Of course, it’s a responsibility, but the journey doesn’t have to be a full-time, tiresome burden. There are many creative ways to make the trip more enjoyable and less stressful for both you and your physically-challenged companion.

Plan Ahead: Before making specific schedules, consider all travel options and choose the least complicated. Contact airlines, hotels and cruise lines in advance. Ask about appropriate help, including wheelchair access and special guest facilities, such as ramps and handicapped-friendly bathrooms.

Sweating musclemen lift weights, bikini-clad girls rollerblade on the boardwalk, street musicians toot for tips and cops in short pants patrol on bikes. Along with smiling families shooting sunny selfies on the sand, that’s California’s famed Venice Beach.

The laid-back town, just 18 miles from downtown Los Angeles, overlooks the blue Pacific and has many unique boardwalk restaurants. If you don’t want to take too much time away from sunning, surfing, ogling and other typical Venice Beach activities, these dining places are for you.

On The Waterfront Cafe, 205 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, waterfrontcafe.com. Features Swiss dishes, including fondues, clam chowder, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, salads and homemade desserts. Outside dining offers views of the sand, surf, Venice Boardwalk and all the activities that happen there. Go with friends in the cool of evening to dip fondue, sip Swiss wine and enjoy the moment.

Your travel4seniors.com editor first visited Asia during Navy service in World War II and Korea, and many times since, on business and pleasure trips. Each journey offers new experiences and more understanding for that exotic part of the world. These three cities are particular favorites:

Shanghai: As World War II was ending, our Navy troopship sailed from the Philippines to pick up just-released Allied POWs. The city had bomb damage, but still echoed its colonial past with beautiful buildings and scenery.

Since then, Shanghai has enjoyed enormous growth to make it one of the most exotic destinations in the world. Today, Shanghai’s hotels, historic sites, restaurants, fashionable shops and sightseeing lure business and tourist travelers. (meet-in-shanghai.net)

Florence is one of Europe’s most intriguing destinations, and senior visitors can find endless attractions and activities there. The beautiful Renaissance city certainly deserves to be called Firenze, La Cittá Bella.

Get There: Most cruise lines visit the port of Livorno, an hour’s bus ride from Florence. A popular stop along the way is Pisa, so passengers can admire the famed Leaning Tower. Major airlines serving Florence include Lufthansa, Air France, Alitalia and Delta..

Must See: Piazza della Signoria, home of the Palazzo Vecchio, is a great place to start your city tour. It’s the historic 14th Century center, surrounded by magnificent Renaissance sculpture, including a copy of  Michelangelo's David.