Accessible tours of the U.K.
Accessible tours for the handicapped in England
The outfits listed below are very adept at taking care of the details, know all the hotels with handicap-accessible rooms, have vans and buses wheelchair-ready, and other specialized services for the physically challenged.
Disabled tours
- Accessiblejourneys.com - Since 1985, offering to arrange independent tours all over the world for physically challenged travelers, plus group tours and cruises all around the globe (including some years to Ireland, Scotland, and England).
- Accessibleurope.com - Tours and city breaks from a company run by Massimo Micotti, an Italian operator of handicapped tours since 1993, with the most reliable set of departures for a variety of British tours—England, Scotland, and London.
- Flyingwheelstravel.com - One of the best and longest-established operators, offering various escorted tours and cruises, independent travel services, as well as private tours in minivans with lifts.
- Sagetraveling.com - Europe-specialist travel agents for travelers with disabilities. Offers several group tours (including some Paris-London ones), plus links to accessible "walking" tours in London, Edinburgh and other cities across Europe. Good tip sheets for major cities, too.
- Easyaccesstravel.com - Focuses on cruises for the handicapped, but also provides land packages in the U.K. and elsewhere.
- Travelguides.org - Not a tour company itself, but with links to loads of them, both U.S.-based and European based.
Disabled resources
- Visitengland.com/accessible-england - The section on accessible and dsiasbled travel at the official England tourism board website. Lots of good stuff.
- Visitscotland.com/... - The section on accessible and dsiasbled travel at the official Scotland tourism board website. Lots of good stuff.
- Lonelyplanet.com/thorntree - The Lonely Planet Thorn Tree public forum has a section for travelers with disabilities.
- Transportforall.org.uk - Accessible transport, with a focus on London.
- Disabledgo.com - Great online guide to handicapped accessible structures all across the U.K.
- Accessinlondon.org - Good general guide to London for the disabled—though a lot of it is simply downloading links for pdfs of sections from their print guide.
- Tourismforall.org.uk - Group dedicated to accisible toursm, with plenty of links on U.K. disabled travel.
- Sath.org - The Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH), 347 Fifth Ave. Suite 610, New York, NY 10016 (tel. 212-447-7284). SATH membership runs $49 a year ($29 for students and seniors 63 and older) and gets you access to a vast network of connections in the travel industry. They provide information sheets on travel destinations and referrals to tour operators that specialize in travelers with disabilities.
- Access in London - From the publisher: The guidebook covers accommodation, getting around and access to most of London's sights with descriptions of access. It will be of particular use to wheelchair users, disabled walkers and mums with buggies. All the entries are based on information gathered by visit, using consistent standards set by the disabled participants. It includes a unique 'Good loo guide' covering accessible toilets in central London.Partner
- Miusa.org - Mobility International, 132 E. Broadway, Suite 343 Eugene, Oregon USA 97401 (541-343-1284 Voice/TTY). This worldwide organization promotes international disability rights, hosts international exchanges, and provides reference sheets on travel destinations for people with disabilities. Its books and videos have resources on everything from biking trips to exchange programs. It also has plenty of free, downloadable info on its site.
- Gimponthego.com - Gimp on the Go. Can't say I am terribly comfortable with the name, but can't deny that the site is chock full of tips and resources for handicapped travelers.
- Mossrehab.com/... - Moss Rehab Hospital, 60 East Township Line Rd., Elkins Park, PA 19027 (215-456-9600 or 215-456-9602 TTY). This Philadelphia-based organization (actually, they're now in suburban Elkins Park, which is weird because that's next to the town where I grew up) has been providing advice and referrals to travelers with disabilities for years.
- Newmobility.com - This monthly magazine for wheelchair users is a general-interest publication, but always has travel articles. Search the archives for good intel on travel in general and the U.K. in particular, like the one on Wheelchair Friendly Scotland
- Afb.org - American Foundation for the Blind, 2 Penn Plaza, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10121 (800-232-5463 or 212-502-7600). They can fill you in on travel for the sight-impaired in general, as well as give you advice on how to get your seeing-eye dog past the normal quarantines in foreign countries.
- London for visitors with a disability - A good overview piece on Lonely Planet, along with a very handy links section.
- Inclusivelondon.com - A dry database of information, but handy.
- Visitlondon.com/... - The section on accessible and dsiasbled travel at the official London tourism board website. Lots of good stuff.
- Ricksteves.com/... - Not updated since 2006, but still full of handy hints.
- Overseasinterpreting.com - Can provide you with a sign language interpreter in London (and Paris).
- Emerginghorizons.com - Great online resoruce for accessible travel.
- Openbritain.net - Bills itself as one-stop-shopping for accessible lodgings, sights, and activities in the U.K.
- Travelguides.org - Fabulous compendium of links for accessible travel, including to guidebooks, tour companies, resources, magazines, and more. Sometimes out of date, but a treasure trove nontheless.
- Tfl.gov.uk/transport-accessibility - Official intel on accessibility for the London Public Transit system.
- Gov.uk/transport-disabled - Official laws and rules for accesisiblty on all forms of transportation in the U.K.
Related
Advice, tips, resources, and tours for disabled, handicapped, and physically challenged travelers who want to take a European vacation
