy in that country. Also, I loved being in Japan because I couldn’t speak the language or even read the street signs. It was a joy to just get lost and figure out what to eat every day (oh boy, I can only imagine what I thought was a gum ball, may have been an eye. Anyway, I loved it there!)

Any mama can be a Traveling Mama. Have you taken any trips with your daughter yet?

Yes, and I always thought I would be an organized drill sergeant. I am surprised how laid back I’ve become. So, we forgot the crayons, big deal…I hand her a lipstick and let her draw on my pants.

Lipstick on pants? Been there. Believe me, the Traveling Mamas are going to be first in line to see My Life in Ruins. And who knows - a group trip to Greece may be next! …we can dream, anyway. Thank you, Nia!

A Travel Guide in Greece (foxsearchlight.com)

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June 3, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Mama Interviews, Travel News | 10 Comments 

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