5 Great Way to Celebrate Father's Day

While Mother's day sees all manner of excitement, many times Father's Day passes with more of a whimper than a roar. Yet why is that? Perhaps because it is harder to find great activities to do with dad? I am hear to say that there are plenty of great activities that sons and daughters can do with their fathers that can be economical and show that the best gift can simply be our time.

Image Credit: Zoo Raft

While it might sound corny but those that cook together stay together. Some of my best memories growing up were spending Sundays with my father as we cooked dinner for the family. Usually it was something much more elaborate than meals during the meal as we had more time. This included grilling out, different ethnic dishes, sometimes as simply as steak and home made french fries. So no matter your age, pick a meal grab some supplies and heat up the oven or grill. Small hint: offer to wash the dishes after :-)

Depending on the shape both you and your father are in either a bike ride or even a fun hike is another great way of spending time together. It is remarkable how without distractions of tv, internet, and phones there is generated real conversations unlikely to happen at home or in a restaurant. These don't have to be long hikes or rides, it could even be a short hike followed by sitting on a park bench watching the world go by, the key here is to get away and spend real time together. Optional bonus of having an ice cold beer or glass of wine following a long ride or hike.

Who doesn't remember going to some type of sports game with dad? Be it baseball, soccer, football even cricket; there is something about the excitement of the crowd, overpriced junk food, and rooting for your favorite (or any) sports team to make for an incredibly exciting day. This doesn't have to be a professional team, sometimes the AAA ball or other amateur leagues are even more fun. The key here is to cheer like crazy for the home team, to eat way too much unhealthy food, and spill at least one thing on your dad. The key here is to relive childhood together!

This can be a tough one and I would recommend choosing this activity with care for home projects that go awry can lead to short tempers and frustration, however the right project can lead to an incredible amount of fun. Pick a small project that you can work on together, perhaps painting a room or refinishing some wood furniture. Try to pick something that is manageable to complete in a couple of hours and will hopefully be something that both of you enjoy doing. Extra points for missing the wall and using a roller on dad (only if you have drop cloths)

If all else fails returning to those times growing up when your father taught you about certain foods or alcohol can be a great way to spend a few hours. There are usually plenty of restaurants, micro-breweries, or wineries that will be happy to do tastings, many times pairing with a meal if desired. Bond over learning about new drinks, cheeses even something as crazy as olive tastings. Be creative, it might give you both something to laugh about.