We Asked Thunder Bay Dads What They Actually Want This Father’s Day & Here’s What They Said
Amanda Bay
June 12, 2026
“Oh, nothing. I don’t need anything,” says every dad, ever, when asked what they want for Father’s Day. But we don’t accept that answer, so we did our own research and went straight to a couple sources (dads that we knew would talk) and the results were very on brand. Sports, meat, beer, fishing…basically a country song with a Thunder Bay postal code. Here are the best TBay experiences you can gift a dad this Father’s Day:
Send Him to Beer School (Yes, Really)
Some dads are wine guys, but most dads are beer guys, and if yours falls into that category, we have found the perfect Father’s Day activity.
Jeannie Dubois, Canada’s first certified pommelier, a certified sommelier, beer judge, AND a former brewer right here in Thunder Bay, is hosting a Father’s Day Beer Tasting at Woodside Bar (inside Goods & Co) on June 21st.. Jeannie will be pouring four specialty craft beers from local legends Lakehead Beer Co. and Dawson Trail, alongside a few Toronto craft brews you won’t find at the LCBO. There’ll be snacks, trivia, prizes, and a very solid chance of a good dad joke. As Jeannie puts it, “BBQ starts with bar, so why not have some dads come to the bar for a few cold samples before they hit the grill for a Father’s Day feast in the evening?”
BBQ favourites will also be available from Creative Cooking. Hawaiian shirts and socks with sandals are optional, but love of Ontario craft beer is not.
Book Him a Morning on Lake Superior
If your dad is the kind of person who will wake up at 5 am voluntarily to go fishing, Archie Hoogsteen is about to become his new favourite person. Archie has been chartering Lake Superior for nearly 20 years, and with 35 years of experience on the water (Archie’s Fishing Charters & Lighthouse Tours), he knows this lake better than most people know their own neighbourhoods. His specialty is salmon, rainbow, and lake trout, and all the gear is included, so your dad just shows up and catches fish. The boat is a 32-foot enclosed and heated Stanley with bench seating for up to 11 passengers, so you could even make this a group experience.
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world, meaning there are fish in there that will absolutely humble your father in the best possible way, and you truly don’t know what you’re going to reel up next.
Feed Him a Steak He’ll Talk About for Weeks
When we asked one dad what he wanted this Father’s Day, his answer was immediate: “A ginormous steak.” Gifting an experience or a really incredible meal will always beat whatever random item ends up in the closet, so let Dad fully commit to a food coma this year. Head to the meat counter at a local shop like Maltese or George’s Market and grab him a cut worth celebrating. A thick ribeye, a buttery filet mignon, a New York strip…just make sure it’s big enough!
If you want to go truly legendary, Danny Thompson, owner of George’s Market, knows exactly what dads are after: an AAA Canadian tomahawk steak. “It’s a prime rib cut with the extended bone,” he says. “The look of it alone is impressive.” And he’s not wrong, the tomahawk is the kind of steak that makes people stop and stare before anyone’s even fired up the grill. That long bone (yes, it actually resembles a tomahawk axe handle, hence the name) makes it one of the most memorable cuts you can put on a plate. It’s marbled, it’s massive, and it absolutely delivers on flavour.
Take Him to a Ball Game or Head to the Course
If your dad is a sports guy (and statistically, he probably is), grab him a ticket to see the Thunder Bay Border Cats play at Port Arthur Stadium. The Border Cats are the only Canadian team in the US collegiate Northwoods League. This isn’t just baseball, it’s a whole summer experience… the crack of the bat, the smell of the concession stand, the very specific joy of watching your dad get way too invested in a collegiate game (with several hot dogs in hand). There’s a special Father’s Day promo happening for $49 that includes two tickets and a hat for Dad (at Box Office only), which honestly makes this one of the best bang-for-your-buck moves on this list.
For the golf dad, Thunder Bay is basically paradise with seven courses within city limits, ranging from 9 to 18 holes, all set against Northern Ontario scenery. Want to mix things up? Try disc golf at Birch Point Park near Boulevard Lake. The course is ranked one of the top three in Ontario, and discs are available at The Loop. And if the whole family wants in on the fun, both Vanderwees Garden Gallery and Splish Splash Mini Putt near Boulevard Lake have 18-hole outdoor mini putt courses.
Thunder Bay dads are actually easy to please! They want to be outside with some good food and cold beer, and they want to feel like someone actually thought about what they’d enjoy. So skip the socks and the “World’s Best Dad” mug and give him an actual memory instead. He’s earned it!
