More than 26 million adults with accessibility needs spend $17.3 billion annually on travel, according to a 2015 study, I Love NY tourism officials said. With that in mind, “I Love NY unveiled Accessible New York, an initiative designed to enhance the travel experiences of visitors with disabilities.” In the first phase, over 100 accessible attractions are listed by category, including blind/low vision. An especially interesting feature of the site is the Ally Toolbar that “allows our visitors to use tools that read any page on our website aloud and customize the appearance of our site with a visual toolkit” that works throughout the iloveny.com website. Among the featured activities for people who are blind or visually impaired or deaf: Adaptive Ski Lessons at Gore Mountain, the National Comedy Center, and TR’s Summer White House on Long Island. BONUS: New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation free or discounted admission for individual or vehicle to state parks, historic sites, and recreation activities like cross-country skiing, swimming and tennis to travelers with accessibility needs. Discounted cabin and campsite rentals, too. NYS parks access pass info N.B. Ahmat found that the application form, which is in PDF format, can be read with JAWS with some difficulty.
A lifetime America the Beautiful – National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass is available to visitors with disabilities for free at a long list of sites or for $10 through the U.S. Geological Survey Store. Pass allows free admission for up to 4 adult passengers in a vehicle. Although children under 16 are admitted free, according to information on Trip Savvy, “Children with permanent disabilities can also qualify for an Access Pass, which will allow caregivers to enter the federal recreation sites for free when accompanying the child.
