Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

24
CHAPTER 2 . PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO LAS VEGAS
and cruises that emphasize sports and
private tours in minivans with lifts.
Accessible Journeys (& 800/846-4537
or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.
com) caters specifically to slow walkers
and wheelchair travelers and their families
and friends.
Wheelchair Getaways (& 800/642-
2042; www.wheelchair-getaways.com)
rents specialized vans with wheelchair
lifts and other features for travelers with
disabilities in more than 100 cities
across the U.S.
Many of the major car-rental companies
now offer hand-controlled cars
for drivers with disabilities. Avis can
provide such a vehicle at any of its locations
in the U.S. with 48-hour advance
notice; Hertz requires between 24 and
72 hours of advance reservations at
most of its locations.
Greyhound (& 800/229-9424)
allows a person with disabilities to
travel with a companion for a single
fare. Call at least 72 hours in advance
to discuss this and other special needs.
Organizations that offer assistance
to travelers with disabilities include
the MossRehab Hospital (www.moss
resourcenet.org), which provides a
library of accessible-travel resources
online; the Society for Accessible
Travel and Hospitality (& 212/447-
7284; www.sath.org; annual membership
fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and
students), which offers a wealth of travel
resources for all types of disabilities and
informed recommendations on destinations,
access guides, travel agents, tour
operators, vehicle rentals, and companion
services; and the American Foundation
for the Blind (& 800/232-
5463; www.afb.org), which provides
information on traveling with Seeing
Eye dogs.
For more information specifically
targeted to travelers with disabilities, the
community website iCan (www.
icanonline.net/channels/travel/index.
cfm) has destination guides and several
regular columns on accessible travel.
Also check out the quarterly magazine
Emerging Horizons ($14.95 per year,
$19.95 outside the U.S.; www.
emerginghorizons.com); Twin Peaks
Press (& 360/694-2462; http://
disabilitybookshop.virtualave.net/blist8
4.htm), offering travel-related books for
travelers with special needs; and Open
World Magazine, published by the
Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality
(see above; subscription: $18 per
year, $35 outside the U.S.).
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS
For such a licentious, permissive town,
Las Vegas has its conservative side, and
is not the most gay-friendly city. This
will not manifest itself in any signs of
outrage toward open displays of gay
affection, but it does mean that the
local gay community is largely confined
to the bar scene. This may be changing,
with local gay pride parades and other
activities gathering steam each year,
including the first-ever nighttime
parade through Downtown, with the
mayor in attendance, in 2001. See listings
for gay bars in chapter 10, “Las
Vegas After Dark.”
If you’re on the Web, check out Gay
Vegas at http://gayvegas.tripod.com,
which has helpful advice on lodgings,
restaurants, and nightlife.
The International Gay & Lesbian
Travel Association (IGLTA; & 800/
448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.
iglta.org) is the trade association for
the gay and lesbian travel industry,
and offers an online directory of gayand
lesbian-friendly travel businesses;
go to their website and click on
“Members.”
Many agencies offer tours and travel
itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian
travelers. Above and Beyond
Tours (& 800/397-2681; www.
abovebeyondtours.com) is the exclusive
gay and lesbian tour operator for
United Airlines. Now, Voyager