Orlando's Five-Star Farm Experience Offers A Unique Workout And Weekly Goat Cuddles

Florida is home to some of America's most iconic tourist destinations, including my stomping grounds here in Orlando. Most people who come here associate the city with a giant costumed mouse or perhaps the marine life at SeaWorld. Neither of those are bad things, but as an animal-loving Orlando resident, I can attest that there are some lesser-known critters here that are just as cute and fun: the mini goats at Alaska Farms.

I first met the goats about a year ago. I wanted to do something unique for my birthday, and a workout with farm animals seemed like the perfect option. I talked my boyfriend and some friends into trying it with me, and we set out to celebrate my special day with these playful, cuddly creatures. It was everything you would think goat yoga would be: quirky, silly, adorable, and fun — with a little chaos mixed in. I've never experienced anything quite like Downward-Facing Dog with a miniature goat on my back. Add in some goat cuddles, and it was the best day ever.

You could not have wiped off the smile on my face that day. We all enjoyed it, and everyone in my group gave it five stars. We aren't alone, though. While this may not be the most famous, talked-about thing to do in Orlando, everyone who does experience the goats at Alaska Farms raves about it. The farm has a five-star rating on Google Reviews, too.

While I do like to incorporate yoga into my normal workout regimen, that's not the case for my friends who accompanied me. They don't usually do yoga, but the goat yoga class at Alaska Farms is appropriate for all levels of yogis, even beginners. You don't even need to bring a yoga mat — the staff will give you one to use. The unique workout isn't hardcore, and you're only moving through the yoga poses for about half an hour. Those 30 minutes are quite comical, though.

At Alaska Farms, you'll get a workout, but it will be in between spontaneous interactions with the mini goats and selfies. Typically, yoga classes are quiet and meditative, but not here. At any given time, you may have a mini goat run up to your mat and yell, "Baaaaaaahhhh." It's not uncommon for your hoofed exercise partners to climb on top of you, lay down on your mat, or start nibbling on you. We received a disclaimer advising us to pull our hair back prior to starting our workout, but I opted to let my long hair flow. Let's just say I was popular with the goats because of that decision. I also saved money on a haircut.

Although goat yoga didn't make the list of the most unique travel experiences on Earth, I personally think this is one of the most unique experiences in Orlando. There are multiple group classes throughout the week that you can choose from. Just make sure you book a ticket in advance, as there is limited space. You can also book a private goat yoga workout.

After our workout, we had time to cuddle with the goats, and the staff at Alaska Farms allowed us plenty of time to take pictures with our new playful pals. That was a nice way to wrap up our exercise class. For some, the main event was just cuddling the goats at the end.

If you want to get some cuddle time in, but aren't really feeling the workout, there's a way to bypass that part. Alaska Farms also offers a weekly Goat Cuddle Hour. There are no yoga poses or stretching involved, but there's still a very good chance you'll have these adorable creatures crawling all over you. You'll likely win their affection pretty easily, since you'll have the opportunity to feed them during cuddle hour, too.

At the time of writing, the one-hour snuggle sessions are offered once per week on Monday evenings. If you want to partake of the weekly goat cuddles, you will need to book a ticket in advance for that, too. Alaska Farms also offers other fun ways to interact with the four-legged residents. Other farm experiences include activities like painting classes, and you can always find their updated list of events on their website. If you're an animal lover and looking for things to do in Orlando other than visiting Disney World, you may want to check out the experiences at Alaska Farms. I personally enjoyed it very much, and as far as birthdays go, I can say this was one of the GOAT ones (Greatest of All Time).