101 Accessible Vacations: Travel Ideas for Wheelers and Slow Walkers    by Candy B. Harrington Order:  USA  Can Demos Medical Publishing, 2007 (2007) Softcover      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Travel for those dealing with handicaps does not entail just picking a destination and then packing for a fun vacation. So much more is involved. Access ramps. Accommodations for folded wheelchairs. Wide enough aisles. Lifts on buses. Bathrooms and stalls wide enough to allow a wheelchair or walker to pass through. Ramps on curbs and stairways. Access to refrigeration should medicine need to be kept at a certain temperature. Availability of medical help. Say, you decide you really want to go to Chicago. How feasible is it to go to the windy city? According to Candy B. Harrington, author of 101 Accessible Vacations, it's very much so. Walk Chicago Tours, run by Terry Sullivan, assure that all their tours are wheelchair accessible. Cleveland is another city that is handicapped-welcoming. As are many cities in the United States as well as other destinations from Vancouver to New Zealand's Northland and the Caribbean. This travel guide presents many options for the mobility impaired, along with advice and tips to make your dream vacation a reality. Let's assume that the trip you've always wanted to take is the Columbia River Cruise. Why not? Book early enough and you will have the use of one of two staterooms that are definitely user friendly. Want to take a shore excursion? Again, why not? Owned by Majestic America Line, the Queen of the West can dock almost anywhere and meets with lift-equipped buses. They dock near Hood River and visit museums there. Other excursions are available in a seven day period. No problem! You can cruise rivers or oceans. Take in the comfort of small towns in many countries. Possibly Paris is your goal. Or the Amish Country in Ohio. History your forte? Indulge yourself in Montreal, Philadelphia, Williamsburg, or DC. The author's picks include A Rocky Mountain Tour, Vancouver; Factory Tours, Texas; and Campus Attractions among others. I would think a sense of adventure would be a good thing to pack. Be alive to your opportunities. Pick up a copy of 101 Accessible Vacations, enjoy your trip and plan the next one. The world is far more welcoming to the handicapped than in days gone by. No need to listen to others' stories of their travels. Tell some of your own now. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Travel books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews