The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
FREEBIE ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH DAD
Seven things to do with your father on his day.
Does Dad really need a $1,360 hip flask?
Some magazine thinks that’s a good gift for the father who has everything, but we disagree.
Don’t give him expensive knickknacks. Instead, give Dad time — time with family and friends.
Time doesn’t need to cost a lot, and, in fact, here are seven things for Dad to do that won’t cost him anything at all.
Bass Pro Shops
Dad and Junior and Missy can do some free, catch-and-release indoor fishing at the Bass Pro Shop in Lawrenceville from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday. And they won’t have to leave the store. Inside the building is a small aboveground pond stocked with – guess what? – bass. For junior anglers, there are lessons on casting, and for parents, there are seminars and guides to family-friendly fishing trips. Bass Pro Shops, 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville; 678-847-5500; www.basspro.com/gonefishing
College Football Hall of Fame
Dad: Show the kids you’ve still got it. Kick a field goal, throw a pass, dodge through an obstacle course. And if you need to relax, there’s a cash bar on the field. The downtown museum offers free admission for fathers, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For the rest of the family, fans 13 and up are $23.95, children 3-12 are $19.59; 250 Marietta St., 404-880-4800; www.cfbhall.com/
High Museum of Art
There’s a free art-making workshop at the High Museum’s outdoor Sifly Piazza, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, which could be a good opportunity for dads and kids to hang out and make some stuff together. Also, in the museum’s gallery there will be story-telling sessions at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. that same day. The stories are from the colorful children’s books by Ashley Bryan, the esteemed painter, poet and author whose works are now being featured at the museum. The High Museum of Art is at 1280 Peachtree St., 404-733-4400; www. high.org/
Greenhouse Music Festival
Dad can dance. Or so he thinks. Let him get down at the Greenhouse Festival in Piedmont Park. It’s a free outdoor concert and dancea-thon, noon-9 p.m., Sunday. A celebration of deep house music, featuring D J BE, Yusef, Cullen Cole, D J Theo, Stephanie Cooke and Nadira Shakoor, Greenhouse takes place at the picnic pavilion area near the pool. The park is alongside 10th Street, between Monroe and Piedmont. www.atlgreenhouse.com/
Arabia Mountain State Park
Get outside, Dad, and check out the 400 millionyear-old monadnock that is Arabia Mountain. A part of DeKalb County’s necklace of metamorphic mountains, including Stone Mountain and Panola Mountain, Arabia is near Lithonia and adjacent to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday, June 18, Park Ranger Robb Astrove will lead a two-hour hike through the 2,550-acre DeKalb County park called the Davidson-Arabia Nature Preserve. It’s free. Meet at 3787 Klondike Road, in DeKalb County; 404-998-8384; arabiaalliance.org/
Six Flags Over Georgia
If you’ve got a season pass you can bring your dad along for free on Father’s Day, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., where thrill rides like Batman, Acrophobia and Blue Hawk will make him scream like – well, like the manly man that he is. (The Water Park inside Six Flags is open noon-6 p.m.) 275 Riverside Parkway SW, Austell. 770-739-3400; www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia
Zoo Atlanta
On Sunday, from 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m, fathers can enjoy free admission to Zoo Atlanta with a purchase of any regularly priced child’s or adult’s general admission ticket. Dads may also enjoy the zoo free if accompanied by a Zoo Atlanta member. Tickets are $22.99 for adults ($25.99 at gate) and $16.99 for children ($17.99 at the gate); 800 Cherokee Ave SE, Atlanta, 404-624-5600; zooatlanta.org/