Selma Blair on Touring With MS, Accessibility, and Inclusive Journey Experiences

If anybody is aware of the transformative energy of a great journey, it is actor Selma Blair. 

As Blair just lately defined whereas on stage at Journey + Leisure‘s 2025 World’s Greatest Summit, she was formally recognized with a number of sclerosis in 2018, although she probably lived with it undiagnosed for 25 to 30 years, together with as a toddler dwelling with optical neuritis. However all through all of it, she’s maintained her signature grace, mild, and humor. 

“The one factor that acquired me via childhood was nice holidays,” Blair stated with amusing. “Everybody simply feels higher on a trip. So at the same time as a sickly baby, that was at all times the beacon, the north star for me.”

Now, Blair defined, she’s dwelling relapse-free and again to touring the world, albeit in a really totally different trend together with her sidekick, Scout. “Fortunately, accommodations are actually canine pleasant, which is a plus and minus,” she stated. “As a result of I do permit my service canine to be fairly pleasant to individuals. He thinks my job, now that I am loads higher, is to exit and be a service canine for anybody else that wishes him. And he is pleased with that. And he nonetheless does his job for me.” 

Blair famous that due to Scout, she travels with one quite uncommon however useful merchandise in her carry-on: a squeegee. “I do carry a squeegee to get the canine hair off the bottom,” she defined, so she’s at all times prepared to scrub up any fur from the ground of an Uber or a airplane. 

As for the duo’s must-have for any journey, Blair defined she merely will need to have a wonderful room, ideally one with a view. “I [do] be sure to have a room with a view,” she stated, explaining that whereas she could not be capable to discover like she used to, she will nonetheless get pleasure from new locations this manner. ” I at all times be sure that I’ve a wonderful room.” 

She additionally famous that accommodations might higher serve their shoppers with accessibility wants by making certain they, too, get an incredible view.

“It could be beautiful if there’s room and also you see somebody with a incapacity coming, and ask your self, ‘Is there a view, is there a approach to make this somewhat extra gratifying?’ As a result of this is perhaps their trip,” she stated. 

Blair was additionally fast to reward accommodations that get it proper with regards to accessibility. “I used to be in a resort in Washington, D.C. that had essentially the most unbelievable ADA room,” she defined, noting that it had added touches like high-end railings within the showers that had been removed from the typical, low-budget chrome railings in most accommodations. “Disabled individuals like somewhat stylish too.” 

She additionally emphasised the influence of small touches like flowers, blackout curtains, and even a easy deck of playing cards, which she at all times has in her bag in case the resort does not present them. “Easy issues that may be accomplished for a visitor to make them really feel seen and never like they’re an issue that nobody is aware of learn how to cope with.”

Regardless of the added work that comes with seeing the world with a incapacity, Blair retains touring, and encourages others to do the identical, noting it is key to “hit a milestone of one thing you did not assume you may do.” 

And whereas, positive, Blair, like the remainder of us, loves somewhat high-end second, however for her, journey shouldn’t be about luxurious for luxurious’s sake. It’s about each survival and pleasure. “Journey to me symbolized vibrance and hope and journey,” she stated. “That’s value loads.”