It can be difficult coming up with new and unique gift ideas each year for Father’s Day. After all, dad only needs so many power tools, watches or other typical Father’s Day gifts. Instead of buying dad a material good this year, check out the creative ideas we put together of ways to spend time with dad this Father’s Day.
Parks and Rivers
If your dad is an outdoorsy type, there are plenty of adventures to take dad on. In the Brandon area, we are surrounded by parks, trails and rivers for hiking and fishing.
Aldermans Ford Park, located at 9625 Canoe Launch Rd. in Lithia, is a great place to go hiking or biking on the loop paths. With direct access to the Alafia River, you can also take advantage of the park’s erosion-free canoe launch. Park entry is $2 per vehicle up to eight people and $1 per person over eight people. For more information, call 757-3801.
E.G. Simmons Park, located at 2401 19th Ave. NW in Ruskin, has many different trails and waterways that you and dad can explore. Fun activities that you can enjoy at E.G. Simmons Park include picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing and overnight camping. Summer hours for the park are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. For more information, call 671-7655.
Bowling Alleys
Oakfield Lanes, located at 1001 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon, has 32 lanes available for rent as well as shoes and bowling balls. Oakfield Lanes also has a few different bowling specials, including $1 per game on Monday from 9 a.m.-12 Noon; all you can bowl from 9:30-close for $10 per person and buy one game for $3, get one game free on Friday’s from 9 a.m.-12 Noon. Oakfield Lanes is open Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-11:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-1:00 a.m. For more information or to reserve a lane, call 681-4783.
Brandon Crossroads Bowling (BCB), located at 609 Crater Ln. in Tampa, off Falkenburg Rd., offers 40 lanes with automatic scoring. Every Sunday, including Father’s Day, it offers bowling at $2.25 per game, with shoes costing $2 for children over 12 years old and $1.50 for children 12 and under from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. BCB also offers Cosmic bowling every Friday and Saturday night from 12 Midnight- 2:30 a.m. Cost is $12 per person or you can book over the phone for $60 per lane. That price also includes shoe rental. BCB is open from Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.- 12 Midnight and Friday -Saturday 9 a.m.-2:30 a.m. For more information, call 621-2363.
The Alley at SouthShore is located at 10221 Big Bend Rd. in Riverview and offers 32 lanes for bowling. The Alley also offers Cosmic bowling every Friday and Saturday night from 12 Midnight- 2:30 a.m. Cost is $12 per person, $15 per person for the VIP bowling area or you can book over the phone for $60 per lane or $75 for VIP bowling. That price also includes shoe rental. The Alley is open from Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-12 Midnight and Friday- Saturday, 9 a.m.–2:30 a.m. For more information, call 672-8353.
Golf
Another great way to spend time with dad is by finding time to fit in 18 holes on the putt-putt golf course. Ace Golf offers miniature golf for $6.49 for adults, $4.99 for children ages 4–10 and children under 4 are free. There are also eight batting cages which are available to rent by the half hour and the hour. Ace Golf has two convenient locations, one in Brandon at 820 S. Kings Ave. and one in Riverview at 12910 Boyette Rd. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 8 a.m.-11 p.m. For more information, call the Brandon location at 651-GOLF (4653) or the Riverview location at 672-7750.
Movies
AMC Regency 20, located at 2496 W. Brandon Blvd. in Brandon, within Regency Square, is also a great way to spend time with dad, by taking him to the latest movies. For more information or to purchase tickets early, visit www.movietickets.com/house_detail.asp?house_id=997.
The Ruskin Drive-In Theatre, located at 5011 U.S. Hwy. 41 N. in Ruskin, is also a fun way to kick back and spend time with dad. The drive-in plays two movies each night, starting at 7:30 p.m. Movies typically run weekly from Friday- Thursday with a 10-15 minute intermission held after the first movie. Admission price is $5 per person. Children ages 5-8 are $1 per child and children 4 years old and younger are free with their own parents. These prices include both movies. Come prepared, as the drive-in accepts cash only.
Concessions include hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs and cheese dogs straight from the grill. Snacks consist of popcorn, dill pickles, nachos with cheese, candy bars and ice cream. Twelve-inch whole cheese or pepperoni pizzas are also sold. Beverages include Pepsi products, root beer, pink lemonade, fruit punch and bottled spring waters.
Go-Carts
Challenge Dad to a go-cart race on Father’s Day by taking him to Ambassador Racing School, on the corner of C.R. 39 and C.R. 672. at 14840 Speedway Dr. in Wimauma. Also available at the Ambassador Racing School is what’s called “Quarter Midget Racing,” where children as young as four-and-a-half years old can race small NASCAR-type cars that can reach speeds of 55 miles per hour. Truck racing is also available. The public can take a test drive on the quarter midgets any Sunday at the Ambassador track, which is one-tenth of a mile long. The cost is $20 and is open to children ages 5-16. For more information or to make reservations, call 634-1076.
