Eternal sunshine and Floridian charm in St Pete and Clearwater

A 45-minute drive from St Pete – and just 30 minutes from Tampa International – lies Dunedin and my second base, the 83-guest-room Fenway hotel. Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, the Fenway’s 1920s Pueblo-style architecture belies the charming town’s Scottish roots, while its renovated interiors reference the property’s harmonious heritage, musicians having graced its rooms, stages and even the airwaves during a stint as a radio station.

Hew Parlor & Chophouse serves up a solid culinary offering, while a live music programme from the lobby and rooftop bars adds Instagram appeal, my pre-dinner drinks served with a side order of sunset Gulf views. This serves as an appetiser for the following morning’s trip to Caladesi Island where, between beach time, I explore nature trails and kayak among the mangroves before returning to a slap-up seafood lunch at Dunedin Marina.

Dunedin’s Main Street and offshoots boast all kinds of cuisine, and the small town is home to seven of the area’s 40 craft breweries.

I check out pint-sized 7venth Sun Brewing and the larger, livelier Dunedin Brewery, with its holy trinity of tasty bar snacks, great beer and live music.

For clients opting instead to stay in downtown St Pete, its burgeoning gallery and museum scene is another selling point. Options range from the Museum of Fine Arts, Morean Arts Centre and James Museum, the latter of which opened in April. At the Dali Museum, the Dreams of Dali attraction takes me on a fun virtual reality tour of the artist’s work.

There’s a good range of hotel options here too, from the boutique Birchwood and Art Deco-style Avalon to the Vinoy, another stately pink charmer.

Personally though, I appreciate the "best of both" experience I gain by retreating to the more vacation-focused St Pete beach, where the timely appearance of some dolphins on my final evening’s Sunset Sailing with Dolphin Landings caps a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

Book it: USAir Tours offers a seven-night Florida break for £1,539pp travelling on June 12, including two nights at the Fenway hotel and five nights at the Don Cesar. Based on two sharing and includes flights with Norwegian with a book-by date of March 14. usairtours.co.uk

Having dropped its Gatwick to Singapore service in January, Norwegian continues to look west, and its long-haul low-cost network from London Gatwick now features Brazil and Argentina alongside 12 US destinations.

From March 31, Norwegian will operate a daily Miami International and five-times-a-week San Francisco International service from Gatwick, replacing its Fort Lauderdale and Oakland services. Its Austin and Seattle services resume on March 1 and March 31.

The latest launch is the twice-weekly 787 Dreamliner service to Tampa International, operating Saturdays and Wednesdays. Cabins come in Economy and Premium, and I sample the latter, the 2-3-2 seat configuration affording ample space for my 6ft 3in frame, thanks to the metre of legroom and generously wide reclining seats. Selling points include the free inflight Wi-Fi and attentive service, aided by onscreen ordering.

Timings are good, leaving Gatwick at 2.05pm and landing at 6.45pm. As flying Premium affords lounge access at Gatwick, I enjoy the new My Lounge product from No1 Lounges.

Premium fares cost from £519 one-way and £960 return, while economy starts from £175 one-way or £305 return. Low-cost price points do mean compromises, including limited entertainment system choices. Luggage allowance in Premium is two checked pieces up to 20kg.

Snacks and spirits are payable too, although inflight meals, wine and beer are free. These are moot points however, my main takeaway being Norwegian’s coupling of smooth service with assured value.