I’ve known Allyn Evans virtually for many, many years. Last summer, she marked something major off her bucket list, a scenario she has dreamed of for years – swimming with the dolphins in Bimini. But she also took her story a step further and became a facilitator and part of the workshop team. Here’s her story…

Most of my adult life, I have been aware of a hunger that pushed me, which made me continue to seek an answer to a question I could not even articulate. Looking back, I find it interesting that one of my early wake-up calls came, oddly enough, from a dolphin.

When my daughter Addy was about three years old, we saw a documentary about dolphins at the Science Spectrum. Peering up at the surround screen, it felt as if we were swimming with them. Free. Wild. Unbound. The brilliant colors, dolphin clicks and sighs, cool ocean waters swallowed us. I imagined living in the small little village by the sea, riding my bicycle to the dock every day, then spending my hours swimming and studying magnificent water creatures.

The Dolphin Lady smiled. The Dolphin Lady exuded joy. The Dolphin Lady had something I did not. I was enthralled. Longing for more freedom and joy, I saw the movie as an invitation to make a better life for myself. The movie and its message stayed with me for months. Why couldn’t I be the Dolphin Lady featured on the surround screen? No, I didn’t imagine dolphins becoming my life’s work, but I was determined to seek and find a life that would be as joyful and meaningful as life among the dolphins seemed to be.

A little over a decade later, Addy and I found ourselves in the same little village where Dolphin Lady had lived. We were there to swim with wild dolphins.

Without sounding too cliché, our dolphin swim trip in Bimini, an out island in the Bahamas, tops any vacation I have ever taken. The laid back life of the island engulfed us. As we made our daily treks to find dolphins, we were surrounded by beauty—the crystal clear waters, marine life and a sun-filled sky. Daily we snorkeled in beautiful locations including the mysterious Bimini Road, which many believe is a half-mile long stone causeway that once was part of the lost realm of Atlantis. Despite its many riches and it’s easy proximity to the United States, Bimini remains relatively undeveloped and untouristed. The island has some new upscale development but it is primarily a relaxed and unspoiled home to friendly local Bahamas residents.

When you swim with wild dolphins they bathe you in their high frequency sonar and naturally shift you into a state of euphoria that many people describe as mystical or magical.

Remember how I was talking about looking for more? Well, I continued to do that most of my adult life. Now, as I am nearing 50 years of age, I find myself living much like the Dolphin Lady.

Dolphins have become a powerful symbol for me as I sought my ‘right life.’

When I watched the movie of the Dolphin Lady as she worked with wondrous animals, I suddenly knew what my ‘right life’ would feel like. That was only a piece of the puzzle, but this one is now in place. I have the life I wished for so many years ago. Things come to me easily.

Just last October, I got a call from one of the trip organizers and now I am one of the facilitators for the swimming with dolphin workshop.

It is my hope that you, too, will be called by the dolphins and join me on a fabulous journey.

When you come to this special Dolphin Excursion program you’ll swim with wild dolphins every day for a week while you learn how to access higher states of consciousness.

And, always, the path leads on…

Allyn Evans, speaker, author, and newspaper columnist is the lead residential trainer for The Monroe Institute’s (TMI) Outreach Program. She hosts TMI workshops around the country, recently hosting workshops in NYC, Dallas, Philadelphia and Oklahoma. For more information about Allyn’s workshops, visit: Live a Powerful Life.

The three best golf courses in Los Angeles are all on the west side, in private country clubs. The Bel-Air Country Club, Riviera Country Club, and the Los Angeles Country Club all speak to the upscale neighborhoods around them; Bel-Air, Pacific Palisades, and Holmby Hills are leafy, green neighborhoods far from the urban bustle of downtown Los Angeles. The naturally rolling hills, balmy climate and hint of ocean breezes all bring to mind the Scottish birthplace of golf, minus the driving rain and bitter winters. And ancient castles – but that’s another story. It’s no wonder that the best golf courses in Los Angeles are all on the west side; the typically upper middle class golfing residents don’t have to deal with Los Angeles traffic to get to their favorite courses.

There are other pristinely maintained, beautiful golf courses in Los Angeles, of course — the Beverly Hills Country Club’s comes to mind comes to mind — but it’s a shame for golf fans traveling in Los Angeles that the top-tier ones are in members-only clubs. Greens fees cost hundreds of dollars for guests! Integrating a few rounds of golf into a Los Angeles vacation isn’t hard, though; the top three public courses hold their own against the private golf clubs. Rancho Park Golf Course is probably the busiest and most popular municipal course, so reservations are strongly recommended. Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms was named the 2010 Gold Course of the Year by the National Golf Course Owners Association — not too shabby! Trump National Golf Club is also public, with ocean views and upscale amenities The Donald himself would appreciate. All have very reasonable green fees, and the collected fees are money well-spent. You can see where your money goes: The grounds maintenance is great at all properties, and the staff helpful and quick to respond.

Say you’re planning to travel around Los Angeles, and you’d like to play where the pros have. The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) runs an annual series of golf tournaments for women golfers from February to December. This past year, two of the international tours were played in California; the Kia Classic and the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Now, the Kraft Nabisco Championship was played  in Rancho Mirage, at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course (lots of those Palm Springs-area golf courses and streets are named after Rat Pack-era stars) in the Mission Hills Country Club. Stacy Lewis won that tourney. The full-field Kia Classic was played at Industry Hills Golf Club in the City of Industry. Sandra Gal took home the purse.

While Rancho Mirage in in the Palm Springs area (itself a mecca for luxury golf courses), the City of Industry is in Los Angeles, just east of downtown LA. Industry Hills Golf Club at Pacific Palms Resort, in the City of Industry, has two courses for a total of 36 holes: The “Babe” and “Ike” courses were named two of the “best Places to Play” in Southern California by Golf Digest. These sprawl out over 650 acres of smooth greens and challenging elevation changes in a gorgeous resort area. No wonder the Industry Hills Golf Club was voted Best Golf Course in the USA by the NGCOA and was a runner-up for Reader’s Choice 2010 Best Course & Best Resort.

The best golf courses in Los Angeles may be in members-only clubs, but the public courses here are pretty fantastic too. Remember that Southern California’s bar is high to begin with. Golf lovers hoping to knock out a few rounds while on vacation in the Los Angeles area shouldn’t hesitate to avail themselves of one of the top public golf courses. After all, if it’s good enough for the LPGA, it should be good enough for everyone. Suffice it to say, those women know their stuff. The top public golf courses in Los Angeles help stretch the travel budget of a golf lover’s vacation in Southern California.

This is a sponsored post. The Vacation Gals were hired to write this post about golf courses in Los Angeles and the LPGA.

Not long ago I was singing the praises of California Wine Club. Their home (and travel) delivery makes for a fun monthly surprise as well as a delightful gift if you’re looking for a special holiday or anytime gift for the wine lovers in your life.

To recap, the California Wine Club is a wine of the month club. After choosing your selection from the various tiers, you will receive two bottles of wine a month. Depending upon your preference, you may opt for red, white or both. The wine label is a surprise. The monthly wine club subscriptions starts at a reasonable $36.45 for the most popular choice, the Premier Club, and goes up to $150-$235 for the Aged Cabernet Series with a couple of other options in between. Membership is free and you can cancel anytime.

A new shipment arrived at my door from California Wine Club recently and inside were two fabulous wines from Perry Creek Winery – a white and a red. The El Dorado Chardonnay was light and crisp – think tropical with hints of vanilla – and paired perfectly with the scallops and pasta I made for dinner. Another evening we popped the Zinman Zinfandel. My husband and I adore Zinfandel in general and this one didn’t disappoint. We love to try and guess the flavors before reading the bottle and this one is great fun for that: boysenberry, cherries, strawberries and black pepper.

The wines presented by California Wine Club have been impressive. But belonging to such a club can be more than a wine experience. Take Perry Creek Winery for example, after a little searching, we agreed that the El Dorado Wine Country would make for a delightful weekend getaway. The experience could entail whitewater rafting, hiking, swimming, picnicking, gold panning, fishing, camping and of course wine tasting.

Open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, the 40-acre Perry Creek Winery sits at 2500 feet in the Fair Play Appellation and is located approximately 120 miles east of San Francisc oand 35 miles east of Sacramento. The Fair Play Farms vineyard planted in 1999 is one of the best in the entire Sierra Foothills region. Perry Creek’s has an experience winemaking team whose experience stems from Napa, Austria and the Sierra Foothills. Impressively, the wine produced by Perry Creek Winery have earned 90 Points+ ratings in several competitions. Honestly, I would probably never known it existed had it not been for the California Wine Club. As you can see, subscribing to such a wine club is a terrific way to explore regions to visit  on your next wine vacation or at least add to your “to go” list.

The SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills is as hip as it gets. Luxury automobiles pull up to the curving driveway, young turks glide out, toss their keys to valets, and saunter in their chic suits and sunglasses into the hotel. Inside, the lobby gleams. The posh restaurants, The Bazaar and Tres by Jose Andres, offer high-end cuisine and modern cocktails in Philip Starck-designed settings. The sleek designs of Philip Starck are also seen in the guest rooms and Ciel Spa. Welcome to Beverly Hills, people; this is what it looks like. But if you really want a break from your reality, and to dive into a luxury Beverly Hills fantasy, you’ve got to experience a spa day getaway at the SLS Hotel.

Clearly, I have no shame

The Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel is almost entirely bathed in white, with modern yet comfortable touches throughout. To be honest, at first I found all the white to be stark and sterile; it’s a different look than the muted browns, sage and pastels of most spas. There were a few other women in my group, and we enjoyed quietly talking and enjoying the ambiance. As I relaxed, the white tones seemed less austere and more calming and dreamy. Perhaps that’s part of the genius of Philip Starck, I mused contentedly while getting a 4-step facial. Fortunately I remained alert enough to bug my poor spa therapist into taking a couple candid shots of this facial in progress (he was of good humor).

This is the mani-pedi room of the spa

Spa days, girlfriend getaways, and romantic couples’ treatments are all able to be highly individualized according to each guest’s personal tastes here. The luxury of having each step of the day be exactly as each guest would like it to be cannot be understated. All spas pride themselves on personal attention, of course, but I’ve found it to be absolutely true at the Ciel Spa. Sebastian, who gave me my facial treatment, asked first about any sensitivities, and dryness, etc, and proceeded to treat my face, neck and shoulders with just what they needed to feel great. Step one was a natural exfoliator, step two was a replenishing and calming hydrator, step 3 involved soaking in some Vitamin C and Vitamin K underneath a cream mask, and step 4 was a moisturizer called Oxygen Multi-Vitamin Nourishment for normal to combination skin.

Truth: this was the second real manicure I got since I got married. In the 1990's.

A manicure followed, along with more chit-chat with my group. Because we’d started the day together in a private suite with breakfast and mimosas, and the spa visit was followed by High Tea in Tres’ private tea room, the day passed sumptuously and, alas, too soon. Those of us that opted for facials couldn’t stop feeling our cheeks and remarking on how fantastic we felt. A spa day getaway at the SLS Hotel’s Ciel Spa is recommended for women looking to splurge and spoil themselves. I very rarely splurge on spa girlfriend getaways, but the SLS Hotel’s Ciel Spa left me already wondering when I could come back.

Signature treatments at the Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills:

Beautiful Body – “Surf and Sand” body buff exfoliating treatment followed by “green tea and Clay” full body wrap. 105 minutes for #220

Nirvana Renewal – Two spa therapists massage on an exfoliating coconut/vanilla scrub, with an “Experience Shower” following, and ending with a 60-minute Nirvana massage. 120 minutes for $465

Rejuvenate – Accompanied by a Bloody Mary (I had one, spicy and delicious), a warm soak in a tub and scalp massage ends with a 60-minute customized facial. 105 minutes for $225

Soul to Soul for two – Luxurious couples’ soak and massages, with a scented massage candle to take home. 90 minutes for $350

And here we have the couples' treatment room

The Ciel Spa is a favorite for bridal showers and local drop-in girlfriend getaways. Travelers visiting Beverly Hills avail themselves of the spa to get a sense of the posh life Beverly Hills denizens are all supposed to live. True or not (not!), the fantasy is real at the SLS Hotel’s luxury spa.

Thank you to the SLS Hotel and Ciel Spa for hosting this spa day getaway.

Guests at Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, can book off -property activities on Oahu. These handpicked excursions have the “Adventures by Disney” seal of approval, and include transportation from and back to the Aulani resort, plus much-appreciated extras like towels, snacks and bottled water, plus the knowledge of a local guide. Families can relax and simply enjoy an adventure on Oahu — whether it’s horseback riding, hiking or kayaking – and let the Disney experts work their magic and take care of all the details.

Yesterday I got to experience what I am sure is the best Adventures by Disney excursion available to Aulani guests: surf school with Hawaiian Fire. Yes, my friends: that’s learning to surf with hot authentic, working firefighters on Oahu.

Lest you think the only reason I booked this excursion was to get in the ocean with the likes of surf instructor John above (simmer down, gals, he’s married), I must say I really appreciated that I was in unpredictable waves (attached by a leg leash to an 11-foot projectile/surf board) with first responders. These firefighters are trained in open-water rescue and can readily deal with medical emergencies. I knew that if I felt uneasy in the ocean at all — or if I swallowed too much water, or hit my head, or got especially beat up in the surf — I knew these guys would take care of me. (And, no, I did not feign drowning, just for some mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.)

Kidding aside, I wouldn’t hesitate to enroll my school-age kids in this surf school simply because the Hawaiian Fire instructors take safety so seriously. We spent a good 10 or 15 minutes of our lesson just talking about how to best fall off the board, how to avoid collision with other surfers in the water and other safety tips. We learned that Hawaiian Fire uses foam boards that are softer than traditional fiberglass boards, and that they run their lessons just off of Kalaeloa Beach on southwest Oahu (about a 15-minute drive from Aulani) because it is semi-secluded. When we were there, we only saw two other surfers in the area — fewer people to accidentally run into (unlike the waves at congested Waikiki Beach! Plus, a natural barrier reef helps create waves at a steady height (maybe 2 feet on a typical day) which is ideal for beginners.

After being outfitted with booties and a rash guard, participants of Hawaiian Fire surf school get short on-land instruction on how to paddle, turn the board and pop up to standing position.

For our group of 12, we had 4 instructors in the water with us. Once we all got into the ocean past the shore break, the instructors would tread water and hold our boards, wait for an ideal wave, and then push us off and tell us to “paddle, paddle.”

It was awesome.

Even when I biffed it.

A lot.

I think I stood up on my board for six waves, but really only rode them a far distance twice. When the stars aligned, and my balance was great, and my feet were positioned correctly and I lasted upright on the board more than three seconds, it was an incredibly empowering experience. Definitely one of those “I did it!” moments.

I only surfed for about 30 minutes until I became tired from paddling; there was a strong wind that kept pushing us in one direction down the shore. The instructors were so great, though, because whenever I’d get too far from the group, I’d make my way toward them, and then they’d tow me to the ideal spot to ride the waves into the beach. They were patient, attentive, fun, friendly guys who put me at ease in the ocean.

I can’t recommend surfing with Hawaiian Fire enough. If you’re staying at Aulani, book this excursion. Even young children can get in on the action. Hawaiian Fire will take children as young as five years old, and for kids ages 5 to 10, you do need to pay a bit more because your kiddos will get a private lesson; they’ll be assigned one instructor who will stay with them the entire time they are in the water — usually a little more than an hour on the Disney excursion. (That is, if your children — or you — can handle being out in the ocean for that long; like I said, it is tiring, and you can certainly take a break on the beach whenever you want.)

Yes, surf school is not cheap. If you are an Aulani guest and booking it through the tour desk at the resort, it’ll cost $154 per adult, $184 per child, ages 5 to 10 (it is less expensive if, say, you are staying at a Waikiki hotel and call to book directly yourself). But again, like the Laniwai spa experience I wrote about yesterday, if you are at Aulani living it up on a very special family vacation, I do recommend saving your pennies and spending them on an extraordinary Adventures by Disney experience surfing with the friendly guys at Hawaiian Fire.

Photos by me, Hawaiian Fire and whoever took the great shot of me with the guys above. Surf school participants can purchase a CD of high-quality images of their lesson for $40.

Mahalo Hawaiian Fire and Disney’s Aulani for hosting me on such a fabulous excursion!

I’m at Aulani, the new Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu, this week with dozens of other travel writers, mom bloggers, broadcast journalists and radio reporters. This much-anticipated Hawaii resort opened to the public August 29, and this week celebrates its grand opening with a media blitz and over-the-top festivities. I’ll have lots to detail about the kid-friendly nature of the oceanfront property in the coming weeks here on TheVacationGals.com — the family-centric guest-room amenities, the out-of-this-world water-play and pool area, the Aunty’s Beach House kids’ club combine to make this one of the best family resorts in Hawaii, for sure. But I couldn’t go another day without highlighting one aspect of Aulani that focuses on adults: its spectacular Laniwai Spa. The signature treatments, the thoughtful facilities, the warm Cast Members (don’t call them spa employees at a Disney resort!), and the incredible outdoor hydrotherapy garden make it one of the best spas in Hawaii, hands down.

I flew overnight to Oahu, arriving at the property at 6:30 a.m. yesterday. I knew I would be feeling a bit wrecked from the red-eye flight, yet too wired and excited about being in Hawaii to go to sleep right away, so I’d booked a decadent, 80-minute signature treatment — the Magical Nui, a coconut body scrub/mask with coconut oil scalp massage — for 9 a.m. I arrived at the spa at 8 a.m. and didn’t leave until almost noon! Yes, it’s that good. Once you set foot into the soothing sanctuary, after being waited on hand and foot by gracious spa attendants (“Can I get you some hot tea, Ms Williams?”) and soaking in outdoor mineral tubs, it’s really hard to leave.

I’ll have a full spa review up on The Spa Gals soon, but in the meantime, here’s a peek at the spa at Aulani – Laniwai which means “freshwater heaven.”

The entrance to the spa is light and airy, with a pretty illuminated rainbow feature behind the welcome desk:

Before you enter the spa treatment area, you select a “wishing stone” that will be your thought that you will focus on for the day — mine was “Happiness.” Words are printed in English and Hawaiian on the smooth river rock:

Then you walk down the dimly lit “transformation corridor,” leaving your cares and worries behind:

In the circular core of the spa, you return your stone to a shallow pool, which is filled via a nifty teardrop-shaped water feature from above:

I was led through the spacious women’s locker room (with eucalyptus steam room and dry sauna) and shown the Relaxation Room, where I was to wait for my practitioner. Later, when I did return to sit for a few minutes before my treatment, attentive spa hosts came by with fresh pineapple water, plus with warm compresses for my neck and eyes — so soothing:

Laniwai Spa’s piece de resistance is Kula Wai, the outdoor hydrotherapy garden, with two herbal pools ( a green one infused with seaweed to help purify the body from toxins, and a blue one with eucalyptus to help soothe sore muscles and prepare them for treatments), a jetted hot tub, a cold plunge pool, a reflexology foot path and six phenomenal outdoor rainshowers. With a number of lounge chairs, plus attentive staff members who check on guests and bring them ice water, hot tea or cold orange juice (or mimosas or any room-service food items), it’s easy to spend a lot of time in the outdoor sanctuary. You can stay as long as you like before or after your treatment, but once you leave Laniwai Spa for the day you cannot return.

Finally, spa guests can blend their own complimentary Hawaiian body polish at the mixology station called Pulu, which means “to make soft, soak, moisten, saturate.” My lovely spa attendant Beccah had me smell a variety of different aromas — including hibiscus, plumeria and pineapple — then she mixed drops of the essence I chose (the maile flower) with soft cane sugar and olive oil and put the scrub in a to-go container for me to use in the indoor shower at Laniwai or take home with me:

Laniwai Spa is not just for adults. Guests can enjoy Ohana Massage, where 3 to 6 family members are schooled in the art of lomilomi massage in a special family suite. Also, Painted Sky is an adjacent facility just for teens. It features a do-it-yourself mixology station (see photo below), where teen guests can make their own body polishes, perfume and face masques, as well as special treatment areas for manicures, pedicures, facials and massages. It’s also a teen hangout spot with computer stations stocked with video games. Anyone can drop in to the Painted Sky yogurt bar for soft-serve yogurt and candy mix-ins!

If you are vacationing at Aulani with your family, I highly recommend taking the time to relax, rejuvenate, get balanced and get happy at Laniwai Spa. Truly, it is a very special place, and one worth saving your pennies for. Indeed, services are expensive — my Magical Nui body treatment cost $260. But I know any true spa aficionado would appreciate fully the amenities, gracious service and excellent treatments at Laniwai.

If you’re not convinced, here’s a great overview video from Disney. Spa Director Lucia Rodriguez Amasio details what a guest’s journey at Laniwai entails:

Thanks to Disney’s Aulani for hosting me at the resort and subsidizing the cost of my meals and spa treatment, er, treatments — I have a lomilomi massage scheduled later this week!

Hit a moving target. That is one feat I’ve always deemed impossible. However, when I had the chance to experience pigeon (or clay) shooting during my family’s visit to Flathead Lake Lodge I thought I’d give it a try. Clay shooting is one of the activities offered by the lodge – think optional excursion on a cruise chip. The lesson is with She Shoots Clays.

Jennifer, a competitive shooter, runs the operation, and as soon as we met it was obvious she is absolutely passionate about her business. Her goal is to make women feel confident pulling the trigger of a shotgun. The classes she hosts through She Shoots Clays are designed only for women for a reason. She explains that women learn and hold a shotgun differently than men. Offering a female-only class also makes the women feel more comfortable, plus we’re able to support each other and cheer each other on.

We departed from the lodge and rode the safari-like jeep up the mountains to a secluded area where two automated pigeon machines were set up.

Jennifer gave us a gun safety briefing. She explained how to hold a gun and explained that anytime someone passes a gun they will tell you whether the gun is safe (not loaded with ammo) or loaded (with bullets ready to fire).

Some women take the class not with the goal to hit the target, but just to say they shot a gun. “It’s about the experience,” says Jennifer. And experience it is. Whoever was shooting geared up in a vest and each of us wore eye protectors and ear plugs. When the shooter was ready she shouted, “Pull!” We took turns pushing the button that triggered the disc to fly across the sky like a bird. The shooter then did her best to make contact. In this photo Jennifer is setting up the discs.

I volunteered to go first and let’s just say I didn’t “get” it. I’ve always had good eye-hand coordination, but for some reason I just couldn’t hit that dang clay. I finally surrendered to the next lady. Her name was Pat and she had never held a gun in her life, let alone shot a moving target. Well, that day she made contact (hit) the first four shots she fired. Seriously. It was so exciting to see the discs disperse as she stood in shock yet welling with excitement. She found a talent she didn’t even know she possessed. It was fabulous!

When it was my turn again I tried and tried. I would get close, so close! But missed and missed and missed. I believe it was my third round then suddenly as I looked down the barrel I let the shotgun vanish and instead saw the landscape. I yelled “Pull!” and the clay came flying. Then I shot it. Like that. It felt easy. I missed the next one, but hit the next one. At that point all of the missed targets were forgotten. My vision had changed and so did my experience.

If you’re looking for a new experience, I suggest you give clay shooting a try, even if it’s only to shoot a gun. If you stay at Flathead Lake Lodge or visit Bigfork, Montana be sure to look up She Shoots Clays. You never know how many you will hit, but regardless, you will walk away with a story!

Thank you, Jennifer, for introducing me to clay shooting. It was a wonderful experience!