Blogs

The theme is music. The place is Tennessee. The goal, to see as much of it live as possible.

Starting in Memphis and following the ghost of Elvis throughout his life and musical career, our latest batch of reporting takes us on a grand tour of the musical cities of Tennessee.  Memphis for blues and rock 'n roll; Nashville for country.

We had no preconcieved notions of what we would find or who we would meet along the way...just two weeks of exploration in these two locations. It wasn't alway easy,

Flying with a wheelchair is a lot like playing the tables at Vegas. You throw the dice and hope for the best. Sometimes, it really does feel like a craps shoot.

Although U.S. airlines are generally required to accommodate you, it would not be in your best interest to just show up at the airport and put that to the test. Flying and airports are strenuous at best, throw in an unexpected accommodation request and you’re just asking for trouble.

There are recourses available to you when things go wron

Beaches and wheelchair don’t usually mix. It’s very hard to get a 300 pound, electric wheelchair to move once it’s stuck in the sand. Some beaches have concrete or wooden ramps to the high-tide line but after that, you’re on your own. A few more beaches have special wheelchairs available for loan that a helper can use to get you to the water, but you can have a hard time finding anyone who knows about them.

Still, some waterfront areas are accommodating to those who do use a wheelchair. In my hom

The world is now more accessible than ever before. Things you thoght weren't posiible now are, you just need the reight resources and assistance.

Twenty percent (62 million) of the U.S. population has some form of disability, and the number of these individuals is increasing daily. These people need to, want to, and can travel. If you’re part of that twenty percent, a world of travel awaits you.

Travel professionals such as myself and our agency Latitudes travel (www.LatitudesWI.com) who are acce

"I’ve been in the industry 20 years and used to be an agent. If someone with a disability came in, we used to run a mile," Wendy Takman TTGLive March 12th 2009

Now a training consultant for Good Access Guide, which provides access and disability-related training, marketing and consultancy services to the leisure and hospitality industry, Takman says little improvement has been made since she was selling holidays.

"It’s a sector that’s neglected across the board. There’s still a lack of training an

If you’re traveling in a wheelchair, getting around at your destination is a major concern. Yes, there are companies like Wheelchair Getaways that provide wheelchair accessible van rentals but they run around $100 a day, plus tax and mileage.

Luckily, one option is becoming more common in increasing areas of the world…accessible public transportation.

Here in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that new public transit be made accessible and older transit choices be adapted

Halfpoint

Traveling by plane is of course one of the safest (and fastest) methods of getting from point A to point B, but crowded airports, long waits at security checkpoints and baggage restrictions can make flying a nightmare when you have a disability.

With the help of legislation and strong advocacy, airlines and airports are making it more accessible for travelers with disabilities. We’ve created a fully accessible guide to help you navigate the airports, with tips and tricks to make f