Florida coast to coast: cycling and yoga in The Palm Beaches

In the second of his videos charting his sunrise to sunset drive across America’s Sunshine State, Simon Calder gets active as he heads through this collection of communities along the Atlantic coast

On a sunny day in the 21st century, it’s hard to remember that the story of modern Florida is a struggle against adversity.

The Gulf Stream washes close to the shore at Jupiter Inlet in Palm County, presenting a danger to mariners. In 1860 the newly built Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse was opened to warn them, and since then it’s become a landmark for the fascinating collection of communities known as The Palm Beaches.

As a base, the Grandview Gardens Bed & Breakfast in the city of West Palm Beach is one of the most alluring locations. Located in the rejuvenated neighbourhood of Grandview Heights, it dates from 1925. The style is Spanish Mediterranean, which means it’s bright and breezy with natural air conditioning.

Grandview Heights is close to downtown West Palm Beach, where the main street is Clematis Avenue. The sense of history here is augmented by a warm Florida ambience; the Mayor and her team call themselves “the official curators of paradise”.

Venus and Serena Williams were brought to The Palm Beaches in the Nineties to improve their tennis. It seemed to do the trick. But even if you’re not a Grand Slam champion, there’s much activity to enjoy. You can explore the extensive network of bike trails on a “Comfort Cruiser” electric bike, or try yoga on water, in which you perch on a paddleboard.

“Yoga on the board is very good for people who practice yoga on land because it helps with their alignment,” says instructor Kim Depasquale. “People need to disconnect and spend more time with nature.”

My America Holidays offers holidays to Palm Beach from £899 per person. Visit www.myamericaholiday.co.uk or call 020 8290 9751. Hertz car hire in Florida starts from just £21 per day. Visit Hertz.co.uk

Discover more at visitflorida.com @VisitFlorida #LoveFlorida

*Price includes flights and accommodation and is based on 2 adults sharing on a room only basis with selected travel dates and departure airports. Prices may vary, are subject to availability and correct as of 15 January 2018