Just because you use a wheelchair or a scooter or are a slow walker doesn’t mean you don’t want to travel. It does mean, though, that barriers can make it difficult and limit your choices of destinations. Veteran travel writer Candy Harrington of Ripon, Calif., (just north of Modesto on Highway 99) recognized that fact about a decade ago and decided to do something about it.

She founded Emerging Horizons: Accessible Travel News, a quarterly, full-color magazine that focuses on destinations and experiences made easy for those with mobility issues.

“I’m able-bodied, but I thought the topic was more challenging than the fluff I had been writing,” Harrington said in a phone interview. “I wanted something with a little more meat. It was a change-of-life-direction thing. I spent a lot of hours working, so I needed something to carry me through.”

When she began tackling the subject of accessible travel, “I didn’t have foresight that this would be a big topic in 10 or 15 years, but with aging baby boomers, it is.”

Harrington is not the only one to notice the changing demographics.

Destinations and city visitor bureaus are starting to focus on making their venues more accessible and they are calling the travel writer to let her know. They also extend invitations to visit, but before she accepts, she does her homework.

“(My husband and I) usually try to do some sort of research before committing to going someplace, but even then there are surprises,” she explained. “Just asking if something is accessible doesn’t mean it will fit everyone’s needs.”

When she makes favorable discoveries, they appear in her magazine with information on parking convenience, wide doorways, elevators, ramps and roominess. The Summer 2008 issue offers stories about accessible places in Washington state wine country, Mount Dora, Fla., and York County, Penn.

In a regular feature called “Tidbits,” Harrington inserts lists of quick hits with information that might be difficult to find elsewhere. Here’s a sampling:

In booking an accessible cabin on a cruise ship, be sure to stipulate “no upgrades.” Sometimes the cruise company assigns passengers to upgraded lodging that is not accessible.

Looking to the 2012 Olympics, London has developed a Web site that lists information on accessible transportation, hotels, theaters and other attractions. Check out www.visitlondon.com/maps/accessibility.

Want to rent an accessible cabin in Todos Santos, Baja California, an accessible apartment house in Andalucia in Southern Spain, or take an accessible tour of a rain forest in Dominica? This column has the information.

Unlike nearly all other magazines, Emerging Horizons neither solicits nor accepts advertising. Harrington says that it’s too easy for conflicts of interest to arise.

“I found it too difficult to balance editorial and advertising needs,” she explained. “(I refuse advertisers) to give a fair evaluation of a resource. We do try to respond to our subscribers and they know we are totally unbiased.”

Harrington has authored other books about accessible travel: “101 Accessible Vacations;” “Barrier-Free Travel;” “There Is Room at the Inn” (features accessible bed and breakfasts); and “Kids on Wheels” (a two-volume set that addresses disability issues of kids).

Harrington’s husband, Charles, travels with her and acts as photographer, computer tech, graphics artist and magazine designer. A subscription to Emerging Horizons is $16.95. Visit http://emerginghorizons.com/ or call (209) 599-9409.