In The News Archive
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Synopsis
Date
Located in Orange, Texas, just a few miles shy of the Louisiana border, Shangri La Botanical Gardens welcomed visitors this spring for the first time in 50 years.
14
June
2008
Gatorland—a 110-acre theme park and wildlife preserve, which combines "Old Florida" charm with new exhibits and entertainment—first opened as a roadside attraction in 1949.
14
May
2008
“Every state park that offers lodging, be it cabins or a lodge, has barrier-free accommodations,” said Greg Butts, Arkansas State Parks director. “And as renovation work continues during the next few years, there will be even more accessible facilities available.”
14
April
2008
What’s being billed as the largest seagoing veterans reunion is slated to set sail on Pearl Harbor Day this year. Operation Veterans Cruise will take place on December 7-14, 2008 aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Freedom of the Seas.
24
March
2008
San Diego beaches are about to get a little bit more accessible to slow walkers and wheelchair-users. Accessible San Diego used a grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to add power beach wheelchairs to Coronado City Beach, Oceanside City Beach and Silver Strand State Beach.
15
February
2008
The eighth Daytona Winterfest is slated to kick off later this month — on January 25 — and run through January 27, 2008. Presented annually by the Daytona Beach Symphony Society, this popular event features a full menu of world class performances.
13
January
2008
This month Dolly Parton celebrates Christmas Dixie-style, with a special holiday offering at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede in Branson, Missouri.
23
December
2007
If you enjoy bluegrass music, then make plans to attend the Fall Mountain View Bluegrass Festival. This annual event is always held on the second weekend in November at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas.
8
November
2007
On October 6, 2007, over 90 teams of grape stompers will compete for fame and cash prices at the 14th annual Calaveras Grape Stomp in Murphys, California.
17
October
2007
A special civil rights exhibit, “The Long Struggle: Presidential Actions and African-American Civil Rights,” opened early this month at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas.
17
September
2007
Beginning next month, visitors to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will be able to see a traveling exhibition which features first-person accounts of historic events.
15
August
2007
On Saturday July 21, 2007, Kelowna, British Columbia will celebrate the annual cherry harvest with the 2007 Cherry Fair.
15
July
2007
The Field Museum’s star dinosaur — or a least a plaster cast of her — is on display at Spokane’s Northwest Museum of Art and Culture through September 2, 2007, in the traveling exhibition, A T. rex Named Sue. Presenting the story of the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus rex ever unearthed, this bilingual exhibition combines thrilling science, solid educational credentials and blockbuster appeal.
15
June
2007
The Port of Vancouver kicked off its 2007 Alaska cruise season last month, with the arrival of Holland America’s Zaandam on April 28, 2007. And between now and November 2007, Vancouver will welcome over a million Alaska-bound passengers on ships from eight cruise lines at their two cruise ship terminals.
23
May
2007
Slated to run through September 2, 2007, “Decorative Arts of the Kings” debuted in March at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. This new addition to the three-year Louvre Atlanta exhibition explores the legendary opulence, tastes and lifestyles of the French kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI.
1
May
2007
Slated to run through June 10, 2007, the critically acclaimed “Diana, the Celebration” exhibition opened last month at Cleveland.s Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS). Visitors will get a rare inside look at Princess Diana.s public and private life through nearly 150 objects, including her 1981 Royal Wedding gown, 28 designer dresses and gowns, family heirlooms, personal mementos, paintings and rare home movies and photos.
13
March
2007
Billed as a day of fun for kite enthusiasts and casual observers alike, the fifth annual Huntington Beach Kite Party is slated for February 24-25, 2007.
15
February
2007
As the site of the 2010 Paralympic Games, Whistler is a city in flux.
17
January
2007
Steamboat Springs is set to host the second annual Adaptive Ski Camp for advanced skiers with disabilities from January 12-16, 2007.
15
December
2006
The Gardenland Express returns to the Missouri Botanical Garden for a six week run on Novemeber 22, 2006.
15
November
2006
Slated to kickoff at 10 a.m. on Saturday October 28, the 2006 Blue Ridge Folklife Festival is billed as a celebration of Virginia’s folkways.
14
October
2006
Lake Placid has a unique way of celebrating fall. Take a concert, add in a crafts fair and top it off with an Olympic class ski jumping competition and you have all the ingredients of the Flaming Leaves Festival.
25
September
2006
Join the folks at Mystic Seaport on August 19-20, 2006 for their annual Antique Marine Engine Exposition; when collectors from around the country will be on hand to show off their 19th and early 20th-century marine engines.
15
August
2006
The 10th annual Amelia Earhart Festival celebrates Atchison’s most famous daughter, and offers festival-goers a weekend filled with fun, food and entertainment. Kansas is filled with lots of small towns like Atchison, many of which offer excellent access.
13
July
2006
The 2006 Idaho Shakespeare Festival season will run through September 30 and will include Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as well as Major Barbara by George Bernard Shaw and others. The Festival Amphitheater features plenty of accessible parking, level access to several accessible boxes, companion seating and accessible restrooms.
13
June
2006
May 20-21, 2006, Florence, Alabama’s annual Arts Alive Festival features a juried gallery exhibition at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts. If you can’t make the Arts Alive Festival, don’t miss Florence’s monthly First Friday event.
13
May
2006
Mark your calendar for the 11th annual Tulip Time Festival in Holland Michigan, slated to run next month, from May 6-13.
12
April
2006
Butterflies Are Blooming this month at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the nation’s largest temporary butterfly exhibit.
15
March
2006
Winter blues got you down? Then come celebrate the season in Montreal at the 7th annual High Lights Festival. Slated to begin February 16, 2006, this 11-day festival features hundreds of exceptional gastronomic and wine tasting activities, shows, exhibits and concerts.
16
February
2006
January 21-22, 2005 over 90 unique and colorful balloons will take to the skies near Las Cruces for the 14th Annual Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally.
15
January
2006
On November 1, 2005 The Fabulous Palm Spring Follies kicked off their fifteenth season in grand style. Built in 1936 and renovated in 1991, the Plaza Theater is home to the Fabulous Palm Springs Follies. Access features in the theater include ramp access, wide doorways and a selection of accessible seats.
12
December
2005
Birders and nature lovers from around the world will flock to Harlingen, Texas this month for the 12th Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. Slated to run November 9-13.
26
October
2005
Slated for October 7-8, 2005, Charm Days has become an annual event in Ohio Amish country. Located approximately 90 miles northeast of Columbus, the quaint community of Charm is home to one of the oldest Amish settlements in the US.
2
October
2005
The burning of Zozobra, scheduled for dusk on Friday September 9, will mark the traditional beginning of the annual Santa Fe Fiesta. This colorful event will take place in Fort Marcy Park, located just a few blocks from the historic Santa Fe Plaza.
3
September
2005
Long known as the bratwurst capital of the world, Bucyrus celebrates this savory sausage this month during their annual Bratwurst Festival. Slated to run from August 18-20, 2005, this weekend festival is as much a celebration of the town’s German heritage as it is a tribute to the tasty sausage.
15
August
2005
The 235-passenger Empress of the North returns to Alaska for her third season this summer, sailing a new seven-night round-trip itinerary from Juneau.
15
July
2005
On April 18, 2005, The Yosemite Fund and the National Park Service celebrated the completion of the 10-year Yosemite Falls Restoration Project.
13
June
2005
As the June 6, 2005 delivery date of Norwegian Cruise Line’s (NCL) Pride of America draws near, NCL eagerly anticipates the deployment of this second of three US-flagged ships that will sail Hawaii under the NCL America brand.
13
May
2005
Las Vegas will celebrate its 100th birthday on May 15, 2005 with a huge birthday bash during Helldorado Days, a six day celebration which will feature a re-creation of old Las Vegas.
15
April
2005
AmeriSuites is coming to the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, with the opening of the AmeriSuites Historical Stockyards Hotel early this spring.
16
March
2005
Construct a miniature garden in a birdhouse during a three-hour class at Cambria Pines Nursery located on the Central California coast.
16
February
2005
Herzog Wine Cellars marks their 21st year in business with the opening of a new winery and tasting room in Oxnard California.
16
January
2005
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) unveils its newest access upgrades at Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve.
20
December
2004
Carnival Cruise Lines is set to launch its newest “Fun Ship” early next month from the port of Miami.
19
November
2004
Join the friendly folks of Lynch, Kentucky as they celebrate Coal Miner’s Day.
9
October
2004
Memphis' Rock 'n' Soul museum gets new home at the new FedEx Forum.
9
September
2004
San Mateo County Parks Commission announced the completion of major accessibility improvements at Flood Park. Located just south of San Francisco, San Mateo County features a large number of city, county, and state parks and recreation areas.
15
August
2004
During this bicentennial Lewis & Clark Expedition year, nearly every major St. Louis attraction features some sort of special Lewis & Clark exhibition. Additionally, many of the Lewis & Clark sites are accessible.
15
July
2004
On June 10-13, 2004 San Antonio once again celebrates the cultural diversity and vibrant history of the Lone Star State at the 33rd Annual Texas Folklife Festival.
15
June
2004
Come celebrate the Mississippi River as Dubuque welcomes a steamboat flotilla to America’s River from June 27-29, 2004.
15
May
2004
“Our goal was to make certain that every guest and their family would enjoy the same opportunity to tour Kennedy Space Center independently and experience everything it has to offer,” said Jennifer Skaja, ADA/Guest Service Manager at Kennedy Space Center.
10
April
2004
On November 14, 2003, wheelchair athlete and disability advocate Jean Driscoll cracked a bottle of champagne and officially named the Mariner of the Seas, the newest addition to the Royal Caribbean International (RCI) fleet.
14
March
2004
The Heard Museum of Pheonix, Arizona presents Picarte: Photography Beyond Representation. This special exhibition runs through March 14, 2004 and showcases the work of eight emerging and established Chicano/Chicana photographers. Access is excellent at the Heard Museum, with plenty of accessible parking, wide doorways and ample room to maneuver a wheelchair in all of the galleries.
14
February
2004
The Chicago Office of Tourism recently unveiled their new InstaGreeter program; an on-the-spot greeter service which offers visitors a quick tour of downtown Chicago. InstaGreeter Tours are wheelchair accessible and they can be tailored to specific access needs.
20
January
2004
American West Steamboat Company recently expanded the Alaska cruise offerings of their newest vessel, the Empress of the North. She is also the only Alaska-bound small ship that offers any level of wheelchair access. Available cruises include 11-night Inside Passage cruises from Seattle and Juneau, 8-night Sitka round-trip cruises and 11-night Seattle to Sitka cruises.
5
December
2003
If a trip to Santa Cruz is in your future, don't leave home without Access Santa Cruz. This 64-page bilingual access guide contains access information on over 100 restaurants, hotels, parks and facilities throughout Santa Cruz County.
24
November
2003
The National Steinbeck Center opens its new 6,500 square foot Valley of the World wing. This long awaited addition celebrates the rich agricultural heritage of California’s Salinas Valley. Access throughout the entire National Steinbeck Center is excellent.
15
October
2003
The American Queen sternwheeler sails again. Access features include roll-in showers, grab bars, lever handles, a 5' turning radius in the bathrooms and hand-held showers.
14
September
2003
See Dale Chihuly's work at the Tacoma Art Museum. The new Tacoma Art Museum opened it's doors on May 3, 2003 and features barrier-free access to all of the galleries.
15
August
2003
The Toronto With Ease access guide and the Senior Friendly program bring Toronto one step closer to becoming the most accessible city in the world.
15
July
2003
The Gray Line Super City Tour is a staple for visitors for New Orleans. Now lift-equipped bus service is available on this popular city tour, and you can remain in your own wheelchair for the entire tour.
15
June
2003
A little piece of Northern California is now more accessible, thanks to the efforts of Whole Access and the California State Parks' North Coast Redwoods District.
18
May
2003
Small ship cruising becomes more accessible this summer, thanks to the long-awaited debut of the Empress of the North.
15
April
2003
Spring is prime time for birders at southern Ontario's Point Pelee National Park. Billed as the Warbler Capital of North America, Point Pelee remains a top pick among birders.
16
March
2003
The Peanuts gang lives on at Santa Rosa's new Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center. Opened in 2002, Access is excellent at the museum, with wide doorways, level thresholds, accessible bathrooms and barrier-free access throughout.
12
February
2003
Billed as the hippest hotel in Vancouver, the Pacific Palisades Hotel is the perfect hideaway for romantics with a wild side. Pacific Palisades Hotel features six accessible rooms, each with a whopping 350 square feet of floor space.
22
January
2003
Located in Polk City Florida, Fantasy of Flight invites visitors to "experience aviation through the ages". Includes a wheelchair accessible flight simulator!
28
November
2002
Beginning Dec. 7, 2002, St. Kitts will offer travelers a more accessible airline connection, as US Airways begins direct service from the US mainland.
18
November
2002
Royal Caribbean International (RCI) makes access headlines once again with the December 2002 debut of the Navigator of the Seas.
14
October
2002
Sequoia National Park's five foot wide paved Big Trees Trail allows wheelchair and scooter-users better access to the Giant Forest, while numerous benches and turnouts provide plenty of places for a quiet break.
14
October
2002
Over 300 handcrafted quilts take center stage at the 35th annual Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale in Goshen, Indiana.
14
September
2002
Copper Cogins Freewheeling Log Cabin features barrier-free access and universal design in North Carolina's Smokey Mountains.
15
August
2002
Wonders of Wildlife, a hybrid mix of an aquarium, zoo and interactive museum, features live animals, fish, hunting and fishing displays, videos and interactive computer simulated exhibits celebrating the great out of doors.
15
July
2002
The Princess of Whales provides an accessible, comfortable and stable ride around Monterey Bay for year around whale watching.
10
June
2002
The St. Maarten Zoo is known fondly as the "biggest little zoo in the Caribbean", and features the flora and fauna of the Caribbean region. There is barrier-free access to most parts of the zoo, with level paths leading past the animal enclosures.
15
May
2002
Ramp Art began in 1996 when four local artists donated their paintings to raise money to construct wheelchair ramps in Columbia, Missouri. The art exhibition usually runs throughout the month of May.
19
April
2002
Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida celebrates its 20th anniversary. Comprehensive collection of 95 oils, over 100 water colors and drawings, nearly 1,300 graphics, plus numerous sculptures and photographs by the surrealist Spanish artist.
9
March
2002
February brings the first signs of springtime to California's hottest and driest region.
15
February
2002
Spotting Bald Eagles during their annual migration at the historic Chain of Rocks Bridge in Eastern Missouri.
12
January
2002
The Copthorne Tara Hotel recognized for their efforts to promote accessible tourism.
3
December
2001
Freedom Wheels Rentals brings accessible transportation to Queensland, Australia.
15
November
2001
Located on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, Coral World Marine Park and Undersea observatory allows visitors an up close and personal view of local marine life.
14
October
2001
Syria, Land of Civilizations will be hosted by the barrier-free Wilmington Delaware's First USA Riverfront Arts Center through October 21, 2001. Extended through December 9, 2001.
7
September
2001
Diamonds exhibition at the barrier-free Musee de la Civilization in Quebec, Canada runs through January 6, 2002.
15
August
2001
On July 8, 2001 George Washington's Mount Vernon unveiled a new 12.5 million dollar visitors center complex.
13
July
2001
Busch Gardens Williamsburg opens hamlet of Killarney. Includes access information for the entire park.
1
June
2001
Global Wildlife makes covered wagon safaris accessible to wheelchair-users. See hundreds of animals up close and personal!
1
May
2001