Sometimes it’s just nice to get away from your everyday life. A new scenery and change of pace does wonders for a person’s state of mind. My husband and I enjoy traveling and exploring new areas. Last June, we went to Baltimore, Maryland for a weekend when we celebrated our wedding anniversary. We enjoyed our stay so much that we wanted to share the city with our children.
Disability Travel
As anyone with a disability knows, traveling is not the easiest. Since I have cerebral palsy, I need to plan accordingly and think ahead before going on a trip. Just getting up and leaving isn’t likely for someone who has a significant disability. Why? The reasons are that we have to consider accessibility of not only the location but also the hotel. I have to think about medications and any or all equipment needed when we leave. We need to not only remember our cellphone charger, but also charger for motorized wheelchair.
We planned the Baltimore trip about a month and a half before going. Choosing the hotel deemed the first step. I learned from previous experiences to always try to book a hotel room with as many accessibility options as possible especially a roll in shower. We used to settle for an ordinary hotel room, and my husband would put me in the bath tub. But, there is a flaw in that thinking because the room is never wide enough for my wheelchair. Getting in the room and bathroom were unnecessary difficult. Also, I always seemed to get hurt when getting in or out of the bath tub. So, from now on, we choose the most accessible room possible.
Our Trip
I picked the Hampton Inn right by the Baltimore Harbor. When I say right by the harbor, I am talking about a less than ten minute walk. My husband and I don’t mind a longer walk, but with kids, we thought the shorter the better. Plus, the last time we went to Baltimore, my front wheel of my wheelchair broke on one of the sidewalks. Our room didn’t disappoint us. It was spacious for all four of us and the shower met my needs perfectly.
On the night before our trip, my husband came down with a major stomach bug. In fact, the next morning we were pretty certain we wouldn’t be able to go. Somehow late afternoon, he felt strong enough to make the two-hour drive so we were on our way! Luckily, he felt fine the rest of our trip and no one else caught the bug that weekend!
The Baltimore Aquarium is the main reason we took our trip. We knew that both of our children would love seeing it because it’s so big. They have been to Adventure Aquarium many times in New Jersey, but never the National Aquarium. My husband found out on the Internet that when you use a wheelchair, the aquarium will let you and whoever you are with to enter thirty minutes early.
Being able to enter thirty minutes early might not sound like a big deal, but it was a huge help. We didn’t have to fight the crowds and could actually see the exhibits without many people standing in front of me. The last time I went to that Aquarium, I could barely see exhibits since I cannot stand. I felt thankful to have that head start, and it made the entire day less stressful.
I recommend visiting the Baltimore Harbor and Aquarium. Getting around the harbor is very easy. Curb cuts are everywhere and cross walks are wide to get across. Ramps are everywhere so no need to worry about steps. Just remember to go to the aquarium thirty minutes early so you can also have a stress free visit.
