I BREATHE calmly into my snorkel and gently float as a manatee and its calf leisurely swim beneath me.
Just two hours’ drive from a world of Mickey Mouse and rollercoasters, these magical creatures — also known as sea cows — can be found in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s western coast.
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I’m staying at The PaddleTail Waterfront Lodge on Kings Bay, the ideal hub for making the most of this natural paradise on the Gulf of Mexico.
As I slip into my wetsuit, dive expert Jake, from Waterfront Adventures, guides us through the etiquette of meeting these gentle giants.
We set sail before sunrise in search of manatee activity, which can be identified through “footprints” — oval-shaped ripples on the surface of the water.
Our boat stops in the Three Sisters Springs where these marine mammals bask in the 22C turquoise waters.
It takes some bravery to pause and float as a 500kg animal swims towards you.
But it is as if these creatures give off a calming energy throughout the water as they hoover up the grass on the seabed.
Jake also encourages us to get a closer look at the three springs — Pretty Sister, Deep Sister and Little Sister — which actually contain a total of 19 freshwater springs between them.
I plunge beneath the surface and watch as the sand bubbles like nature’s very own hot tub brimming with yellow-bellied sliders and schools of fish.
The three-hour tour ends with a fluffy white towel to dry off and a velvety mocha to sip as we make our way back to the shore, leaving the manatees to graze on their breakfast.
After working up an appetite in the water, we head to the Wild Sassa seafood shack to enjoy a fresh shrimp taco.
It is set on the edge of the Homosassa River, and the queue of hungry adventure seekers in wetsuits and flip-flops reflect how this humble trailer has made its way into the top 100 taco spots in the USA.
And while Florida is typically associated with fast food giants, the Homosassa Springs area boasts some of the freshest seafood on the coast.
Bayside Kraft Kitchen serves up homemade fries with perfectly poached lobster, while Waterfront Social offers fresh alligator bites, if you dare.
For those wishing to unwind, the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park is a calming oasis.
While there, don’t miss the underwater observatory, which allows visitors to step beneath the spring’s surface and watch as the manatees and fish swim in a natural habitat.
A 90-minute drive down the coast we switch up the tempo in the vibrant city of St Petersburg.
While the city itself can be considered its very own gallery — with colourful murals on every block — it is also home to the Salvador Dali Museum.
The museum houses the largest collection of the Spanish surrealist’s work, all enclosed within 18-inch thick walls designed to withstand the powerful hurricanes that can wreak havoc in this corner of the globe.
A hive of activity
You can also experience his work in an incredible sound and light show inside a glass sphere known as The Dali Dome.
After a bit of culture and dinner of nduja and prawn ravioli at Brick & Mortar in Downtown St Pete, we head to the hub of the city.
It is a place where twentysomethings are sipping craft beers from local microbreweries with their university friends, while those 50 years their senior cheer each other from the sidelines at the St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club.
Founded in 1924, it is the oldest and largest shuffleboard club in the world.
The aim of the game is to push weighted discs along narrow courts into designated boxes to score points, in what becomes an addictive and frustrating game.
As the sun sets, the Friday Night St Pete Shuffle is a hive of activity, with a cool bring-your own booze” policy — the ideal aperitif to a delicious dinner.
For those wishing to carry on the night, retro club Goodnight John Boy is the ultimate party, playing Seventies and Eighties disco tracks.
But a trip to this corner of the world would not be complete without some serious relaxation.
Clearwater Beach is a three-mile stretch of powder-white sand that has turquoise Gulf waters lapping on to its shore.
The sand, derived from quartz, is cool under foot.
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And it coated my toes in a refreshing way as I took a stroll in the 33C heat.
After basking in the sunshine, a dip in the pool at my hotel — the four-star beachside Opal Sands Resort — was just the thing.
As the sun sets, I grab a seat at the hotel’s SandBar Waterfront Tiki Bar and order a raspberry mojito while watching playful dolphins dip and dive in the bluest Gulf waters.
I would never have thought of white-knuckle rollercoaster paradise Florida as a destination to relax and recharge — but it seems that this corner of the Sunshine State truly is.
