5 Inclusive Travel Companies for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Trips, Inc.
Trips, Inc. was founded by Jim Peterson. He started Trips, Inc. when he was caring for an individual with cerebral palsy and realized that there weren’t enough travel companies for adults with special needs. For the past 27 years, they planned inclusive getaways for adults over 18 years old with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Departing from Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco, Trips, Inc. has been a favorite around Stephen's Place for quite some time now.
Trips, Inc. specializes in inclusive adventure holidays such as Disney Land, Knott’s Berry Farm, Legoland, and cruises too. As a non-profit, each of their tours are subsidized through donations. They also offer the opportunity for carers to become a tour guide with them.
From their website: “To provide travel opportunities to people of various abilities in a safe, respectful, and fun atmosphere. All of our special adventures seek to create an environment that promotes personal and emotional growth, friendship and learning.”
New Directions Travel
New Directions Travel specializes in creating safe vacations for adults with special needs. Since they started in 1985, New Directions Travel has taken over 18,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities on holidays across the globe. They’ve traveled to Australia, Hawaii, New Zealand, Washington D.C., Bahamas, New York City, Ireland, Las Vegas, Israel, Disneyland, Japan, and the Grand Canyon.
New Directions is built on the foundational belief that all people deserve the same opportunities in life. From their website:
“We strive to offer each person the maximum opportunity for choice, independence, socialization and the application of practical living skills. Of course, we don't forget to add a solid dose of just plain old fun.”
Hammer Travel
When it comes to activities, Hammer Travel really thinks outside of the box. They have adventures ranging from the world’s largest toy museum to swimming with dolphins. Most of their trips are within the United States. They have, however, offered international vacations in the past.
Hammer Travel is financially accessible as well. They've created a payment plan that requires 50% down by date of travel and custom payment options for the remainder.
It’s clear that Hammer Travel values the independence of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Those values are very important to us at Stephen’s Place. From their website:
“Each traveler’s opinions, choices, and rights will be valued on every trip to ensure individual needs/desires are met.”
The Guided Tour
Established in 1972, The Guided Tour focuses on helping adults with special needs expand their horizons through travel. The company’s mindset is all about individual growth–and independence–in a safe setting. Their carers have been there anywhere from 15-20 years. From their website:
“ The focus of The Guided Tour is to provide a growth-producing experience for our travelers, in which they are able to travel and socialize independently of their families.”
Specializing in big vacations, The Guided Tour has taken people to places like London, Scotland, Nova Scotia, Memphis, and Hawaii.
Able Trek Tours
Around since 1991, Able Trek tours offers excursions via charter bus. Their pickup locations include Appleton, Beloit, Dubuque, East Troy, Fond du Lac, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville, Rockford, Stevens Point, and Wisconsin Dells.
Able Trek Tours takes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to all the places you might not have thought or even heard of. They take people on vacations to balloon festivals, museums, baseball games, theater shows, music concerts, cruises set to the soundtrack of The Sound of Music, and much more.
From their website: “Our vacations are designed to enlighten and expand each Traveler’s view, to encourage Travelers to discover and pursue leisure interests, to increase Traveler’s self-confidence, and of course to HAVE FUN! Our vacations are also planned to promote independence and choice, with safety as our number one priority.”
About Stephen’s Place
Stephen’s Place is an independent apartment community for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, located in Vancouver, WA (7 minutes from Portland, OR).
If you have a loved one with developmental or intellectual disabilities, who is looking for a community to live in, please contact us for more information. Stephen’s Place is a private-pay apartment community due to our state-of-the-art amenities and programs. We are a nonprofit and do not profit from our community. We are private pay because we spend more than some housing communities to ensure that our residents are comfortable and can safely live their lives with independence and dignity.