From The Editor: Traveling Differently

Our Summer Getaways and Fashion issue is here! We give you ideas on where to go for the rest of the summer – and share some ideas on what to wear! All in one issue!

Before we dive into the issue, let me tell you a personal tale about travel. This one may be relevant to you.

Earlier this year, I dealt with another round of health issues. This was my fourth hospitalization since November of 2021 resulting in a loss of two toes and an ongoing spinal cord issue.

Because of these hospitalizations and resulting surgeries, I am now living life classified as a disabled person.

This is a new world I am navigating. In finding ways to do everything at a different capacity than before. That includes traveling.

Back in April, I took my first media business trip since my last hospitalization. I flew to the Chicagoland area for a manufacturer’s drive event and returned home the same day. That alone was a challenge onto itself.

What I have found was that travel can be done “painlessly” as possible. We have resources available to us making travel a much easier experience. For example, you can arrange for security screening assistance through the Transportation Security Administration’s TSA Cares program ahead of your flights. You can also arrange for earlier boarding access and/or wheelchair assistance with the airline you are flying with.

Utilizing these resources helped me tremendously. My concerns were put aside thanks to some great staff at the TSA, as well as the airline I flew.  

My first tip for you is to do your research and due diligence before you go anywhere! Find out what resources you have available regardless of your situation. That includes connecting with LGBTQ+ resources, language services, and, yes, services for the disabled traveler.

We all travel differently than each other. That should be your advantage when enjoying your next trip.

Speaking of which, this issue includes some great travel ideas for this summer! There’s an Airbnb in Northern Minnesota, along with a year-round ski lodge up on the North Shore, a highly popular destination for Upper Midwest tourists, and a town that is home to the famed “National Park of Speed.”

Always remember: Just because you are different in the way you live – and travel – nothing should ever exclude you from doing what you enjoy and love!

Now, get out there and enjoy the world!