Traveling with Candy.

There Is Room at the Inn: Inns and B&Bs for Wheelers and Slow Walkers by Candy Harrington, Demos Medical Publishing, 2006, 256 pp., $21.95

Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, Second Edition by Candy Harrington, Demos Medical Publishing, 2005, 304 pp., $19.95

"Accessible" is a word that seems to mean many different things to many different people. Candy Harrington understands this, and in two books--one new, the other revised--has put together enough well-researched material to help most travelers with mild to more severe disabilities prepare to roam this summer. Founder and editor of the respected accessible-travel magazine

Emerging Horizons, Harrington knows her subject well--she has MS and mobility problems.

I have to admit that while I've dreamed of staying in a quaint bed and breakfast in some culturally colorful town for a change, I've always just assumed that none of them could possibly be wheelchair accessible. There Is Room at the Inn, Harrington's latest offering, has me standing--or sitting, anyway--corrected.

There really are inn and B&B owners who are mindful of us physically challenged romantics. Harrington's book lists and describes dozens of them, conveniently categorized by U.S. state. She even includes two safaris, a dude ranch, and other alternative lodging options.

Photographs are sometimes, but not always, included, which disappointed me. However, each listing paints a colorful picture of the establishment's ambiance and neighborhood, while also pointing out the accessibility details of rooms and surrounding areas. There are also street and Web addresses, phone numbers, and price ranges for each listing.

The tips and a questions-to-ask checklist in the back of the book sealed the deal for me. If your accessibility issues have led you to avoid stays in offbeat digs, this book needs to be in your possession.

The revised edition of Barrier-Free Travel updates valuable accessibility information on watercraft from cruise ships to dinghies, as well as airlines, busses, trains, rental cars--you name it. It familiarizes readers with their rights, including tips on how to ensure that all needs will be met and what to do in the case of lost or damaged accessibility equipment. Harrington even provides precise lingo that will guarantee that the room reserved is accessible as we mean the term.

Both books are published by Demos Medical Publishing, 386 Park Avenue South, Suite 301, New York, NY 10016; 800-532-8663; demosmedpub.com.

Reviewed by Mary Ann O'Driscoll, who also draws Mary's World. See page 52.