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Freebies and fun Father's Day adventures for dad

You could give dad another tie or splurge on a six-pack of socks for Father’s Day on Sunday, but he’d probably rather go somewhere with you on a fun adventure.Many zoos, including those in Pittsburgh, Tampa and Atlanta, welcome dads for free on Father’s Day as do many museums and attractions such as Seattle’s Museum of Flight, Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas and Old Sturbridge Village in Mass

You could give dad another tie or splurge on a six-pack of socks for Father’s Day on Sunday, but he’d probably rather go somewhere with you on a fun adventure.

Many zoos, including those in Pittsburgh, Tampa and Atlanta, welcome dads for free on Father’s Day as do many museums and attractions such as Seattle’s Museum of Flight, Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas and Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts, where dads will also get a free gift and a free lesson in playing the jaw harp or a tin whistle. (Many free admission offers are 2-for-1, so don’t chintz out and try to send dad through the turnstile alone.)

In Spokane, Wash., tours of the restored home of Father’s Day founder Sonora Smart Dodd, known as “The Mother of Father’s Day,” will be offered on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. (Email doddhouse@comcast.net for address and details). At George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, Museum & Gardens near Alexandria, Va., a man portraying General Washington will be on hand throughout the weekend to greet visitors, pose for photos and share his thoughts and advice on being a husband, stepfather and, of course, the Father of our Country. This weekend, modern-day fathers who purchase a ticket to the Mount Vernon estate will also get free admission to the George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill, three miles down the road.

Feed dad for free
Many restaurants have planned special Father’s Day brunch menus and some eateries will feed your dad for free.

On Sunday, dads dining at any of the 10 Smith & Wollensky Restaurants across the country will receive complimentary sleeves of special edition golf balls (while supplies last). Most TCBY shops will give dads a free frozen yogurt, and IKEA stores will treat dads to a free breakfast and a complimentary cup of coffee (until 11 a.m.). And if you say “BFD” (“burger for dad”) out loud when you order, your dad will be served a free 1/3 pound burger at The Counter restaurants.

Father’s Day hotel deals
It’s not too late to take advantage of some of the specials and packages hotels have created to pamper your pop.

  • The Father’s Day promotion package at the Seagate Hotel & Spa in Delray Beach, Fla., includes a deluxe room, breakfast for two, a 50-minute Men’s Urban Cleanse Facial (at the spa) and an in-room amenity. ($350; promo code: Father)
  • “Rock of Ages,” starring Tom Cruise as an 80s-era rock-god, hits theaters today and New York City’s Sanctuary Hotel is offering a “Live Like a Rock Star Package” (starting at $269 per night, plus tax) that includes VIP add-on amenities ranging from a bottle of Double Cross vodka (“To get the party started,” $150) to a haircut at Whittemore House Salon by Larry Raspanti, the hairdresser who snips the locks of Bono and other celebrities. (Men’s haircut: $125).
  • In Beverly Hills, a Father’s Day tradition is a free outdoor car and motorcycle show stretching along Rodeo Drive. This year’s Rodeo Drive Concours d´Elegance features classic automobiles and racing cars from Britain, so the Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel is offering a British Intelligence Package, which includes a glass of California wine on arrival, breakfast for two and a 360 martini or cappuccino. (Code: BRINTEL)
  • Gearhead dads may also want to drive to Tacoma, Wash., where the Hotel Murano has added a "Get your Motor Running" package that includes free parking, $20 food and beverage credit, free in-room Wi-Fi and two tickets to LeMay-America’s Car Museum, the shiny new shrine to automobiles that opened its doors on June 2.

Find more by Harriet Baskas on StuckatTheAirport.com and follow her on Twitter.

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