Show your appreciation for dad with a train ride, beer or a barbecue this weekend.

Father’s Day at Roaring Camp Railroads has a special train ride in store for dad. (Image via RCR website)

Father’s Day is close, and if you’re like us, social media hasn’t let you forget it. That said, even if you’ve managed to remove yourself from the whirlwind of Father’s Day advertising going on right now, we hope you haven’t completely forgotten. If you have, or if you’re just overwhelmed by all the options, don’t panic, just sit back and check out our handy events guide of Father’s Day (and Father’s Day-ish) things to do: we’re breaking down the Peninsula’s happenings with a shout-out to fathers everywhere this weekend.

Holy Ravoli — housemade at Donato Enoteca, and the second course on the father’s day menu. (Photo via Donato Enoteca’s Instagram page).

Father’s Day

As far as the classic route of taking your pops to brunch this Sunday, there’s no shortage of options, though a few spots did catch our eye: there is the Father’s Day Sunday Brunch Buffet at Fort McKinley’s, a Filipino Restaurant in South San Francisco (free for kids 5 and under, $20 for ages 6–12, and $27 for 12 and up); Angelica’s All You Can Eat Buffet & Bottomless Mimosas in Redwood City, where the menu will feature carving, omelette & dessert stations for $60 a person (and $20 for kids 9 and under) or Donato Enoteca in Redwood City, where a special Father’s Day menu will be served alongside regular fare all day (the 3-course meal runs at $49 per person, while the 4-course meal, which includes a surprise dessert, goes for $62 per diner).

A shot of one of Roaring Camp’s train rides. (Photo via Instagram).

You know how much we like off-beat twists on the classics, though: that’s why, true to brand, we’re also recommending Father’s Day at Roaring Camp Railroads, which is planning to take dads on a special train ride (which will include a train “robbery”) and then treat them to a BBQ-style lunch, complete with options like specialty wings, sausages and tri-tip sandwiches.

The view at Shoreline. (Photo via Yelp)

While we’re on the subject of grilling, Shoreline Lake is hosting a Father’s Day Barbecue (scroll to the June calendar for details); the lake doesn’t allow individual barbecuers, so this could be your only chance to enjoy some classic barbecue food by the lake (the menu includes a choice of up to three kinds of meats and two sides and ranges from $13–$17). All-day passes to the lake (kayaking, canoeing, pedal & row boating) are also available for $15 a person. Hey — a day on the lake might help you digest that 18-hour brisket on the menu.

Levi Stadium in its full glory. (Photo via the Stadium’s Instagram page).

If your dad is into baseball but you’d rather not drive all the way up the Peninsula to get to AT&T park, you can celebrate Father’s Day with the San Jose Giants instead; the game will run from 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. in honor of all the baseball-loving fathers out there. Ok, say your dad isn’t exactly the most patient spectator of sports (cue the memories of all the times your parents almost went to battle with your little league coach), but you think he’d still appreciate the opportunity to attend a Picnic at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday — well, here’s your shot. Admission is $25, and includes entry on to the field, a meal, and access to the food trucks and local breweries that’ll be present.

Also notable: the Northside Santa Clara Library 4th Annual Daddy-Daughter Dance for daughters ages four and up (no moms allowed).

Those are just the events specifically catered to Father’s Day that popped up on our radar — we know Father’s Day only makes up part of this weekend, and that maybe not everyone will be celebrating it, so in light of that, here’s our list of additional dad-friendly events on the Peninsula.

An IPA from 47 Hills Brewing Co., just one of the local breweries setting up at Pub in the Park this weekend. (Photo via Instagram)

Get outside

Redwood City’s new Pub in the Park kicks off this Saturday in Mezes Park. From 11 a.m. — 4 p.m. enjoy lawn games, a roster of food trucks, live music from The Jones Gang, and, of course, brews from local breweries like Blue Oak Brewing Co., 47 Hills, and South City Ciderworks.

Lululemon’s summer yoga series continues on this Saturday from 9–10 a.m. (make sure to get there half an hour before class so you can register). Bring a mat and get your yogi on — for free!

Yoga led by Downward Drinking Dog (photo via DDD’s Instagram).

One yoga class not enough? Rather do yoga with some wine in hand? Try Yoga & Bubbles, hosted by Downward Drinking Dog at Hotel Nia in Menlo Park. Yogis will be offered glasses of sparkling wine courtesy of Schramsberg Vineyards. Enjoy 60 minutes of yoga and a glass for $10 (and hey — even if they’re not born yogis, maybe the wine will be enough to convince the fatherly figures in your life to come along). Bring your own mat or rent one for $3.

Date night

Mad Hungry Band will perform at Freewheel Brewing Company on Sunday night; there will also be a magician present to entertain underage attendees. 15% of the proceeds go to Kayla’s Journey, which hopes to find a cure for Acute Flaccid Myelitis. Go for a beer in the name of a cause, or take Dad along and enjoy a brew and some live music — it’s a win win here.

The set up for dinner at Bumble (photo via Instagram).

Friday night marks the return of monthly dinners at Bumble in Los Altos (and no, the restaurant is not related to the dating app). Normally only open for breakfast and lunch, Bumble will partner with the Northern California-based Calerrain Wines for a special dinner service. The farm-to-table restaurant also includes a playroom for children, so bring the entire family along whether they’ve got the patience to sit down the whole time or not. RSVPs are not required, but encouraged (make one here).

Photo via Hiller’s website.

Take the Kids

The Hiller Aviation Museum is hosting an Aero Workshop this Sunday from 1- 3 p.m. for kids grades 3rd to 8th. This particular workshop, one of many in the series, will focus on Mars Landers: participants will investigate martian technology and work their way through several scenarios involving alien worlds.

If the kids have only been out of school for a week but they’re already a little too rambunctious with summer fever, the Zen Kids Paint hosted by Zen Paint in Mountain View might be right up your alley. Kids ages eight and up will focus on painting a Honu Sea Turtle in a relaxed setting complete with snacks and drinks; tickets go for $30.

Photo via Facebook.

Theater, art, music & film

Palo Alto Players’ The Man Who Came To Dinner opens this Friday at 8 p.m. and runs until July 1 at the Lucie Stern Theater; there’s also a matinee showing on Sunday at 2 p.m., perfect if your dad is a theater lover.

Also opening this weekend is Million Dollar Quartet at Broadway by the Bay at Fox Theater in Redwood City. Shows run this weekend and next and feature various artists as big names like Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Opening night is Saturday at 8 p.m; similarly, there’s a matinee showing at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, perfect for the dad that inundated your family road trips with classic rock as a child (so… every dad, then).

Redwood City’s “square” (photo via Facebook).

Redwood City’s Art on the Square begins this Friday at 5 p.m. Whether you’re shopping for a recent graduate or a hand-made Father’s Day gift (just not made by your hands), the art show is an excellent chance to support local art and shop around.

Saturday is also Stanford’s 2018 Thesis Documentary Screening at Cubberley Auditorium in Palo Alto. The show will feature the work of graduating student directors in Stanford’s MFA Documentary Film program: check out the full roster of documentaries and their trailers here. The screening is free and open to the public.

This Saturday is Repair Café at Burlingame Public Library. For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, Repair Café is a chance to have broken items (anything from a toaster to mobile phones to jewelry) repaired and made usable once more in order to limit our impact on the environment as consumers. Bonus: this specific café will also offer a brief bike maintenance clinic hosted by Beeline Bikes. If you’re the DIY type (and are confident in your fixer uper abilities) you can also volunteer to help out by emailing [email protected].

Some of Lyngso’s handiwork. (Photo via Instagram)

Learn something new

Lyngso Garden Materials is offering a class about herbs and edible flowers in San Carlos on Saturday. If you’re interested in supplementing your grocery hauls with some home grown flora and fauna, check it out: tickets are here.

Looking to recreate your childhood memories of dad teaching you how to ride a bike (but maybe this time without all the knee-scrapes?) Savvy Bike is hosting Biking 101 in Redwood City on Saturday for those looking to brush up on their biking skills (including using emergency brakes, no hands cycling, and counter steering). You can find tickets here. They’re also hosting Biking 201 in Portola Valley the same day (tickets here) for those interested in learning how to climb and descend on wheels.

Medalers from last year’s ride.

Help your neighbors

CF Cycle for Life in Half Moon Bay is happening this Saturday: cyclists can choose 20, 40 or 65 mile routes (all fully supported). There is a $150 minimum fundraising goal, as well as a $45 registration fee — crowd source your donations or make one in the name of good (or in your dad’s honor, if you’d like to tie those miles into Father’s Day). Registration is here (and don’t miss the post-ride party).

The San Francisco chapter of Catholic Charities is hosting Fútbol con Corazon on Saturday in support of unaccompanied minors — children who have left their families in the process of fleeing violence, poverty or persecution in their home countries. Proceeds will go to legal assistance and services for affected children; you can donate an amount of your choosing or sign up for a team here.

This Saturday is Repair Café at Burlingame Public Library. For those who aren’t familiar with the concept, Repair Café is a chance to have broken items (anything from a toaster to mobile phones to jewelry) repaired and made usable once more in order to limit our impact on the environment as consumers. Bonus: this specific café will also offer a brief bike maintenance clinic hosted by Beeline Bikes. If you’re the DIY type (and are confident in your fixer uper abilities) you can also volunteer to help out by emailing [email protected].

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Sarah Klearman

East coast transplant working her way through all things Peninsula. On Twitter @SarahKlearman

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