Pity the poor dad who has to endure the obligatory pinstripe tie and dubious collection of golf-themed humor every time June rolls around. This father's day, why not give your pater familias the gift of a great weekend? Perhaps deep sea fishing in Bermuda or golfing in Puerto Vallarta. Or you can always go falconing in Ireland.
, set on the storied grounds of Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, lets visitors get familiar with the fundamentals of the sport with the assistance of a regal collection of Harris hawks, as well as various eagles, owls and falcons. The two-night, $2,646 package includes lake view accommodations and a dinner for four. That beats a new pair of socks any day of the week.
Given that these days there are hotel packages for every conceivable demographic and pursuit (mancations, babymoons, "men? oh pause" weekends, etc.), we've scoured the latest high-end offerings of Y chromosome weekends to find getaways that suit all manner of dads: grizzled Hemingway types, golf course surf n' turfers, fly fishermen, adrenaline junkies, spa aficionados, and (steel yourself) ... retrosexuals.
What is a retrosexual, you may ask? A guy's guy. A man who's not afraid to take advantage of the package from The Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, which includes a Harley, a jacket and optional steak dinner (rates start at $379, available Thursday to Sunday year-round). A competitive guy who loves the links will enjoy the "Guys on the Green" weekend at the in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which includes two rounds of golf and one patented "Tired Leg Golf Massage" ($1,840 for a three-night stay, meals included). A true alpha male who'd like nothing better than to catch a Cubs game at Wrigley, then spend the evening at the , which is offering a summer baseball weekend package (rates run from $695 for two nights through September 5th).
But as the International Spa Association reminds us, an estimated 29 percent of spa goers these days are men. For dads with more sophisticated tastes, the two-night Men’s Club getaway at the at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure in Weston, Florida includes a personal training session, soothing spa treatments, pedicures and haircuts ($1,175 per person, valid through August). The perfect weekend for dads of a more metrosexual persuasion.
Marshall Calder, senior vice president of marketing at Leading Hotels of the World, notes that a lot of customers aren't afraid to customize their dad's weekend getaways. "They call us and say, I want this in the room, golf time reserved, Dad's favorite beer in the room and so forth. We put it together for them."
Crellin also diplomatically notes that spouses buying weekend packages for their husbands have something to gain even if they don't go along: “He’ll love his family that much more with a couple of days away.”
And finally, why not spend some at sea with dear old dad, communing with the spirit of the King. The , a four-day jaunt onboard a Carnival cruise ship, is hosted by longtime Elvis friend and confidant Jerry Schilling, and will also feature several bands who played with the man himself. Fares are from $750 per person, and include shake, rattle and roll.
Fly fishing in the Smokey Mountains. Golfing in Jamaica. Heli-skiing in Whistler. Read on to browse more upscale escapes for discerning dads.