Destinations for International Autism Awareness Day

Travel can be a stressful, tiring and frustrating experience. When traveling with children with autism, there is an entirely different set of needs than traveling with non-autistic children. Here are a few destinations great for travelers whose children have autism.

If you’re looking for a fun and manageable theme park experience for the family, put Sesame Place on your list. This park is based on the popular show. The park’s See Amazing in All Children initiative works to celebrate the differences of all children by examining common challenges to grow connections and support between families and communities.

Sesame Place is also the first theme park in the world recognized as a certified Autism Center, which means team members get training in many different areas to make the park as accessible as possible. The park also employs two quiet rooms, noise-cancelling headphones and low sensory areas.

For cruising, look to Royal Caribbean. The cruise line includes an autism-friendly initiative that includes a number of services, like priority check-in, special dietary accommodations, flexible activities and more. Special staffed cruises for Autism on the Sea cruises make sure families can always enjoy their time at sea.

Aside from the regularly staffed cruises and specialty theme parks, it is possible to make most cities and destinations autism-friendly. Whether you are traveling through a specialized accessibility conscious tour company like 4 All Senses or A Million Senses or on your own, any destination can be enjoyable for the whole family with enough pre-planning.

Finally, don’t discount national parks. Some parks can be noisy and crowded, but proper planning and research will let you see the beautiful sights out of season, providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience for everyone involved. Specifically, check out Yellowstone National Park for its accessible lodging, myriad animals and diverse ecosystems.

If you have another destination in mind, but aren’t sure how you can make it work, check out these travel tips from Autism Speaks. The list includes a number of tips for situations ranging from dealing with airport security to road trips and holiday travel.