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Special Needs Travel for those with ADD/HD

Recently I had the opportunity to speak at a support group meeting made up mostly of parents with attention deficit disorder. Although the primary focus of Accessible Chicago is for those with physical disabilities, a parent at the meeting asked about great places to bring her child with attention deficit disorder or ADD/HD. Although her child does not have the same challenges traveling as those with physical disabilities do, (ie. finding ramped entrances, elevators, or accessible washrooms), he cannot wait in long lines, gets bored easily and needs less structure when site seeing. With that in mind, I recommended the following disability travel sites in Chicago for those with ADD/HD.  My first choice is Millennium Park. Millennium Park offers visitors with short attention spans a landmark tourist attraction without the constraint of high prices and the agony of long lines.  Adults and children with special needs can play at the Cloud Gate Sculpture and the Towering Fountain. For more fun, take a walk over the BP Bridge across Michigan Ave. and stroll along Lake Shore Drive.   My second choice for visitors with both behavioral and attention issues would be the Lincoln Park Zoo and Conservatory. Like Millennium Park, those with attention deficit issues will find this attraction easy to manage. Unlike many museums in Chicago, the Lincoln Park Zoo has ample parking right at the entrance so you can start seeing “cool stuff” right away.   Finally, I would check out the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Like the two attractions listed above, kids can play along a waterfall, check out some great greenhouses, and not have to wait in any long lines.   One other word of advice for those traveling with people with attention deficit disorders is to go on-line or use Accessible Chicago to get great maps of the attractions you would like to visit. Pointing to the map, ask your loved one to pick the places at the attraction that mean the most to her. This way, you can prepare her for what you will see, and only take in those sections of the sites that are the most meaningful for her. The just go out and have fun.