STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — During 2020, celebrating our loved ones often requires some extra planning, some extra work and, perhaps, some new tips and tricks. But even though the traditions of Father’s Day this year will undoubtedly look different from most years, it can still be a lovely, memorable celebration.

Explore Steamboat brainstormed ideas to help make Sunday, June 21, as local and special as can be for the dads and father figures you’re celebrating. 

For dads who can be celebrated in person

• Everyone loves waking up to breakfast in bed. Whether you flaunt your chef skills or order delivery from his favorite breakfast place, breakfast in bed is a can’t-fail way to get a great Father’s Day started.
• Take him on his tried-and-true favorite hike or bike ride, or surprise him by bringing him to a trail he’s never done before. For extra brownie points, bring along a picnic.
• Bring him on a free guided tour of the Yampa River Botanic Park.
• Take Dad on a Father’s Day paddleboard, kayak or raft trip at his favorite stretch of the Yampa or at his favorite nearby lake or pond. If he’s flaunting his skills or has a spectacular wipeout, photos or videos of these antics can be submitted to the 40th annual Yampa River Festival for the opportunity for some excellent prizes. Find more information at friendsoftheyampa.com. 
• Get beers from local breweries together and throw him a backyard beer tasting.
• If dad isn’t up for the idea of dining out at his go-to restaurant, put together a take-out feast at home from all his favorite places. 

For dads who will be celebrated from afar

• Arrange for dad’s favorite meal to be delivered right to his door through a food delivery service local to his area. Remember to tip generously.
• If dad loves cooking, sign yourselves up for a virtual cooking class together. Virtual classes offer sessions that teach everything from the art of steak grilling to vegan cooking at plenty of price points and skill levels, so you’ll be sure to find an option that you’ll both love.
• If the dad you’re celebrating is within visiting distance but needs to stay more than 6 feet away from you, decorate his front door or front porch with some new potted plants or a string of happy, sentimental photos, or if you’re feeling artsy, leave him some chalk messages on his driveway.
• Conspire with the whole family to throw a virtual Father’s Day game night. Games like Yahtzee, Pictionary, Apples to Apples, Cards Against Humanity and others that don’t rely on a single common deck of cards or complicated boards are simple to share and play via video meeting platform. For the most ambitious gamers, board games can also work well over video if every participating household has a copy of the same board game.
• If the dad you’re celebrating is a movie buff, send him a DIY Movie Night kit, complete with some DVDs you think he’d love or a streaming subscription, popcorn and his favorite candy and maybe a cozy new blanket or slippers.

Extra-meaningful gift ideas

• For dads who love fresh, seasonal produce and trying out new recipes, a subscription or membership to veggie deliveries through a local farm is a gift that keeps on giving. 
• A subscription to his favorite newspaper or magazine is always a great gift idea, but even more so during a time when dad might have plenty of extra time on his hands.
• A donation to an organization that’s meaningful to the dad you’re celebrating is an especially great gift. Whether your dedicated donation supports a group supporting social justice work, COVID-19 relief efforts or any other good cause, this gift will be especially appreciated this year. 
• A gift certificate to his favorite restaurant or small business that’s been impacted by COVID-19 is a win-win for everyone involved. Many gift certificates can be purchased contactless online and used at any point in the future when he feels comfortable doing so.
• Snag a one-of-a-kind gift for dad through Steamboat Creates’s online page of local artists and galleries, many of whom are selling and shipping ready-to-go pieces and individualized commissions. The online gallery features individual pieces and artists’ information at steamboatcreates.org/visual-arts-crafts.
• Make dad a coupon book filled with all the activities you’ll do to celebrate Father’s Day — and all the other holidays and birthdays that have been celebrated in isolation — when the world fully re-opens, whether that’s going out to see a play, a football game, a nice dinner out, a trip to see far-away family members or anything else he’s been especially missing during these past few months.

Julia Ben-Asher is a contributing writer for Steamboat Pilot & Today.