Disabled Travelers Best Places to Retire: Disabled Access Puerto Vallarta
Posted June 24th, 2011 in access guides and Accessible Travel
A resort at Puerto Vallarta
Photo by: boris_g (Stock Exchange)
Welcome back to Disabled Travelers!
As we approach the end of our CNBC-inspired access guide series on the best places to retire, we find ourselves on the coast of Mexico.
Mexico has gotten some bad press lately due to crime, mainly on the border. You should always keep travel advisories in mind!
But also remember that there are still many areas far removed from those troubles – such as Puerto Vallarta, still one of the most popular resort zones in Mexico and home to a thriving expat community.
Now, Disabled Travelers didn’t write the original list that kicked off our latest access guide series, but as far as “best places to retire,” there are a few basic rules. Countries that combine a mild climate with a robust economy where U.S.-based income goes a long way are ideal. But when looking at any foreign country, disabled travelers and their travel companions should know not all areas are created equal. Puerto Vallarta stands out because of its long association with tourists from abroad.
This translates into better disabled access, including disabled hotels and accessible attractions. A terrific place to start is the official website, Awaken Your Senses. Among its many terrific pages is a guide to Retiring in Vallarta, which reveals another interesting fact: according to the site, AARP members voted Vallarta the #1 destination in the world in 2010! That’s a huge endorsement, and you might also be interested in The Truth About Mexico, a site largely written by expats and retirees that helps put things in perspective.
The major disabled travel websites have picked up on the fact that there’s a lot to enjoy in Puerto Vallarta. Disaboom’s article Planning a Puerto Vallarta Getaway provides a good overview of the whole situation and Accessible Mexico is a tour operator that can provide all the planning and assistance you might need. Puerto Vallarta Trip Report is kind of a challenge to read thanks to the early 90s design aesthetic, but it’s so thorough and reveals so much about “PV” that I can’t help but include it. Finally, there’s a great piece up at AbilityTrip: Puerto Vallarta: Overview, helpful as you expect from such a quality site.
So, Puerto Vallarta is a refreshing stop on our tour, as it turns out to be by far the most welcoming in terms of how much info is available for planning a voyage there. If you’re ready to go, then check out these resources for disabled hotels: there are listings available at both When We Travel (Puerto Vallarta Accessible Hotels) and the ever-exceptional Tavelocity (Puerto Vallarta Wheelchair Accessible Hotels.) Thanks to the cosmopolitan mindset of PV, there’s plenty of choices, though some may be a bit pricey.
That’s it for today’s Disabled Travelers. As always, we thank you for reading. Don’t forget to drop in next time and every Friday right here at this address. Until then, adventure on!
Si
