Lots of work has been done in recent years to make San Antonio friendlier to those who use wheelchairs. The Riverwalk Trolley Station, for example, was built with a large elevator to transport people down to the water. Contact the San Antonio Planning Department (tel. 210/207-7245, voice and TTY) for additional information (including a map of River Walk access), or log on to the disability access section of the department's website (www.sanantonio.gov/planning/disability_access.asp). Several taxis have also been equipped with lifts and ramps; Yellow-Checker (tel. 210/222-2222) has most of them. And two downtown trolleys and about 85% of the public buses are now accessible. For VIA Trans Disabled Accessibility Information, phone tel. 210/362-2140 (voice) or 362-2217 (TTY) or click on the "Accessible Service" section of www.viainfo.net. In addition, the Weekender section of the San Antonio Express-News includes accessibility symbols for restaurants, theaters, galleries, and other venues.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers escorted tours and cruises that emphasize sports and private tours in minivans with lifts. Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) offers extensive access information and advice for traveling around the world with disabilities. Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifically to slow walkers and wheelchair travelers and their families and friends.

Avis Rent A Car has an "Avis Access" program that offers such services as a dedicated 24-hour toll-free number (tel. 888/879-4273) for customers with special travel needs; special car features such as swivel seats, spinner knobs, and hand controls; and accessible bus service.

Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for people with all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), a referral resource for travelers who are blind or visually impaired that includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.

For more information specifically targeted to travelers with disabilities, the community website iCan (www.icanonline.net/channels/travel/index.cfm) has destination guides and several regular columns on accessible travel. Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons ($14.95 per year, $19.95 outside the U.S.; www.emerginghorizons.com) and Open World magazine, published by SATH (see above; subscription: $13 per year, $21 outside the U.S.).