Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the world with disabilities.
Accessible
Journeys
(
&
800/846-4537
or 610/
521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com)
caters specifically to slow walkers and
wheelchair travelers and their families
and friends.
Avis Rent a Car
has an “Avis
Access” program that offers such serv-
ices as a dedicated 24-hour toll-free
number (
&
888/879-4273
) for cus-
tomers with special travel needs; spe-
cial car features such as swivel seats,
spinner knobs, and hand controls; and
accessible bus service.
Organizations that offer assistance
to travelers with disabilities include
MossRehab
(www.mossresourcenet.
org), which provides a library of acces-
sible-travel resources online;
SATH
(Society for Accessible Travel & Hos-
pitality) (
&
212/447-7284;
www.
sath.org; annual membership fees: $45
adults, $30 seniors and students),
which offers a wealth of travel
resources for all types of disabilities;
and the
American Foundation for
the Blind (AFB)
(
&
800/232-5463;
www.afb.org), a referral resource for
the blind or visually impaired that
includes information on traveling
with Seeing Eye dogs.
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS
While it's not quite San Francisco,
Chicago is a very gay-friendly city. The
neighborhood commonly referred to
as “Boys Town” (roughly from Bel-
mont Ave. north to Irving Park Ave.,
and from Halsted St. east to the lake-
front) is the center of gay nightlife
(and plenty of daytime action, too).
Gay and Lesbian Pride Week (
&
773/
348-8243
), highlighted by a lively
parade on the North Side, is a major
event on the Chicago calendar each
June. You also might want to stop by
Unabridged Books,
3251 N. Broad-
way (
&
773/883-9119
), an excellent
independent bookseller with a large
lesbian and gay selection. Here and
elsewhere in the Lakeview neighbor-
hood, you can pick up several gay
publications, including the weekly
Chicago Free Press
(www.chicagofree
press.com) and
Windy City Times
(www.windycitymediagroup.com,
which both cover local news and
entertainment.
Horizon Community
Services
(
&
773/929-HELP
), a gay
social-service agency with counseling
services, support groups, and an antiv-
iolence project, provides referrals daily
from 6pm to 10pm; you can also call
the main switchboard at
&
773/
472-6469
during the day.
The International Gay and Les-
bian Travel Association (IGLTA)
(
&
800/448-8550
or 954/776-2626;
www.iglta.org) is the trade association
for the gay and lesbian travel industry,
and offers an online directory of gay-
and lesbian-friendly travel businesses;
go to their website and click on
“Members.”
Many agencies offer tours and travel
itineraries specifically for gay and les-
bian travelers.
Above and Beyond
Tours
(
&
800/397-2681;
www.
abovebeyondtours.com) is the exclu-
sive gay and lesbian tour operator for
United Airlines.
Now, Voyager
(
&
800/255-6951;
www.nowvoyager.
com) is a well-known San Francisco-
based gay-owned and -operated travel
service.
Olivia Cruises & Resorts
(
&
800/631-6277;
www.olivia.com)
charters entire resorts and ships for
exclusive lesbian vacations and offers
smaller group experiences for both gay
and lesbian travelers.
SENIOR TRAVEL
Mention the fact that you're a senior
when you make your travel reserva-
tions. Although all of the major U.S.
airlines except America West have can-
celed their senior-discount and
coupon-book programs, many hotels
still offer discounts for seniors. In
Chicago, people over the age of 60
qualify for reduced admission to the-
aters, museums, and other attractions,
as well as discounted fares on public
transportation.
