Traveling with a medically complex child is equal parts logistics, love, and leap-of-faith. It's beautiful, exhausting, transformative, and if I'm honest, sometimes overwhelming. But every mile we've traveled has taught me the same lesson: accessible family travel isn't easy, but it is absolutely worth it.
I'm a single mom of 10 children who travels with four of them while raising my youngest son, Elijah, who lives with a terminal diagnosis of Lissencephaly and uses a wheelchair. This means every trip requires planning that goes far beyond packing bags and booking hotels. It means navigating accessibility, medical needs, sensory considerations, equipment, and the unpredictable nature of caregiving. And yet, the memories we make on the road are the ones that anchor our family.
The Equipment That Makes the Journey Possible
When you're traveling with a child who relies on mobility equipment, the right chair isn't just helpful – it's freedom. That's why I'm so grateful the ZIPPIE IRIS has been working so well for Elijah. Its tilt-in-space design has given him comfort, stability, and the ability to participate in our adventures without pain or strain. We recently got a new one because our old one traveled over 50,000 miles with us! Knowing how well it supports him has been a gamechanger for our daily life and our travel dreams.
For families like ours, equipment isn't just equipment. It's dignity. It's access. It's possibility.
The Reality Behind the Photos
People often see the highlight reel: the national parks, the road trips, the smiles. What they don't always see are the moments in between.
The 3 a.m. packing sessions because caregiving doesn't pause for travel prep. The hotel rooms turned into makeshift medical stations. The detours when accessibility isn't what was promised. The constant recalculating of routes, expectations, and energy levels.
But alongside those moments are the ones that make it all worth it. Elijah's face lighting up at the Grand Canyon sunrise. His siblings pushing his chair down a boardwalk trail while laughing together. The strangers who stop to ask about his story and leave changed by the interaction. The friendships we've made along the way. These are the moments that remind me why we started.
Caregiving on the Road
November is National Family Caregivers Month, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that caregiving doesn't take a vacation – it travels with you.
Traveling as a caregiver means being the planner, the advocate, and the medical coordinator all at once. It means being the emotional anchor for your child and their siblings while carrying the invisible load behind the scenes and still trying to create joyful experiences for your family.
It's a role that stretches you, strengthens you, and sometimes breaks you open in ways you didn't expect. But it also gives you a front row seat to resilience – both your child's and your own.
Why We Keep Going
Every trip we take is a celebration of the time we've been given and the memories we refuse to miss. Accessible family travel isn't easy, but it creates connection, healing, and lasing memories for families like ours. It's proof that our kids deserve to see the world, and the world deserves to see them.
For families like our, every accessible trail, every inclusive destination, and every piece of equipment that supports our children is a reminder that we belong out there, too.
The Moments That Make It Worthwhile
For all the work, there are moments that stop me in my tracks. Watching Elijah relax into his chair as the ocean breeze touches his face. Seeing his siblings push him along while they experience the wonder of the world together. Meeting strangers who see him, not the diagnosis or the equipment, but simply Elijah. Sitting through quiet car rides where the world feels soft and possible.
These are the moments that caregivers fight for. These are the moments that remind us why we keep going.
A Message to Every Caregiver
To every caregiver reading this: thank you for everything you do behind the scenes to make these experiences possible for your family. The planning, advocacy, emotional support, and day-to-day caregiving can be exhausting, especially while traveling, but it's also what allows so many meaningful memories to happen.
Much of that work goes unseen by others, yet it's at the center of every trip, every experience, and every moment of connection along the way. Accessible family travel isn't easy, but caregivers are the reason it becomes possible, and the joy & memories created along the journey make the effort worthwhile.
About the Author
Amy Tarpein is an international bestselling author, award-winning accessible family travel writer, and the founder of Elijah's Baby Bucket List, a platform helping families with disabilities explore the world with greater confidence and accessibility. Her work has received national and international recognition, including the Evergreen Award for Best Accessible Family Travel Blog in the United States (2025) and two Anthem Awards for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion recognizing her leadership in inclusive tourism.
A mother of 10 and single part, Amy's mission was inspired by her son Elijah, who lives with a terminal diagnosis and uses a wheelchair. Through honest storytelling and lived experience, she shares practical accessibility guidance, family travel insights, and encouragement for families navigating similar journeys.
Amy is also a staff writer for Accessible Journeys Magazine, where she highlights inclusive destinations and advocates for greater accessibility in travel for people of all ages and abilities.
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