Planning accessible day trips and holidays

You may want to find an attraction,  a restaurant, cinema, theatre or something else.

AccessAble provides information on accessible places to go.

Tourism For All is a source of holiday and travel information for carers, disabled people and older people. They provide information on accessible accommodation, visitor attractions and transport in the UK and some overseas destinations. You must pay to become a member and use all of their services.

There are many companies that help disabled people and their carers find suitable holiday accommodation, some offer specialist and activity holidays, and others can help locate an accessible place to stay. One outcome of a Carer’s Assessment could be a payment to help fund a break from caring. The Brain Charity has produced a very comprehensive guide about holidays, which includes information on holiday companies, funding for holidays, and insurance. Here is a selection of travel companies from this guide.

Disabled Holidays is a travel company that offers a selection of accessible holidays from self-catering to all inclusive deals in the UK and abroad. Most of the accommodation is wheelchair accessible. They can also arrange for the hire of disability equipment at the holiday accommodation.

Enable Holidays are a tour operator that offers a range of accommodation suitable for people with limited mobility in various locations both UK and abroad.

Tourism for All is a charity specialising in helping people to find accessible holiday information, including accommodation. They operate a membership scheme with a small annual charge.

Revitalise is a national charity providing short breaks and holidays for disabled people and their carers.

Dementia Adventure specialise in holidays for people with dementia and their carers, friends or families.

There are a number of community transport schemes operating in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. People who need affordable and accessible transport can register for a small fee. They can then book transport for leisure and social activities, shopping trips and health appointments. You can pay using a Diamond card or a Bristol City Council travel card. Carers can accompany the person needing the transport.

For community transport information in Bristol see the council website.
For community transport information in South Gloucestershire see the council website.

Bristol

The person you care for can apply for a disabled person's bus pass or they may qualify for an older person’s bus pass. If they need someone to travel with them, they can apply for a companion bus pass which allows a companion to travel free. You can find out more on the Bristol City Council website.

South Gloucestershire

In South Gloucestershire people can apply for a Diamond bus pass,  giving you access to free off-peak travel on local bus services anywhere in England

A disabled person’s railcard reduces the cost of a train ticket by one-third, for disabled people and a carer traveling with them. The person you care for may also need practical support to manage at a station. It is best to request help in advance using a special form. For more information about booking help at the station, help plan routes through a station and information about travelling with wheelchairs, see the National Rail website.

See the Carers Trust website for more information about rail travel.

Many places offer concessions for disabled visitors and these are usually clearly advertised in their pricing lists. You may need to take proof of eligibility. Often proof of disability benefit is adequate.

Carers Trust has a section on their website about places offering discounts to carers and the person you care for on days out. They also have a section on carers’ legal rights as carers may gain free entry to many places when visiting with the person they care for.

If in doubt it is always worth asking about any concessions or discounts. It’s probably best to ask in advance and to take proof of any disability benefits, Carers Emergency Card or carers allowance award letters with you. Many places don’t ask for proof but they may do.

Don’t forget to take your Carers Emergency Card with you. Many places will accept it as adequate proof that you are a carer and some venues even offer further concessions. In Bristol and South Gloucestershire, Carers Support Centre has secured almost 200 discounts locally for carers who carry a Carers Emergency whether for a day out, getting a treatment or for shopping. Find out more about our Carers Emergency Card discount scheme.

The CEA Card is a national card scheme developed for UK cinemas by the UK Cinema Association. The CEA card provides a free ticket for the person accompanying the disabled person to the cinema. Find out more about the card, who is eligible and how to apply for it on the CEA website.

Accessible Toilets

Finding an accessible toilet can be tricky. Bristol City Council have a map of over 150 public toilets that can be accessed around Bristol. These locations should have a Yellow Community Scheme sign on them, indicating that they're available for public use. 

A Radar key gives you access to 9000 accessible toilets all over the UK. The Carers Trust website has a section on accessible toilets including how to find them. You can buy a Radar key from the Vassall Centre in Bristol Or you can order one online through Disability Rights UK website. In South Gloucestershire you can obtain one key free of charge from one of South Gloucestershire council’s One Stop Shops.

Changing Places Toilets

Changing places toilets are for disabled people who are unable to use a standard accessible toilet. You can find out more about these toilets and where they are located on the Changing Places website.

Carers Trust has a section about this on their website. This includes ideas to make travelling easier and safer when you need to take equipment and medicines with you. See the Carers Trust website.