How to Spend Father’s Day in Texas
There’s much ado around Father’s Day in Texas: Kids, spouses, and especially dads themselves are all thinking about gifts, family activities, and (of course) firing up the grill on a whole Sunday dedicated to dad. Here are some ways to make this year’s Father’s Day a truly Texan experience — for dad and for everyone he loves.
Texan Gifts for Father’s Day
If Dad still hasn’t started using any of the wallets you’ve bought him for Father’s Day over the years, and if he’s acquired a huge stockpile of shiny barbecue tools from various holidays and birthdays, it might be time to think outside the stereotypical Father’s Day gift box. Here are some ideas for gifts that Dad is guaranteed to use. (In other words, get him food.)
Local Barbecue Sauce
You can’t go wrong with barbecue. Even if he’s a salt-and-pepper purist, he won’t be able to resist dipping into a local brand of Texas barbecue sauce. Check local farmers markets for handmade sauces, or get him a full flight of sweet, spicy, and smoky sauces from our list of the 10 best local barbecue sauces.
Texas Hot Sauce
Is he a daredevil? He’ll dig some local hot sauces full of Texas heat, from jalapeño to cayenne and habanero to ghost pepper, all guaranteed to make his brow sweat. Here are some of our favorite brands.
Donuts in Bed
Dad could wake up to eggs Benedict, a parfait, and a smoothie on a silver platter, but odds are he’d really prefer his own box of donuts. Get him his favorites, or if you’re nearby, snag a dozen from one of the six best doughnut shops in Texas.
Family Bonding Activities for Father’s Day
If Dad’s always trying (and failing) to rally the family for extravagant outings, today’s the day to indulge him. Plan a fun outing for the whole family based on Dad’s personal pastimes.
Go golfing. Hit the links and maybe even let Pop drive the golf cart. Visit his favorite green, or discover a new one: Here are 10 of the best public golf courses in Texas.
Tear up a bike trail. Dad’s probably been itching to break in those new bike shorts and sporty sunglasses with a strap. Load up the car with the family’s bikes and head out for one of these cyclists’ paradises in Texas.
Cool off with some paddleboarding. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a leisurely paddle around Lady Bird Lake, Caddo Lake State Park, the Gulf, or any of the other best paddle trails in Texas?
Tackle a roller coaster. Whether your dad’s a thrill junkie who’s always trying to find the biggest loop the loop or more of a spinning teacup kind of guy, the whole gang can have fun spending the day at one of Texas’ famous amusement parks.
Visit the rodeo. You can’t call yourself a Texan without having seen one of our rodeos. Brand Dad with that certification by taking him to see one of the best, biggest, and most authentic rodeos in Texas.
Turn “dad shows” into a reality. Is Dad a geek for Texas-based TV? Then he’ll dig spending Father’s Day hiking part of the “Lonesome Dove” trail from the 1989 miniseries based on the Larry McMurtry novel. He’ll also have fun touring familiar sites from “Yellowstone,” from Fort Worth and Weatherford to the Four Sixes Ranch and beyond.
Barbecuing on Father’s Day
It’s not Father’s Day without dads all over Texas setting their grills ablaze despite the 100-degree afternoon heat. Request he try out our five-hour smoked pork spareribs recipe, rubbed down with Meat Church BBQ’s blend of sweet-heat seasonings. You can also try any of these homemade barbecue rubs, which we’ve sourced (and sampled) from some of the best pitmasters in Texas.
Oh, and if this is his first Father’s Day as a dad and you want to make it official with his first-ever grill, here’s our guide to the best grill styles and brands on the market.
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