Nowhere is the American way of life as relaxed as on Florida's beaches. The Keys, a chain of islands at the far southern end of the state, reveal a more laid-back side of the USA. But all of Florida amazes – with secluded beaches, unspoiled nature, and the legacy of the early European settlers.

We travel from Georgia through the Carolinas to Virginia, ending near Washington, DC. Along the way we meet a Georgia farmer; talk to painter J. Chris Wilson in Charleston; sail along the Outer Banks of Carolina, and visit rural Virginia, experiencing life in the beautiful southern states.

The journey up the coast continues through Delaware to suburban New Jersey, and onwards into the heart of Manhattan. In Delaware, famous as a corporate tax haven, we visit a winery. In New York City we zip around with a bicycle courier and then head out to Long Island for oysters.

From New York, the journey up the coast leads into the heart of New England. We visit Yale; spend some time in the 19th century mansions at Newport, RI; tour the coastal fishing and vacation towns of Massachusetts, and then meet a modern entrepreneur in Boston and see her rooftop gardens.