After weeks on the open road navigating highways across Florida, Tennessee, and the miles in between, John, Stevie, and Robert have finally returned home. The recent journey served multiple purposes, combining personal milestones, family visits, childhood nostalgia, and ongoing advocacy work within the accessible travel community. From clearing out a decade-long storage unit to planning exclusive international group tours and upcoming journalistic expeditions, the household has maintained a remarkably busy schedule.
The primary impetus for the road trip was a logistical necessity: clearing out a storage unit that John had maintained in Gainesville, Florida, for nearly ten years. Ahead of the journey, John committed to a severe downsizing effort, determining that everything kept in the unit ultimately had to fit into just three boxes of cherished keepsakes. Given that the family van has to accommodate three travelers alongside two wheelchairs, trunk space was at an absolute premium.
Confronting a decade of stored possessions proved to be an emotional and deeply humbling experience, serving as a literal trip down memory lane that included unearthing dust-covered boxes containing items from as far back as kindergarten. While a vast selection of childhood mementos ultimately found their way into a dumpster, John managed to find sustainable new homes for many items. A baseball card collection and more than one hundred Hot Wheels cars were dropped off at a Goodwill donation center conveniently located just two blocks away from the Gainesville storage facility.
Exploring Florida and Tennessee
Once the grueling task of sorting and downsizing was complete, the family transitioned into vacation mode, heading to St. Augustine, Florida, to spend a few relaxing days with Stevie’s brother. The group enjoyed exploring the historic coastal city’s distinct charm and taking in the coastal atmosphere at nearby Vilano Beach.
The Florida leg of the trip also featured a long-awaited childhood dream come true: a visit to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. While Stevie and Robert had previously experienced a Ripley’s attraction, it marked John’s very first time walking—or rolling—through its doors. He noted that while he enjoyed the inherent quirkiness of the exhibits, certain displays prompted raised eyebrows and reflection on how some elements managed to remain socially acceptable today. The standout highlight of the exhibition for John was the Bigfoot display. Having grown up in Florida, where the cryptid is locally known as the "Skunk Ape," John admitted he was ultimately quite fortunate never to have crossed paths with the creature during his youth.
Following their time on the Atlantic coast, the family traveled north to Tennessee to spend quality time with Stevie’s family. During a brief stopover of a few days in Knoxville, the picturesque outdoor environment inspired Stevie to write about the numerous wheelchair-accessible outdoor recreational opportunities she and Robert have enjoyed in the area over the years. Highlighting locations ranging from national and state parks to local greenways, the resulting published piece emphasizes that outdoor recreation remains critical for individuals with mobility challenges. As the family actively endeavors to foster a similar love for the outdoors in their son, readers can expect to see significantly more coverage of wheelchair-friendly outdoor spaces featured on the blog moving forward.
Coming Soon: Wheelchair Travel Group Trip to Morocco
Building upon the tremendous success of the inaugural Wheelchair Travel Group Trip to Morocco hosted last year, plans are officially underway for a return visit. Designed to be intimate and manageable, the Morocco tour is deliberately kept small, accommodating a maximum of just six travelers. The upcoming 10-day itinerary is scheduled to take place from January 22 to January 31, 2027, highlighting the absolute best of the country’s rich culture, history, art, architecture, and gastronomy through visits to prominent destinations such as Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Essaouira.
To ensure fair access for dedicated followers, the complete tour itinerary will be released exclusively to paid members of the newsletter, who will be granted a private five-day booking window. Any remaining spaces will subsequently be opened to free subscribers. Those looking to secure a spot and receive future information regarding accessible group tours are encouraged to upgrade their subscriptions in advance of the official itinerary release.
Odds & Ends
The recent North Florida road trip involved stays at a couple of notable hotels, both of which have been reviewed for the community. The family stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites St. Augustine – Vilano Beach, a beachside property offering a wheelchair-accessible room equipped with an accessible bathtub. They also stayed at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville. According to John’s assessment, the aging Hilton property located directly on the university campus features accessible rooms with functional bathtubs, though travelers requiring roll-in showers are advised to avoid its designated roll-in shower rooms due to infrastructural limitations.
In broader accessible travel and disability news from around the world, recent updates highlight notable developments, including the introduction of a new wheelchair-accessible zip line—known locally as a flying fox—in Australia, alongside legislative efforts aimed at securing faster wheelchair repairs for travelers and residents alike.
Looking Ahead
The travel schedule shows no signs of slowing down. John is embarking on a trip to Bogotá, Colombia, to participate in a familiarization trip sponsored by the Colombian government’s development agency. Having last visited the capital city in 2019 alongside his sister, John looks forward to evaluating the accessibility investments and infrastructure improvements implemented in the years since. Additionally, the itinerary will take him to two other Colombian cities for the very first time: Barranquilla and Cartagena. Upon his return, John plans to publish a comprehensive update to the existing Bogotá, Colombia Wheelchair Accessible Travel Guide, sharing fresh highlights and insights from the journey.
Beyond international accessibility reviews, readers can anticipate a deeply personal and entertaining story detailing how John and Stevie planned their honeymoon trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although the initial planning and execution proved to be somewhat of a disaster, the couple still managed to turn the experience into an amazing adventure, with the full story slated for publication later in the week.
