For many people, vacations are a chance to forget the day-to-day. That means exercise regimens are left behind with the laundry and the dirty dishes.

But for others, like Nate, exercise is more than something done to ward off love handles. Much to my bewilderment, he believes that an enjoyable vacation must include some amount of physical exertion.

Weekend trips centered on biking were a natural fit, and Nate became increasingly excited as we researched Florida's scenic and wild trails. He also happens to love wild things, even the creepy-crawly variety, of which this state has a seemingly endless supply.

Kara, on the other hand, is more comfortable with animals grilled medium rare, covered in sautéed mushrooms. Perspiring while on vacation is acceptable in the context of jasmine-scented steam rooms; sore muscles are an unavoidable consequence of massage.

Indulgence, from being slathered in therapeutic mud to savoring a Pinot Grigio, is the cornerstone of Kara's ideal vacation. Thus, staying at charming bed & breakfasts seemed a perfect equalizer to our trip's more active elements.

Toss in a few gourmet meals, a bottle or two of the aforementioned vino and two unique Florida destinations and you have the essence of a great compromise - a vacation equal parts pampering and play.

Seaside Cycling: New Smyrna Beach

A quick ferry ride brought us to Hontoon Island State Park (386-736-5309, www.floridastateparks.org). Located west of New Smyrna Beach, Hontoon Island is in the middle of Florida's longest river, the St. Johns.

Nate and I traversed the island's six miles of level dirt and grass bike trails, all dead-ending at river overlooks with scary names like Snake Creek Landing and Bear Tree Landing. But after all the riding, my quads wouldn't hold up for the three-mile hiking trail that led to a large Indian shell mound.

We were tired and dirty, and the cozy Night Swan Intracoastal Bed & Breakfast (800-465-4261, www.nightswan.com), named for owners Chuck and Martha Nighswonger, was a welcome sight. From our upstairs window, we enjoyed a perfect view of the Indian River. The inn has its own pier and dock and is within walking distance of New Smyrna Beach's historic downtown.

After cleaning up, Kara and I cast away on the Marine Discovery Center's wine and cheese sunset cruise (386-428-4828, www.marinediscoverycenter.org), motoring northward along the Intracoastal past palatial homes and cozy waterfront cottages. Dolphins frolicked off the port side as the boat's smooth-talking guitar player serenaded us with Hawaiian melodies.

We paused at the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, its red brick form framed magnificently by the setting sun. Our return route took us deep into the rookeries, where two great blue herons faced off in a territorial showdown. Pelicans dove for fish while cormorants, egrets and herons took refuge in the mangroves, the greenery obscured by multicolored feathers.

Perhaps subconsciously swayed by our feathered friends, we went straight to Norwood's Seafood Restaurant (386-428-4621, www.norwoods.com), where Kara feasted on king crab, her favorite. I dove into the rich blue crab stuffing surrounding my tender grouper.

Morning at the Night Swan brought cream cheese-stuffed French toast, providing delicious - if not trainer-recommended - fuel for the bicycling ahead.

Via a dusty gravel road, Kara and I arrived at Spruce Creek Preserve, 10 miles of mountain biking paradise. The twisting single-track trails offer constant surprises and picturesque views of Spruce Creek. We hopped over exposed roots, ducked under branches and charged up hills.

Unaware of which trails were intended for beginners or experts, we tried them all. The result was an adrenaline-pumping workout and a number of small bruises for Kara - marks she would later point to proudly as evidence of her adventuresome spirit.

After a quick stop at Norwood's wine and cheese shop, we enjoyed a starlit dinner on the Night Swan's dock, the occasional splash of a fish chasing its evening meal the only interruption.

While I had no trouble eating a hearty breakfast, I was apprehensive about our planned kayaking trip, since I had never sat so close to the water (and thus so close to the creatures lurking beneath). It turned out there was no need to worry. We even ventured off the river, past oyster beds, into narrow waterways surrounded by mangroves.

Nate was thrilled when dolphins surfaced a few feet from us. We paddled lazily in circles, trying to get close. One flipped, showing us its white belly.

After returning the kayaks, Nate and I headed to the beach. I'd enjoyed the challenging mountain biking the day before, but biking on the beach was more my scene. I stayed on firm ground near the water, while Nate skidded out on the thick, powdery sand.

Finally, we locked our bikes outside of the beachfront Chases Bar and Restaurant (386-423-8787, www.chasesonthebeach.com), and treated ourselves to tropical drinks.

Nate was thrilled when dolphins surfaced a few feet from us. We paddled lazily in circles, trying to get close. One flipped, showing us its white belly.


Urban Escape: St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg and New Smyrna Beach may not have much in common, but the scent of fresh-baked cookies wafting through the Mansion House Bed & Breakfast (800-274-7520, www.mansionbandb.com) was delightfully familiar.

Built around 1900 by St. Petersburg's first mayor, the stately Mansion House is now run by Rosie Marie Ray, a lifelong triathlete who's hosted everyone from Kevin Bacon and Clyde Butcher to athletes from around the globe.

From our room with its four-poster bed, we were a short stroll from downtown's Baywalk, an open-air dining and entertainment complex. Over bruschetta and Pinot Grigio at Gratzzi Ristorante (727-822-7769), we discussed why Kara prefers culture to creatures.

Later, we headed to the Clearwater Jazz Festival, one of the Southeast's largest music festivals, catching enough of Paquito D'Rivera and New York Voices for me to drive Kara crazy imitating - poorly - the catchy, freestyle singing during our drive back to the Mansion House.

I ate like a triathlete myself next morning - organic granola, cinnamon and vanilla-flavored yogurt, a Southwest egg soufflé, turkey ham and a homemade raisin scone. With plans to bike a 30-mile section of the Pinellas Trail, which stretches from St. Petersburg to Tarpon Springs, I needed every calorie.

Nate and I rented cruisers from the Pinellas Trail Bicycles (727-734-5976) and picked up the trail in charming downtown Dunedin.

We detoured into lovely Hammock Park, where we biked over wooden boardwalks and along creeks to a small gazebo perfect for spotting herons.

Back on the trail, we rode along the beach to Honeymoon Island State Park, taking a break to try out a beachfront wooden swing made for two.

Rather than continuing on the trail, Nate and I decided to loop back to Dunedin and drive north to explore Tarpon Springs. We ended up biking 15 miles in all - still enough to burn off breakfast and warrant a huge Greek meal.

Tarpon Springs, with its sponge docks and white-and-blue buildings, truly resembles a Greek fishing village. We feasted on Greek salads and lamb shanks at the family-owned Mykonos (727-934-4306).

Nearby, a clerk selling scented olive oil soaps told us that, besides her grandmother's kitchen, the best place for baklava is the National Bakery (727-934-5934), next to the coffee shop where locals play dominoes.

We never thought we'd eat again, but the evening found us on the Starlite Princess dinner cruise (800-444-4814, www.starlitecruises.com). Nate and I sipped wine and checked out bayfront mansions, relaxing under the fine mist coming off the paddlewheel.

Next morning, after blueberry pancakes, Kara and I walked downtown to the Pier's waterfront shops and restaurants. We rented a surrey bike - a pedal-powered rickshaw where you sit side-by-side, steer with a wheel and feel like the quintessential tourist.

Kara enjoyed jealous looks from the women we passed, while I ducked corresponding looks of compassion from husbands and boyfriends as our bell - the vehicle's horn - rang sanctimoniously whenever we hit a bump.

Having satisfied Kara's whim, we headed to Fort DeSoto (727-582-2267), a county park boasting seven miles of beaches on five islands. Procuring cruisers, we pedaled past the ruined fort and mangrove-dotted backwaters, stopping to view the majestic Sunshine Skyway bridge.

As daylight faded, we cruised to nearby Pass-A-Grille to enjoy a cold beer and some fresh-caught fish at Hurricane Seafood Restaurant (727-360-9558). From the deck we feasted on peel-and-eat shrimp and blackened mahi-mahi, watching the sun slip slowly into the Gulf.

For more information, call the New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau at 386-428-1600, or visit www.nsbfla.com. Or call the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 727-464-7200, or visit www.floridasbeach.com.