Summer Travel Planning

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Angel Blair

I think it’s safe to say that this summer, so far, is shaping up to look a lot different than last years. Being in the height of the pandemic and COVID cases still on the rise at that time, the summer was just another period to get through living in a changed world. With individuals having the opportunity to be vaccinated this year, the summer months are being celebrated once again. And hopefully in a safe manner. For some this will mean getting the chance to travel again and thinking about their accessibility needs in doing so.

Traveling can be an exciting and exhilarating experience for those who enjoy it. So, making plans and preparations that will ensure the trip is a great one is an important step. For those living with a disability, having the right accessibility measures in place for travel is imperative. From the planning stages to the endpoint of the journey there are different factors to consider. The destination itself, the mode of transport, accessibility of sites and attractions, and accommodations are all elements significant to the plan. It can sound tedious and like a lot of work but making sure the trip will be safe and enjoyable is the ultimate goal.

For those making travel plans, COVID has unfortunately added another layer to the planning piece this season. Checking with destinations on their COVID policies and procedures and with the mode of transport you plan to take are additional steps now to ensure safety. If able, working with a travel agent for assistance planning your trip can help in this initial phase. For many destinations they have websites for visitors and tourists traveling to their area and offer helpful information and resources online.

If you plan to travel this summer, be sure to consider what your travel and care needs look like. Are you using a mobility device, do you need your accommodations to have specific accessibility features? Would you be traveling with medications and need documentation from your doctor? Are the sites you’re visiting accessible? What about restroom accessibility? Trails, walking paths, street and sidewalk access? Are you heat sensitive with your MS symptoms and need to think of climate? These are just some aspects to think of when making plans for your journey. It can be fun but making sure it’s also safe and accommodating for you is key.

Wishing you a safe and pleasant journey!

Accessible Travel

Posted on June 24, 2019 by Angel Blair

It’s officially Summer and the arrival of the season signifies travel plans and busy itineraries for some individuals. Whether it be local travel to sites in one’s community or journeying to farther places, individuals can benefit from planning ahead for their trip as much as possible.

I wanted to share some great information I came across in an article on tips for travelers with disabilities and another with tips for travel agents working with those who have disabilities. Many suggestions involve making arrangements and contacts beforehand to ensure facilities and destinations are Continue reading →

Travel Planning

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Angel Blair

Can you believe that it’s already June? Time is flying and we’re heading into the summer season full steam ahead. With the way the weather changes it feels like we hardly get a spring season anymore—winter tends to lead right into summer with the blink of an eye. For some folks this time of year marks a busy travel season-making plans for trips and creating itineraries of activities. For those living with disabilities, the idea of planning a trip can be taxing; making sure travel sites are accessible, packing the appropriate necessities, organizing each route to be taken—it can be exhausting before you even head out the door! But it’s important to know that there are different resources available to help you plan your trip, so hopefully you can enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Continue reading →

Consider a Staycation!

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Angel Blair

Wow, can you believe it’s already May? Time feels like it’s flying by and we’ll be headed into the summer months before you know it! Many people spend time traveling and taking trips during the summertime, usually because kids have off from school and different attractions set-up shop and thrive during these warmer months. But many people aren’t able to travel abroad or from state to state for various reasons at times; so you may have to get a little more creative about how to spend these vacation days.

The word “staycation” is an expression that has increased usage within the past 10 years or so as a way to describe a vacation spent at home—spending time seeing local attractions, participating in activities close to home, or just hanging out in the backyard. What constantly amazes me is how many beautiful and remarkable sights so many people have right in their own cities! The world is filled with many extraordinary attractions and wonders, but sometimes it’s nice to be able to start at home with learning and appreciating what’s nearby. From parks and forests to museums and historical landmarks, there can be new things to explore and experience right near home. Traveling can be great, but a staycation can be just as satisfying. A staycation can also reduce stress because you don’t have to deal with long distance travel and spending excessive amounts of money; it may be more relaxing to just lay low and plan day trips and activities at your own leisure.

If you’re going to commit to a staycation, one of the most important things to do is to unplug. This means that if you are employed, disconnect from your email, and do not go into work just because you’re close to home! If you participate in daily groups or activities that you want to take a break from, this is the time to do just that. If you want to stray from your day to day and do something different, this is your opportunity. It’s tempting to stay connected because you’re not truly ‘away’ on a vacation elsewhere, but it’s still YOUR vacation, and you deserve this time as much as anyone. If you want to make other guidelines for your staycation like not using any electronics at all or not communicating to certain folks, that’s completely up to you! After all, it’s your time to do what you wish, and if your wish is for a restful staycation, then sit back and enjoy it!!

Have you ever had a staycation? What were some things you did to enjoy your time?

Summer Planning and Travel Resources: An MSAA Blog Re-cap

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Samantha Schech

As planning begins for summer vacations or trips, many are left searching or wondering what resources may be available to help with planning. MSAA guest bloggers Matt Cavallo and Jeri Burtchell have written over the years to provide some helpful tips for the travelling MS community.

In Air Travel Tips for the MS Community; Matt, a seasoned traveler, provides his Five Steps to Stress-Free Air Travel for People Living with MS. Matt writes, “Travel is stressful for everyone. Airports are big, busy and fast-paced. Security lines can be long and the thought of standing, unpacking, and repacking at TSA is enough to unravel even the most seasoned traveler”.

Often times the smaller details are those which are overlooked when planning a trip. Those small details such as the size of your carry-on, or the snacks packed in your bag can often make or break a trip. In Jeri’s Summer Travel Tips for Flying with MS Part 1 and Part 2, she identifies some of those smaller details that should be thought of ahead of time in order for smooth sailing….or flying in that matter.

We often learn through the experiences of others. Please share your flying or travel tips in the comments below.

Things to Consider for Summer Traveling

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Angel Blair

It’s here again – the summer season is upon us! Though for some people it actually may feel like it’s been here for quite a while depending on where you live. But the recent Memorial Day holiday really kicked off the start of the season for most around the country. With the arrival of summer some people start making travel plans and agendas for how to spend these months. Trying to schedule a trip can be stressful, and for those traveling with a disability or chronic illness, the planning process can be extra demanding. Ensuring certain accommodations are in place, scheduling stops and making arrangements for accessible travel are some of the necessary steps to take when planning a trip. Here are some things to consider in the planning phase:

Where are you going?

If they are needed – does your destination have disability accommodations? Like accessible bathrooms and sleeping areas, accessible activities/restaurants/shopping/travel routes within the town? It may help to call hotels and destinations beforehand to ensure their facilities meet your needs. This can help to decrease the stress of arriving at your destination and not having what you need to enjoy your trip.

What will you need for your trip?

Packing necessities like toiletries is just one part of the process. Having the appropriate amount of medications/treatments, equipment, and other products is important to ensure you won’t be left without something significant for your health condition while you’re away.

Who can you contact for help?

While planning a trip you will find there are resources available that can help you with the process. For example, you can work with a travel agent who specializes in accessible and disability travel that has knowledge on how to find locations and services that are accommodating for your requests. You can also get in touch with disability organizations and resources in the area where you’ll be traveling for additional assistance regarding local services and what’s available. Websites like Disabled Travelers and Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality can provide information for accessible travel needs as well.

Do you have plans for the summer? What does your planning process look like?

Air Travel Tips for the MS Community

Posted on December 8, 2014 by MSAA

By: Matt Cavallo

As the holidays approach, many of us living with a chronic illness are fretting holiday travel. Maybe you would like to travel to see friends or loved ones, but are hesitant because of your illness. You are not alone. Travel is stressful for everyone. Airports are big, busy and fast-paced. Security lines can be long and the thought of standing, unpacking, and repacking at TSA is enough to unravel even the most seasoned traveler. Compound traveling with the upcoming holiday lines and ticket prices and it may be enough for you to forego holiday travel and just stay home.

If you need to travel during the holidays and you are living with a chronic illness, there are several steps that you can take to ensure your airport experience doesn’t exacerbate your illness. The following steps will ensure that your holiday airport experience is as smooth as possible:

Five Steps to Stress-Free Air Travel for People Living with MS

1. Book your travel early. As a rule of thumb, booking your ticket fifty days in advance will get you favorable ticket prices, preferred seating (unless your airline has open seating like Southwest) and better flight time selections. Business travelers typically book fourteen days in advance, so if you wait to the last minute seating will be limited, as will flights, and the price will be higher.

2. Fly during off hours or off days. Much like morning traffic, the airport has rush hours too. My preference is to get the first flight of the day, even if it means being at the airport before the sun comes up. Airports are generally running once the sun goes up until the sun goes down. Whatever you do, avoid the last flight of the day, especially if you have a connection. If you are on the last flight, you have a greater likelihood of missing connections and then being rebooked on a flight the next morning. Mondays, Thursday nights and Friday mornings are business travel days. Sundays can be busy as well. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are light traffic days and typically have cheaper flights.

3. Notify the ticketing agent or gate agent of your condition. If the airport and airline staff are aware of your illness, you can get wheelchair or transportation service (if necessary), medical clearance to get to the front of the TSA screening line and pre-boarding status at the airline. If you have trouble standing or waiting in line, be sure to tell the agents or TSA that you are a fall risk and have weight-bearing precautions making you a risk to stand in line for long periods of time. The number one goal at the airport is the safety of passengers and if you are a fall risk they will make every effort to prevent you from falling.

4. Limit carry-on luggage. Checking a bag is an extra cost (on most airlines), but that cost is well worth it. Check the TSA website for the items that they allow to get through screening. Make sure that if you have to pack liquids in your carry-on, they are a size that meets the TSA standard. They will confiscate any items that are prohibited for travel. Also, if you have limited strength or range-of-motion, it can be difficult lifting your carry-ons to the overhead storage.

5. Relax. The stress and anxiety of flying has many components that are out of your control. Stressing over the things you cannot control during air travel can be enough to make you sick and ruin your trip. If you follow the four preceding steps, you will be able to minimize most stressful airport situations. Unforeseen stressors like weather delays, mechanical failure and gate changes are situations that you cannot predict. If you can relax and take these steps into mind, knowing that whatever unforeseen delays are out of control, you will feel much better both during and after travel.

I fly a lot. Four out of my last six flights have had some kind of issue. I was delayed three hours on a one hour flight to Palm Springs. They loaded the plane, only to unload it and switch us over to a new plane after the delay.

Another time, I arrived in Detroit with plenty of time to make my connection to Akron, but there was no gate available. They said they notified the gate agents, but when I finally arrived at my transfer gate after a half hour delay, the gate agent had just shut the door. And even though four of us were standing there, she refused to open it or hold the plane per policy.

In this case, I didn’t take my own advice. I was on the last flight of the day and they couldn’t get me to Akron until 3:00 PM the following day. I had a speech in the morning, so I had to drive overnight and got to Akron at 4:15 AM. I was tired and groggy, but luckily able to caffeinate myself enough to give a great speech. Even though it worked out for me, the stress and delay were not worth going through that again.

As always, my advice comes from my mistakes. As a seasoned travel, I understand the do’s and don’ts of air travel. I hope that these steps help to make all of your air travel stress free. Safe travels!

*Matt Cavallo was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. Matt is an MS blogger, author, patient advocate, and motivational speaker. Matt also has his Master’s degree in Public Health Administration. Matt is the proud father of his two sons, loving husband to his wife, Jocelyn, and best friend to his dog, Teddy. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Matt currently resides in Arizona with his family. To learn more about Matt, please visit him at : http://mattcavallo.com/blog/

Expediting Travel When You Have Multiple Sclerosis

Posted on June 18, 2014 by MSAA

If you are traveling this summer, you may need to do a little extra planning to ensure you have the best experience possible on your trip.

Groups like Able to Travel sponsored by the United Spinal Association act as travel agents for accessible vacation planning and accessible guided tours and cruises. You can also do it yourself by calling ahead to hotels, restaurants, and venues to ensure accessibility of rooms, bathrooms, and fun activities.

If you are using an airport, you can actually call the TSA 72 hours in advance of your trip to arrange for a quick experience getting through security checkpoints (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/travelers-disabilities-and-medical-conditions). Additionally, many airlines offer assistive services for boarding and navigating the airport, so be sure to make the airline and flight attendants aware of any needs you may have in advance of your flight.

There are also helpful websites like Flying with Disability which may offer helpful tips and suggesting for easing travel burdens.

Remember to do your homework before paying for services or using a company you are unfamiliar with to plan your trip or travel with, and most importantly – enjoy your trip!

Give Yourself Time to Plan for Travel

Posted on June 6, 2014 by MSAA

When planning a summer vacation (or any trip for that matter) a great deal of detail is required to figure out the best place to stay, the quickest and easiest way to travel, and what activities you want to do. The list goes on and on.

When you also need to plan for accessibility or special accommodations, it adds extra steps to the traveling process. Sometimes you may even want to throw in the towel if planning the vacation becomes so hectic or frustrating that it causes increased stress or anxiety.

Depending upon your needs, creating a plan of action or checklist of sorts may be a good first step in alleviating frustrations. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your list:

1) What places might be fun to visit/where do I want to go?

2) How much do I have budgeted to spend?

3) Will I need to fly, drive, or take a train/ bus (and what are the benefits and challenges for me getting on a plane, bus, etc.)?

4) Do I want to go as part of a guided tour with a set itinerary and is there an accessible travel option?

5) Where will I stay, and do I need to call ahead to confirm accessible accommodations?

Once you begin to narrow down your choices of budget, location, and means of travel, you can then begin to focus on planning for specific accommodations (picking the seat closest to the bathroom or coordinating with your flight attendant to offer wheelchair assistance) and the fun activities you want to participate in on your trip.

Wherever you go, even if it is a day trip, try to have some fun this summer!

Summer Travel Tips for Flying With MS – Part 2

Posted on July 31, 2013 by MSAA

By Jeri Burtchell

Most people who have MS take medications. Be sure to keep them in your carry-on bag to prevent mishandling or severe temperature changes. Keep a note in your wallet or purse with your emergency contact, medications, conditions, allergies and medical history in case anything should happen away from home.

Pack a sweater in your carry-on. Even if you are traveling from one hot place to another, airports and planes can be veritable iceboxes. Besides using it for warmth, a cushy sweater can double as a pillow.

Pack your own snack. Fruit or nuts, a sandwich or chips, are all going to be cheaper if you bring your own. Airlines occasionally provide snacks, but not always, and if they have snack boxes for purchase you can expect to pay premium prices. The only thing you can’t bring is a drink but most flights offer a free beverage.

Which to choose, the aisle seat or the window? Windows seats have the added benefit of not only providing a view, but a “wall” on which to lean if you tire easily. Aisle seats make trips to the restroom easier. Middle seats, for most passengers, are the least desirable.

Pack a wall charger for your smartphone in your carry-on. Your itinerary, email and family may only be an electronic device away, but if your battery dies and the airline lost your luggage, you will be cast adrift in an unfamiliar place, unable to access anything. You can usually find an outlet for your charger in any airport terminal.

If you rent a vehicle at your travel destination, ask for one similar to yours at home. Trying to figure out where the wipers and lights are while navigating a strange place just adds unneeded stress.

If you follow these tips, you can avoid unnecessary stress, leaving you free to enjoy your stay. Don’t overdo it, though! Be sure to drink plenty of fluids so you don’t dehydrate, take naps when you body tells you and pace yourself. Make your visit memorable for all the right reasons. Happy travelling!

*Jeri Burtchell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. She has spoken from a patient perspective at conferences around the country, addressing social media and the role it plays in designing clinical trials. Jeri is a MS blogger, patient activist, and freelance writer for the MS News Beat of Healthline.com. She lives in northeast Florida with her youngest son and elderly mother. When not writing or speaking, she enjoys crafting and photography.

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