137. Traveling Different, with Dawn Barclay

Discover what’s possible when travel is made accessible. 

Dawn Barclay has dedicated over 30 years to working in different areas of the travel industry. Her recent book, Traveling Different: Vacation Strategies for Parents of the Anxious, the Inflexible, and the Neurodivese, offers helpful tips to soothe children’s travel anxieties. Dawn also writes fiction as D. M. Barr and holds leadership roles in several writer organizations. 

In today’s conversation, we discuss:

• Why Dawn thinks everyone should travel
• Common struggles families face when traveling
• Practical tips to create a sense of routine, minimize sensory overload, and make a trip enjoyable for the whole family
• Advice for traveling by plane, cruise ship, or car
• Uncommon vacation ideas that might be suitable for families with autistic loved ones
• The importance of building itineraries that include special interests
• Lessons Dawn learned from traveling with her own children
• The difference between a ‘Certified Autism Center’ and an ‘Autism Friendly’ establishment
• How to introduce the idea of traveling and prepare children for a trip ahead of time

To learn more about Dawn Barclay, please visit dawnbarclayink.com.

Related episodes:

93. Autism-Friendly Travel, with Dina Farmer

115. RTD | Summer Travel and Holidays, with the Global Autism Community

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