When you have aging parents, or family that may be limited in mobility, travel can be difficult. There are lots of things to consider and planning ahead and being prepared can help make the trip fun for all!
I took my mom on a mother-daughter trip to San Antonio, Texas. She is 73 years old and has a pacemaker. She can walk but has some knee issues so we needed to limit walking and travel in an area where we can make frequent stops.
Her main request was wanting to ride the boat on the River Walk. I chose a hotel right on the river that was also near a boat entry point. I splurged and paid an extra $55 for valet parking. I planned on asking for help with our luggage. I booked an ADA compliant room, so my mom could safely get in and out of the shower. In the hotel booking notes, I made a note that I was traveling with my elderly mom.
In early February, I picked up my mom, and we drove to San Antonio on a Thursday morning from Corpus Christi, Texas (a two-hour drive). When we arrived, we went straight to First Watch – a favorite for both of us. She really loved the Belgian waffle that came with the Trifecta breakfast. I ordered my usual – the Trifecta but substituted the waffle/pancake for Gluten-Free French toast. I knew there was a possibility of cross-contamination but my server alerted the kitchen so they could be as careful as possible. And luckily all was well.
After brunch, we headed to our hotel – the Omni La Mansion De Rio. I pulled up to the valet and asked for help with our bags. I had my mom sit down while I checked us in. The desk clerk gave me maps of the Riverwalk and the hotel. This was super helpful. Then someone helped take our luggage to our room. The room was very beautiful. My mom loved it! She was now ready to get to the River Walk. We took the elevator down and exited right on the river walk. We did have to take the pedestrian bridge and got to walk over Selena’s bridge to get to the boat entry point. She held onto the railing with one hand and my arm with the other. We walked slowly over the bridge. This was easy to do in February. I imagine trying to do this in the summer would be more difficult as there would be many more people. This bridge was featured in the 1997 movie Selena featuring Jennifer Lopez about Tejano super star Selena Quintanilla.
After we crossed the bridge, I had my mom sit down as I went to grab our tickets. Then our guide and I helped her board the boat. It was a great ride that lasted about 30 minutes. We got to sit and listen to our guide talk about the history of all the places we were viewing along the Riverwalk. The architecture in San Antonio is beautiful as well as the whole Riverwalk. When the ride was over, we waited for everyone else to exit the boat so we could get out more slowly. We walked over to Rita’s on the Riverwalk. My mom wanted to sit out on the river to eat. We were greeted by lots of birds and pigeons who seemed very healthy and were also waiting for us to order our food.
Although I had researched Rita’s beforehand and went because that they had a gluten-free menu, my waiter informed me that the restaurant changed the menu the previous month and they no longer had anything gluten-free. Because I didn’t want to have my mom walk somewhere else, I worked with my waiter to find something that could work. He suggested the chalupa plate so we both ordered that with chips and queso to start (my mom does not have Celiac like me). I ended up having a reaction even though it was the safest option on the menu so I don’t suggest this for anyone with Celiac or a gluten allergy. If you don’t have any food allergies, then this could be a festive option.
We visited the souvenir shop that was immediately next door to Rita’s. My mom bought a piece of artwork of the Alamo – a gift to take home to my dad. After that, we went back to the hotel so my mom could take a break. Allergies were high, so I walked one block down to Walgreens to get some Benadryl and snacks. Before getting back, I sat in the rocking chair in the hotel courtyard for a bit and enjoyed the scenery. The hotel is Spanish style and is very beautiful. When I returned, my mom was enjoying herself reading a fashion magazine and laying in the cozy bed and wanted to stay in and just enjoy the cozy hotel room, which is what we did.
The next morning, I called the front desk to ask for help again with our luggage. Everyone at this hotel is so nice and friendly! We will definitely go back. They helped us to the car and even gave us each an extra water bottle for the trip back. I drove my mom around downtown so she could see more sites. She wanted to go back to First Watch one last time before heading home. We enjoyed our same breakfast as the day before which was just as fantastic!
Although it didn’t seem like we did much, it was a great change of scenery for my mom and gave her a “hop in her step” again. Because it was just her and I, I was able to take things at a much slower pace and let this trip be about her; not worrying too much about anything else.
Helpful tips to remember when traveling with older family:
- Plan ahead.
- Make sure you have all their medications, bottled water ready, and anything else needed for your trip. Find out in advance if you’ll need a small lunchbox/ice chest for their medications.
- Make a hotel reservation with an ADA compliant room/bathroom. Leave notes for the staff in your reservation. Call in advance if you see fit to ensure all needs can be met.
- Ensure you have easy access for getting out of the car and shorter walking distances to your hotel room, food, or shops. If you need to bring a wheelchair or assistance device, make sure you’ll have room and have the strength to carry in and out of the car. Call your destination in advance to see if someone can help when you arrive. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.
- If you’re able to, make it a smaller group for travel. On this trip, my family stayed home with my dad so I could get my mom out for a quick trip. It made it easier travelling with just her and I.
- Be patient. Find out what your parent or loved one wants to do and make that one event the focus for the day. Once your loved one is back at the hotel and relaxed, you might be able to step out for an hour to venture off on your own. Or spend the remainder of the day cozy in your hotel room – have a movie night, a spa night in, or read your favorite books.
- Sometimes just staying at a hotel for the day is fun. You don’t have to leave your city for this one! Search for a hotel with accommodations your loved one will need, and plan a day sitting at the pool area or eating at the hotel restaurant.
If you’re unable to spend the night, it’s okay to travel just for the day. Try taking a day trip to the next town over. Exploring a shop and having a meal in another town is a great way to spend the day without overexerting yourself or your loved one. It’s also a great way to test the waters and see if they can handle an overnight trip in the future.