Planning a Vacation in Louisiana for People with Disabilities

You may wonder if planning a vacation in Louisiana for people with disabilities is any different than planning one elsewhere? The good news is that the state of Louisiana is very accommodating for people with disabilities. Because of the thriving tourism, many businesses and cities have devoted more accommodations for people with disabilities. For example, wheelchair accessibility features, special events and other amenities are becoming more commonplace, making it beneficial for anyone with special needs to feel welcome.

  1. Research the place ahead of time to avoid disappointment. You don’t want to get to your destination only to discover it is not wheelchair accessible; or perhaps not configured to hearing or sight impaired persons.
  2. Plan ahead to ensure adequate resources. Do you need extra prescriptions fulfilled, or a tune-up to the wheelchair? Or other special needs, such as prescription-strength sunglasses, etc.? Make sure to allow enough time for ordering these things in advance.
  3. Call ahead if you need to rent equipment. Handicap accessible vans, wheelchairs or scooters may not be available at the last minute, so arrange these things in advance.
  4. Hire a travel agent that specializes in booking trips for individuals with disabilities. Instead of trying to do all of the travel plans yourself; agents specialize in these services and can do all of the legwork for you. In many cases, they are paid by the hospitality services, so it doesn’t cost the traveler anything to hire these services.
  5. Write everything down. Bringing prescriptions and other necessities for someone can be a hassle at checkpoints, so make sure everything is well-documented to avoid interrogations.

In Louisiana, planning a vacation for people with disabilities can be done by finding the right places or events to attend. Many establishments designate a special day or curriculum that is set aside for special needs persons. Here are a few that we know of:

  • Chuck-E-Cheese opens on the first Sunday of every month at 9am – 11am for Special Needs Children; at three locations: Slidell, Covington and Baton Rouge.
  • Goodwill hosts a free Job Skills Training program for youth with disabilities. Visit the website to learn more: Goodwill Free HiSet Job Skills Training
  • Summer Camps in Louisiana cater to kids with disabilities. Very Special Camps and Best Special Needs Camps are good resources to discover camps for Louisiana kids with disabilities.

Get started planning your vacation! If you need a hand, simply call CARE, Inc. to inquire about our many services for people with disabilities. 985-510-2467

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