There are many wonderful day trips from Tampa, but I have to say the GOAT is a trip to Grady Goat Farm for some Grady Goat Yoga. 😉 Located about 25 minutes from downtown Tampa, this is a must-do activity for anyone who even remotely likes yoga or baby animals.
I first attended Grady Goat Yoga in 2017 with some friends, and I was much less focused on the yoga than on convincing a goat to hop on my back. As you can see, I exchanged the Warrior II pose for an “isn’t my back enticing” table top position. The yoga class is scheduled for an hour, though you aren’t required to do any yoga; feel free to focus your entire attention on the goats! The Grady Goat team even recommends coming a half hour early and staying for a half hour after class to get in your cuddling and photos.
The only down side? There is way more potential for a shoelace nibble or some pee on your mat (though the staff is very quick to come clean it up) than at your average yoga class – at least, the ones I’ve attended. Goat yoga at your own risk, but for me, it was 100% worth it for the experience.
Plus, beyond the adorable and Instagrammable experience of Grady Goat Yoga, you can feel good about supporting the Grady Goat Foundation! Named for baby Grady, a goat with several special needs, the foundation supports many charities. This year, their primary charitable focus is Project GOAT (Global Offensive Against Trafficking), “supporting the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children,” as they share on their website.
Because of the warm and fuzzies (literally and figuratively) I’d experienced during my first visit, I spent my last birthday participating in a Grady Goat world record attempt. Spoiler alert: we did it! The Grady Goat Foundation holds the Guinness World Record for largest goat yoga class, and I got to be a part of it, along with my friend Chelsea and mother-in-law Diane.
If you find yourself with a free weekend in the Tampa Bay area, I highly recommend you grab a yoga mat (or towel), as well as a couple of friends, and “goat” see for yourself all the great things about Grady Goat Yoga. Just make sure you book your tickets in advance – they fill up fast!