If you have a loved one, friend, or relative that you enjoy spending time with but they don't quite understand the challenges of traveling gluten-free, forward them this article. I decided to write this blog post to give insight to those who don't live with a chronic illness to better understand what life is like when you live with an auto-immune disease or another chronic disease, syndrome, or disability.

Did you know that having an auto-immune disease such as Celiac, Hashimoto’s or Rheumatoid Arthritis equates to having a disability? Many people usually picture a person in a wheelchair or someone who has lost their vision, however; disabilities don’t always show up on the outside! 

Traveling with a disability can be difficult and needs more preparation and consideration when creating travel plans. There are many details to consider before you go on your trip to have a great travel experience. Here is what you want to think when traveling with disabilities.

Even though 3.1 million people across the United States alone follow a gluten-free diet, traveling with celiac disease or related conditions can often cause worry. After all, nobody wants to feel sick when traveling - as it is an easy way to turn a great trip into the worst week of your life stuck in a hotel bathroom that you can’t wait to escape from. Whether you are heading out on a family road trip or planning a luxury hotel visit for yourself and your family, one of the easiest ways to go on a gluten-free travel adventure is to head to a destination that will be gluten-free friendly!

With that in mind, here are some of the best travel destinations for Gluten-Free travelers and, of course, fun things to do in each destination! Remember that you can listen to the Travel Gluten Free podcast to find specific episodes on many of these top gluten-free destinations.

Never had the inkling to ski? Would you rather have the flu in the middle of summer than hit a snowy slope in the middle of January? Going to Salt Lake City doesn’t have to be all skiing, wiping the possibility of cultural activities off your to-do list. There aremany fun cultural and science activities to do here in Salt Lake City, especially if you love museums. From art and science to laughs and escape rooms, you’ll find something for everyone in Salt Lake City.

Art Museums
There are multiple art museums you can check out while you’re in Salt Lake City. Make sure to check hours for each art museum on their websites listed here. The Utah Museum of Fine Art is all about the history of art across the world. There are two museums that host modern art and are free and open to the public: Urban Arts Gallery and the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art.

Science and Nature Museums
From pre-historic dinosaurs to science, STEM and gardens, Salt Lake has a myriad of science and nature museums to see. See exhibits, movies, planetarium shows and IMAX shows exploring space and technology at Clarke Planetarium. Find dinosaurs lurking about, Native American cultural artifacts and learn about genetics the Natural History Museum of Utah. When you visit The Museum of Natural Curiosity you’ll get to explore over 400 different interactive exhibits — no two visits will ever be the same. For an eclectic mix of art and science, check out The Leonardo. Visit the Hogle Zoo to walk through a safari of wild animals from all over the world.

Enjoy a Great Craft Brew?
Like a refreshing pint now and then? You’ll love the 

Four years ago, I discovered the Pacific Coast Highway in Sunset magazine. By the way, if you've never read an issue of Sunset - beware - this publication is addicting! More specifically, Sunset magazine embroils the senses with the unique, fantastic getaways and the most inspiring and delicious interior decorating a magazine publication has to offer.

In the beginning, my basic knowledge of Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH as it's commonly known, was how the highway mingled with the west coast of the United States from the northern California coast to  Southern California. I had been searching for a fantastic road trip adventure, and, to my traveler's delight, Pacific Coast Highway was the journey I was looking for! 

After piling through information on Pinterest about PCH, my heart was pounding to go and explore the grains of sand, exquisite views, and glorious mountains, which caress the Pacific Coast Highway shoreline.

Forget going to the supermarket on your next road trip in California - get your heart's desire of delicious, fresh, mouth-watering organic produce by stopping at any one of the dozens of organic produce farm stores or farm stands which sell a variety of fresh, locally grown, organic produce. 

Organic produce roams free range at organic produce farm stands along the California coast. There may be more organic produce stands than supermarkets in California! You'llYou'll find them everywhere when you are traveling the Pacific Coast Highway, Route 1, or other routes along coastal California. 

Stop at one or more of the local stands to find a variety of super fresh produce at a reasonable price. Buying your organic produce locally gives you incredibly fresh produce, which hasn't been shipped across the country. Buying from farmers directly supports local business and local farmers, which is good for them and good for you!

Produce stands come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and

 Insist on Your Choice of Restaurant

Do you really need to be selfish when it comes to eating out? YES, mainly if you have limited choices because of your dietary restrictions. Feeling bad because you think others are loosing out? Drop that feeling of guilt because that other person wouldn't feel the same about the situation if they were in your shoes. 

People who aren't GF don't understand what we go through, they think it's silly or our digestive discomfort isn't that bad, and we should just put up with it. Seriously? When is the last time anyone enjoyed having pain and stomach cramps for three days because they ate a doughnut? Maybe some twisted masochist, but for the rest of the living comfortably crowd, we would instead feel good and eat good food, just like everyone else.

Take that gluten-free app, your restaurant guide, or your friend's advice and insist you eat at the restaurant which you CAN eat. The person that says "Well, hey, they have salads!", tell them the last time you checked you were not a manatee. 

Be your gluten-free selfie-and own your GF status! Be bold, fearless and insist on your choice of eating establishment because, after all, your tastebuds need to be satisfied just like everyone else!

​For great advice on how to travel gluten-free, grab my Guide to Traveling Gluten-Free on Amazon today!