October 29, 2025
With the holidays and a personal trip coming soon, traveling has been on my mind a lot recently. Traveling and neurodivergence can often seem opposing. There’s changes to routine, lots of sensory triggers, overwhelm, and more.
For me, AuDHD can sometimes be tricky to accommodate. On the ADHD side, there are so many novel experiences with traveling — new foods to try, places to explore, people watching, museums, etc. It feels great to just see where the journey takes me because it often provides unexpected, yet wonderful opportunities. On the autism side, though, I LOVE a plan. Plans help alleviate the stress and uncertainty of what comes next (i.e., allows me to stay present in the moment), minimizes the amount of decisions I need to make in the moment, helps me proactively manage my energy, and typically maximizes the number of things I can experience within a short time. Plus, planning before a trip just brings me a lot of joy.
You’re probably looking at that and thinking, “Okay… but can they exist at the same time?” So am I. While this is likely an unsatisfying answering, we are all unique and how travel and our neurodivergence can co-exist is really dependent on our own needs. You may be AuDHD, like me, or a different flavor of neurodivergent, but each of us deserves to honor our needs and have them accommodated.
I compiled some tips and ideas how we can accommodate our needs and maximize our trips. This is not a comprehensive list, and not all tips may be necessary to have a great trip. Feel free to pick and choose what works for you!
1. Build Flexibility into Your Plan
The only predictability in life is unpredictability (someone probably said this. I don’t know who). On a trip, chances are our plans will not go to plan, and I know for myself, if I plan too precisely, then I am just setting myself up for a mid-trip meltdown. That’s why it is import to plan for flexibility.
Schedule flexibility may look different for each of us. Here are some ideas that you are welcome to test out:
1. Create a list of activities you wish to complete each day without assigning times to them
2. For more time-sensitive activities, create a schedule with some activities at assigned times and some blocks of “Flex Time.” This Flex Time can be used for breaks, energy check-ins, unexpected adventures, or to return to an activity that may have been missed due to a schedule change
3. Prioritize activities at the start of the trip to ensure you hit the important spots! It may help if your whole group prioritizes activities separately and then compares lists. There is always balance in accommodating ourselves and others.
The great news is that planning for flexibility still allows us to follow the plan, but it also opens up our schedules for spontaneous adventurous, delicious smelling foods, or cute shops that are calling our names. Most importantly, it helps us honor our energy levels and communicate them those we’re traveling with.
Sample schedule with scheduled activities, flex time, and additional activities
2. Plan for Breaks and Energy Check-ins
This really goes with tip #1, but it is not sustainable, especially for longer trips, to be constantly on the go. In the end, we will likely have a more pleasant experience if we honor our bodies’ need to rest.
This doesn’t necessarily mean we need to take naps everyday, but it could be a few minutes to ourselves to zone-out, engage in a special interest, eat some food, etc. If you do have a jam-packed schedule, planning multiple quick breaks is better than trying to push through because even busy schedules have natural pauses, such as transportation between locations, meals/snacks, bathroom breaks, etc.
3. Fuel Your Body
Make sure you are eating and drinking water enough throughout the day. This is always important but, especially, if we are more active than normal. I won’t tell you what to eat but having foods that will give sustained-energy is vital. It may be necessary to take snacks, extra water, and/or water enhancers with you each day to ensure you have access to them when needed.
4. Communicate with Your Group
Communicating with our groups or travel partners about anticipated needs before the trip can help eliminate conflict during the trip. It also allows the other person/people to share their anticipated needs, and together plans that can best, but maybe not perfectly, accommodate everyone can be made. Just as our needs are important, so are our group’s needs!
Remember to be kind and have some flexibility so everyone’s needs can be met as best as possible. If there is something you will absolutely need, it is okay to be firm in asking for that accommodation. Just know it may require flexibility for eliminating or changing non-essential accommodations.
Communication during the trip is important too. Whether we need a break, are feeling overwhelmed, or do not want to do an activity, it’s important to communicate how we are feeling to others to help everyone make a plan of action. Maybe others need a break too, and we all find a place to sit. Maybe some people run to the store or do an activity while we and maybe others stay back.
If communicating your needs, especially in the moment, can be challenging, it may help to make communication aids before the trip, such as:
1. A reference list in your phone of phrases or emotions that can prompt vocal communication
2. Communication cards, an AAC app, or a list of phrases to use when vocal communication is challenging
3. Creating a signal with one or more people that can cue them in to your needs and they advocate for you to the group.
Whatever you decide, it is important to practice and feel confident in using your communication strategies prior to your trip to ensure you can fluently use them when needed.
Sample communication cards
5. Plan for Your Sensory Needs
This is a broad topic, but we all have a wide range of sensory needs. It is important to anticipate what sensory nightmares may arise and plan for them (within reason… I would love to take my favorite queen size blanket everywhere, but unfortunately, it’s size is an issue for most transportation).
So here is a non-comprehensive list of sensory needs to consider:
1. Clothing: Make sure you have weather and activity-appropriate clothing/shoes that will keep you comfy all day (Check out our Etsy shop for some ideas!). Check cultural expectations for clothing if traveling abroad.
2. Sensory Defenders: Noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs, sunglasses, hats, or long sleeves/pants can all help avoid various sensory triggers. If traveling in an unfamiliar location, it may be helpful to have items with different modes, such as headphones with full, partial, or no noise-cancelling to ensure safety.
3. Anxiety Relievers: If you know you will be somewhere that may trigger anxiety, plan to have items that can help minimize or alleviate anxiety, such as fidgets, comfort items, essential oils/nice smelling lotion, emergency ice packs, hot sauce packets, sour candy, etc. Before the trip, it may feel unnecessary or silly to make packing lists, print itineraries, or triple check you have important items (ID, passport, tickets, etc.), but if they help you feel relaxed and stress-free, then they are worth it!
4. First Aid: If you will be more active, around more sensory/anxiety triggers, around known allergens, trying something new, etc., it may help to have as needed medication or basic first aid supplies handy to alleviate headaches, blisters, sore muscles, allergies, and more during your trip.
5. Transportation/Activities: Airports, airlines, buses, trains, amusement parks, museums, etc. often have accommodations for disabilities. Check for any accommodations prior to your trip as some may require applications or early requests.
Think of this as your Emergency Meltdown Kit!
click here for our favorite items for our Emergency meltdown kits!
I am by no means a travel expert, but these are tips I wish I had pre-diagnosis and hope can help you have a great trip. In the end, though, the best trip is going to be one where you honor your needs and energy and avoid judgment on what you did or didn’t do. It’s okay to be disappointed if you missed out on something because plans changed while also enjoying the memories of what you were able to do!
