Know Your Rights
The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990. All buildings constructed after it went into effect in 1992 MUST meet very specific guidelines for accessibility if they will be offering services to the public. Doorway measurements, the number of accessible rooms required based on the overall size of a hotel, the distance between racks at retail stores- these are all covered by the ADA.
There are certain exceptions made for buildings that were constructed before 1992 and for very small businesses. However, even these businesses are subject to the ADA. You may have an owner or manager who tells you they're exempt from the law. This isn't true. These businesses are required to make "reasonable accommodations" and are expected to make ongoing improvements to their property.
The purpose of the ADA is to protect the rights of the disabled and allow us greater freedom - but it is only enforced when we speak out. You don't have to hire a lawyer to make a difference. The ultimate goal of The Accessible Travel Guide is to achieve greater freedom when traveling. But in the meantime, let's help each other out by passing along information about businesses that are already doing a good job addressing our needs.