A US city break with the world’s fastest “hybrid” roller coaster, a bizarre cupcake ATM and burgers for under five dollars

THE hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I gripped the edge of my chair, staring at the presentation below.

Then a huge cannon exploded in the stadium and the crowd erupted alongside it.

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had just scored their first touchdown.

I was at the mighty Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, Florida, where American football is so much more than the game itself, with beers, barbecue, dazzling cheerleaders and music.

The atmosphere was contagious.

While football is a huge tradition in the United States, it’s not the only reason to visit Tampa Bay on Florida’s gloriously golden coast.

This region, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and has become a gastronomic hub in recent years, with more and more restaurants earning a place in the Michelin Guide.

One of these Michelin Guide spots can be found at the Epicurean Hotel, in the trendy Hyde Park neighborhood of South Tampa, where I stayed for the next few days.

The stylish hotel features modern, spacious rooms, an on-site gym, and a pool, but the shining star was the Elevage restaurant.

Cigar capital of the world

The chefs here have reinvented classics from around the world, serving blackened pork belly with black mole, pickled green apple and hazelnuts, as well as grilled garlic octopus topped with pistachios and oysters stuffed with spicy nduja sausage.

It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re staying at a four-star hotel, but if you’re looking for something more quintessentially American, Ciro’s Speakeasy and Supper Club in Tampa’s historic Bayshore Royal Building is for you.

You need a password to enter (do your research before booking) the dimly lit space, where jazz music serenades diners.

Here, White Russian cocktails and espresso martinis are accompanied by duck fat fries, fried chicken and waffles, and humble desserts like milk served with warm, gooey biscuits.

Then there’s Hyde Park Village, one of Tampa’s wealthiest neighborhoods and THE place to try Michelin-starred food.

But there’s also the much more relaxed Goody Goody Burgers, which serves incredibly good burgers for just over a fiver.

Then, enjoy a sweet treat from Sprinkles, where their desire to serve late-night customers led them to an ingenious invention: the world’s first cupcake ATM.

Looks like the regular kind, except he hands out freshly baked cupcakes and cookies, not money, 24 hours a day.

After indulging in as much of the food scene as your stomach can handle, there’s plenty of fun for families in Tampa.

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Busch Gardens, a theme park and zoo rolled into one, is home to the world’s fastest and steepest “hybrid roller coaster,” Iron Gwazi, which sends you flying through the air at speeds of 75 mph.

In addition to the thrilling rides, I would recommend a safari tour through the park’s 65-acre Serengeti Plain.

I got up close to a rhino, hippos and elephants, and even fed lettuce to a giraffe – just be careful with their huge tongues.

For culture lovers, the famous Oxford Exchange is a social space where history and commerce mix – expect marble floors, a limestone fountain and photos of former presidents hanging on the old exposed brick walls.

My wonderful trip ended exactly as it began: with me in a food coma

There’s also a bookstore, a coffee shop, a gift shop and (no surprise) more food – try the apple pancakes at The Restaurant (that’s the real name), which were the most delicious I’ve ever had, dripping with pecan streusel and honey butter.

Before you leave, be sure to visit Ybor City, once considered the cigar capital of the world and one of only three national historic districts in Florida.

Exploring on foot is the best way to get to know the city, with its ancient cobblestone streets.

Book a guided tour with Tampa Bay Tours to learn about its rich history as the state’s first industrial city.

I even hand-rolled my own cigars at the iconic El Reloj Cigar Factory, after watching the master hand-rollers at work in their three-level museum.

Columbia, the oldest restaurant in Florida AND the oldest Spanish restaurant in the US, is just around the corner.

It has been serving Cuban and Spanish specialties for over a century and the famous Cuban sandwich, filled with thick cuts of ham and gooey cheese, will not disappoint.

My wonderful trip ended as it began: with me in a food coma.