If you’re looking for wheelchair-accessible transportation in Guam, then look no further than Accessible Van Transportation Services (www.avtsguam.com). They serve all 19 villages in Guam and can provide transfers in a wheelchair-accessible van to all the airports, seaports, and hotels on the island. They also offer customized tours of the island, based on the interests and preferences of their clients. For more information about their services call (671) 898-8695 or e-mail avtsguam@gmail.com.
If you’ve always dreamed of enjoying some fun and sun on the beach, but thought it was impossible because you use a wheelchair, then think again. Thanks to an enterprising man on the Gulf Coast, power beach wheelchairs on Alabama beaches are a reality for wheelchair-users and slow walkers..
A Man With a Plan
After retiring to the Gulf Coast, Jerry Nasello was diagnosed with ALS. A diehard beachgoer, Nasello was devastated, but he was also determined to find a way to navigate over the sand without walking. He remembered a power beach wheelchair that he once saw in California, and his analytical mind went to work and he created his own version. And over the years he improved it, so he and other wheelchair users could hit the beach.
His first model used PVC pipe, but subsequent models incorporated lightweight metal frames and non-corrosive alloys into the design. He then added an upholstered seat and a joystick for steering for the perfect beach access solution for wheelchair-users and slow walkers. And shortly thereafter he started a company and began renting his fleet of power beach wheelchair to others.
New Owners Continue The Dream
Sadly Jerry is no longer with us, however his power beach wheelchairs on Alabama beaches are still a reality. Today Stacy and Tim Collings own Beach Power Rentals (www.BeachPowerRentals.com) which offers rental power beach wheelchair in Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan and Orange Beach. You can rent them by the day, week or month, and delivery is available for an extra charge. It’s the perfect solution for folks who have level or ramped access to a beach near their accommodations. And if you also need a beach umbrella, manual beach wheelchair, a scooter or a shower chair, they can deliver those too.
Additionally, they can make adjustments to the power beach wheelchairs based on individual needs. They can mount the joystick on either side, or take it off to allow a companion to steer it. They can also adjust the length, height, width and rotation of the footrests. And if there are other adjustments that you need, just let the folks at Beach Power Rentals know, and they will do their best to make it happen.
So get ready to hit the beach in a power wheelchair on your next Gulf Shores visit.
Barrier-Free Travel Favorite Florida Parks for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
If a trip to Portugal is on your travel wish-list, then check out this wheelchair-accessible villa in the Algarve. The four-bedroom unit can accommodate up to seven adults and two toddlers. It’s equipped with an accessible bathroom that’s outfitted with a with a roll-in shower with grab bars and a hand-held showerhead. A shower-commode chair and a toilet-riser are also available; and the bathroom also has an accessible vanity area as well as a lowered mirror. There’s good access to all the public spaces including the fully equipped kitchen and the patio and BBQ area. And the swimming pool is even equipped with a battery-powered lift.
Airport transfers from the Faro airport are also included with this wheelchair-accessible Portugal villa rental. They are available in a wheelchair-accessible Renault Kangoo. There are two of these vehicles, and one can accommodate four passengers and a wheelchair, while the other can take three passengers and a wheelchair. Both vehicles have ramps and tie-downs. And although they do not rent the vehicles, they are available for use with the rental of the villa.
There is also a variety of medical equipment available for rent. The list includes, power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, an alternating pressure mattress, a bath lift, an electric hoist and oxygen equipment. And if you need nursing care, that can also be arranged. It’s a very accessible and inclusive rental package.
Miami Beach wheelchair access just got a little bit better, thanks to the availability of loaner beach wheelchairs and the installation of Mobi-Mats and swim ropes.
Power and manual beach wheelchairs are available for loan at Beach Patrol Headquarters at 1001 Ocean Drive, and the Beach Patrol location at South Pointe Park. They are available on a first-come basis from 9 AM to 6 PM from February to October, and from 9 AM to 4:30 PM from November to January. Although there’s no charge to use the beach wheelchairs, visitors are asked to leave something of value (drivers license, wheelchair, etc.) as a security deposit, to ensure the return of the equipment.
The manual beach wheelchairs can go into water up to six inches deep, but the power beach wheelchairs, cannot enter the water. For more information, or to check on the availability of the beach wheelchairs, call (305) 673-7714.
Miami Beach also has Mobi-Mats installed at a number of their beaches. These hard-surfaced mats allow slow walkers and wheelchair-users to travel over sandy sections and offer barrier-free access to the beach. Additionally, a number of beaches are also equipped with swim ropes. For more information, and details about the Mobi-Mat and swim rope locations, visit www.miamibeachfl.gov/city-hall/public-works/ada/beach-wheel-chair-access/. So get out and enjoy the improved Miami Beach wheelchair access.
Thanks to the work of David’s Chair, loaner track chairs are now available at a number of Oregon locations. These rugged wheelchairs are outfitted with tank tracks instead of wheels and they can easily travel over sand and other obstacles found on inaccessible trails and beaches.
About the Track Chairs
Three types of track chairs are available — standing models, seated models and a youth chair. All have a maximum weight capacity of 350 pounds. Although the majority of the chairs are available at fixed locations, there are also several several models in the tow-and-go program. This program includes a track chair in a ramped trailer that can be towed by a personal vehicle. Tow vehicles need to have a two-inch ball with a straight four-prong trailer hookup and safety chain hooks.
Advance reservations are required for all loaner track chairs, and a liability waiver must also be signed. Some locations offer limited time slots, so plan ahead to avoid disappointment. Reservations for fixed location chairs can only be made at davidschair.org/request-fixed-location-chair/, while reservations for tow-and-go track chairs can be made at davidschair.org/request-tow-n-go-chair/.
Track Chair Locations
Fixed Locations
Seaside Elks Lodge #1748
324 Avenue A
Seaside, OR 97138
This standing model can be only used at the beach, which is located 2.5 blocks from the lodge.
Manzanita Visitor Center
30 Laneda Avenue
Manzanita, OR 97130
This seated model can only be used at the the beach off of Laneda Avenue, which is a short roll from the visitor center.
Gold Beach Visitor Center
94080 Shirley Lane
Gold Beach, OR 97444
This seated model can only be used on the beach near the Gold Beach Visitor Center.
Heceta Beach County Park
88466 1st Avenue
Florence, OR 97439
This seated model can only be used on the beach north of Driftwood Shores Resort, which can be accessed by the Heceta Beach access point.
Happy Camp Hideaways
825 Happy Camp Road
Tillamook, OR 97141
This seated model can only be used to access the beach off of Happy Camp Road.
Don and Ann Davis Park
840 West Olive Street
Newport, OR 97565
This seated model can only be used to access the beach near Don and Ann Davis Park.
The Pelican (Cape Kiwanda Parking Lot)
33180 Cape Kiwanda Drive
Pacific City, OR 97135
This standing model can only be used to access Pacific City Beach from the nearby parking lot.
Tow-and-Go Locations
White City
This location has a standing model, a seated model and a youth chair.
Gold Beach
This location has a seated model.
Tigard
This location has a seated model.
For more information about these programs, visit davidschair.org/.
Barrier-Free Travel Washington National Parks for Wheelers and Slow Walkers
Located in Hua Hin, these two wheelchair-accessible Thailand villas are a great holiday choice. Villa Coconut Grove and Villa Si Daeng both have two bedrooms and two adapted bathrooms. They each can accommodate up to six adults. Access features include a level entry, wide doorways, good pathway access and tiled floors for easy rolling. The bathrooms include a Continental shower with grab bars, a hand-held showerhead, and a fold-down shower seat. There are fold-down grab bars on both sides of the toilets, and the sinks have wrapped pipes and plenty of room for a wheelchair to roll under them.
Villa Coconut Grove and Villa Si Daeng
Villa Coconut Grove is located at the end of a dead-end street, in a small complex of 10 villas. It includes a large living area and a fully equipped kitchen, with level access out to the covered veranda surrounded by a tropical garden. The adjacent terrace includes a swimming pool and a Jacuzzi that can be accessed by a pool lift. It’s also just a short walk or roll to the beach, a mall, a bakery and a number of restaurants.
Villa Si Daeng is also located on a dead-end street, in the middle of a row of five houses. It has an open floor plan with a living area and a kitchen, and a spacious veranda. The pool and Jacuzzi can be accessed by a lift or stairs. As an added bonus, many small restaurants are located nearby, and the villa is about one kilometer from the beach.
Both of the villas come with a lot of extra adaptive equipment, including hospital beds, shower wheelchairs, patient lifts and beach wheelchairs. Dinner is included on the first night, and there’s also a free grocery package for breakfast the next day. Wheelchair-accessible airport transfers and local transportation in an accessible van can also be arranged; and a personal care assistant can be provided for an additional charge. Villa Coconut Grove also comes with a housekeeper and free laundry service.
If you are looking for wheelchair-accessible airport transfers in Puerto Vallarta, then look no further than Puerto Vallarta Transportations (puertovallartaairporttransportation.com/puerto-vallarta-handicap-transportation). This local transportation provider has a ramped van that can accommodate even the largest power wheelchair and scooter. Wheelchair-users can stay in their own wheelchairs (and use the tie downs) or opt to transfer to the van seat. The van can accommodate one wheelchair-user and five other passengers, or two wheelchair-users and three other passengers. Top it off with bi-lingual drivers, and an accessible van with plenty of room for all your luggage, and you have a winning combination. For more information about wheelchair-accessible airport transfers in Puerto Vallarta, visit the Puerto Vallarta Transportations website or drop them an e-mail at info@puertovallartaairporttransportation.com.
If you’ve thought of visiting a Minnesota State Park, but felt you couldn’t navigate the terrain, then check out these loaner track chairs available at Minnesota State Parks. Unlike standard wheelchairs, these power track chairs have tank tracks rather than wheels, and they are excellent for use on inaccessible trails.
There’s no charge to borrow a track chair, but track chair-users will be required to sign a liability waiver. No verification of disability — such as an accessible parking placard or doctor’s note — is required. Although all locations have a transfer board, park staff are not allowed to assist with transfers, so if you can’t transfer independently you’ll need to bring along assistance. And don’t forget to pack along a water bottle and some snacks, as they are not usually available along the more rugged trails.
Advance reservations are required, so call the park directly to make sure the track chair is available on your desired date. Track chairs are available at the following Minnesota State Parks.
If you’re planning a Western States road trip and are wondering about wheelchair access in Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton National Parks, then be sure and pick up a copy of Candy B. Harrington’s newest access guide, Barrier-Free Travel; Glacier Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. Be it a three-day getaway to a single park, or a two-week adventure to all three national parks, this handy resource includes the detailed information and authoritative resources needed to help slow walkers and wheelchair-users plan the perfect visit.
Wheelchair Access in Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton
This comprehensive second edition includes:
Accessible trail and attraction information
Photos and access details of all in-park lodges
Accessible lodging options in gateway communities
Barrier-free campgrounds
Accessible bus, snowcoach and boat tours
Accessible shuttles to and around the parks
Insider access tips
Fly-drive suggestions with accessible rental vehicle resources
National park discounted pass information
This inclusive title is the most recent addition to Harrington’s national park series; and although it’s written for wheelchair-users and slow walkers, stroller moms will also appreciate the access information in this guide. It will help everyone plan a truly accessible Yellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton National Park road trip.
Says Harrington, “I’m especially excited about the accessible lodging improvements since the first edition of this title. Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel renovated their main lodge rooms, and they now have five accessible guest rooms, including three with roll-in showers. And outside of the parks, there are some excellent accessible choices at two new properties — William Bridger Cabins in Gardiner and West Glacier Cabin Village.”
According to Harrington, park concessionaires are placing an increased emphasis on accessibility. “From Xanterra’s accessible Glacier Red Bus Tours to the accessible boat tours down in Grand Teton offered by Jenny Lake Boating, there really are a lot of options for slow walkers and wheelchair-users in the parks,” she notes.
If you’re looking for wheelchair-accessible transportation in Budapest, then look no further than Paratrans (paratrans.hu/en). This local company can provide an accessible vehicle with a driver who is familiar with the city, for airport or rail station transfers as well as city excursions. Their Renault Master is outfitted with a ramp and tie downs, and it can accommodate three wheelchair-users and five additional passengers. And if you need room for another wheelchair, it can be reconfigured to accommodate four wheelchair-users and four additional passengers. For more information about wheelchair-accessible transportation options in Budapest, call Paratrans at +36 30 900 1603 or e-mail them at info@paratrans.hu.