Jump into a car for an adventure tour exploring the ‘Sunshine State’ of Florida

I have been back to the ‘land of opportunity’, but never returned to the Sunshine State, even though fond memories of those care-free teenage days remain.

And after spending a week indulging on a Caribbean cruise, it was time for an adventure and opportunity to explore more of this fascinating corner of America.

The journey began at Miami Airport and after checking in with Hertz and hopping into our impressive Chevrolet soft-top rental car, it was time to roll down the roof and head off to our first destination.

MARTIN COUNTY

After a short drive up the US Interstate highway, we landed at our hotel in Stuart, the four-star Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort and Marina, before sunset.

And it was a good job we were on time as our first planned activity was a relaxing sunset sail with Captain Fred and his First Mate Jamie aboard the Schooner Lily.

Raising the sails on the St Lucie River and kicking back to watch the sun go down was incredibly romantic, as there’s nothing quite like a Florida sunset!

After dusk, dinner was enjoyed at The Gafford, where we were given a warm and friendly welcome before tasting the delights of ‘Lump Crab Cakes’ and beer roast chicken.

Back at the Marriott, which has three outdoor swimming pools and a golf course, we finally unpacked our cases in our spacious balcony room before hitting the sack.

A big breakfast at Jan’s Place was required next morning to fill us up for a day of activity and you can’t get any more hearty than a chicken pot pie omelette, which is as filling as it sounds.

Next up was a scenic ride in the Chevy to view the impressive murals at Hobe Sound, where award-winning artists have created beautiful colourful paintings on a number of walls and buildings throughout the area.

After stopping to dip our toes in the water at Hobe Sound beach, we headed for a mosey round the wildlife haven of Jonathan Dickinson State Park, before cranking things up a gear with a ‘Riding the Waves’ Treasure Coast eco-tour.

Lifejackets donned, I was in my element as I took control of the speedy catamaran to ‘treat’ my wife to an exhilarating, but rather bumpy, boating experience up the Martin County waterways.

ORLANDO

The two-and-a-half-hour drive to Orlando was seamless, but we barely had time to drop our cases in our luxury apartment at Lake Buena Vista Resort Village and Spa because Universal Studios was calling.

Once through the giant gates of the park we were like kids again, enjoying all the thrills and spills on rides such as Shrek, The Simpsons, Fast & Furious and Transformers. The addition of so many exciting new animations, film sets and roller coasters made it far more impressive than I remember.

The next day was spent at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, which is arguably bigger and better than its older neighbour.

Standout attractions were the magical Harry Potter world and its Forbidden Journey and Hagrid’s Motorbike rides, which were only just trumped by my favourite, the hair-raising Incredible Hulk roller coaster.

Back at the apartment, soaking our weary feet in the jacuzzi bath while enjoying a bottle of fizz was the best way of winding down from a hectic, but fun-filled day.

For a more sedate experience, The Wheel at ICON Park is a must-visit. With 400ft-high views across the city, it’s Orlando’s answer to the London Eye and is surrounded by a number of restaurants, funky bars and boutique shops.

KISSIMMEE