11 Gifts Dads Actually Want for Father’s Day (Trust Us, We Asked)

“My dad lives at the beach, so I got him a new beach umbrella that I know he’ll get a lot of use out of,” says Apartment Therapy Shopping Editor Alexa Casanova. “It stays put on windy days (my dad won’t let inclement weather stop him from going to the beach), and has a little table built in for drinks, snacks, and sunscreen.” 

If your dad is a beach bum but already has an umbrella, this Hydro Flask cooler backpack makes sure that drinks stay cold while being easily carried from the car to the sandbar. “I got him a cooler backpack one year, and he uses it all the time,” Apartment Therapy Shopping Editor Alexa Casanova shares.

“It’s so much more comfortable than lugging a giant wheeled cooler around. He takes it on road trips with my mom and to the beach, and has even brought it to theme parks with my niece and nephew to keep their snacks fresh.”

There’s nothing like spending a day at the beach or park, on a trail ride, or wherever the road takes you, and sometimes the best outdoorsy gift is one that is highly practical. “My dad loves a practical gift,” says Apartment Therapy’s Executive Home Director Danielle Blundell. “So in addition to dinner at his favorite restaurant, I’m giving him a tub of Biom Biodegradable Hand Sanitizing Wipes. They’re perfect for keeping in a car cup holder, thanks to their mini dispenser, and the magnetic closure means they won’t dry out the way packs of wipes often do. The wipes themselves are plastic-free, powered by citric acid, and infused with aloe so they’re tough on germs — but not on your hands.”

“I stayed at Urban Cowboy Lodge in the Catskills over Memorial Day weekend, and they had the most amazing Pendleton bathrobes,” says Dorm Therapy Lifestyle Editor Sofia Rivera. “The minute I tried it on, I knew it would make the best Father’s Day gift. The robe is made of 100% cotton terry velour and has a hood, so it’s all kinds of cozy. My dad loves to lounge on the back porch reading the newspaper, or on the couch watching obscure movies, so I know he’ll practically live in this robe.” 

Not all dads love golf, but many do. Apartment Therapy’s Director of Shopping Katie Maguire swears by a mini putting green. “One year I got him this putting green, and although it took him a few months to get on board, he now uses it all the time. It rolls up very compactly and he uses it both inside and outside when the weather’s nice. In fact, it’s getting a bit old from wear and tear and he’s about to buy himself a new one! I’m taking that as a win for me.”

“My dad loves music, and he has tons of old vinyls and tons of CDs,” Style Editor Emma Dangel shares. “We used to burn them together when I was growing up. I’m thinking of getting him something like this, so he can play those old CDs, and his vintage vinyls/cassettes from the car!” It’s the perfect hosting gem — who doesn’t love a dinner party where vinyls are spinning? — and it does double duty as a gift that is practical.

“My dad enjoys a good Old-Fashioned or cocktail to wind down, especially on weekends, but he absolutely despises having to ‘mix’ one,” says Apartment Therapy Editor-in-Chief Charli Penn. “We have the Bartesian cocktail maker, and he’s become obsessed with how easy it is for him to make a quick cocktail on demand. We’re getting him new capsules for Father’s Day. He’ll be so happy!”

It’s also a great gift for the dad who loves to have friends over — he doesn’t have to spend all night mixing drinks at the bar. He just presses a button and voila! 

“What do you get for a big sports fan who has everything? Something to display their favorite memorabilia! This year I got my dad the Umbra TFrame T Shirt Wall Frame so he could safely store and display one of his many collectible tees or jerseys,” says Apartment Therapy Lifestyle Director Stephanie Nguyen.

My dad is a hat guy, and for multiple years in a row I’ve gifted him something from the Parks Project — like a cool T-shirt, a carabiner, or a water bottle. This year the brand is doing a collaboration with Looney Tunes, and this baseball cap is right up my dad’s alley — cool, funny, and National Parks-adjacent. It’ll be the perfect hat for mowing the lawn, running errands, or going on our beach vacation this summer.

For Christmas, my dad asked for a rain gauge. I went a little over the top and got my dad this totally tricked-out weather station that included a rain gauge but also shows the wind gust direction; the outdoor temperature; humidity; dew point; “feels like” temperature; the rainfall over the last hour, day, week, and year; the air pressure; the moon phase; indoor temperature and humidity; and the date, year, and time. It may have been his favorite Christmas present, not to brag.

One thing about my family is that we’re a Birkenstock family through and through — just like we’re a B-movies family. As such, one of the easiest gifts I always get my dad on repeat is a pair of Arizona sandals (original cork footbed only — no soft cushion beds here, people!). He reliably wears them to the ground. Even if he doesn’t need a new pair, this is a great option because they will be worn.