Jeff Bogle |
When I sold my book, my wife got me a Cameo from a Philadelphia Zoo zookeeper and a red panda, my favorite animal. It’s a charming keepsake experience I watch over and over when I’m feeling stressed and sad. If your dad has a favorite athlete, actor, musician or celeb (like the famous Times Square Naked Cowboy, for example, or wrestling Hall of Famer Kurt Angle) they may be on Cameo and will create a personal video message that he’ll love. Prices vary based on who is doing the Cameo.
I’ve done Airbnb Experience walking tours in Reykjavik and Athens, but there will be tours local to you in your closest city, too. Whether he loves cats, beer, food, ghost stories or history, there’s a walking tour experience gift for the dad in your life. Prices vary by tour, but they go as low as $15 and most stay under $100 per person.
Expert stylists can help update Dad’s fit to have him runway-ready (or at least convince him to stop wearing gym shorts everywhere). Want to pair the advice with some IRL shopping? Book an appointment for an in-person experience at a J. Crew store, and get him some of the clothes they pick out. Virtual appointments are also available.
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Help Dad tell his story with my guided journal that digs deep into his experiences as a child and adult, as well as his emotions, beliefs, and hopes for the future. The result of this guided journal experience will be a gift for his kids and grandkids to cherish forever.
RELATED: Best Father’s Day Gifts for Grandpa
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Dads often want to get better or be the best at everything. With lessons from legends like Neil Gaiman, Herbie Hancock and Thomas Keller, MasterClass can help dads hone their skills or try something brand new, like fiction writing, jazz piano playing and fine cooking. Plans start at $10/month, and then go up if you want Dad to be able to use more than one device or learn in “offline mode.”
RELATED: I Tried the Online Classes Everyone Raves About to See If It’s a Gift Worth Giving
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Some experiences require nothing more than opening a box and exploring a country through their snack foods. A monthly Universal Yums subscription will deliver the world to your Dad and his taste buds. Subscriptions start at $16 for a box of five to sevens snacks, and go up from there if you want to give Dad more goodies.
Has the dad in your life dreamed of dazzling friends and family with sleight of hand tricks? This affordable one-hour class with an elite magician will pull back the curtain and teach him the secrets to performing his own magic. You can opt for just the lesson, or add in a set of the playing cards, too.
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Giving the gift of travel can be cost-prohibitive, but Dad can taste the world through this ingenious coffee club that sends him single-origin coffee as whole beans, grounds or Keurig or Nespresso Pods from countries like India, Columbia, Costa Rica, and more. Each bag arrives with a postcard from the country with stories about the place to help transport him far away while sipping his morning Joe. The subscription costs $55 for three months and goes up to $189 for the year.
RELATED: The Best Coffee Subscriptions
For the foodie dad, a meal kit subscription gift will give him a myriad of new recipes to try and new foods to eat. And best of all, you’ll get to sample all of the delicious meals and desserts! It’s a win-win! Plans cost around $10 – $11 per meal, plus $11 shipping, and you can get them for two to four people.
RELATED: The Best Meal Delivery Services
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Whether dad wants to skydive, fly a plane, take a helicopter ride or experience a hot air balloon, Virgin Flying Experiences will scratch his daredevil itch. Experiences, which are offered at different locations across the country, range for $59 for an indoor skydiving session to more than $400 for those who want to learn how to fly a helicopter.
Mental health is the defining issue of our time. Give Dad the gift of having someone to talk to, resources for stress, and access to learning about healthy sleep habits and self-care. There be no better and more important experience. Gift subscriptions are $38.99 for three months or $69.99 for a year.
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This 90-minute online class with a hip Brooklyn bartender will transform any Dad into an at-home mixologist with the skills to shake and stir for his friends and family.
For Dads Who Love to Try New Foods
Delhi Delights: Samosas & Coriander Chutney Class
Bring the flavors and aroma of Indian cuisine into Dad’s kitchen with this 75-minute online cooking class by a chef from Delhi. He’ll teach how to make authentic samosas and a coriander chutney that will become staples of Dad’s meal-planning.
Jeff is a dad of two daughters, an avid traveler, a photographer, an author and a freelance writer who lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia with his wife and their cats. In addition to Good Housekeeping, he’s written for Parents, Fodor’s, Food and Wine, Real Simple and Reader’s Digest, among other print and online publications. Jeff is the publisher of the quarterly literary magazine, Stanchion, and his book, Streets Cats and Where to Find Them, will be published by Running Press in the Summer of 2025.
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