Limited Mobility Travel: Best Places for Elderly and Disabled Travelers

I know of which I speak because, while I have long refused to admit the extent of my knee problems, I felt anxious on my last Road Scholar trip to Portugal. I considered the possibility that my difficulties would prevent me — and perhaps my fellow travelers — from enjoying the journey.

What I learned from my trip was to leave that guilt behind. There are usually others in the group who have similar concerns. And most folks will cheer you on.

After all, there is no shame in ratcheting down what you might have been able to do 40 years ago. Many of us face mobility challenges as we age. In fact, according to a United Nations Ageing and Disability report, more than 46 percent of those aged 60 and over have some kind of disability.

Perhaps what is most important is being honest about one’s abilities. That said, people seem to react to their disabilities in a variety of ways. I know some folks who seem as if they’re almost bionic; they have body parts replaced regularly and seem almost casual about it. And some stoics just grin and bear it (as one traveler told me, “After the trip, I was exhausted, but now I have wonderful memories”). And, of course, there are those who decide to avoid potential difficulties and not travel at all.

Check Out the Activity Levels

For those who have been hesitant to travel because of mobility issues, Road Scholar makes it possible to choose specific trips geared towards varying levels of activity challenges. Trips have descriptive categories for each listing, from Easy Going, with more than 70 choices (including Costa Rica at a Slower Pace) to On Your Feet, with programs like Winter in Spain, which includes walking from one to two miles per day. Keep the Pace has such listings as Ancestral Homelands: Hopi, Navaho, and Chaco Canyon, with a description of the activity level as “exploration of ruins requiring agility. Elevations up to 7,000-plus feet.”

Some programs, like the Odyssey ship journeys, have a Choose Your Pace level, with two activities available each day — one that has less walking and fewer stairs and another with a more active pace.

There are also several levels of outdoor travel, from Outdoor: No Sweat (Horses and Canoes: Summer Camp in the Ozarks with Your Grandchild) to Outdoor: Spirited (Rafting Grand Canyon’s Granite Gorge), and finally Outdoor: Challenging (Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and the description helpfully includes “Hiking up to six hours a day over varied terrain. Elevations up to 13,779 ft).

One example of Choose Your Pace for an outdoor trip one entitled Off the Map: Choose Your Pace Hiking and Camping Along the Rogue River, which enables travelers to choose from hiking and rafting options each day. The activity details state, “Depending on the day, hikes range from 2.2-6.3 miles on maintained trails with varied terrain.”

When in Doubt, Make a Personal Connection

If travelers have specific issues or questions, Lucy McClelland, Associate Vice President Participant Experience at Road Scholar, suggests that they get in touch directly with the company.

“Any time a participant has questions about whether they can manage the activities on a program,” she says, “they should call us. If they explain their situation and concerns, the Support Team will work with the Programs Team on how suitable the program is for that participant. We will work to identify any activities that may be challenging and if reasonable accommodations can be made on that program.”

Travelers Weigh In

Because I was interested in how Road Scholar participants with mobility challenges prepare for their travels, I took to social media. It turns out that many travelers have concerns about how they will do on travels that require walking, hiking, or biking.

One Road Scholar alumnus on my Facebook group, Bobbie Henry of Encinitas, California, discussed how she is preparing herself for her next trip:

“I’m signed up for Great American Get-Together in Santa Fe in April, which is Keep the Pace. I’m very energetic, but no longer very fast, since a hip replacement in August 2018.”

“But now I’m “in training” by forcing myself to speed up every time I’m in walking mode, whether strolling past the shops or walking around Target. Definitely improving! With physical therapy planned, I have high hopes for reversing my balance and strength issues.”

Anne Ziegler of Grand Junction, Colorado, said that she does not plan “to climb to Alps” because she has had bilateral knee replacements and knows what she can — and can’t — do. She likes Road Scholar because of the different levels of activities, and she describes her trips with them as “wonderful experiences.”

Jane Carroll of Silver Spring, Maryland was “scared to death to hold up everyone else,” so she went on a Road Scholar trip to the Alps at a slower pace prior to her knee replacements. She is planning a program in Spain at a slower pace as well as a journey to the Scottish Highlands this year.

Making the Journey Easier

What I gleaned from reading and talking to travelers was that, besides increasing activity in preparation for a journey, there are other methods to make a journey easier.

• Use a cross-body bag so that you have your hands free to carry lightweight luggage. And, of course, travel as light as you can so that you have constant control of what you have.

• Bring a cane, walker (or walker with wheels), walking sticks, or other equipment to help keep your balance. I sometimes use a portable folding seat/walking stick (available on Road Scholar). It certainly makes life easier knowing that you can rest when you like!

• Tell people when you need help! Lots of folks have issues that are not obvious at first glance, so communicating your needs is the best way to get support.

• Research and plan your trip carefully, making a list of your specific mobility requirements, such as wheelchair access or roll-in showers. Read reviews from other travelers and verify the accessibility features of your destination.

• Select accessible tours like those offered at Road Scholar. Accessible tours for individuals with limited mobility allow travelers of any ability to experience and discover some of the world’s most iconic and beautiful attractions.

• Pack accordingly, bringing all necessary medications, a first-aid kit and layers of clothing to accommodate fluctuating temperatures and weather.

• Inform friends and family of your travel itinerary to ensure a loved one knows your timeline, where you’re traveling and who to contact should an emergency arise.

• Ensure the destination you choose has a robust infrastructure with medical and health care facilities, easy transportation and a low crime rate to ensure a smooth adventure without any hiccups.

Taking the Leap and Doing What You Can

A mantra that some find useful is “I cannot do all I would like to do, but I will do what I can.” You always have a choice.

A lot of intrepid older travelers are independent, feisty, and courageous, and their ability to hunker down and get on with it is pretty amazing and inspirational to me. We travelers want to head out into the field, figuring out how to still see and experience what we’ve dreamed about all our lives. Where we go and how we maneuver may have changed, but limited mobility doesn’t mean limiting dreams or creative ways to solve problems.

By the way, I bit the bullet and am scheduled for knee replacement next month. I am scheduled to take a Road Scholar trip to Crete in early 2023. It will be the first Road Scholar trip I’m taking with my husband who has never been on a group trip, and I fully intend to write about his new experiences and new discoveries — and about old dogs learning new tricks. This trip is my goal for getting in fighting shape, and I can’t wait to begin the journey.

Best Places to Travel With Limited Mobility

Travel for seniors with limited mobility doesn’t have to be a challenge. Across the globe, there are exciting vacations for mobility-challenged travelers, offering them the opportunity to explore new areas of the world in an accessible way. When it comes to travel for those with limited mobility, seeking out train tours, bus tours and guided tours is an excellent way to view attractions and landmarks without obstacles like stairs, hills and other challenges along the way. Take a look at some of the top vacations for disabled seniors below:

1. National Parks

Many of America’s national parks are excellent options for travel for elderly and disabled adventurers. Throughout the country, you can find national parks that don’t require extensive travel or long flights or drives. On the West Coast, popular parks include Yosemite, Yellowstone, Olympia and Joshua Tree National Parks. Here, visitors can find wheelchair-accessible boardwalks, scenic drives and easy access points to enjoy panoramic views and spot iconic landmarks like Half Dome in Yosemite or the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone.

On the East Coast, Acadia National Park in Maine offers a beautiful drive along Park Loop Road, a 27-mile route that circumnavigates the park with stops along the coast and wooded forests. The Great Smoky Mountains are another great option for limited mobility travel, with accessible restrooms at visitor centers, designated handicapped parking spots, wide paths with hard-parked gravel and wheelchair-accessible ramps and boardwalks.

When it comes to vacations for senior citizens with limited mobility, America’s national parks are always an excellent option, offering the opportunity to discover new wildlife and geography, learn about the country’s history and connect with other travelers. At Road Scholar, you can find an exciting collection of national parks tours you can filter based on activity level, interests and destinations, allowing you to find a program that works for you.

2. New England

Travel for seniors with mobility issues is easy in New England, where the states of Maine, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts offer exciting attractions and events that are senior-friendly. Particularly popular in the fall, New England provides excellent views of fall foliage in towns like Stowe, Vt., Portland, Maine, and Newport, R.I.

Throughout the area, seniors can embark on train tours via the Essex Steam Train in Connecticut or the Cog Railway up to the peak of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington. Through train excursions, passengers can sit back and relax while taking in the sights of the rolling hills and quaint Colonial villages.

3. Germany

When it comes to international vacations for disabled seniors, Germany offers a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. For seniors with limited mobility, taking a riverboat cruise down the Danube travels through cities like Ulm, Regensburg and Nuremberg. Passengers can explore quaint villages, which are particularly exciting during the winter months when the Christmas markets are on full display. Or, consider riverboat cruises along the Rhine, which travel through landscapes dotted with medieval castles and vineyards.

Germany also has several world-famous cities with accessible attractions, such as Berlin and Munich. In Berlin, visitors can discover the Berlin Wall Memorial, Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, all of which have accessible entrances and easy-to-navigate paths. Berlin is also renowned for its affordable and user-friendly public transportation system, which seamlessly connects travelers to different parts of the city.

Munich is another city perfect for limited mobility travel. The U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses all have accessible entrances and ramps. Educational attractions, such as Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace and the Deutsches Museum transport visitors back in time and feature facilities that accommodate all accessibility needs.

4. Ocean cruises

Another popular option for vacations for mobility-challenged travelers is an ocean cruise. Ocean cruises allow passengers to sit back and relax while exploring popular ports and cities along the way. These vacations on water abide by regulations set forth by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), along with domestic accessibility regulations such as those set by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Guidelines set by these regulations include handicap-accessible cabins, multiple elevators and wider planks for easy disembarking.

At Road Scholar, our ocean cruises port at some of the best places to travel with limited mobility. Fom exploring the Hawaiian Islands to making a transatlantic journey from America to France, whichever ocean cruise you choose, you can enjoy onboard amenities, including live entertainment, world-class dining, libraries and more.

5. Sydney, Australia

Completing our list of travel for elderly and disabled adventurers, is Sydney, Australia. With wheelchair-accessible public transportation and inclusive attractions like the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach, those traveling with limited mobility have plenty of options for adventure and education. Other attractions like the Taronga Zoo offer wheelchair rentals and accessible pathways to exhibits and facilities, along with the Royal Botanic Garden with smooth, wide paths and wheelchair-accessible pathways and restrooms. 

Browse Road Scholar’s educational tours at a slower pace to find exciting adventures across the world for travelers with limited mobility.

About the Author

Barbara Winard has earned degrees in English literature, journalism, and, later in life, gerontology. Although for the past 25 years she was a senior editor and writer of online encyclopedia articles for children. She began her solo travels in college, and after returning from a long trip to Asia, wandered off the street and was hired by the Asia Society in New York City to produce films and print materials for adults and children about Asian culture. She was also a producer and writer for New York City’s public television station, WNET/13. She lives in Historic New Castle, Delaware.