13 Father’s Day Gifts for Travel-Loving Dads

After more than a year of social distancing, the greatest gift you can give your dad this Father’s Day is booking a trip to go spend time with him in person. But if you don’t want to show up empty handed, here are 13 of AFAR’s favorite Father’s Day gifts, selected with supporting small businesses in mind.

1. Donate in his name 

For the dad who’d rather support social justice and equality than get more stuff

Donate Now: blackvisionsmn.org, blacklivesmatter.com, bailproject.org, aclu.org, unicornriot.ninja, knowyourrightscamp.com, sonofasaint.org, and many others

Before you purchase a physical gift off this list, consider making a philanthropic donation in his name first. Black Visions Collective, Black Lives Matter, the Bail Project, ACLU, Unicorn Riot, Know Your Rights Camp, and Son of a Saint are all great causes to champion and support. If you can, a recurring monthly donation in your father’s name will have an even greater effect on the work these organizations do.

2. Coffee subscription

For the coffee-obsessed dad

Buy Now: From $19, redbaycoffee.com 

To give your dad’s at-home coffee an upgrade, set him up with a monthly—or weekly—coffee subscription. There are many options to pick from on the internet, but if you’re looking to consciously support more Black-owned businesses, consider setting up a recurring subscription from Oakland’s Red Bay Coffee Roasters. Its founder Keba Konte not only champions using high-quality and sustainable beans, but also seeks to hire and serve people of all backgrounds, including people of color, the formerly incarcerated, women, and people with disabilities.

3. Masterclass membership

For the dad who never wants to stop learning

Buy Now: $180 for an annual membership, masterclass.com

An unlimited Masterclass membership will allow the man of many interests to brush up on his gardening skills with Ron Finley, hone his cooking with tips from Alice Waters, or even learn about space from Neil deGrasse Tyson. 

Courtesy of Paravel

4. Paravel compression packing cubes

For the dad who taught you not to overpack

Buy Now: $55, tourparavel.com

Made from 10 recycled plastic water bottles, this set of two compressive packing cubes save up to three vertical inches of suitcase space each when zipped down.  

5. Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ

For the dad who loves to cook

Buy Now: $28, bookshop.org

A cookbook from your dad’s favorite restaurant is a great way for him to revisit that spot before he can plan his return trip. Barbecue fans will love this new book from Rodney Scott, the proprietor of two barbecue restaurants in South Carolina and Alabama. In it you’ll find recipes for the prime rib that took Scott 10 years to master, grilled fish topped with honey butter, and plenty of sides. Check out more of AFAR’s picks for the best new cookbooks of spring and summer 2021.

6. Goldbelly food delivery

For the dad who loves to eat

Buy Now: From $30, goldbelly.com

If your dad would rather eat than cook, give him the gift of Goldbelly. This online marketplace ships iconic regional foods from around the United States via UPS and FedEx so ice cream arrives intact and meat arrives unspoiled. Be inspired by AFAR’s favorite small-food businesses on Goldbelly, browse its curated Father’s Day collection, or send him one of its Top Chef Meal Kits from the likes of Francis Mallmann and David Chang.

7. Candy and chocolate from his favorite city

For the dad who always orders dessert

Buy Now: From $13, goldbelly.com 

You can’t go wrong with chocolate as a gift for anyone with a serious sweet tooth. But instead of delivering just any old bar to your dear old dad, give your gift a travel angle and put together a selection of goodies made in his favorite city. Left his heart in San Francisco? Consider sweets from the likes of Dandelion or Recchiuti. Missing Memphis? Phillip Ashley Chocolates and Shotwell Candy Co. are still shipping. Not sure where to start? Goldbelly has dozens of options from America’s best gourmet chocolate shops and organizes them all by region on its website to make searching easier.

Courtesy of VSSL

8. VSSL First Aid Mini

For the dad who is always planning his next camping trip

Buy Now: $75, vsslgear.com

Whether your dad is itching to head into the backcountry or plotting out a road trip for this summer, this miniature version of VSSL’s aesthetically pleasing first aid kits will easily fit into his backpack or glove box. Each kit includes three tins of supplies like bandages, antiseptic wipes, burn cream, and much more.

9. Rains waterproof jacket

For the dad who loves the outdoors rain or shine

Buy Now: $110, us.rains.com

A little rain can’t keep your dad from spending most of his time outdoors? To keep him dry, give him a brand-new rain jacket from the Danish company Rains in a fun color.

10. Artifact Uprising framed photos

For the dad whose home office photos are seriously outdated

Buy Now: From $69, artifactuprising.com

If your dad is anything like mine, the photos in his office have long faded from sun damage since my sister and I gave him them circa 1990-something. Artifact Uprising will not only print out a favorite travel memory from your past trips together, but also will frame it in a variety of sizes saving you the hassle of DIY.

Courtesy of Aarke

11. Aarke sparkling water maker

For the dad who is obsessed with seltzer

Buy Now: $219, thegrommet.com

Created by two industrial designers from Sweden, this sleek sparkling water maker will help your dad eliminate his plastic bottle waste and will look great on his countertop. It comes in stainless steel, brass, and white options and doesn’t require batteries or electricity to operate.

12. Brown Estate Vineyards wine club

For the wine lover

Buy Now: From $28, brownestate.com

The best gift for a wine lover is an actual trip to wine country. But if you can’t manage that right now, a few bottles are also nice. Currently, Brown Estate Vineyards—Napa Valley’s first Black-owned estate winery—is shipping wines by the bottle starting at $28. If you feel like truly treating your dad, you can sign him up for one of its monthly or quarterly wine clubs that start at $125 (plus tax and shipping) per allocation.

13. Book of the Month Club subscription

For the dad who loves to read

Buy Now: From $50 for 3 months, bookofthemonthclub.com

Know that your dad loves to read, but don’t know what he wants to read next? Choose from one of Book of the Month Club’s three gift plans—3, 6, or 12 months—and your dad will get to pick a new book each month from five new releases. There’s a variety of genres to select from, including literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and more. For more literary inspiration, shop AFAR’s reading lists on Bookshop.org.

This article was originally published on June 5, 2020; it was updated on June 11, 2021, with new information.

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