Autism and traveling

I was REALLY impressed at the kindness and thought put into this hotel suite to make it "autism-friendly":


The only thing I would add it to it was a light dimmer, but I love his attitude! I wish more business owners would be more active in the autism community.

Anyways, there are other things you can do to make traveling easier with an autistic loved one (or even if you're autistic yourself) :

*Don't cram a lot into one day! Often a Neurotypical person wants to jam pack a vacation full of activities but somebody on the Autism spectrum is easily overwhelmed by too much activities, especially since they are out of their routine.

*Create a plan and try to stick to it. Of course you can't help minor changes, but having it predictable can go a long ways towards making it easier to cope with.

*Explain the plan and consider having a copy, whether you use social stories or visual schedules. After all, it gives a sense of security to know what happenes next.

*Look up ahead of time resturants that will have food that meet dietary needs. Whether it's a GFCF diet or a picky eater, it helps to know ahead of time a good place to eat. Why cause stress over food when you're on vacation for FUN?

*Don't forget the first aid kit. medications, and medical info! Anybody can get scrapes or worse accidents but it seems like us on the Spectrum are a little accident prone. (I am!) So just be prepared, better not to be 100 miles away and realize you need a daily medication or forgot medical info.

*Try to schedule things that are part of the normal routine if you can. Maybe you know that the hotel has Nicklodeon and plays THE favorite show or everyday coloring is a favorite activity.

*Bring along a "car/plane/train treat bag". Okay, it doesn't take much to go to the dollar store and stuff a bag with stuff that amuses a kid. Wouldn't you rather shell out $10 to make a kid happy during a ride than deal with a screaming one for hours? If your kid loves something like DS games though, maybe check out the used ones, which can sell for under $10 and provide entertainment.

*Consider bringing an MP3 player or earplugs to block out loud/annoying sounds.

Of course, there are some people who, well, jusr don't like traveling. (I'm one of them, my idea of adventure is a new store in the city) But these tips make it easier.

Inspiration and further ideas here:
TravelMuse Tips
CNN travel tips: Autism
Walt Disney World and Autism
Time.com Six Tips for Traveling with Autism