Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa combines two of the most popular destination weddings on one beach — Hawai’i and Disney are the perfect marriage for a perfect wedding. No, they didn’t pay me to say that.

Don’t worry, there are plenty of family activities at Disney’s Hawaiian paradise to make everybody happy. They didn’t pay me to say that either.

This post is part of UpTake’s Wordless Wednesday Series. If you would like to see your photo featured here please contact us via the link in the sidebar using subject line: WW.

Photo:  Whit Honea

I met Mimi on a recent visit to Hocking Hills, Ohio. She was teaching my family of four to kayak around Lake Hope and we got to talking about what she does when she’s not paddling around a lake with amateurs. Turns out, Mimi’s passion is taking groups of women off into the woods.

That would be creepy if Mimi wasn’t so adorable and smiley.

Mimi runs Touch the Earth Adventures, a tour company that specializes in women’s hiking and kayaking retreats. For $1,150 per person, women enjoy a week of outdoor adventure in various locations all over the country. Good news: tents aren’t needed as Mimi lines up beautiful lodging as part of her weekly packages. She also arranges for activities like yoga sessions and spa treatments.

It’s no wonder her customers come out of the woods feeling empowered!

Mimi told me she takes groups of women who already know each other as well as groups of individual women who meet on the trip. Her groups can be as small as 5 women and as large as 20. Women can explore the outdoors of Ohio, where Mimi is based, or take a trip to the Carolinas. Her next week-long retreat will be in November to Charleston, South Carolina.

I would love to do this with my girlfriends and the women in my family. It sounds like an incredible girl power getaway!

Photo: Britt Reints

You may have noticed how beautiful and romantic Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina, Hawai’i (O’ahu) is. It’s hard to miss. However, just because Disney has taken the best of Hawai’i and sprinkled it with pixie dust, doesn’t mean that it’s all walks on the beach and drinks with umbrellas (not that there is anything wrong with that). There’s plenty of fun for the kids, too!

In addition to the natural wonders of Hawai’i and the popular tourist sites of the island, the resort offers an array of family fun. Most of it is wet.

There are two water slides, a lazy river, snorkeling (in a mouse-made reef), and a water play area.  There are also indoor places to play, relax and hang out — some of which are no parents allowed! Well, I suppose they’re allowed, but they don’t have to be there, which is nice.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with many of the Aulani cast members and Walt Disney Imagineers that created the resort, and they shared some interesting facts and stories about the area. Videos below. Read More »

I know what you’re thinking, Stitch is probably all over Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa in Hawai’i. It makes sense, his movie (Lilo & Stitch) and all subsequent spin-offs have been set on the islands (and space), but this lovely carving is the only nod to Experiment 626 that I could find (aside from some merchandise in the gift shop). Leave it to Disney to surprise you with the subtle.

Aulani is now open and it is amazing. Please check back for continued coverage of the time I spent there as Disney’s guest.

This is a Wordless Wednesday entry. The words are just a bonus. You’re welcome.

Photo: W. Honea