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What are you doing for Dad this Father's Day?

Dad on Father's Day outing to Hard Rock casino

I will miss my Dad this Father’s Day! His idea of a great Father’s Day was a fun activity ending with a great meal – that had to include ice cream! The activity could have been as simple as a drive for him to look around, playing “Rook” or, in later years, the Hard Rock Casino (as pictured above). He was looking for an experience, not a gift.

I’m excited to share with you a variety of great experiences to share with your Dad as well as a few gift ideas he may enjoy. While bittersweet to put these ideas together, I have enjoyed thinking about many memories while putting these suggestions together.

  1. Spending time with Dad, in person, having fun, creating a memory is the best gift you can give to your Dad. If you can’t make it in person, try Facetime, Skype, or Zoom to spend virtual time with Dad.
  1. We have a fun and innovative Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in the Tampa Bay area. It has an Imax theater in addition to great exhibits. This is a great activity for all ages and perfect with families including grandchildren. If you need disability accommodations, please reach out to MOSI in advance.

MOSI

  1. Make a reservation for a beachfront restaurant. This provides Dad the opportunity to enjoy the beach, in the shade, with a cocktail! He can watch everyone enjoy the sand and water and not have to be concerned about too much heat and the instability of walking on sand.

frenchys

  1. Ready for a rollercoaster ride? Busch Gardens has much to offer, rides, shows and a safari journey. Even if Dad can’t ride the rollercoasters, he may enjoy watching “you” ride the roller coasters.

busch gardens

  1. Largo Central Park is a great venue for a picnic, with lots of comfortable shade. The Park is friendly to those with disability issues. Pack a lunch, pick up sandwiches at Publix or the local deli and a gallon of ice tea and you are ready for a great meal. And don’t forget KFC, some days you just need to have fried chicken!
  1. A little-known secret in Pinellas County is The Largo Botanical Gardens. A walk around the Gardens slows you down and gives you a chance to escape and enjoy the beauty only a garden can provide.

botanical gardens

  1. Enjoy lunch in beautiful downtown Dunedin then head over and explore the Dunedin Fine Arts museum for the afternoon. Looking at art is an amazing experience no matter what age you are and it does not require your memory for you to enjoy it. Go have some fun!
  1. Enjoy a lovely stroll and lunch on Beach Drive in St. Petersburg, then take some time to visit the Chihuly Museum. The glass work is amazing, and if time permits head over a few blocks to the Hot Shop and see artists prepare and design incredible glass art while you watch.

chihuly museum

  1. Take Dad out to the Ball Game! Enjoy watching the Tampa Bay Rays play the San Francisco Giants and get a free foam bat and ball set while you’re there.

Father's Day baseball outing

  1. Enjoy cocktails and dinner on Father’s Day at On Swann in Hyde Park,   Tampa, Florida. This is a shameless plug for the restaurant of my good friends, John and Trudy Cooper. I love this restaurant! The cocktails, the menu and the ambiance are all amazing. My favorite main dish was the Lemon Herb Ricotta Gnocchi until I tried the Pork Chop with the Grits – they are both amazing! You have to start your dinner with “The Farm” and “Parm Zeppole!” What a pleasant refreshing surprise full of flavor. Try it out and be sure to say “Hi” to John and Trudy for me.

pork chop and grits

  1. One of my husband’s favorite gifts received for Father’s Day is a beautiful journal labeled WOD, “Wisdom of Dad.” Our son listed pages of sayings, idioms, and comments his Dad has repeated to him throughout his years. When my husband has ever wondered if he has had an impact on his children he only has to look at this “WOD” Journal and then feel good!
  1. A repeat from a Mother’s Day suggested gift is the Amazon “Echo.” We enjoy walking in to our home and quickly stating, “Alexa, please play Classical Music” and in a few sections you are relaxing and listening to the music. My husband loves asking Alexa to provide all of the scores from the sporting events he follows. The Echo can be purchased at amazon.com.

Amazon echo

  1. My husband is thoroughly enjoying his “Canary” home monitoring system. It alerts him via text of anyone entering our home, the temperature of our home, the humidity level, and the air quality of the home. I can’t believe how much time he spends watching our home and enjoying checking it out. It is extremely simple to set up however Wi-Fi service is required. You can purchase one at www.amazon.com.
  1. SkyBell is a smart video doorbell that allows you to see, hear, and speak to the visitor at your door whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go. This is great for the Dad that perhaps is a little unsteady on his feet or perhaps slower to answer the door. Dad can directly talk to the visitor, tell them he is on the way and not hurry so much and take the risk of falling.
  1. Do you want a beautiful way to maintain your tablet and all the charging cords and accessories that go with it? Check out the Mod 2 Tablet Case.

Mod Tablet Case

  1. Fitbit or Garmin are great tools, depending upon how engaged your Dad is in following his fitness commitment. A good friend recently shared what a motivator his Fitbit is to keep him moving on a daily basis. In fact, if he doesn’t get his 10,000 steps in he starts to feel guilty.

Fitbit

  1. The Amazon Fire TV Stick allows Dad to access Hulu, Netflix, ESPN, and literally 1000’s of shows on his TV. If Dad is not tech savvy please take time to set this up for him before you leave his house – it is the only way he will love this gift!

fire stick amazon

  1. Ugg! Shearling Slippers. You can’t go wrong, no matter what the weather, giving Dad this soft and cozy slipper. These slippers are good inside as well as outside the house, and do not have slippery soles.

uggs mens slippers for Father's Day

  1. Is there a Dad out there that doesn’t need another carabiner? Check out the REI website for a full selection. Do not limit your carabiner use to just a key chain. This is a manly method to attach items to your wheel chair or your walker. When traveling it helps you keep track of your stuff by attaching the carabiner to your item and your jacket. The uses are endless and the price is good.
  1. Order some Montgomery Inn (“The Ribs King”) ribs and have them ready to throw on the grill for Dad and enjoy. Be sure to order some extra Ribs King sauce. These ribs come completely seasoned ready cook on the grill or oven. The sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, any leftovers can be used on chicken or burgers. I promise you Dad will love his Father’s Day ribs!

montgomery inn ribs

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