Beach vacations are supposed to be all about relaxing and having fun. We thought about writing articles on simple beach workouts that wouldn’t mess with that relaxing vibe—photos and videos included. I had great plans for this upcoming piece, but that changed as soon as we arrived at the beach.

We went to Fort Desoto Beach near Tampa, FL, touted as one of the best beaches in the U.S. We paid just $5 per car to get in and thought, “This is going to be awesome—super cheap and supposedly gorgeous!”

After unloading and walking towards the beach, things looked good at first. But then, we turned a corner and, bam, dogs everywhere! I’m not talking one or two dogs, but more like 30+, all with their owners nearby. No one told us it was bring-your-dog-to-the-beach day!

We love dogs, so we tried to stay cool. We set up our stuff and considered taking some beach workout photos. Meanwhile, I was amazed at how many dogs were there. Deciding to cool off, we headed into the water when we heard a guy repeatedly shouting, “BRUUUNNNOOO!” Bruno, a chill, old dog, was not paying any mind to his owner and just walked around peacefully. That is, until he squatted between the shore and our group in the water and did his business—right as the water flowed back to us. Gross. I was done with the water.

Trying to relax and catch some sun instead, we returned to our towels only to find them covered in sandy paw prints and smelling of wet dog. Bruno had clearly wandered over them multiple times, and even peed under a nearby couple’s umbrella, twice.

I love dogs, but at that moment, I had enough. Working out was out of the question with Bruno’s antics. We had somehow ended up on the dog beach! After double-checking, I realized we were indeed at Fort Desoto Beach but on the wrong section of it—the dog-friendly part.

So, we quickly packed up and moved to the correct beach. What a difference! The real beach was stunning, with white sand, clear blue water, and gentle waves. It’s easy to see why it’s rated so highly.

We spent the rest of the day soaking in the beauty of the place, completely forgetting about the workout plans. The real takeaway wasn’t about getting that perfect beach workout. It was about truly relaxing and recharging. When I got back, I felt revitalized and ready to push my business and fitness goals further.

So, if you’re traveling, remember that things don’t always go as planned. It’s okay to skip the gym and workouts every now and then. Take time to recharge your mind and body! And next time, do a bit more research to avoid surprises like ours. Otherwise, you might find yourself hearing, “BRUUUNNNOOO!” at an inopportune moment while catching some rays.