When selecting a vacation destination there are a lot of things to take into consideration: is there something for everyone to enjoy, will the weather be appropriate for what you want to do, is the hotel one that everyone will like? When you have a family member with special needs there may be additional accommodations you need to think about, and some destinations are more special-needs friendly than others. Here are suggestions for vacations that are friendly and accommodating to families with special needs.

Theme Parks

• Disney World & Disneyland: Disney Destinations are prepared for all families to have magical experiences and have inclusive policies for children and adults with mobility issues, hearing or visual impairment, and cognitive disabilities. There are a lot of accommodations available at the theme parks and the resorts – don’t try to figure it out yourself. Work with one of our Magic Creators to sort out all of the assistance available for your vacation.
• Sesame Place: Located just outside Philadelphia, Sesame Place is the first theme park in the world to receive designation as a Certified Autism Center. With its robust accessibility program, which includes specially trained staff and a Ride Accessibility Program to match the abilities of individual guests with each ride, this is one of the best East Coast vacation destinations with handicap access.
• Dollywood: This theme park, which is inspired by nature and is nestled within the Smoky Mountains, is smaller and quieter than most theme parks. This less-crowded feel makes the park very friendly to individuals with autism. Additionally, each ride, many of which have been adapted, provides information about whether it’s appropriate for children with special needs.
• Morgan’s Wonderland: San Antonio Texas is the home of the only theme park in the world where every single ride is completely accessible to guests with disabilities. This fully wheelchair-accessible park was designed for accessibility from the ground up and features rides, playgrounds, activities, and other attractions. Anyone with special needs is admitted free of charge. The park’s success led them to create a sister water park, Morgan’s Inspiration Island, which includes waterproof wheelchairs available for rent.

Cruises

• Royal Caribbean: For travelers with mobility issues, Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas has a set of accessible cabins, which include wider doors, ramped bathroom thresholds, lower sinks, roll-in showers, lifts at the pool, lowered tables in the casino, wheelchair seating in the theater, braille deck and stateroom numbers and more. In addition, the cruise line became the first autism-friendly cruise line in 2014, and specific ships provide sensory-related toys, autism-friendly movies, and modified kid’ programs.
• Disney Cruise Line: The Disney Fantasy offers wheelchair-friendly stateroom sand bathrooms but also has a variety of other accommodations such as sign language interpretation at the theater performances and other shows, access to assistive listening devices, a stateroom communication kit for people with hearing or visual impairments, and more. The cruise line also offers autism-friendly cruises to the Caribbean and other places.

National Parks

• Grand Canyon National Park: In addition to accessible facilities at the park, such as restrooms, dining areas, lodging, campgrounds, and shuttle buses, the park offers a sign language interpreter (with advance notice), wheelchair rentals, wheelchair-accessible trails, and scenic drives where you don’t need to leave your vehicle.
• Zion National Park: This national park in Utah offers campsites set aside for people with disabilities, trails that are suitable for wheelchair users, and park attractions that have some degree of accessibility such as the visitor centers, Canyon Transportation, the Zion Lodge, the Watchman Campground and the Human History Museum.

All-Inclusive Resorts

• Beaches Negril: One of only three resorts worldwide to hold advanced designation as a Certified Autism Center, this resort in Jamaica welcomes kids with autism with a variety of special services, sensory-friendly spaces, dietary modifications and optional one-on-one Beach Buddies. Every staff member is trained in autism awareness and strategies to assist children with autism. This allows kids with special needs to be fully included in the resort’s activities. For mobility disabilities, 7 of the restaurants and the beach are wheelchair accessible and the resort has a set of handicapped-accessible guestrooms as well.
• Grand Palladium Bavaro Suites Resort & Spa: This all-inclusive resort in the Dominican Republic is a Certified Autism Friendly Destination. This means at least 80% of the staff have received autism sensitivity training.
• Beaches Ocho Rios Resort & Golf Club: This resort in Jamaica is another one of the three worldwide resorts with the advanced designation as a Certified Autism Center. Beaches Ocho Rios is one of the Beaches Resorts that offers a private beach, three restaurants and a set of guestrooms that are wheelchair accessible.
• Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana: Opened in 2016 and earning a Certified Autism Center designation in 2018, this resort in the Dominican Republic accommodates the needs and special interests of kids on the autism spectrum. Aside from the staff training that accompanies this designation, the resort also offers special dietary requests in all of the resort restaurants and dining outlets.

Outdoor-Themed Vacations

• Splore: The great outdoors is attainable for everyone with Splore. Located in Moab, Utah, Splore is a not-for-profit program that provides outdoor activities for children and adults with special needs. Their impressive list of activities include river trips, rock climbing, hiking, four-wheeling, horseback riding, mountain biking, scenic flights and more. There are wheelchair-accessible rooms, sidewalks with ramps, and special menus upon request.
• Park City Resort: One of the biggest ski destinations in all of Utah is also one of the most accommodating for physical disabilities. This resort works with the National Ability Center to make adaptive skiing programs the whole family can enjoy, with revamped attractions that are more wheelchair accessible.
• Smuggler’s Notch: Located in Vermont, the Smuggler’s Notch Adaptive Program (SNAP) offers nine adaptive activities including swimming, hiking and horseback riding for children and adults of all abilities to enjoy in a supportive environment. Experiences are tailored to meet the needs and goals of each individual and, depending on the individual needs, Smuggler’s Notch also offers an inclusion program which offers the opportunity for the adaptive guest to socialize with peers while still maintaining the support they need in group activities.
• Mont Tremblant: For families who love to ski, Mont Tremblant – a driveable distance from Western and Central New York – offers facilities and resorts that accommodate guests with disabilities. These include instructors certified by the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing, modified equipment, and support for skiers with visual impairments.

What to do next:

If any of these vacation suggestions sound appealing to you and your family or if you want to explore other destinations that are friendly for families with special needs, contact a AAA Travel Advisor.

What are some family destinations you’ve been to that are special-needs-friendly?