Go West!

And satisfy your inner
adventurer

by Amy Labbe

In the depths of winter, people from the East Coast to the West begin thinking of ways to escape the house and office. If taking a vacation is on your to-do list this year, now’s the time to make plans.

So, what will it be — a whirlwind tour around a city, with bright lights and big entertainment? A week spent lounging on a ribbon of soft sand, soaking up sun and surf? Or maybe a gambling town like Vegas or Atlantic City, the tinny sound of coins jangling through the slots, a siren song calling your name?

Or … perhaps this is the year for an adventure.

The Adventure Travel Trade Association defines adventure travel as “any tourist activity including two of the following three components: a physical activity, a cultural exchange or interaction, and engagement with nature.” It’s a new take on vacation that’s gaining in popularity as people, including those with disabilities, look to do something different with their downtime.

Check out the following three destinations to spark your adventure ideas, and remember when making your plans: The sky’s the limit.

The MV Sea Wolf journeys to North Sandy Cove in Glacier Bay National Park, where travelers enjoy seeing spectacular scenery, wildlife wandering the beaches, and whales, sea lions, porpoises and seals navigating pristine waters.

Wet and wild

If a marine adventure is what you’re after, consider a tour with Sea Wolf Adventures, based out of Elfin Cove, Alaska.

The MV Sea Wolf started out as a U.S. Navy minesweeper in 1941. After a circuitous journey that included stints as a family’s private yacht and company entertainment vessel, the boat was refitted as an action adventure yacht.

The ocean-going vessel comfortably carries 12 passengers and six crewmem-bers on tours off the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia and Washington state. Common sightings include glaciers and ice floes; eagles; porpoises; gray, humpback and Minke whales; sea lions; dolphins; seabirds; and bears.

“All of our clients need to have a sense of adventure, be flexible, and love the wilderness and learning about all that comprises that wilderness,” says naturalist Kimber Owen, owner of Sea Wolf Adventures. “We have fun kayaking and hiking and can offer alternative kayaks or activities at most times for those who cannot hike.”

Owen describes the accessibility modifications as “visitability versus ADA,” explaining that “ADA is nearly impossible in a retrofit.”

The Sea Wolf features three wheelchair-accessible rooms, side decks a minimum of 32 inches wide, and 32-inch-wide access doors with straight-in or 90-degree entry from the deck. Accessible bathrooms are equipped with roll-under sinks, shower benches, reachable shower controls and remote shower wands, and 17- to 19- inch-high toilets with space to the side for transfers. Lifts make kayaks and skiffs accessible, and there are wheelchair lifts to each deck suitable for chairs without an extended wheel in front. (A transfer chair is available for chairs that don’t fit.)

Descriptions of four-, six- and 10-day tours, and adventure dates can be seen online at www.seawolfadventures.net. For more information, e-mail seawolfadven-tures@earthlink.net or call (907) 957- 1438. Most book one year in advance.

a 400-acre wildlife preserve located near Santa Rosa, Calif.

Tour the grounds by foot, wheel or Jeep, where you’ll see the familiar — cheetahs, giraffes and zebras — and the not-so-familiar — Indian hornbills, blue wildebeests, bongo antelope, springbok, waterbucks and African spoonbills.

“A wheelchair generally can go along the whole of the walking tour,” says Safari West Director of Communications and Marketing Aphrodite Caserta. “Sometimes it can be difficult getting in and out of the aviary, but with a friend or staff assistance, it’s usually not a problem.”

Wheelchairs aren’t allowed on safari vehicles, but guests can ride in the front seat, with support from a caregiver if necessary.

For a closer look, schedule an animal encounter where handlers present a selection of birds, reptiles and mammals. See

The cat’s meow

To satisfy your taste for the exotic, experience the wonders of Africa at Safari West,

On a drive through the 12-acre Extreme Africa Exhibit, guests may observe ostriches, giraffes, gazelles, scimitar-horned oryxes (pictured), and other species of African antelope coexisting in an exotic savannah setting.