Make dad’s day – with a day out!

We think we’ve got Father’s Day gifts covered, see our blog here, but we’re also a brilliant destination if you think the man in your life would prefer a meal out, adventure experience, cinema trip or sporting session.

Here are just a few of our favourite ways to celebrate dad's special day this June 16.

Screen time: Buy him a big bucket of popcorn or a sizzling hot dog covered with crispy onions and get him settled in a comfy reclining leather seat at the Vue cinema. Will dad prefer to buckle up for Furiosa, the latest in the Mad Max franchise? Or get in touch with his emotions for the new Inside Out 2?

Shop till you drop: Even if he isn’t keen on shopping, we’re sure dad will make an exception for the quirky offerings at GoGoGadget or Cool! Merchandise. There are great finds for gamers and vinyl fans at Game and HMV, and dad will love the vintage and retro comics and action figures at Kushti Comics.

Take a break: We have so many great places for a pit stop. You’ll find brilliant barista coffee at Starbucks, Costa, Pret and Caffe Nero, or why not introduce dad to the wonderful world of flavoured tea and popping juice balls at Bubble CiTea? Don’t forget, at Fig & Fox you can also enjoy barista crafted coffee using Moonroast coffee beans, teas from the New Forest Tea Co, and hot chocolate made from Chococo Chocolates flakes.

Sport zone: Sporty dads will be in seventh heaven at Basingstoke Sports Centre in the heart of Festival Place. This vast fitness, leisure and sports complex spread over seven floors has a huge 186-station mixed gym with functional training zone, two swimming pools, three squash courts, and a 5-badminton-court sports hall.

Adventure addict: You'll have great fun with the whole family at Escape Hunt, where you’ll need to work as a team to solve puzzles and complete ground-breaking missions against the clock. Doctor Who fans will love the Dalek Awakens, where they will have to use all their cunning to defeat a rogue Dalek and avoid extermination, and wannabe spies can go back in time to 1942, where they will join MI6 to find and destroy Nazi superweapons and save Britain.

Make a meal of it: We have a host of superb restaurants – try something different by experiencing the flavours of Mexico at our newest food hub El Bigote, or call into iconic bar BrewDog, where the taps are flowing with craft beer and the menu features burgers, spicy wings and amazing plant-based options.