A “blind mover” is someone with little or no usable sight who chooses to engage actively in exploring and enjoying the world. The reasons are practical and personal at once: health, social connection, and ongoing learning all benefit from regular movement, new places, and shared experiences. Sight is not required for any of this. Good information, a habit of asking, and the right network of organizations and tools are what is required.

This guide collects those resources. A resource earns a place here when every one of the following is true:

• Its core specialty is blindness or low vision, or it runs a long-standing blindness-specific program within a larger organization.
• It leads to recreation, culture, social connection, or active living. Athletic options appear where the recreational, social, or travel value is clear, and are labeled “athletic.”
• It serves adults. Programs primarily for minors are left out; where a program runs both youth and adult tracks, only the adult side is described.
• It can be reached through a working link, where the organization keeps the current dates, prices, and details.

Resources are grouped by the kind of activity they support.

The guide was developed by Jamal Mazrui with the assistance of an AI writing partner. The information is meant to stay useful from year to year. For specific trip dates, prices, and itineraries, the linked organization websites carry the current details.

Each listed resource belongs to its organization. This directory’s own text and arrangement are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Table of Contents

• Approach to Trip Planning
• Phone Apps and Hardware
• Vignettes of a Blind Mover
• Travel Agencies That Specialize in Blindness
• Group Trips Built Around Blindness
• Camps and Retreats
• Sports and Outdoor Recreation
• National Events, Communities, and Funding
• Disability Access Contacts for U.S. Carriers
• Cultural and Sensory Access in Any City
• International Resources
• Glossary
• Sources and Credits

Approach to Trip Planning

A few principles apply to almost any trip a blind adult takes.

Decide what the trip is for. Relaxation, culture, adventure, and social time call for very different itineraries, and trying to do all four in one week usually shortchanges each.

Keep the itinerary simple. Every change of location means reorienting to a new room, a new layout, and new staff. Two days in three cities is often harder than a week in one.

Allow the first full day to get acquainted. The goal is to walk through the hotel with a staff member, find the elevator, the coffee shop, the museum next door, and the route to the nearest pharmacy. Everything that follows is easier once those things are known.

Hire a local guide for the hard parts. A half-day private guide for an old town, a museum, or a winding park costs less than a tour bus ticket and gives a much richer experience.

Ask every question in advance. Useful questions include the pace of the itinerary, whether bus tours are narrated and in what language, and whether dog guides are welcome at each port or border. Other good questions are which meals are included and how the operator has worked with blind travelers before. The conversation itself often signals whether the operator is a good fit.

Talk to other blind travelers first. Accessibility judgments from a cane user and a dog-guide user differ from each other, and both differ from accessibility judgments by sighted friends.

Verify service-animal rules. Each country has its own rules, and each cruise ship follows the rules of the country it is registered in. Some Caribbean ports do not permit a U.S.-issued service animal to disembark. This is the single most important point to confirm before any international trip.

Learn More

• The People Make the Places — A monthly podcast hosted by a longtime blind traveler with three million flight miles, drawing on travel stories from across decades and dozens of countries.
• Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane — A practical book on cane travel for blind adults, written by a longtime cane user and published by the National Federation of the Blind. Free to read online; the same text is also at the Internet Archive copy of Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane.
• APH ConnectCenter VisionAware — Practical articles on travel planning, daily living, and orientation.
• Blind Abilities podcast — Interviews and travel-related episodes with blind professionals and adventurers.

Books by and about blind travelers

The titles below are written by blind travelers or about them, and are available in accessible formats through the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Bookshare, Audible, and Kindle. They make good companions on a long flight or a quiet hotel evening.

• Sites Unseen: Traveling the World without Sight by Wendy David (National Braille Press, 2010). A practical and personal guide drawn from the author’s decades of international travel as a blind woman. Long the standard hands-on reference on the topic; many of this guide’s principles trace back to it.
• Seeing the World My Way (2010) and Seeing the Americas My Way (2016) by Tony Giles. Memoirs by a totally blind British solo traveler who has visited more than 130 countries. Practical insights mixed with travel stories.
• Traveling Blind: Adventures in Vision with a Guide Dog by My Side by Susan Krieger (Purdue University Press, 2010). A reflective memoir on travel with a guide dog, including how a dog handler navigates airlines, ports, and unfamiliar terrain.
• A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History’s Greatest Traveler by Jason Roberts (HarperCollins, 2017). The biography of James Holman, a 19th-century blind explorer who traveled an estimated 250,000 miles across five continents using a long cane and echolocation.
• How I Became the Blind Scooter Guy by Christopher Venter (Gatekeeper Press, 2018). A memoir of a blind solo traveler who rode a mobility scooter from the southern tip of Africa to Ireland.

A broader curated reading list of travel and recreation titles is published by the Library of Congress as Travel and Recreation for the Visually Impaired and Physically Disabled, with annotated entries for articles, blogs, government resources, tour operators, and a closing bibliography. The list mixes blindness-specific and broader disability resources.

Phone Apps and Hardware

A blind traveler in 2026 carries most of the needed tools on a single phone. The apps below are listed by what they do best. Several are free; the paid ones are noted.

Navigation apps built for blind travelers

These apps were designed from the start for nonvisual use, with extra detail about intersections, points of interest, and orientation.

• Voice Vista (free) — Speaks intersections, nearby places, and routes using 3D spatial audio. A traveler can drop custom audio beacons along a route to find a meeting point or a hotel entrance later.
• Indigo Nav (free) — Turn-by-turn outdoor GPS with extra verbosity for blind users. The “LookAround Wand” speaks what is in the direction the phone points. A “Waypoints” feature lets the user shake the phone to record landmarks along a custom route, then replay that route later.
• GoodMaps (free) — Indoor turn-by-turn navigation inside mapped venues. The mapped list keeps growing and includes airports, libraries, transit hubs, and museums. Indigo Nav links into GoodMaps automatically when a traveler is near a mapped venue.
• ClickAndGo Wayfinding (free) — A library of narrative venue routes written in advance by orientation and mobility specialists, with the blindness-specific landmark and technique cues a GPS app cannot give. Covers campuses, airports, transit hubs, hospitals, and hotels, with iBeacon real-time location support and high-contrast low-vision maps. Routes can be reviewed from home before a trip and replayed on site.
• BlindSquare (paid, about $40) — Long-standing GPS app. Pairs Foursquare point-of-interest data with OpenStreetMap street data and announces nearby places with 3D audio beeps pointing in their direction. The “Play/Pause” button on a paired headset opens an audio menu so the phone stays in a pocket. BlindSquare integrates with Apple Maps, Google Maps, transit apps, and Aira to provide turn-by-turn routes and free on-site Aira alerts.
• Lodestone (paid) — A cheaper alternative built by blind developers. Distinctive for letting a traveler download local point-of-interest data for offline use with fine-grained control over which categories and regions to store. Useful where data service is unreliable.
• NaviLens (free) — Reads specially coded high-contrast signs at growing numbers of transit stations and museums to give quick orientation cues.
• Lazarillo (free) — Spoken indoor and outdoor guidance, popular in transit hubs and shopping centers.
• OKO (free) — Uses the phone camera to read pedestrian walk and don’t-walk signals where there is no accessible pedestrian signal.
• WeWALK (free, with in-app purchases; iPhone) — Built by a blind-led team, WeWALK pairs step-by-step walking navigation with unusually strong public-transit support: it lists nearby stops and the upcoming lines at each, and notifies the traveler as the get-off stop approaches, which makes mixed walking-and-transit trips much easier. An Explore mode announces nearby places while walking. The app works fully on its own; it can also pair with the optional WeWALK smart cane, and the company offers WeASSIST, a paid trained-agent visual-assistance service reached from inside the app.
• Intersector (iPhone, with an Apple Watch companion) — Built by a blind developer, it announces the nearest and upcoming street intersections with their distance and direction, can scan for intersections in the direction the phone points, and works with Siri Shortcuts, without turning into turn-by-turn navigation.
• StellarTrek by HumanWare (dedicated device, premium-priced) — A standalone, weatherproof GPS and orientation device with physical buttons instead of a touchscreen, so it never competes for the phone battery and suits travelers who prefer tactile controls. Beyond routing, points of interest, intersection descriptions, and a virtual map-browsing mode for learning an area in advance, two rear cameras with on-device AI read street-address numbers, detect crosswalks, check pedestrian-signal color (beta), and help close the final forty feet to a door. Battery life runs to roughly twenty hours.

Mainstream map apps with strong blindness features

The general-purpose map apps have improved markedly for VoiceOver and TalkBack.

• Apple Maps — Plans transit and walking routes; pairs well with BlindSquare; supports detailed walking instructions in major cities, including which side of the street to walk on and step counts at intersections.
• Google Maps — Best for unfamiliar cities, with detailed business hours, photos that can be described by an AI tool, and an accessible transit interface.

Compass and direction

Knowing which way is north is often the difference between confidently walking out of a hotel and circling back through the lobby. A pocket compass or a free compass app covers this need.

• Apple Compass (built in, free, iPhone) — Announces the bearing in degrees and the cardinal direction (north, northeast, east, and so on) when VoiceOver is on. Holding the phone flat in front of the body and slowly turning gives a quick orientation reading anywhere.
• Talk Compass (free) — A simple iOS compass built for blind users that speaks the direction continuously and can play a musical scale tone that rises and falls as the heading changes.
• Built-in Android compass — Most Android phones ship with a compass feature inside the Google or weather app, or a dedicated Compass app from the manufacturer. All work with TalkBack.
• Physical magnetic compass — A simple keychain or wrist compass with a raised needle and tactile cardinal markings still has its place. No battery, no settings, no phone unlock; just one quick check to know which way the body is facing. Available from blindness equipment vendors and outdoor stores.

BlindSquare and Voice Vista also announce a heading in cardinal terms during navigation. A standalone compass is most useful at the start of a walk, when leaving an unfamiliar building, or when figuring out which way a street runs.

AI visual interpretation

These apps describe what a sighted person would see, on demand.

• Seeing AI (free) — Reads short text, describes scenes and objects, identifies products by barcode, and reads handwritten notes.
• Google Lookout (free, Android) — Similar to Seeing AI; tightly integrated with TalkBack.
• Apple built-in visual tools (free, iPhone and iPad) — Beyond third-party apps, iOS has describers built in. Magnifier’s Detection Mode announces nearby people and their distance (useful for finding a free seat or judging a line), identifies doors along with their signs including restroom and accessible-entrance symbols, detects furniture and can announce seat occupancy, and describes scenes and text in view. Point and Speak reads the text on a button or keypad as a finger moves across it, helpful at elevators, kiosks, and appliances. Visual Intelligence describes whatever the camera is pointed at. Detection Mode requires a LiDAR-equipped iPhone Pro.
• Be My Eyes (free) — Connects the user with a volunteer sighted helper by video call.
• Be My AI (free) — An AI describer inside the Be My Eyes app. Photos can be uploaded for a detailed description with follow-up questions, and a live video mode answers questions about what the camera sees in real time.
• Aira (paid, with free venues) — A professional visual-interpreter service. Trained agents help with anything from reading a menu to navigating an unfamiliar transit hub. Free at many airports, museums, and partner venues; many libraries offer free Aira time to cardholders.
• Aira AI (free during the current Trusted Testers program) — Aira’s real-time AI visual interpreter, powered by Google DeepMind’s Project Astra. A real-time video conversation with an AI sits beside the human-interpreter option in the same Aira app. Sample questions include “what temperature is my thermostat showing right now,” “is this milk expired,” and “what aisle markers are nearby.” Aira’s free Access AI feature handles still photos with follow-up questions, while Aira AI streams continuous video.
• Envision (free and paid) — Reads text, describes scenes, and works with Envision Glasses, a lightweight wearable that frees the hands.
• Ally (free to download) — Envision’s conversational AI assistant, reached by voice or text on iPhone, Android, the web, or Envision Glasses. It reads mail, menus, signs, and documents, describes surroundings, answers questions with live web search, and translates labels, and it remembers preferences a traveler sets, so noting a dietary need or a destination shapes later answers. A custom assistant can be named and given a personality. The free tier allows unlimited ten-minute conversations.
• Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses (paid) — Camera-equipped glasses with built-in Meta AI for hands-free scene description, voice-controlled photos and videos, and a “Live AI” mode for continuous on-the-spot interrogation of the surroundings. The glasses also connect to Be My Eyes for sighted-volunteer calls and to Aira for human and AI interpreters.
• EchoVision by Agiga (paid) — AI glasses designed from the ground up for blind and low-vision users, with a wide-angle camera, open-ear audio, and buttons for scene description, reading text, and a live AI mode; they also call Be My Eyes and Aira by voice.

Most of the free AI describer apps now include a “live mode” in which the phone camera streams continuously to an AI model that the user can interrogate by voice. Be My AI, Seeing AI, Google Lookout, Envision, Ally, and Aira AI all offer this. Ask “what’s on the table in front of me,” “what color is this shirt,” or “is the bathroom door on the left or the right” and the answer comes back in a second or two. Live mode is especially useful in unfamiliar hotel rooms, airports, restaurants, and museums where pointing at a single static object is less informative than panning slowly and asking questions as the view changes.

Cameras for blind photographers

Blind travelers often want to take pictures and videos of the people, places, and moments that matter. The built-in and free options below make that practical without sighted help.

• iPhone Camera with VoiceOver (built in, free) — When VoiceOver is on, the Camera app announces how many faces are in the frame, where each face sits within the frame, and whether a face looks too small (meaning the camera should move closer). Photos are saved with VoiceOver labels for the time and date. Siri can launch the Camera, Photos, and search results by voice.
• Android Camera with TalkBack (built in, free) — Comparable face-detection cues and audio confirmation of capture. The Google Camera Guide assists with framing using audio prompts.
• Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses — Hands-free photo and video capture by voice command (“Hey Meta, take a picture” or “Hey Meta, start a video”). The camera is wearable, so framing matches what the head is facing. Two-way video calls share the wearer’s view with a sighted friend or family member through WhatsApp, Messenger, or Be My Eyes.
• Be My Eyes video call (free) — A sighted volunteer can confirm framing in real time before the shutter is pressed, useful for important shots when accuracy matters more than independence.
• Aira agent assistance (paid, with free at partner venues) — A trained agent can guide framing the same way, with the additional value of being a professional rather than a volunteer.

Scanning QR codes nonvisually

Standard QR codes are everywhere on signage, restaurant menus, museum exhibits, and transit stops, but they were designed to be scanned by sighted people who can frame the code precisely. A blind traveler usually does not know exactly where the code sits on the wall, what size it is, or what angle to hold the phone at. Three techniques and apps make QR codes practical without sighted help.

• iPhone Camera with VoiceOver auto-detect (built in, free) — When VoiceOver is on, the Camera app announces “QR code detected” as soon as a code enters the frame. Slowly sweep the phone across the area where the code might be (a poster, a menu corner, the front of a kiosk). When VoiceOver announces a code, tap the link that appears. No precise framing is needed; the camera reads codes from a wide range of angles and distances.
• Android Camera with Google Lens or TalkBack (built in, free) — Comparable auto-detect behavior. The phone announces the URL or text contents as soon as a code is in view.
• Seeing AI (free) — A “Short Text” or “Scene” mode that often catches QR codes along with the rest of the visual context, useful when a code is mixed in with other information on a sign.
• NaviLens (free) — NaviLens uses its own multi-colored QR-style markers that are designed for blind users from the start. The markers can be detected from up to 5 meters away, from any angle within roughly 160 degrees, and without the need to focus or frame. The app speaks the marker’s content in any of 33 languages and updates as the user walks. NaviLens markers are deployed at major U.S. airports, the New York MTA subway, San Antonio VIA Metropolitan Transit, the North Carolina Maritime Museum, and other transit and venue partners. The companion NaviLens Go app is the visual-augmented-reality version for low-vision users.
• NaviLens Accessible QR Code generator (free) — Adds NaviLens scannability to any standard QR code that already exists. A traveler can ask a hotel, restaurant, or venue to add NaviLens to its existing posters.

Travel tip: when arriving at an airport, train station, or unfamiliar venue, open NaviLens before leaving the gate, platform, or entrance and pan the phone slowly across the area. If the venue has NaviLens markers, the app speaks each one as it comes into range, giving an audible map of what is ahead. If there are no NaviLens markers but there are standard QR codes (for example, on a restaurant menu), switch to the iPhone or Android Camera and sweep more slowly across a smaller area.

Travel logistics

• TripIt (free and paid) — Aggregates flight, hotel, and rental confirmations from email into a single accessible itinerary; pairs well with screen readers.
• Translation apps — Google Translate and Microsoft Translator both handle conversation mode and offline language packs.
• Cash Reader (free and paid) — Identifies banknotes by camera in dozens of currencies. Useful where bills cannot be distinguished by touch.
• CurbToCar (free; iPhone) — Designed with blind users through the MIT Assistive Technology Club for the last ten feet between the curb and a waiting vehicle. Point the phone toward the pickup area and the app uses the camera to detect vehicles, announce them, and guide the traveler toward their ride with continuous audio feedback and distance estimates — handy for finding a rideshare among several cars or a friend’s car at a busy pickup.

Hardware that pairs well

• Wireless earbuds with a pause button — A single-tap pause opens BlindSquare’s audio menu and silences voice prompts when in conversation.
• Bone-conduction headsets — Leave the ears open for traffic and conversation while still streaming GPS and music. Many blind runners and walkers prefer them.
• A small Bluetooth keyboard — Cuts dictation errors when writing on the road, especially for emails to hotels and tour operators.
• Refreshable braille display — For braille readers, a compact display makes reading email and documents nearly silent in a quiet train compartment or hotel room.
• Accessible portable charger — A battery pack with audible or vibrating feedback for the charge level eliminates the guesswork of trying to find a visual indicator. The 20,000 mAh accessible portable charger from A.T. Guys signals battery level by tone or vibration and includes two fast-charging USB ports. A full charge lasts through a long travel day even when topping up two devices.
• Travel surge protector with multiple outlets and USB ports — A small, sturdy travel charger such as the one from A.T. Guys provides two AC outlets and three USB ports in a single hotel-friendly footprint.

White canes for travel

The long white cane remains the primary tool for independent travel for most blind adults. Cane choice affects how well a traveler reads the path ahead, how quickly an obstacle is detected, and how easily the cane stows on a bus, in a restaurant, or under an airplane seat. A short comparison helps with picking the right one.

Materials: Fiberglass canes are light, very rigid, and inexpensive; this is the default for many cane users. Aluminum is sturdy and bends rather than breaks under sudden impact; aluminum canes are common in folding designs. Graphite or carbon-fiber composite canes are the lightest and have the most flex for sensitive tactile feedback, at higher cost.

Shaft types: A rigid (straight) cane is one solid piece; it transmits the strongest tactile feedback because there are no joints to absorb vibration. A folding cane breaks into four, five, or six segments held together by an internal bungee; it stows in a bag or under a chair, at some cost in sensitivity. A telescoping cane collapses into itself like a radio antenna; the most compact of the three but generally the least durable.

Tips: The pencil tip is the lightest and pairs well with the two-point touch technique, in which the cane taps the ground in front of each foot. A rolling or roller tip glides along the ground in the constant-contact technique, useful on smooth surfaces. Metal and ceramic tips make a louder sound on hard floors, which some travelers use as an echolocation aid. Many canes accept interchangeable tips that swap by hand.

Length: For a first-time cane user, the cane should reach from the floor to the user’s shoulder or sternum, with the goal of identifying obstacles about two steps ahead of where the user is stepping. Experienced cane travelers often prefer a longer cane (chin or nose height) because a faster pace needs earlier detection.

Where to get a cane: Two U.S. programs distribute free long white canes to anyone who requests one. The NFB Tools for Independence program, formerly the Free White Cane Program, supplies straight fiberglass canes with metal tips. The Wisconsin Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired White Cane Program supplies Ambutech canes with a pencil tip. Both programs accept a new application every six months. The NFB Independence Market carries a wider range of cane types, tips, and lengths for those who want options beyond the free program.

Training: An orientation and mobility specialist teaches both the two-point touch and constant-contact techniques and helps match the cane to the user’s pace. Local agencies for the blind and state vocational rehabilitation programs cover this. The Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane is the standard introductory text, free online.

Emerging mobility hardware

A new category of mobility aid combines AI, sensors, and robotics to physically guide a blind walker. One product is close to general availability.

• Glide by Glidance — A wheeled, telescoping handheld guide developed by a Seattle startup whose founder is a blind former Microsoft engineer. Glide has two all-terrain wheels, a depth camera with a 50-foot range, drop-off and obstacle sensors, and an ergonomic handle with buttons and haptic feedback. The user nudges the device forward and lets Glide steer, similar in feel to holding someone’s arm. A “Freestyle” mode handles obstacle avoidance and drop-off detection; a “Directed Navigation” mode follows turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps or a route the user trained Glide to follow. Initial shipments to early preorder customers (the Founding Gliders and Pioneer cohorts) begin in spring 2026; the Pathfinder cohort follows in early 2027. Glide is purchased outright with a monthly software subscription. Glide is intended as a guide rather than a balance aid, and it is not designed for use with a support cane, walker, or wheelchair. The product was featured at CES 2026 and chosen as a Top CES Pick on NBC’s Today Show.

Learn More

• APH ConnectCenter Apps and AT for People with Visual Impairments — A clearinghouse of articles describing apps, devices, and recent reviews.
• AppleVis — Community-run reviews and guides for blind iOS and Mac users; the most active hub for new app discoveries.
• Access On — The National Federation of the Blind’s weekly technology podcast. Covers smartphones, AI, navigation apps, smart-home gear, accessible appliances, and recent CENA boutique webinars. Hosted by the NFB Executive Director for Accessibility Excellence.
• NFB Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility (CENA) — Free Zoom webinars and “boutique” trainings throughout the year on practical accessibility topics, including indoor wayfinding and accessible travel technology. Recordings are released as episodes of the Access On podcast.
• National Braille Press Computers and Technology catalog — A deep catalog of book-length tutorials in braille, BRF, DAISY, and Word formats covering the apps and devices in this section. Many titles are by Judy Dixon, the prolific technology writer whose books include Capturing and Sharing the World on taking photos and videos with an iPhone, The Power of AI on the iPhone, Audio Description: What It Is, Where to Find It, and How to Use It, Braille Screen Input, 3D Printing: What to Know and How Blind Users Can Make Their Own Objects, and Designing Documents for Appearance. Useful as long-form companions to this guide’s short reference entries.
• ACB Catalogs of Useful Products for Blind and Visually Impaired People — A maintained directory of blindness-product vendors, including A.T. Guys, the American Printing House for the Blind, Ambutech, the Carroll Store, the New Vision Store, Perkins Products, the LS&S catalog, the Braille Book Store, and Independent Living Aids. Many of these vendors are also frequent exhibitors at the NFB and ACB national conventions, where they demonstrate the latest accessible chargers, labels, headsets, and travel gear.

Vignettes of a Blind Mover

These three short scenarios sketch the planning steps a blind mover might take. Each leads to a different kind of trip, and each draws on resources covered later in the guide.

Vignette 1: A European tour with a blind-supported operator

Goal: a two-week guided tour of Italy with a small group and a local sighted guide comfortable working with blind travelers.

Step 1: Pick the operator. Two specialists in this space are Traveleyes and Seable, both based in the United Kingdom. Both run small-group trips that pair blind travelers with sighted travelers who serve as casual guides in exchange for a discount. Email both, ask for their next Italy departure, and request a reference from a recent blind client.

Step 2: Confirm service-animal rules. Italy accepts IGDF-accredited guide dogs, but rabies vaccination and microchip rules require planning about four months in advance. The starting points are the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s pet-export page and the embassy of Italy in Washington.

Step 3: Book transit accommodations. Call the airline accessibility desk to request seat selection, in-cabin space for the guide dog, and meet-and-assist service at both ends. If using TSA Cares for the security screening, call at least 72 hours before departure.

Step 4: Pre-load the phone. Install Voice Vista, BlindSquare, Lazarillo, Google Translate, and Cash Reader. Download offline maps and language packs while still on hotel wifi.

Step 5: Arrange a first-day orientation. Ask the operator to schedule a hotel walk-through on arrival day, noting the front desk, restaurant, elevator, and route to the nearest pharmacy.

Step 6: Plan one independent half-day. Even on a guided tour, an afternoon hiring a private Aira agent for a museum or market browse adds a different kind of experience.

Vignette 2: A home-team game with OneCourt

Goal: a Saturday-night Portland Trail Blazers home game, with the action followed in real time rather than through a friend’s running commentary.

Step 1: Book accessible seating. Call the Trail Blazers accessibility line when buying tickets and ask to reserve a OneCourt haptic device for the game. The device is free with any seat in the arena.

Step 2: Plan the route. Use Voice Vista or BlindSquare for the walk from the train station to the arena entrance. NaviLens markers around the venue speed up the last hundred yards.

Step 3: Arrive 30 minutes early. The OneCourt staff need a moment to set up the device at the seat and walk the user through the silicone court overlay, the position cues, and the speaking status button.

Step 4: Add the live radio call. Wireless earbuds carrying the local radio broadcast pair well with the haptic display for the color and emotion that the device intentionally leaves out.

Step 5: Plan a quiet exit. Crowds at the buzzer can be hard to navigate. Leaving a minute or two early, or staying ten minutes after the final horn, makes the walk to transit easier.

Vignette 3: A conference trip with a side run

Goal: a four-day work trip to Anaheim for the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference, with a Saturday morning run as a break from the schedule.

Step 1: Find the local Achilles chapter. Open the Achilles International chapter directory and look for the nearest active chapter to Anaheim. If the chapter has its own meetup page, message the captain a week ahead and ask to be paired with a guide for the date.

Step 2: Use United in Stride as a backup. Where no Achilles chapter is active on the date needed, the United in Stride directory finds independent sighted guides who match by pace and location.

Step 3: Plan the route. Most chapters meet at a park or beachfront promenade. Voice Vista or Indigo Nav handles the walk from the hotel; many chapters can also pick up runners from the lobby.

Step 4: Pack the gear. A short tether, light layers, electrolyte tabs, and a tip envelope for the guide are useful additions to the conference bag.

Step 5: Combine with the conference. Many CSUN attendees plan a group run together in advance through the NFB Sports and Recreation mailing list or the Top Tech Tidbits listserv directory. Joining one of those threads is faster than searching alone.

Travel Agencies That Specialize in Blindness

A small number of travel agencies in the United States have built their business around serving blind and visually impaired travelers. The agents understand audio description, dog-guide travel, low-vision lighting needs, and accessible-room standards, and the agencies all have working relationships with the major airlines and cruise lines.

• See Sea Trips (Belleville, Illinois) — Run by owner and operator Dave Kronk, a cruise specialist with a strong focus on accessible cruise travel for the blind community; group cruises have included the British Isles, the Panama Canal, Alaska, and the Caribbean, with braille menus and deck directions arranged in advance. Phone: 618-409-0143.
• Echevarria Travel (Brentwood, New York) — Founded by a blind agent and works with all U.S. carriers and most cruise lines. Phone: 631-456-5394.
• Mind’s Eye Travel (Falmouth, Maine) — Run by a blind agent. Books cruises, tours, and independent itineraries for the blind community across all major suppliers. Phone: 207-542-4438.
• Presto Magic Travel (St. Louis, Missouri) — A travel agency owned by a blind agent and her seeing-eye dog, with strong Disney and cruise specialties. Phone: 314-541-8400.

Group Trips Built Around Blindness

For travelers who want others’ company and someone else to handle logistics, several recurring group-trip programs are run specifically for blind and visually impaired travelers.

Cruise fundraisers and association trips

• NFB of Maryland Annual Cruise — A long-running annual fundraiser cruise organized by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland; open to blind and sighted travelers. Past departures have visited the Caribbean, Bermuda, Alaska, and the Mediterranean.
• NFB of Florida Fundraising Cruise — A similar annual fundraiser cruise organized by the NFB of Florida.

Sensory-focused tour operators

These operators design every trip around sensory exploration. A blind traveler is not asked to “keep up” with a sighted group; the itinerary itself is built around touch, sound, taste, and conversation.

• Traveleyes (United Kingdom, worldwide) — The largest blind-specialist tour operator. Pairs blind and sighted travelers together, with sighted travelers receiving a discount in exchange for serving as casual guides during the day. Trips have included Vietnam, Peru, Japan, and Iceland.
• Seable (United Kingdom, worldwide) — Tailored and small-group holidays built specifically for blind and low-vision travelers, combining local sighted guides with tactile and sensory activities. Trips have included Sicily, Iceland, and Tanzania.
• Cocky Guides (Australia) — Small-group, multi-sensory adventures across every Australian state and territory. Cane, dog guide, or sighted companion all welcome. The Supported Experiences page lists the current calendar.
• Travel Visions Aloha for the Blind (Hawaii) — Nonprofit that runs inclusive Hawaii outdoor experiences for the blind community, including whale watching, hiking, and sensory exploration.

Operators in other countries

For travel to specific regions, a handful of smaller operators specialize in blind and low-vision visitors.

• Endeavour Safaris (Southern Africa) — Accessible safaris in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.
• DiversiGO (Hungary) — Guided tours in Budapest for visitors with disabilities, including blind travelers.
• Planet Abled (India) — Inclusive vacations across India, with attention to blind and low-vision travelers.

Learn More

• Blind Travel Foundation Travel Resources — A regularly updated list of blindness-specific travel agencies, tour operators, and access programs.
• ACB Travel Resources — A directory of accessible travel information, travel agencies, and city greeter programs maintained by the American Council of the Blind.

Camps and Retreats

Multi-day residential programs designed around blindness, with adult sessions or year-round adult programming. None of the entries below is primarily a youth camp.

Enchanted Hills Camp and Retreat (California)

Year-round programs on 311 acres near Napa, run by a blindness service organization in San Francisco. Adult sessions include a general Adult Camp, Woodworking Camp, a National Woodworkers Gathering, Music Academy, Writers Retreats, and Horse Camp. Activities include swimming, archery, yoga, hands-on art, live music, and campfires. See the Enchanted Hills Camp page.

Hull Foundation and Learning Center (Oregon)

A 23-acre park in Sandy, Oregon. Year-round recreational, social, and educational programs for adults with sight loss. Offerings include adult summer adventure retreats, social weekends, a technology and sight-loss seminar, and shorter “One Day Fun Day” outings. Phone: 503-668-6195. See the Hull Foundation home page.

Camp Bloomfield Adult Camp (California)

A free week-long residential blind and low-vision adult camp run by a family-services nonprofit. The 2026 Adult Camp session is held at the Lions Camps at Teresita Pines near Wrightwood, California. Activities include archery, beach trips, hiking, swimming, group programs, and campfire activities. See the Camp Bloomfield Adult Camp page.

Learn More

• APH ConnectCenter — Recreation and Leisure — A practical clearinghouse of articles on accessible recreation, including overviews of camp programs.
• Hadley Workshops on Travel and Recreation — Free short audio workshops covering daily living, travel, and recreation skills.

Sports and Outdoor Recreation

Adaptive and recreational sports for blind and low-vision adults span individual training, sighted-guide pairings, paddling and sailing crews, sport-specific national bodies, and quiet sensory hobbies like birding by ear. Multi-sport adaptive programs offer many activities through one organization. National sport-specific bodies handle one sport across the country. Running and tandem cycling rely on sighted-guide pairings. Cross-country and downhill skiing form their own well-developed track, and paddling and sailing programs welcome blind crew members. Self-defense and birding sit at the recreational end of the spectrum. All entries below welcome adults at the recreational level; programs with optional competitive elements are flagged. Athletic options are marked accordingly so they can be easily skipped.

Multi-sport adaptive recreation programs

These programs offer a range of activities through one organization, usually in a single region of the country. Activities range from gentle nature outings to athletic skiing or kayaking; participants can choose their level.

• National Sports Center for the Disabled (Colorado) — Year-round adaptive recreation at Winter Park Resort and Denver. Winter activities include alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Summer activities include rafting, kayaking, cycling, camping, fishing, rock climbing, hiking, and horseback riding.
• Adaptive Sports Association (Durango, Colorado) — Year-round programs including biking, hiking, skiing, cycling, canoeing, rafting, rock climbing, and kayaking.
• Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation — Year-round adaptive programs. Winter programs include alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. Summer programs include paddling, cycling, climbing, tennis, and golf. Also hosts the New England Visually Impaired Ski Fest.
• Blind Outdoor Leisure Development (BOLD) (Wisconsin) — Skiing (downhill and cross-country), rowing, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, snowshoeing, zip lining, bowling, ice skating, and more.

Most U.S. states have at least one adaptive recreation organization. A web search for “adaptive sports” plus the state name usually surfaces the regional programs.

Running with sighted guides (athletic)

Running pairs a blind or low-vision athlete with a sighted guide using verbal cues and often a short tether. Most chapters and clubs welcome both runners and walkers, so the recreational social side is available without a race goal.

• Achilles International — A global organization with local chapters in many U.S. cities and abroad. Open to athletes with all kinds of disabilities, including blindness. Chapters typically meet weekly for group runs and walks of all paces, from a one-mile walk in the park to marathon training. Membership is free. Members in good standing are eligible for guaranteed entry to the New York City Marathon. The chapter directory lists local groups.
• United in Stride — A national online service that matches visually impaired runners with available sighted guides. Useful in areas without an Achilles chapter or other organized blind running group.
• Free 2 Fly Run Club (Seattle, Washington) — A blind-led running and movement club that meets weekly at parks around Seattle, with sighted guides paired to visually impaired members. Pace and distance are flexible, from a casual walk to a half-marathon training run. Monthly field trips explore new neighborhoods and running routes. Community events bring members together off the trail. The Free 2 Fly About page covers the club’s story.

City-based blind running clubs of this kind exist in a growing number of metros. Searching for “blind run club” plus the city name is usually the fastest way to find one.

Tandem cycling (athletic)

In tandem cycling, a sighted captain pilots a two-seat bike and a blind stoker rides on the back. Many local tandem-cycling clubs exist in major U.S. metros. One national tour operator:

• International Bicycle Tours — Tandem and mixed cycling tours in the United States and Europe, including bike-only and bike-and-barge formats. Custom tours for groups of visually impaired riders are available.

Skiing (athletic)

Cross-country and alpine skiing are well developed for blind and low-vision adults. Each blind skier is paired with a sighted guide who skis nearby and gives verbal cues.

• Ski for Light International — Annual week-long cross-country skiing event. All ability levels are welcome and first-time skiers are common. The week ends with optional 2.5, 5, or 10 km timed events, but the bulk of the week is recreational skiing and social activity. The international event moves cities each year, typically in January. Regional chapters in California, Michigan, and Canada run shorter 2- to 4-day events.
• Foresight Adventure Guides for the Blind (Colorado) — Guided alpine skiing and snowboarding for adults at Vail and Beaver Creek.
• American Blind Skiing Foundation (Illinois) — Alpine skiing for blind adults. Day and weekend trips, plus an annual ski-a-thon and a week-long western trip.

Dragon boating (athletic)

Dragon boating pairs paddlers in long narrow boats with a drummer at the bow calling the strokes. The drum beat and paddle splash make timing accessible by ear, so the sport works well for blind and visually impaired paddlers. Most blind dragon boat teams also include sighted support paddlers.

• Out of Sight Dragons (Washington, D.C. area) — A para-dragon racing team within the DC Dragon Boat Club. About 20 members ranging in age from the mid-twenties to over eighty. Weekly practice on the Washington Inlet of the Potomac from April through October, with race meets in May and August. Anyone over sixteen is welcome, blind or sighted. Team members have represented the United States at world dragon-boat championships. The Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes Dragon Boating page also covers the team.
• Adaptive Fusion Dragon Boat Club (Long Beach, California) — Formed in 2018 from the merger of Blind Start (founded 2010) and Deaf Dawn (founded 2013). Practice runs Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the south end of Mother’s Beach in Long Beach. Multiple-time National Paradragon Champions and a regular medalist at the Club Crew World Championships. Welcomes blind, deaf, amputee, and other adaptive paddlers. Phone: 770-778-8154.
• Blind Ambition (Portland, Oregon) — The first blind dragon boat team in the United States, founded in 2002 by the Oregon Commission for the Blind. Year-round practice on the Willamette River and competition at regional and out-of-state regattas. The American Council of the Blind feature on Blind Ambition covers the team’s history.
• Visually Impaired Paddlers (Portland, Oregon) — A mixed-gender adult team within the Wasabi Paddling Club, formed in 2013. Vision levels range from low vision to totally blind. The Portland Dragon Boat Teams page lists the current roster of teams.

Regional blind athletic associations such as the Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes coordinate dragon boat practice alongside goalball, running, and other sports; a web search for “blind athletic association” plus the metro area surfaces the equivalent in many cities.

Sailing (athletic)

Sailing for blind adults usually pairs a blind helmsperson with a sighted crew member who handles lines while the blind sailor steers by feeling the wind on the face and listening to verbal cues.

• SailBlind (Boston, Massachusetts) — A free recreational sailing program run by the Carroll Center for the Blind in partnership with Community Boating, Incorporated, on the Charles River. Saturday morning sessions run from May through October. Sailors learn on Sonar keelboats and Venture sailboats. A human guide walks participants from the meeting point at a nearby hotel to the boathouse each session. SailBlind sailors also compete in the annual Boston Blind Open Regatta. The Community Boating Universal Access Program page covers the partner side.
• Carroll Center Recreation Programs — Beyond sailing, the Carroll Center connects blind New England adults with adaptive skiing, braille hiking paths, canoeing, rowing, and tandem biking through regional partners.

Many other Sonar fleets across the country welcome blind sailors who are paired with a sighted crew member. The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes and regional blind athletic associations are good starting points for finding sailing programs in a given metro.

Tennis (athletic)

Blind and visually impaired tennis is a fast-growing sport that uses a foam ball with a rattle (the ball makes a sound on every bounce), a smaller court with tactile lines players can feel under foot, and a lowered net. The number of bounces allowed depends on the player’s classification, ranging from one for low-vision players to three for totally blind players. The sport was invented in 1984 by Mioshi Takei, a blind Japanese athlete.

• United States Blind Tennis Association — The U.S. national body for blind and low-vision tennis. Partners with the USTA, schools for the blind, and regional adaptive tennis programs. Trainings and player clinics have been held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando and at facilities in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Atlanta, and the Wayfinder Family Services campus in Los Angeles.
• International Blind Tennis Association — The international governing body, with member federations in more than 30 countries.
• USTA Adaptive Tennis program — The mainstream USTA program that includes blind and low-vision categories alongside other adaptive divisions, with an annual national championship at the USTA National Campus.

Ice hockey (athletic)

Blind ice hockey is played with a larger, hollow steel puck filled with ball bearings that rattle audibly across the ice, a slightly larger net, and goal posts that emit a sound when struck. Players are classified into three IBSA visual classes; the lowest-vision players typically play forward and the higher-vision players play defense. The sport has been played in Canada since the early 1970s and in the United States since 2014.

• USA Hockey Blind Hockey program — The U.S. national arm, housed within USA Hockey’s Disabled Hockey department. Two main annual events: the USA Hockey Blind Hockey Summit in the fall and the Blind Hockey Division of the USA Hockey Disabled Festival in the spring. Local programs in New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, St. Louis, and other cities.
• U.S. Blind Hockey Team — The U.S. national team, which competes against Canada and other federations annually. Player evaluations and training camps each year. CABVI (the Central Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired) is the elite partner that supports year-round athlete services.
• Blind Hockey League — A professional-level Blind Hockey league launched in 2023, with the annual Carnegie Cup tournament featuring the world’s top players. The 2025 Carnegie Cup was held at City National Arena in Las Vegas in partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights.
• International Blind Ice Hockey Federation — The international governing body, working to bring the sport into the Paralympic Games.

Sport-specific national bodies (athletic)

Some sports have a national governing or sanctioning body for blind and low-vision athletes. The bodies below run leagues, regional events, and national championships, and most welcome recreational players.

• U.S. Association of Blind Athletes — A multi-sport organization that provides programs and competitions in track and field, Nordic and alpine skiing, biathlon, judo, wrestling, swimming, tandem cycling, powerlifting, rowing, showdown, triathlon, archery, goalball, and blind soccer. The official U.S. national governing body for the Paralympic team sports of goalball and blind soccer. Programs serve adults of all ability levels, from grassroots community programs to the elite Paralympic level. Phone: 719-866-3224.
• American Blind Bowlers Association — The sanctioning body for blind and visually impaired bowlers across the United States and Canada. Local leagues and regional events all year, plus an annual national championship tournament with singles, doubles, team events, and a scratch masters tournament. Totally blind bowlers use a portable aluminum rail along the approach for positioning.
• United States Blind Golf Association — Hosts tournaments and teaching clinics for blind and visually impaired golfers across the United States.
• National Beep Baseball Association — Adaptive baseball played with a beeping ball and buzzing bases. Local teams and an annual world series.

Two team sports run primarily under USABA in the United States:

• Goalball (athletic) — A three-on-three indoor sport using a bell-filled ball. All players wear eyeshades for fairness regardless of vision level. It is the most widely played team sport for blind people in the United States.
• Blind soccer (athletic) — A five-a-side outdoor sport using a sound-emitting ball. The U.S. team makes its Paralympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, and the sport is growing rapidly at the recreational level.

Self-defense for blind adults (athletic)

A small number of blindness-specific self-defense programs teach techniques designed for nonvisual use, including stance work, escapes from grabs and holds, and using a long white cane defensively.

• 1Touch Project — A self-defense program developed for blind and low-vision adults by a London-based martial-arts instructor. Uses leverage and joint locks that do not depend on sight or unusual strength. The program is the active successor to the earlier Mega No Maki curriculum. There are no belts or ranks; participants train as Student, Coach, or Advanced Coach. No equipment is required, and the course can be taught in any space large enough for paired drills. Courses are hosted at the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton, Massachusetts, at the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired in San Francisco, and as evening seminars at ACB conventions and other gatherings. The ACB feature on 1Touch covers the program’s roots.
• Cane-based self-defense workshops — Both the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind run occasional sessions at their national conventions in which martial-arts instructors teach blind participants how to use a long white cane to deter, slow, or escape an attacker. Workshops cover striking with the grip end, blocking with the shaft, and using the cane to extend reach during an escape.
• Judo (competitive martial art) — Judo is the most established competitive martial art for blind and visually impaired athletes worldwide, a Paralympic sport since 1988. The only rule difference between standard judo and visually impaired judo is that opponents must maintain contact at the start of each engagement; if contact breaks, the referee resets the match. Many blind judo players come up through school wrestling programs. The USABA Judo program supports U.S. athletes from grassroots to Paralympic level, and the annual USA Judo Visually Impaired National Championships is the national event. Recreational players can find a local club through USA Judo’s “Find a Club” tool; club instructors are generally happy to work with blind students.

Fitness and exercise apps

Most fitness happens between competition seasons and between trips: a daily walk, a few weekly sessions on a treadmill or in a hotel gym, stretches before bed. The apps and tools below were either built for blind users from the start or carry strong VoiceOver and TalkBack support, and they cover the four basic exercise types of strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility.

• Apple Health and Apple Fitness (built in, free) — The default iOS health and activity dashboard. The three rings (Move, Exercise, Stand) and step counts are fully accessible through VoiceOver, and the Workout app on Apple Watch announces start, pause, milestones, and end of a workout. Pair an Apple Watch and the iPhone tracks heart rate, sleep, and recovery automatically.
• Apple Fitness+ (paid subscription) — A library of trainer-led workouts (HIIT, strength, yoga, Pilates, treadmill, cycling, rowing, meditation, dance, and more). Apple added a “Time to Walk” series and built-in audio description specifically for blind users in 2021; the workouts speak the moves rather than only demonstrating them visually. Free for three months with a new Apple Watch.
• Smart-speaker workouts — Alexa and Google Assistant both offer hands-free guided workouts and stretches through skills and actions like “7 Minute Workout,” “Yoga,” and “Daily Workout.” Useful in a hotel room when the phone is across the room and the hands are occupied.
• Apple Watch for fitness tracking — The Apple Watch is a compact, fully VoiceOver-accessible health and activity monitor; it nudges movement, tracks workouts, takes ECG readings, and can detect a fall. The same dashboard as Apple Health and Fitness, in a wrist form factor.
• Eyes-Free Fitness by BlindAlive (iOS app, free with paid workouts) — Audio-described workout routines built from the start for blind users. Cardio, yoga, Pilates, strength, and stability-ball sessions, each narrated in plain words rather than as a soundtrack to a video. Three workouts (Morning Stretch, Evening Stretch, Guided Meditation) are free; additional sessions are paid. Apple Watch and Apple Health integration.

Free audio-described workout recordings and channels

A blind exerciser who wants a coach in the ear, not a screen to watch, has good free options. The recordings below are well-described, with the instructor naming the body part, the direction of movement, the breath, and the count rather than relying on a visible demonstration. All can be played from a phone, an Echo or Google speaker, or a laptop.

• Hadley Get Up and Go archive (free) — Hadley, the Chicago-based distance-education institute for blind and low-vision adults since 1920, hosts a growing archive of audio-described exercises produced with Tyler Merren (Paralympic goalball gold medalist) and Mel Scott (the founder of BlindAlive). Sessions cover upper body, lower body, stretching, balance, breathing, and strengthening, most around twenty minutes. Hadley also hosts a free “Get Up and Go” discussion group by phone or Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Central, where blind exercisers swap tips and stay accountable.
• Hadley Sports and Exercise series (free) — Short audio tutorials on running, biking, skiing, boating, open-water swimming, exercising in a class, using fitness equipment at home, and working out in a gym. Closer to a coach’s primer than a workout to follow along with, but invaluable when starting a new activity.
• Mel Scott’s BlindAlive audio workouts on Dropbox (free downloads) — When Mel Scott wound down BlindAlive to move on to new projects, she released the complete library of her formerly paid audio workouts as free MP3 downloads through Dropbox links in her goodbye post. The collection covers cardio, yoga, Pilates, weight lifting, body sculpting, stability ball, and chair yoga, from chair-friendly novice through Boot Camp level. Every workout pairs the main audio MP3 with a separate detailed pose-description MP3 and a text-file pose description, all for download.
• Blind Athletes Exercise YouTube channel (free) — An active library of audio-described recorded workouts: dance aerobics, strength training, cardio, core stability, deep stretching, and seated exercises. The same team also runs free real-time audio-described workouts by Zoom, Monday through Friday at noon Pacific and Tuesday/Thursday/Friday at 9:00 a.m. Pacific; the channel’s About page has the sign-up details.
• USABA “Staying Fit While Staying Put” (free, Facebook video) — A growing series of short workout videos hosted on the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes’ Facebook page, led by current and former Paralympic athletes. Useful for the variety and for the community feel of the comment threads.
• Individual YouTube creators — Searching YouTube for “audio described workout blind” or “Pilates for the blind” turns up a small but growing collection of individual creators (often blind or low-vision themselves) who narrate their movements step by step. Quality varies; the better ones are quickly recognizable in the first sixty seconds of audio.

Learn more about fitness for blind adults

• Your Personal Path to Fitness: Finding What Works for You by Judy Dixon and Bonnie O’Day (National Braille Press, 2022) — A comprehensive practical book on fitness for blind and low-vision adults. Covers the four exercise types (strength, balance, endurance, flexibility), simple at-home activities with and without equipment, partner and group fitness in the community, iPhone Health and Fitness apps, Apple Fitness+, smart-speaker workouts, and the organizations that offer sports and fitness for blind people. Available in braille, BRF, DAISY, and Word formats.
• The Apple Watch: It Can Do So Much More Than Tell Time by Judy Dixon (National Braille Press) — A complete walkthrough of the Apple Watch with VoiceOver, including the Workout app, heart-rate and sleep monitoring, and Apple Health integration.
• Eyes On Success podcast — “Your Personal Path to Fitness” episode — An hour-long interview with Judy Dixon and Bonnie O’Day about the book and the experience of fitness as a blind adult; searchable in the episode archive.
• Veronica with Four Eyes — Audio Workouts and Low Vision — A blogger’s annotated roundup of free and low-cost audio workout programs and playback ideas (a phone, an iPod, an Echo as a wireless speaker). Updated periodically.

Birding by ear

Birding by ear identifies bird species through their songs and calls rather than by sight, which makes the hobby naturally accessible to blind and low-vision adults. A growing number of organizations run group birding outings with sighted guides who help describe and locate birds.

• Carroll Center for the Blind — Birding workshops (Newton, Massachusetts) — Classroom sessions and group field trips to nearby preserves, including Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. Partners with regional birding clubs for the annual Bird-a-Thon.
• Birdability — A national nonprofit that works to make birding accessible across many disabilities. Hosts the annual Blind Birder Bird-a-Thon, in which blind and low-vision birders worldwide spend 24 hours identifying as many species as possible by sound. Maintains a dedicated resource page for birders who are blind or have low vision with tip sheets, recommended courses, and accessible recording-equipment advice.
• Ear Birding with LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (San Francisco) — Joint field trips between the LightHouse and the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, with trip leaders describing each bird by sound, location, behavior, and appearance.
• BirdNET app (free, by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) — Identifies birds by their calls. Useful in the field to confirm a bird identified by ear or to learn new calls. Available for iOS and Android.
• Cornell Lab Bird Academy — Online courses including “How to Identify Bird Songs,” a screen-reader-accessible class with transcripts for any video content. About three hours of material covering common songs and identification strategies.
• Birding By Ear for All (free) — A no-cost online course developed by Birds Canada in 2020, built specifically for blind and low-vision learners.

Wildlife refuges and state parks in many regions run accessible birding events; a web search for “accessible birding” plus the state name usually finds them.

Wilderness, paddling, and integrated trips

• Wilderness Inquiry — Integrated canoe, kayak, dog-sled, and hiking trips mixing people with and without disabilities, including blindness. Collaborative rather than competitive.

Learn More

• NFB Sports and Recreation Division — A community for blind and low-vision adults focused on sports, recreation, health, and wellness. Mailing list and monthly calls.
• ACB Sports, Recreational, and Leisure Resources — A long directory of adaptive recreation organizations, equipment sources, and sport-specific programs maintained by the American Council of the Blind.
• APH ConnectCenter — Running if Blind or Low Vision — Practical techniques, equipment, and teamwork guidance for blind runners and their guides.
• USABA YouTube channel — Videos covering goalball, blind soccer, and other adaptive sports, including how the games are played and athlete profiles.

National Events, Communities, and Funding

The largest annual gatherings of blind people in the United States double as week-long destinations in a different city each year, with workshops, exhibits, host-city tours, and social events. Joining one of the active online communities is the fastest way to hear about new trips, ask current questions, and trade tips.

Annual gatherings

• NFB National Convention — The largest annual gathering of blind people in the United States. Roughly 3,000 attendees, hundreds of breakout sessions, a large exhibit hall of accessible technology, and host-city tours. Held in a different U.S. city each summer, usually in early July. The NFB Travel and Tourism Division and the NFB Sports and Recreation Division both meet at convention.
• ACB Conference and Convention — Roughly 700 attendees, more than 150 meetings, workshops, recreational tours, and social events. ACB special-interest affiliates including Library Users of America and Friends in Art hold sessions at convention. Held in a different U.S. city each summer, usually in late July.
• Blind Travel Summit — An interactive gathering organized by the Blind Travel Foundation, focused on travel and accessibility. The format mixes 15-minute presentations with 30-minute facilitated discussions, so attendees shape the conversation rather than just listening.
• CSUN Assistive Technology Conference — The major annual assistive-technology gathering, held each spring in Anaheim, California. Sessions routinely include indoor and outdoor wayfinding apps, accessible transit data, audio-described venues, smart-glasses demos, and AI-supported travel tools. Practitioners, researchers, and consumers attend.
• CES (Consumer Electronics Show) — The annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas each January. Recent exhibits have featured travel-related accessibility aids boosted by AI, including smart canes, navigation wearables, audio-description hardware, and conversational AI travel assistants. The show floor is large and busy; arranging accessibility support through the CES Accessibility services before arrival makes it manageable.

Online communities

These are the spaces where blind travelers compare notes day to day.

• NFB Travel and Tourism Division mailing list — The most active U.S. peer community for blind travelers.
• Blind Travel Foundation newsletter — Travel news, grant program announcements, and Blind Travel Summit details.
• ACB community calls — Frequent topical Zoom calls hosted by the American Council of the Blind, including travel topics.
• Reddit r/Blind, the AppleVis forums, and Facebook groups — Where day-to-day questions about specific hotels, airlines, apps, and venues get answered fastest.
• Top Tech Tidbits — A weekly access-technology newsletter reaching more than 45,000 blind, low-vision, deaf, hard-of-hearing, deafblind, neurodivergent, and disabled readers worldwide. Free to subscribe. The Top Tech Tidbits Directories page opens onto five public directories covering apps, games, listservs, podcasts, and YouTube channels in the access-technology community, with several blind-traveler communities and travel-related podcasts indexed inside.

Guide dog community

Several U.S. peer communities serve guide-dog users and people considering a guide dog. Both meet at their parent organization’s annual convention and run year-round mailing lists. International equivalents are covered in the International Resources section.

• National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU) — A division of the National Federation of the Blind for blind guide-dog users and those considering a guide dog. Advocacy work covers rideshare denials, flying with guide dogs, and access to hotels, restaurants, and other public places. The NAGDU Who We Are page covers the division’s history and meetings.
• Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) — The corresponding special-interest affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Provides peer support, a school listing, and advocacy on access issues.

Travel grants

• Blind Travel Foundation Travel Grants — Several $10,000 grants awarded each year to blind and low-vision adults to design and lead travel projects that benefit the broader community. Past projects have included a family trip to Japan, a Ghana adventure, a tactile art journey, and a touring podcast with blind musicians.

Learn More

• ACB Media — Audio archive of ACB convention sessions, community calls, and topical programming, including travel and recreation episodes.
• NFB National Convention archives — Speeches, panels, and division meetings from past conventions.

Disability Access Contacts for U.S. Carriers

These are dedicated disability and accessibility channels at major U.S. airlines, the national passenger rail service, and the largest cruise lines. They reach staff trained in accessibility accommodations rather than the general customer-service queue. All of the channels in this section are dedicated to disability and accessibility needs.

Airlines

The numbers below reach each airline’s accessibility desk. The first American Airlines number is for booking accommodations on an upcoming flight; the second is for post-travel disability complaints.

Airline	Accessibility Channel	Toll-free?
Alaska Airlines	1-800-503-0101 (Accessible Travel Services)	Yes
American Airlines	1-800-237-7976 (Special Assistance)	Yes
American Airlines (post-travel)	1-800-892-3624 (Disability Team)	Yes
Delta Air Lines	404-209-3434 (Accessibility Services)	No
Hawaiian Airlines	1-800-367-5320 (Reservations and Special Needs)	Yes
JetBlue	1-800-538-2583 (Special Assistance)	Yes
Southwest Airlines	1-800-435-9792 (Disability Help Desk)	Yes
Spirit Airlines	1-855-728-3555 (Special Assistance)	Yes
United Airlines	1-800-228-2744 (Accessibility Desk)	Yes

Federal backup channels for airline accessibility issues

If an airline’s accessibility desk does not resolve a problem, two federal channels handle complaints.

• U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation Consumer Protection Disability Hotline — 1-800-778-4838 (voice), 1-800-455-9880 (TTY). For disability-related complaints with U.S. airlines and at U.S. airports.
• TSA Cares — 1-855-787-2227. Coordinates disability-related security-screening assistance. Best called at least 72 hours before a flight.

Amtrak

• Amtrak Accessible Travel Services — 1-800-872-7245 (general reservations), 1-800-523-6590 (Group Travel for accessibility-related groups). Amtrak’s Access Services team can be reached through the general reservations line.

Major cruise lines

Cruise Line	Accessibility Channel	Toll-free?
Carnival	1-800-438-6744 (Guest Services Accessibility)	Yes
Disney Cruise Line	407-566-3602 (Special Services)	No
Holland America	1-800-547-8493 (Access and Compliance Department)	Yes
MSC Cruises	1-833-672-1188 (Special Needs Coordinator)	Yes
Norwegian Cruise Line	1-866-584-9756 (Accessibility Desk)	Yes
Princess Cruises	1-800-774-6237 (Access and Compliance Department)	Yes
Royal Caribbean	1-866-592-7225 (Special Needs Desk)	Yes
Virgin Voyages	1-833-867-6020 (Accessibility Desk)	Yes

Equipment rental for travel

For travelers who need scooter, wheelchair, oxygen, or other equipment rentals delivered to a ship or hotel:

• Special Needs at Sea — 1-800-513-4515. Rents and delivers mobility and medical equipment to most major cruise ports.
• Scootaround — 1-888-441-7575. Rents and delivers mobility equipment to U.S. cities, theme parks, and ports.

How to use these contacts

When calling, two things speed the conversation. First, identify the trip date and confirmation number. Second, state the specific need rather than a general label. “I am blind and travel with a guide dog. I would like to confirm in-cabin space at the bulkhead seat in row 11” works better than “I need a disability accommodation.” For airline calls, ask for a confirmation email of any accommodation noted on the reservation; some accommodations need a re-flag at the airport on the day of travel.

Cultural and Sensory Access in Any City

Some destination-independent resources help with audio description, museums, transit, sports, and tactile materials in just about any U.S. city.

Audio description and touch tours

• ACB Audio Description Project — A national directory of audio-described theater, museum, and media programs. Searchable by state and by venue type.
• Theatre Development Fund Accessibility Programs — Audio description and pre-show touch tours for Broadway theater. A touch tour is when a trained describer leads a blind audience member onto the set to explore the props and stage layout before the performance. Membership is free with documented eligibility.
• Museum touch tours — Major museums in most U.S. cities run touch tours, audio-described tours, or both. The Smithsonian institutions in Washington, DC, run a regular schedule of access programs, and major art museums in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Boston do too. The right step is to call the access office of any museum at the destination two to three weeks ahead to schedule.
• City accessibility offices and greeter programs — Most U.S. cities maintain an accessibility office or a dedicated section of the city tourism website. Many large cities also operate free greeter programs that pair visitors with local volunteer guides for a walking introduction to a neighborhood. A web search for the city name plus “accessibility office” or “greeter program” usually finds these.

Live sports access at the arena

A new haptic display device lets blind and low-vision fans follow live action at the game by feeling the ball move across a tactile map of the court or field, with synchronized audio cues.

• OneCourt — A laptop-sized haptic display built by a Seattle startup. Real-time positional data from the league is translated into trackable vibrations on a removable silicone overlay shaped like the court or field. A “status” button speaks the score and time remaining. Devices are provided free of charge at participating arenas, with no extra ticket cost; ask the guest experience team when booking accessible seating. Currently supported sports include professional basketball, baseball, and American football, with soccer and hockey in development. The device is available at home games of the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Atlanta Hawks, and at select Major League Baseball events; the venue list is expanding. Personal-use sales to consumers are not yet open, but a waiting list is available.

Public transit information

Accessible transit data has matured into a real ecosystem. Most major U.S. transit agencies publish their schedules and real-time vehicle locations in an open format that any app can read, which is why the apps below work in hundreds of cities without each app developer needing a separate deal with each agency.

• OneBusAway (free) — An open-source transit app with strong screen-reader support and a “StopInfo” feature specifically built for blind riders, covering details like where a stop sits relative to the intersection and whether there is a shelter or bench. Operates in Seattle and Puget Sound, San Diego, Tampa, Washington, DC, Spokane, the Rogue Valley in Oregon, and York, Canada.
• Transit (free) — Clean accessible interface, real-time arrivals, and a “Go” mode that walks a rider through a trip with audio cues. Excellent VoiceOver and TalkBack experience. Wide North American coverage. Integrates with BlindSquare.
• Moovit (free) — Broader international transit coverage, also screen-reader friendly. Integrates with BlindSquare.

Tactile maps and accessible reading

A few national organizations produce tactile materials and accessible books that are useful before, during, and after a trip.

• American Printing House for the Blind — Tactile atlases, globes, and geographic materials. Also the developer of Indigo Nav and GoodMaps. Phone: 800-223-1839.
• Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired — Braille translation services used by many museums and venues to produce braille visitor materials.
• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired (San Francisco) — Produces custom tactile street maps on request through its Tactile Maps Automated Production (TMAP) service.
• Touch Graphics — Talking Tactile Tablet and audio-tactile maps and museum exhibits.
• Audiom by XR Navigation — A web-based audio map viewer and editor designed from the start for nonvisual use. Audiom maps speak landmarks, streets, building shapes, and points of interest using 3D directional sound; the user moves through the map by virtual steps and rotations, much like an audio game. The same map is also readable visually and through text and a braille display, so the data is shared across all three modes. Audiom maps can be embedded in any web page (similar to embedding Google Maps) and have been deployed by the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, and others. Useful for advance trip preparation, exploring a venue layout before arrival, and following spatial information that mainstream maps render only visually. Audiom is developed by Brandon Biggs and Christopher Toth at XR Navigation, in partnership with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, and was co-designed with more than 150 blind participants.
• National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled — Library of Congress program offering thousands of travel titles in braille, audio, and digital format through the BARD service, plus a travel resource directory.
• Bookshare and Audible — Accessible ebooks and audiobook travel guides, plus language-learning audiobooks for trip preparation.

Learn More

• APH ConnectCenter — Recreation and Leisure — A practical clearinghouse of articles on accessible recreation, including audio description guides and museum visit tips.
• ACB Audio Description Project YouTube channel — Free videos demonstrating audio description and explaining how the format works at theaters, museums, and parks.
• Microsoft Accessibility Blog — OneCourt feature — Background on how the OneCourt haptic display was designed and tested with blind and low-vision sports fans.

International Resources

For travelers going abroad, two kinds of resources matter most: a global advocacy body that can point to organizations of and for blind people in the destination country, and the national blindness organization of the destination country itself. Guide-dog users have an additional set of international resources.

World Blind Union

The World Blind Union is the international body representing blind and partially sighted people through organizations in about 190 countries. It does not provide direct services to travelers; its value for trip planning is its directory of national member organizations, which can in turn offer local advice on accessibility, service-animal rules, and useful contacts.

National blindness organizations abroad

Most countries have at least one national blindness organization that publishes practical resources for residents and is often willing to help visitors with destination-specific questions. The most prominent example for English-speaking travelers is in the United Kingdom:

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) (United Kingdom) — Practical information on sight loss services across the UK, plus a Sightline Directory of more than 2,000 local and national organizations. Helpline: 0303 123 9999.

A web search for the destination country plus “blind organization” or “vision impairment charity” usually surfaces the equivalent national body.

International guide dog organizations

For guide-dog users planning international travel, two resources are especially useful:

• International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) — The global accreditation body for guide dog schools, headquartered in the United Kingdom. The IGDF “Find a Provider” directory lists accredited schools by region, which is the most reliable starting point for confirming guide-dog standards and policies in a destination country.
• The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (United Kingdom) — The UK’s leading guide-dog provider and a useful contact for UK travel questions.

Glossary

A short list of terms useful for the blind mover, with brief definitions in plain language.

ACB — American Council of the Blind. National membership organization, with state and special-interest affiliates and the Audio Description Project.

ADA — Americans with Disabilities Act. The 1990 U.S. civil-rights law that covers accessibility in transportation, lodging, and public accommodations.

Aira — A paid visual-interpreter service that connects blind users by phone or smart glasses to trained sighted agents. Free at many airports, museums, and partner venues.

Audio description (AD) — A second audio track in which a narrator describes visual elements of a movie, play, museum exhibit, or sports broadcast.

BARD — Braille and Audio Reading Download. The free download service of the National Library Service for blind and print-disabled readers.

Beep baseball — Adaptive baseball played with a beeping ball and buzzing bases; the lead sport of the National Beep Baseball Association.

Blind soccer — A five-a-side adaptive outdoor sport using a sound-emitting ball, with the goalkeeper as the only sighted player.

BVI — Blind and Visually Impaired. A common shorthand in conference programs and grant language.

Captain and stoker — In tandem cycling, the captain rides in front and steers; the stoker rides in back and provides power. A blind stoker rides with a sighted captain.

CENA — Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility, a program of the National Federation of the Blind. Runs free Zoom webinars and the Access On podcast.

Echolocation — The skill of inferring the size, shape, or distance of objects from the echoes of taps, claps, or vocalizations. Used as a complement to a cane or dog guide rather than a substitute.

Goalball — A three-on-three indoor sport using a bell-filled ball. All players wear eyeshades for fairness regardless of vision level. The most widely played team sport for blind people in the United States.

Guide dog — A dog trained to lead a blind handler around obstacles, typically from a school accredited by the International Guide Dog Federation. In the United States, the term “Seeing Eye dog” is trademarked by The Seeing Eye, Inc.

Haptic display — A device that conveys information through patterns of vibration that the user can feel. OneCourt is a haptic display for live sports.

IGDF — International Guide Dog Federation. Sets and audits standards for guide-dog schools worldwide.

JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack — The major screen readers: JAWS is the dominant commercial Windows screen reader, NVDA is the leading free Windows screen reader, VoiceOver is built into iOS and macOS, and TalkBack is built into Android.

Long white cane — The primary mobility tool used by most blind travelers. It identifies the user as blind to drivers and pedestrians and probes the ground ahead.

NFB — National Federation of the Blind. The largest U.S. organization of the blind, with state affiliates and more than forty divisions and committees.

NLS — National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, a program of the Library of Congress. Provides braille and audio books through the BARD service.

O&M — Orientation and mobility, the formal name for cane travel, route planning, and spatial-orientation training.

OneCourt — A haptic tactile display for blind sports fans. Translates real-time game data into vibrations on a court or field overlay. Available free at participating NBA and MLB venues.

Paradragon — Adaptive dragon boat racing, with categories for paddlers with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The U.S. Paradragons team competes at the IDBF world championships.

Service animal — Under the ADA, a dog (or in some cases a miniature horse) individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability. Guide dogs are a service-animal subset.

Sighted guide — A sighted volunteer or paid escort who walks with a blind traveler, often by offering an elbow or shoulder for grip. Best practice is for the blind person to take the guide’s arm rather than the reverse.

Sonar — A 23-foot keelboat widely used in blind sailing programs and the boat of choice at the Boston Blind Open Regatta.

Tactile graphics — Raised-line images that can be read by touch. Includes tactile maps, charts, and diagrams.

TMAP — Tactile Maps Automated Production, a LightHouse for the Blind service that produces a custom tactile street map on request.

Touch tour — A guided pre-show or pre-visit walk-through during which a blind audience member explores the set, props, or exhibit objects by hand.

TSA Cares — The Transportation Security Administration’s special-assistance program for travelers with disabilities. Call 72 hours in advance to coordinate.

USABA — U.S. Association of Blind Athletes. The official U.S. national governing body for goalball and blind soccer, and a multi-sport program for many other adaptive sports.

WBU — World Blind Union, the international body representing blind people through national member organizations in about 190 countries.

Sources and Credits

Content for this guide draws on direct verification with each organization and program, supplemented by a few foundational sources that have shaped accessible travel practice for many years.

• Wendy S. David, Sites Unseen: Traveling the World Without Sight (National Braille Press, 2010), particularly its chapters on trip planning, asking the right questions in advance, and what kinds of accommodation to expect.
• Thomas Bickford, Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane: Instructions in Cane Travel for Blind People, published by the National Federation of the Blind. Free online at the NFB Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane Table of Contents and the Internet Archive copy of Care and Feeding of the Long White Cane.
• The Geo-Access Challenge Team, Data-Enabled Travel: How Geo-Data Can Support Inclusive Transportation, Tourism, and Navigation through Communities (March 2011). A federally convened collaboration that helped establish the case for accessible open transit data. Report authors and contributors included Tom Wlodkowski (Challenge Leader), Bill Curtis-Davidson (Editor), Jamal Mazrui, Aaron Steinfeld, Jim Tobias, and Mohammed Yousuf, plus working-group participants from AOL, AT&T, Carnegie Mellon University, the Federal Highway Administration, IBM, Inclusive Technologies, Keen Guides, Neighborhood Health Plan, the Open Doors Organization, the Sendero Group, the FCC, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of South Florida, the X Prize Foundation, and Yahoo!
• The People Make the Places podcast, hosted by Mike May with co-host Gena Harper, distributed monthly through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms. Episodes draw on decades of travel as a blind person across 35 countries.
• Access On podcast, the official technology podcast of the National Federation of the Blind, hosted by Jonathan Mosen, NFB Executive Director for Accessibility Excellence. Released weekly. Recordings of CENA boutique webinars are serialized on the show.
• The NFB CENA “Access On — AI Visual Interpretation” boutique webinar (March 31, 2026), presented by Jonathan Mosen, which surveyed current AI describer apps and informed the AI visual interpretation entries in this revision.
• An orientation and mobility resource list of organizations, apps, and product vendors, reviewed for travel-relevant tools that are free and currently available to end users.
• Direct web verification with each organization, agency, conference, and carrier listed in the guide, including the American Council of the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind and its Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Accessibility, the U.S. Association of Blind Athletes, the American Blind Bowlers Association, Achilles International, the Free 2 Fly Run Club, the Carroll Center for the Blind, Community Boating Incorporated, the Out of Sight Dragons and the DC Dragon Boat Club, the Metro Washington Association of Blind Athletes, Adaptive Fusion Dragon Boat Club, Birdability, the Golden Gate Bird Alliance, the 1Touch Project, the Blind Travel Foundation, OneCourt, Top Tech Tidbits, the National Association of Guide Dog Users, Guide Dog Users Inc., the International Guide Dog Federation, the World Blind Union, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, and the American Printing House for the Blind.