Families looking to give their dad his dream getaway for Father’s Day this year can find several options in Florida. Here are a few ideas to help different dad types live out their dreams:
FOR THE COWBOY DAD: WESTGATE RIVER RANCH
Dads who love the great outdoors will find the perfect retreat at Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo, a dude ranch located just an hour south of Orlando. Fathers can unleash their inner cowboy with experiences such as trap and skeet shooting, horseback riding, or by trying to hang on to a mechanical bull. Other outdoor activities include archery, a full-service marina complete with boating, fishing, airboat and swamp buggy rides, a nine-hole golf course and rock-climbing wall. At the Saturday night championship rodeo, families can watch the professional cowboys with highlights like trick riding, bull riding, calf roping and barrel racing.
And just because dad is spending the day like a cowboy, doesn’t mean the entire family has to live like one. The Ranch offers a wide selection of accommodations ranging from traditional camping sites to lodge rooms to deluxe cabins to the newly introduced Luxe Teepees. The Luxe Teepees offer a five-star hotel experience in a camping atmosphere and include A/C, fireplace, ensuite bathrooms, concierge service and much more. For more information, visit www.westgateriverranch.com or call (863) 692-1321.
FOR THE BEACH BUM DAD: COCOA BEACH PIER
Families can soak up the sun and surf at one of the most popular surfing, fishing and beach lounging spots in Central Florida, the Cocoa Beach Pier. Stretching 800 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, the iconic Cocoa Beach Pier is an ideal location for beachgoers to dip, surf, shop, fish and dine at one of the Pier’s five bars and restaurants. Dad won’t even have to leave his beach chair by taking advantage of food service on the beach – the only of its kind in Cocoa Beach – with wait staff coming directly to the beach to take and deliver food and beverage orders. Cocoa Beach Pier offers rentals of surfboards, fishing gear, chairs, tents, umbrellas, volleyballs and bicycles. For more information, visit www.cocoabeachpier.com.
FOR THE GOLFER DAD: WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN AND DOLPHIN HOTEL
For a retreat for dads who love to relax on the fairways, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel is offering 1-, 2-, or 4-adult packages for golf at any of Walt Disney World’s four golf courses, including Disney’s Magnolia Golf Course, home to the renowned PGA Tour Walt Disney World Classic. Packages include one round of golf per person for each night’s stay and round trip transportation to the course. Located in the heart of Walt Disney World, the hotel features 17 world-class restaurants and lounges, sophisticated guest rooms with Westin Heavenly Beds, the luxurious Mandara Spa, five pools, two health clubs, tennis, nearby golf, complimentary transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort and other Walt Disney World Resort benefits. For more information, please visit www.swandolphin.com/offers.