Wine and Spirits Travel

I have flown through Atlanta more times than I can remember, but it has been about 10 years since I got out of the airport. My niece, Moriah, decided to get her MSN in nursing at Emory and I had another good reason to go. The flights to Atlanta, Georgia, went well. I used frequent flyer miles for this trip. There is a direct flight close to here in Bloomington, Illinois. I did not have enough miles for that roundtrip so I and took American Airlines from Champaign, through Chicago, to Atlanta. It was the first time I was texted a photo of my wheelchair being unloaded from the plane and it was reassuring. I have previously had issues in Chicago with getting wheelchairs and having mine delivered to me in a reasonable time. Before the trip I did what I always do first after booking: I make sure I have transportation to the hotel. It turned out to be more difficult than I expected. There is a train from the airport to downtown, but my flight was getting in right at rush hour, and I wa...

I was able to sleep late in the morning because my surgery wasn’t until the afternoon. It was the first time I had been told before surgery that I could even drink clear liquids until a few hours before I went in. I was in the right place for the best coffee, and to spend a free morning. Have you ever walked into a hotel and just said out loud, “I love this place?” That was the reaction the first time I walked into The Verb . I booked it because it looked unusual and accessible, but it certainly went beyond expectations. I have never been in a place quite like it and I doubt I ever will.   The Verb is all about the music, mainly Rock. It’s about the feeling of relaxation through the music and how music and life intertwine. You’ll see it everywhere: in the lobby which looks like you remember the 70s, with colorful couches and tables; on the walls full of pictures from concerts and moments of the stars you’ll never forget. The check-in area looks more like a bar top. You can take...

  My second trip to Boston in the 21st Century was for surgery. I wasn’t going to waste a trip to a city I Ioved, so I arrived two days early, and filled the schedule with as much as I could. It was a cross between being dedicated to seeing more of Boston and trying not to worry too much about my upcoming surgery. It was just before the holidays, and the downtown hotels were pretty expensive. I found a deal at a hotel in the Fenway Park area that looked interesting. It turned out to be directly in front of Fenway Park and interesting was an understatement.   I had arranged an accessible ride with Go Airport Shuttle. The driver was waiting for me at Logan Airport when we arrived and took me to The Verb. An attendant greeted us. There were no steps to get in, and I wheeled right into the lobby. Soon after I checked in, I went out to explore. I couldn’t be this close to the iconic Fenway Park and not check it out. I was told the tour was not accessible—but you can get accessi...

  Illinois is filled with small towns with their own personality. Even after 17 years of living here, I still have a list of many I have yet to explore. Toward the top of that list was Metropolis , the hometown of the character of Superman. I recently had the opportunity to visit Metropolis, and it met my expectations. I took along my friends, Amanda and Heather, and my service dog, Teddy.   We stayed at Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino . It’s a large property within walking distance to everything in town. Amanda and Heather shared a room, while Teddy and I had a larger accessible room with two beds and a big bathroom with rails and a chair in the walk-in shower.  After check-in, we headed downtown to the Superman Museum . The entrance to the museum is filled with photos in the window and something you’d expect the Man of Steel to need—a phone booth.  You first walk into the store. I can’t imagine there is anything related to Superman you will not find for ...

  It was the final day in Michigan for my friend, Lynn, and I. It had been a wonderful adventure along the coast of Lake Michigan . We were prepared to spend the day with even more of it. We started with a breakfast meeting with Nick Nerbonne , Media & Digital Director at Pure Michigan . We met at The Coffee Factory for great lattes and breakfast sandwiches, and to talk about the mitten state and accessibility. Nick is interested in making the state as accessible as possible, knowing it has to be done place by place. He’s proud of the beach chair initiative and the continued efforts. He eagerly listened to my suggestions about hotels, transportation, and other accommodations. We went back to the Delta Hotel to pack up and check out. We still had until evening in Muskegon. After leaving our suitcases with the front desk, we walked the three blocks downtown to Hackley Park , where a Polish Festival was going on. Along the way we spotted murals and sculptures throughout the wel...

I had never been to Muskegon and, honestly, it wasn’t on my radar before. I had started hearing more about it and the representatives of Pure Michigan told me it was a lakefront town making strides in the wheelchair-friendly arena. Muskegon has had a big resurgence from the cruise industry which has led to growth in the town. In addition to the ferries that go across Lake Michigan (which we would be taking), three cruise lines are now making stops in Muskegon: Pearl Sea Cruises, Victory Cruise Line, and Ponant Great Lake Cruises. The town was building and improving for the influx of cruise passengers and the feedback on the port stop has been positive. This town would continue to thrive. ' Since we had a late lunch and skipped dinner the night before , we were ready for a big breakfast. Mr. Bs Pancake House was the perfect place. This local favorite has been around over 50 years. The portions were huge and the omelets, pancakes, and hashbrowns we had were delicious. After breakf...