Dear reader,
One of AFAR’s core editorial values is inclusivity: travel—and travel stories—should be accessible and should reflect the multitude of human experiences. In the past, we’ve worked with writers such as Ryan Knighton and Kelly Dawson to better understand an African safari when you’re blind or the kindness of strangers when traveling with cerebral palsy. But we don't want our coverage to feel sporadic—we want travelers to rely on AFAR as a resource to get out into the world, whether they're traveling with mobility issues, with a family member on the spectrum, with anxiety issues, with any range of special needs. We believe that travel is one of the greatest educators—a way to learn greater empathy for other cultures and better understanding of ourselves. It starts with being a better listener.
“Did you know that 87 percent of families whose children have autism don’t take family vacations?” says Stuart Butler, chief marketing officer of Visit Myrtle Beach, a popular South Carolina beach destination that has become a U.S. leader in accessible travel. Butler was citing an oft-quoted I.B.CCES study that also found that 93 percent of families surveyed would be more inclined to travel if they knew of autism-certified options. Imagine if mainstream media made sharing those options a priority? We hear you, Stuart.
In our first-ever Accessible Travel package, we launch a series called Traveling on the Spectrum, where AFAR contributors share personal experiences, practical tips, and lessons learned from traveling with a family member with autism or on the autism spectrum. Traveling with Autism notes the not-so-obvious challenges: “The changes in routine, unpredictability, crowds, new noises and sights can all make the experience difficult for people on the spectrum and their families.” Below, we share how to make domestic and international travel easier—and a lot more fun.
That's just for starters. After all, about one in six children (17 percent) ages 3–17 were diagnosed with a developmental disability (as reported by parents)—autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others—during a study period of 2009–2017, according to the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.
AFAR will continue to update this page with stories from people seeing the world from different perspectives. In the meantime, a tip: Before your next trip, consult AccessNow, which relies on users to share personal testimonials about everything from accessible washrooms and parking to stairs versus elevators, patios at restaurants, hotels, and more. It created AccessOutdoors during the pandemic due to the rise in interest around accessible parks and trails and now covers 1 million locations—indoors and outdoors—in 35 countries.
Happy travels,
Laura Dannen Redman
Digital content director, AFAR