As both the mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum and a travel advisor, I think a lot about how to plan successful trips with my son.
Salvatore has taken more than a dozen plane rides, gone on multiple trips to Walt Disney World, had his passport stamped and been on a cruise. My son loves to alternate between watching the sun rise during an early morning flight and watching his iPad. He enjoys spending time in the pool and finding the nearest playground to climb. In fact, he has done more travel in nearly six years than some people choose to do in their whole lifetime.
Salvatore is also a nonverbal autistic boy who has plenty of day-to-day obstacles to challenge him, including during our travels. As the director of accessible travel at Travelmation, I work to provide other people with similar circumstances with the confidence and know-how to travel with accessibility needs.
Planning our vacations comes with lots of preparation, structure and flexibility.
Here’s how I plan travel with my autistic son.
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
First, a quick definition: According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn and behave.” It is a spectrum disorder, as there are different symptoms and behaviors that can range widely for individuals.
Planning Travel With Accessibility Needs
Planning our vacations comes with lots of preparation, structure and flexibility. We always schedule plenty of downtime and time in our hotel room on top of our continuous adventures. Going with the flow of making sure Salvatore is comfortable in each new environment is always a top priority.
People often ask me how our family plans successful trips with our son. Here are five travel tips I give my clients who have accessibility needs.
1. Drop your expectations. You aren’t going to always have the travel-commercial, picture-perfect vacation with the kids dancing in the sand and smiling going down the waterslides. You know what makes your family member happy or what might bring them sensory discomfort, but you’re also taking them out of their comfort zone; this can cause a lot of uncertainty for them. You’ll want to be prepared for some bumps in the road. But this doesn’t mean you won’t have an incredible time!
Izzo’s son has gone on multiple trips to Walt Disney World.
Credit: 2024 Jordana Izzo2. Prepare. Talk about the vacation consistently to your family member with accessibility needs; surprises may not go over well. In the weeks leading up to our vacations, my husband and I talk to our son talk about going on a plane, staying in hotel rooms, walking on the beach, swimming and any other activities we might do. We talk about what Salvatore can expect and how we’re going to make the best memories. Discussing the trip positively in advance also helps set the tone for the vacation. Social stories can help with this and can be accessed from the school system or possibly with a speech therapist.
Discussing the trip positively in advance also helps set the tone for the vacation.
3. Pack comfort items. Our son's comfort items are always his iPad and a few toys from home. Sometimes, we take a blanket and a stuffed animal, depending on his current favorites. Having comfort items from home, as well as a day-to-day schedule, really helps with emotional stability. This may also include bringing foods that are regular in your family member’s diet, along with incontinence supplies, if needed. Stock up to make sure you don’t end up stranded without items that are necessary.
4. Schedule blocks of downtime. During any family trip, we make sure to schedule multiple downtime stops throughout the day. Whether it's having a sit-down dinner or time in our hotel room or cruise cabin, moments of calm are super important to allow for decompression. We also know that Salvatore loves being in the pool, so we try to plan for tons of swim time in our schedule to give him something he truly enjoys.
5. Don’t look up. What I mean is this: People are going to stare; it’s inevitable. My son is nonverbal and tends to make noises that a lot of outsiders aren’t used to. This can cause stares, eye rolls or the occasional grunt. If you find yourself wanting to explain your situation, something I often suggest is to give people around you on the plane or in your general area a note that explains your situation. You can even throw in a $5 gift card for coffee if you want to, but it's not always necessary (though it might end up making you their new favorite person).
At the end of the day, making memories with your family is important.
At the end of the day, making memories with your family is important. Focus on your family, and you’ll have a phenomenal time. “Remember when” conversations only come if you take the chance to travel and explore. My family has taken so many vacation photos that we love to back on; I am so thankful we didn’t let this diagnosis pause our travels.
I really encourage you have the confidence to get out there; just head into your adventure well prepared and ready for anything.
