In early 2024 I was invited on two separate trips, one to travel to Sedona with my best friend and another to a trip of my choice with my mother. Both these trips were to take place in the spring of 2024.
How could I make these trips happen, have fun, and not have to spend most of my time during these trips bed bound.?
I share here what I did to make both these trips vacations that I will remember for a long time to come. Living with chronic pain and limited energy shouldn’t stop you from finding ways of enjoying a vacation.
Planning a vacation is exciting! However, even for those not suffering from fibromyalgia, a vacation can also be exhausting!
When you live with fibromyalgia, the energy and physical demands of a trip can feel overwhelming. With careful planning, mobility aids and pacing, you can enjoy a vacation without experiencing a flare-up
We need to remember to be honest with ourselves and understand our limits. Keep in mind to allow flexibility in the vacation plans to allow for the ebb and flow of your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Here are some things that helped me save energy, stay present, and truly enjoy my vacation.
1. Establish a plan that allows room for rest
Think about what each day of your vacation will look like (including the travel days) and determine which activities may require accommodations and/or when you may need to include rest periods.
Contact airlines, hotels and tour operators to understand what accommodations they offer. Pre-book any accommodations that they offer that will help you make the best of your vacation.
2. Think about the type of trip that would be most compatible with your energy limitations
Choose a vacation that is compatible with your limitations.
My mother planned individual mother / daughter trips with each of her three daughters. My two sisters each chose to go on a cruise. At the time, I felt a cruise would be too exhausting for my energy limits.
I chose a Cross Canada by Train trip. This trip mostly involved sitting on a train enjoying the sights from the Dome Car and participating in quiet activities like reading and doing puzzles.
We asked our room attendant to leave one of the beds folded down. This allowed me to use it as a day bed – to sit on it and do quiet activities or to lie down and rest whenever I needed it.
3. Finding accommodations to make the travel day the least exhausting possible
Look into getting the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard. This is a simple tool that many airports recognize that is used to help individuals with hidden disabilities voluntarily indicate to staff of these airports that they may be in need of assistance.
I wore this lanyard throughout my travel days and in all the airports, I had personnel reach out to me to see if I needed any additional assistance. This eliminates the need for you to find personnel, they reach out to you instead.
For each airport you will be traveling through, check to see what accommodations they have or offer.
In my two trips, I traveled through several airports, each offered varying accommodations:
Greater Moncton Romeo Leblanc International Airport (YQM): this airport is so small that I did not feel I needed any accommodations. Both for those with more limiting abilities than mine, there are accessibility options available: https://cyqm.ca/services/accessibility/
Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ): Since this airport is very big, I used the wheelchair mobility assistance to be moved from one gate to another and to get through security. Airline personnel will push you in a wheelchair to the Golf Cart Shuttle Service. The Shuttle Service will take you to another wheelchair service location to then have more personnel move you to the next location you need to be. https://www.torontopearson.com/en/accessibility
Calgary International Airport (YYC): This airport is also quite big, and I opted for wheelchair assistance. In this airport, my travel companion ended up having to push me around in my wheelchair. Keep this in mind and ensure that any luggage, etc can easily be handled while someone else is pushing you. We had carry-on luggage with wheels that I could hold on to next to the wheelchair and it rolled alongside me. https://www.yyc.com/en-us/accessibility
Vancouver International Airport (YVR): This is one of the top three biggest airports in Canada and can be overwhelming to navigate. Using mobility assistance was very helpful. https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/accessibility-at-yvr
Phoenix airport: I used wheelchair assistance in this airport as well. https://www.skyharbor.com/accessibility-and-assistance/
Please note that for most airports, the accessibility accommodations need to be arranged with the airline you are traveling with. I always looked at the airport accessibility webpage first and then determined what accommodations would best serve me. I then followed the instructions on the airports Accessibility webpage for booking the services.
The Canadian Transport Agency also offers a guide for those travelling with disabilities: https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/take-charge-your-travel
Contact your airlines to determine what mobility assistance they offer.
All airlines offer options, I usually google “[Airline Name] Accessibility” and this helps me find the page I need. Some of the airport accessibility pages also offer links to the airline’s accessibility pages. I traveled with Air Canada and Westjet:
Air Canada: https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/accessibility.html/
West Jet: https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/special-needs
If travelling by train, inform yourself of accessibility accommodations offered by the rail service operator.
After careful consideration, I did not feel that I need any of the mobility aids offered by Via Rail. https://www.viarail.ca/en/plan/accessibility
I, however, requested to be accompanied by a support person because I felt that on days that I suffered from brain fog, I would need help with communication. I would also need assistance in the event of an emergency. Because one of the beds is a bunk bed, I would need assistance to get into my upper bunk. My mother was my support person. The support person travels free of charge.
Consider breaking up your air segments across a few days to allow rest in between.
On my trip to Sedona, I planned for an overnight in Toronto to split the two air travel segments across two days. This allowed me to have a good night’s sleep in between the two instead of pushing myself beyond my limits.
4. Once at destination, plan your days carefully to accommodate your limitations
Find solutions to mobility challenges to allow you to do some slightly more challenging activities.
Sedona has many hiking trails, but most of them are beyond my abilities. I was, however, able to find a few that were much shorter and less challenging. I chose to do these and considered how to make these as easy as possible.
I brought my mobility placard/parking permit to allow me park in the designated accessible parking spaces bringing me closer to the trail head. You can apply for these from your respective provincial government.
I brought my Collapsible Trekking Poles to provide me with extra support and balance while hiking.
I brought a water bottle, ensuring I hydrated on a regular basis and also brough my Retractable Telescoping Foldable Camping Stool allowing me to stop for a rest even if there were no seating options available nearby. I carried both these in a light weight backpack (making them easier to carry).
Plan activities earlier in the day
I planned the more demanding activities for earlier in the day and rested in the afternoon prior to going out for dinner.
Find quiet locations to hang out for part of the day.
I found calming coffee shops where I could quietly hang out each day. One of my favorites in Sedona had a hidden garden and all the food they offered was organic, gluten-free and home made – ensuring that no food sensitivities would kick in and ruin my vacation.
Inform yourselves from locals on stops that are easy for people with mobility challenges.
During my Cross Canada Train Trip, we stopped for a 3-day layover in Jasper. We drove from Jasper to Banff and had previously informed ourselves of stops where we could see amazing things without having to do any or very limited walking. The only place I had to do a bit of walking was when we stopped at Lake Louise. All other stops had less than 15 meters of walking to see waterfalls, ice fields, etc.
Choose living accommodations that are very near restaurants and sight seeing destinations.
On my Cross Canada by Train Trip, we spent a few days in Vancouver before boarding the train. We chose a hotel that was very near Stanley Park and where we could walk to the ferry that would take us to the Granville Island Market. There were also many choices of restaurants nearby. This limited the need to use public transportation.
Look into renting a mobility scooter or power chair
Many larger cities across North America offer Mobility Scooter rentals for a reasonable daily rate. Google search for “Mobility Scooter Rental [City Name]” and you will find several options (including wheel chairs, scooters and power chairs).
5. Things to Keep in Mind
Plan several rest days before and after your scheduled vacation.
To ensure you have as much energy as possible when on your vacation, ensure to rest prior to your departure.
Once you come back from your vacation, you may need several days of rest to regain your energy.
For these two reasons, do not plan any appointments and activities for the few days before and after your trip.
Ask for Help
Do not be shy about asking for assistance when needed. Requests may include recommendations such as finding out what sight seeing destinations are mobility friendly or more involved such as asking someone to help you lift your luggage (onto luggage belts, etc.). Most people are more than happy to help when you ask politely and with a smile.
Pace yourself and be gentle
Pacing can be more challenging when on vacation because we feel we want to do everything. Determine what you can do, accept what you cannot and be gentle with yourself when your plans need to be modified. It is ok to have to modify plans if your energy levels ebb and flow.
Find Joy in the Small Things
Joy can be found in trying different foods, sitting and watching a view, listening to the wildlife surrounding you in the visited location. Not everything has to be about being active. Passive activities can bring you lots of pleasure when in a newly visited location. Think outside the box and see how you can enjoy yourself without exertion.
Closing Reflection:
At Fibromyalgia Association Canada, we know that a vacation can bring both joy and exhaustion. With thoughtful pacing, planning, and self-kindness, it’s possible to participate in a vacation without losing yourself in the process. Remember: fibromyalgia may change how you approach life, but it doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying visiting the world.
View FAC’s other Lessons Learned article https://fibrocanada.ca/planning-a-wedding-with-fibromyalgia
November 2025
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