Access North Carolina

08/16/2024

Fabulous Friday Post: On Monday evening, I visited Franklinton Park north of Raleigh and was pleasantly surprised to discover an accessible playground with an accessible pathway, rubber mat surfaces, bucket swings, a picnic shelter level with the walkway, and (most !) a Fanklinton Communication Board with icons to point to emojis or images related to play! Enjoy these five images depicting the playground features that I mention here. 🙂🌳

07/25/2024

Today I learned that the Town of Holden Beach along the coast between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has beach access mats! I am waiting for pictures, but I wanted to go ahead and share this information from the Assistant Town Manager in the Parks and Recreation Department:

We do . . . have mats in place at several of our beach access points and have received very positive feedback from users. I would especially recommend the new access at the pier (441 Ocean Boulevard West) or the site at 114 Ocean Boulevard East because these also have mat bump outs.

I will share pictures when I have them, but I wanted people to know that Holden Beach has these mats. Holden Beach is unable to offer beach wheelchairs to use, but a place called Beach Fun Rentals offers beach wheelchairs for rent.

If you visit Holden Beach and use the beach access mats, please share pictures! Thank you very much! 🙂🏖🌊🌞

07/25/2024

The Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill now offers free EnChroma glasses for visitors who are red-green colorblind to use during their visit! See these details below:

Call for Colorblind Volunteers: Launch of EnChroma Glasses
Wednesday, August 21, 1 p.m. Participation by application.

Are you colorblind or do you know someone who is?

The Ackland Art Museum at UNC-Chapel Hill has partnered with EnChroma to help visitors who are colorblind better experience color at our museum. If you’re red-green colorblind, or have a family member, coworker, or friend who is, we are looking for people who are red-green colorblind to come to the Ackland Art Museum on Wednesday, August 21 at 1:00 p.m. to try special EnChroma glasses. These glasses enable colorblind people to see an expanded range of clear, vibrant color. All participants who are chosen to take part in this event will get to keep a pair of EnChroma glasses.

To be considered, please click here to fill out a volunteer background form. For question #3 “Media Opportunity,” add that you’re volunteering to try the glasses at the Ackland Art Museum. The form may take about 10-20 minutes to complete. The survey includes questions about your age, your location, your vision and the type of colorblindness you have, and your experience with colorblindness. Click the link above to view all survey questions.

You must be willing to speak with reporters about your experience with colorblindness and how colors appear to you. You'll then try the EnChroma glasses and describe what you experience. It will require about an hour of your time. EnChroma will contact those selected well in advance to share more information.

🙂😎🎨🖼

07/22/2024

Many thanks to my friend Stacy Marx for sharing this Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation Facebook post today during the ADA's 34th anniversary week:

♿ The Mobi-mat is a new accessible amenity we just added at Ramsey Creek Beach. This feature improves beach access for our visitors who use wheelchairs. This is one of many ways we are fostering a sense of belonging in our community. Happy Park and Recreation Month!

📍Ramsey Creek Beach: 18441 Nantz Rd, Cornelius

🙂🏖👨‍🦼👩‍🦽

[Image depicts a grayish mat going across the sand from a concrete edge toward a lake on a partly cloudy day.]

07/06/2024

The Caravan for Disability Freedom and Justice visited North Carolina in June ahead of the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th! Here is my selfie with it at the Dix Park Chapel in Raleigh on June 25th! Where will your travels take you this summer?? Please share pictures of the accessible places that you visit or the accessible activities that you do in North Carolina this summer! Wherever you go, drive safely; stay hydrated; and watch out for Bulls, Hornets, Panthers, and Hurricanes! 🙂😉🤳🇺🇲🚙⛰️🏙🌊⚾️🐂🏀🐝🏈🐈‍⬛🏒🌀

06/06/2024

Although the North Carolina Museum of History in downtown Raleigh will close for two years for renovations, I wanted to share photos from my recent visit. Their North Carolina A to Z exhibit had items that visitors may touch such as a red, yellow, and black Astroturf sample on the wall and a relief map of the Great Smoky Mountains under signs saying, "Please touch!" Museums that allow visitors to touch items provide a more accessible experience to visitors with vision loss and visitors who are tactile learners. 🙂🫳❤️💛🖤👨‍🚀⛰️

05/17/2024

I can't post a PDF file on Facebook, but I want to share this information about a sensory-friendly concert that the North Carolina Symphony will host in Raleigh on June 1st:

Sensory-Friendly Concert
Family Fun 4 Everyone
SAT, JUN 1, 2024 | 1PMMEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH
Grant Llewellyn, conductor
Lisa Jolley, narrator
This concert experience is designed to be welcoming to all families—including children and adults with autism or other sensory sensitivities. At this one-hour, fun-filled performance, enjoy classical family favorites with your North Carolina Symphony.

Come early to try out instruments at our Instrument Zoo and meet new friends!

We want you to be comfortable:
Dance, sing, talk, and enjoy the concert
Sit where you want—general admission seating
Learn what to expect in advance—social story available
Low-level lighting during the concert
Wheelchair seating, ASL interpretation, Braille and large-print programs
Designated quiet space available
Flexible refund policy
Concert hall re-entry allowed

ncsymphony.org | 919.733.2750
TICKETS ONLY $10

If you want a copy of the flyer for this event, please e-mail Emma Wall, the Assistant Vice President of Marketing & Sales for the NC Symphony, at [email protected]. Thank you and enjoy the concert if you go! 🙂🎼🎹🎻🎺🎷🥁

04/30/2024

If you are planning a visit to Charlotte, the Queen City has got "a lot" to do, including accessible activities for people with disabilities to enjoy: https://www.charlottesgotalot.com/articles/things-to-do/the-best-of-wheelchair-accessible-charlotte! 🙂

There is no shortage of wheelchair accessible attractions in Charlotte. Here's a list of The Best of Wheelchair Accessible Charlotte.

04/30/2024

During an Arts Access North Carolina History's Workgroup meeting today, someone said this about the ACCESS North Carolina travel guide:

"I have a copy of that. It is very sacred."

🙂📖

{Image depicts Philip wearing a light blue polo shirt holding the 2012 edition of the ACCESS North Carolina travel guidebook.]

03/01/2024

What a great way to kick off Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! The Holding Inclusive Playground located at 133 Owen Avenue in Wake Forest will open tomorrow: https://www.wral.com/story/wake-forest-opens-inclusive-playground/21302931/?fbclid=IwAR1r-BbM3_Diau1n2LC8RXf1w4LdUBtbop-KD_lhdIyhyycOdp3CQ-JIraU! If you go check it out, I want to see your photos! Thank you very much@ 😃

The Holding Park Inclusive Playground, located at 133 W. Owen Ave., was designed for children of all abilities with wheelchair accessible entrances, rides and slides and a mix of sensory-rich play experiences.

02/29/2024

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and many school systems and colleges have their spring breaks in March! Where is your favorite accessible place to travel for spring break? 🙂

09/09/2023

Today appears to be a stormy day in Central North Carolina, but when the weather is better, check out this "Braille Trail" in Fayetteville to help people who are blind and visually impaired exercise independently: https://www.wunc.org/news/2023-09-08/walkable-trail-fayetteville-blind-visually-impaired-braille?fbclid=IwAR1xb5JDCTIAW6sbhUvJyNyA2swUauBNpG9xMOe-6RoqP8yAzF8bJ5elzOA! 😃👨‍🦯👩‍🦯🧑‍🦯🌳🌲

Local officials in Fayetteville and nonprofit Vision Resource Center recently opened what officials say is the first of its kind “Braille Trail” in the state.

09/04/2023

Summer is coming to an end. Read about my and my family's travels to Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Seattle in June and the things we saw that were accessible for people with disabilities in an awesome publication called The Binnacle, which was founded by three members of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities: https://deesdesktop.com/binnacle/! These aren't North Carolina sites, but our state can always learn from what other places are doing to create better access for travelers with disabilities. Enjoy reading this publication and please let me know your thoughts! 🙂🎰⚾️🌁🌲🐟

We are a lifestyle and resource newsletter where disability is centered and celebrated as diversity.

06/25/2023

The April 2023 issue of Our State magazine featured a story about accessible tourism in North Carolina and a "Gaining Access" feature highlighting businesses, organizations, and attractions in the state that are "making the adventures that every North Carolinian should experience more accessible than ever!" Here's a link to the excellent story by Vanessa Infanzon, the mother of an adult child with a developmental disability: https://www.ourstate.com/unlimited-possibilities/! 🙂👨‍🦽

A writer and her family have embraced the challenges of traveling the state with a wheelchair. With some planning, creativity, and kindness from strangers, her son experiences the joys of North…

05/26/2023

Greece is on a mission to improve the accessibility of its beaches by installing Seatrac systems that will help a wheelchair get down to the water: https://nicenews.com/health-and-wellness/greece-beaches-wheelchair-accessible-seatrac/! Way to go, Greece! This article also talks about the associated health and wellness benefits of being able to access to beach and the sea. I wonder if North Carolina might consider something like this?? 🙂🏖🌊🇬🇷

The innovative, Greek-designed Seatrac system is making hundreds of gorgeous mediterranean beaches more wheelchair accessible.

05/26/2023

The Greensboro Science Center now has a wheelchair-accessible Kiwanisaurus Treehouse Adventure outdoor play structure! This structure features level boardwalk pathways with net walls/railings winding through the trees! A wooden sign with the rules near the entrance says wheelchairs and walkers are permitted (but not strollers), and it asks visitors to "Please take turns and have fun!" Pictured are my son Isa on the boardwalk and the rules sign at the entrance. 🙂🌳

03/25/2023

Someone connected to Hammocks Beach State Park said the Friends of Hammock Beach State Park purchased a beach wheelchair to use on Bear Island, and here is a adult male using it while giving the thumbs up! He appears to be wearing a San Francisco 49ers hooded sweatshirt, so I approve! 🙂🧑‍🦽🏈❤️💛

03/07/2023

There's a new publication for people with disabilities called The Binnacle that was co-founded by three North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) members: https://m.facebook.com/people/The-Binnacle/100064245153922/. Aldea LaParr, the editor, has asked me to write an article about accessible tourism in North Carolina. Is there any place in our state that you would like me to write about this week?? Thank you very much for sharing your ideas with me! 🙂⛰🏖

09/02/2022

Are you hoping go out on the water this Labor Day weekend?! Check out what Hammocks Beach State Park in Swansboro did to make their kayak launch ADA-accessible! If someone uses this improved system, please let us know how it worked for you! Thank you very much! 🙂🚣‍♂️🚣‍♀️

[Four images depict an EZ Launch Accessible Transfer System sign showing six pictures that demonstrate how the improved kayak launch system works and three images of the improved kayak luanch system.]

07/21/2022

July 26th marks the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)! What accessible North Carolina tourist attraction have you visited this year?? Post your story and your pictures here! Thank you! 🙂

07/21/2022

Earlier this month, my family and I went whitewater rafting at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Bryson City! Prior to the trip, I e-mailed the center to find out what accommodations they provide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing adventurers. A very helpful and friendly manager there said my inquiry prompted them to caption their Trip Talk video and distribute it to all of their outposts! She e-mailed me both the script and the YouTube link to view prior to visiting. I am including a screenshot of the captioned video, and here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKSh0Q2fWK0
🙂🚣‍♂️

05/22/2022

Granville Athletic Park in Oxford has a lot of baseball fields. For siblings and community members who don't play baseball, there's The Musical Garden that was built in 2019 with all sorts of drums and chimes for children with vision loss or other disabilities to enjoy experiencing along circular asphalt pathway. 🙂🎼🎵🎶🥁

[Image depicts the entrance to The Musical Garden with musical notes hanging from a yellow metal fence. Some of the Garden's elements and an American flag are visible in the background.]

04/19/2022

While my son is in baseball practice, I am enjoying exploring Lake Rogers Park in Creedmoor, a town designated as a Playful City USA. This park has wheelchair-accessible parkin, an accessible path to a picnic shelter, and a long wheelchair-accessible boardwalk across the lake to an unpaved hiking forest with bench but uneven terrain. There is a playground surrounded by grass and mulch with a sensory play area containing big plastic musical instruments like drums to bang on. A short ramp leads to the playground, but it is not level with the ground. Partially accessible family-style restrooms with grab bars along one wall and fine-grasp sink faucet handles stand in little buildings next to the parking lot. Fishing is permitted here, and the lake has paddleboats. It's open from sunrise to sunset. 🙂🌳

Is there a rural park in your area that is at least partially accessible to people with disabilities? If yes, please tell us about it! Thank you! 🙂

03/08/2022

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) is hosting a Scavenger Hunt to celebrate! We will gather tomorrow (Wednesday, March 9th) afternoon at 1:00 p.m., but you can start finding items NOW! Some of these items are tourism-related, including a North Carolina Travel Guide magazine or a copy of ACCESS North Carolina, a map, and a picture of our State Capitol or your Town Hall! To view the list and register to participate tomorrow, please click here: https://bit.ly/3M7kVNQ! Thank you very much, and I hope you can join our fun tomorrow afternoon! 🙂🧐

The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) is committed to promoting self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life and assuring people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families participate in the des...

03/06/2022

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! If you or a family member has an intellectual or other developmental disability, where would you like to go if you could visit any place in North Carolina?? 🙂⛰🏖

01/05/2022

For many years, airplanes have not been accessible to the wheelchairs of people with mobility disabilities who fly, and I have seen and read many stories about these people needing to transfer to a wheelchair that can fit in the aisle of an airplane instead of being able to use their own wheelchair on board, and then there is a chance that their own wheelchair will get damaged by airport baggage handlers! The U.S. Access Board is accepting public comment on advisory guidelines for aircraft on board wheelchairs (OBW) until January 17th, 2022. If you would like to provide comments, please see this link: https://www.federalregister.gov/.../advisory-guidelines.... Thank you for helping to make air travel more accessible for millions of people with disabilities who want to travel freely! 🙂✈️🦽🦼

11/15/2021

Yesterday I received an e-mail from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences about accessible virtual dinosaur tours for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students! Learn more and see the available dates here: https://naturalsciences.org/calendar/event/accessible-dino-tours-for-guests-who-are-deaf-or-hard-of-hearing/2021-11-22/. Many thanks to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for offering accessible tours, and, hopefully, in-person accessible tours will come soon! 🙂🦕🦖

What lived before the dinosaurs? Have whales always lived in the water? What makes our Acrocanthosaurus fossil so special? Join us for the answers to these questions and more on our accessible dinosaur tour! We will travel back in time and explore the Museum’s “Prehistoric North Carolina” and ...

10/29/2021