10 Last Minute Dad Birthday Gifts He Actually Wants

“I’m easy to shop for!” says every dad ever. “I don’t really care. Hahaha.”

It’s easy to laugh off a response like this when you’ve still got plenty of shopping time ahead of you, but as dad’s birthday gets closer, it’s time to get down to business. Mom’s ideas aren’t too helpful (you know sweetie I always like some flowers for my birthday) and Dad’s still not giving up any birthday gift ideas – so what’s a loving son or daughter to do?

Not to worry. Even if you’re shopping last minute, there are plenty of fun and thoughtful birthday gifts you can snag for dad. We’ve pulled together our top 10 ideas to get you started!

1 - Text a Digital Gift Card

Practical, Personalized Gift for Truly Last Minute Birthday Shopping

Text or email a digital gift card in just a few clicks

This one is your ace in the hole when you’ve put off shopping (or been stumped by your dad’s cryptic gift requests) for so long that not even two day shipping can save you any longer. Digital gift cards might not sound like a great gift, but if your dad is hesitant to throw out other ideas, it might be because he knows what he wants and doesn’t want someone else to pick it out, landing him with something that’s only almost what he wants. Fair enough.

Maybe that’s why studies have shown that the majority of American adults would actually prefer a gift card to a physical gift for the next gift-giving occasion.

GiftYa is a digital gift card vendor that makes it easy to personalize and send your picks. Choose from thousands of local and national brands to get started. Then you can add a photo or video clip, a custom message, or select a pre-created design. Then just send it off or schedule it in advance – the choice is up to you.

Not sure where to start? Here are some great birthday gift card options for dad to get you started:

• Send an REI gift card to fund his next outdoor adventure, whether it’s out in the wilderness or just in the backyard
• Text a Home Depot gift card so he can pick up a new project and play with all those power tools he has lying around the garage
• Share a Bass Pro Shops gift card so he has everything he needs to live a great fisherman’s tale next time he heads out on the water

Not feeling the digital options? You can always customize an irl Visa gift card for your pops with Gift Card Granny’s build a card feature, too. Just choose a photo of one of your favorite memories together for the front, add a personal message, and a physical card is on its way.

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2 - Craft Beer Brewing Starter Kit

Help Dad Unwind with His Very own Birthday Brew

From patching up boo boos when you take a tumble over your handlebars to getting the blinds up in your first apartment, dads are known far and wide for their DIY know-how. And what did dad do to unwind at the end of a long day of dad-ing? Probably cracked open an ice cold beer and parked himself in front of the game.

But now Dad can DIY his brews, too. Brew Demon’s Craft Beer Brewing Kit boasts that it can help dads (and anyone else who’s interested) make wicked-good craft beer at home. The kit comes with everything you need including a conical fermenter, temperature gauge, brewing yeast, and easy to follow instructions. You can even choose between four different styles of beer – pilsner, oatmeal stout, IPA, or witbear – so you know dad will be brewing up one of his favorites.

3 - DIY Steak Dinner

Nothing Says “Birthday Celebration” Like a Slab of Red Meat

Ask any guy what he wants right now – it doesn’t even have to be for a birthday or holiday, just right now, in this moment – and there’s about an 80% chance steak is somewhere on that list. Something about the juicy, flavorful food just makes a dad happy.

Sure, it’s nice to head out to a sit-down restaurant and have a five-star chef serve up some steak to you on a white china plate. But if your dad knows one thing, it’s how to cook a steak the way he likes it. If your old man has a special apron for cooking out or counts down the days to grilling season the way some dads track the time ‘til hockey season starts in October, picking up a couple of nice steaks for him is a great birthday gift.

Luckily, you can grab a steak at just about any grocery store or butcher shop. When choosing a cut of steak, you’ll need to look for different indicators of quality depending on what cut you choose. But as a general rule of thumb, a steak that has white fat marbled through it – while not being particularly healthy if your dad prefers leaner meats – will make for a delicious, juicy meal.

GiftYa Recommends: Put the tongs in dad’s capable hands when you send an Omaha Steaks gift card for his birthday.

4 - Weekend Escape

Get Out of Town to Beautiful Adventure-Inspired Resorts Around the West

“Get outta town!” is more than just a common dad-ism… it’s actually great inspiration for birthday gifts, too. If your dad appreciates the great outdoors, then he’ll love a weekend escape from the routine of his daily responsibilities.

Loge is a chain of several dog-friendly, adventure-focused hotels around the country’s west. Each location is built around getting out and enjoying the area’s natural beauty, with on site gear rental and plenty of experiences to opt into that range from guided hikes to historical walking tours to campfires with fellow guests.

Dad will appreciate the gift of a little birthday r and r, and he’ll make a ton of memories he’ll never forget.

5 - Ultimate Car Guy Experience

Put Your Birthday Dad Behind the Wheel of His Dream Car

If every pre-1980s mustang or shiny new corvette you’ve ever driven past with your dad has been appreciatively referred to as “a beaut,” this gift is going to be a hit. Xtreme Xperience doesn’t just do car rentals – they sell an exotic car experience. An experience that will put your old man behind the wheel of the supercar of his dreams, whether it’s a Dodge Hellcat, a Ferrari 488 GTB, or a Porsche 911 GT3. 

Xtreme Xperience has dozens of racetrack and open road locations across the country, so you’re sure to find one close enough for dad to make the drive. 

GiftYa Recommend: Really put dad in the driver's seat when you text an Xtreme Xperience gift card so that he can iron out the details for himself.

6 - Update His Book Shelf

Trade Bedtime Stories for Best Sellers with This Birthday Gift Idea

Not every dad considers himself a reader, but dads read to us all the time. Whether it’s bedtime stories to send us off to sleep, grandma’s cookie recipe at the holidays, or the homework problems we struggled with at the kitchen table – reading is just part of the job.

Upgrading dad’s book shelf with some of the titles from his TBR is a thoughtful gift. Maybe he’s run through all of his WWII histories and needs another for beach season, or his idea of unwinding is poring over DIY books for the next project he has going on. Either way, books will be a great birthday gift. 

GiftYa Recommends: Send a Barnes & Noble gift card so that dad can choose his next read.

7 - Man Crates

A Bunch of Dad Stuff All in One Box

What do hickory chips, barbecue sauce and kidney beans have in common? They all get packed together in one manly care package when you order some of the gift crates from Man Crates. They’ve got options for every dad to enjoy, like:

• Pizza Grilling Crate
• Whiskey Appreciation Crate
• Beard Wrangler Mini Crate
• Personalized Shower Beer Crate
• The Bacon Crate

Plus, several of the options are personalized – which means you can customize the glassware and other accessories in the set with dad’s name or initials for an extra special touch. When you’re done picking the perfect crate, it’s shipped right to dad’s door.

8 - Iconic Paw Portrait

Birthday Gag Gift or The Perfect Home Office Decor – You Decide

Dad is king of the castle, so why not commemorate his title with a royal portrait? Although Iconic Paw got its start in pet portraits, today they offer plenty of custom portraits for humans as well. Dad will get a kick out of seeing his face atop all that royal regalia… just don’t blame us if he starts requesting you bow when walks into the living room!

9 - Custom Bobble Head for the Man Cave

Capture Dad’s Likeness in a Custom Bobble Head

Dad is our first hero. He picks us up when we fall, he banishes the evil things lurking under the bed, and we’ve never seen someone so smart or kind or strong. If your dad is still your superman, why not celebrate him the way all heroes should be celebrated – by immortalizing him in the form of an action figure?

Sure this bobble head might not be able to take on a super villain, but he certainly looks like he can grill a mean burger and play the helicopter game like nobody’s business.

10 - DIY Birthday Gifts for Dad

Get Crafty with These Customizable Birthday Options for Dad

Still not sure what to get dad for his birthday? Consider having some fun with these DIY ideas. They might take a couple of days to print and ship since most DIY gifts are made to order, but at the very least, you’ve got the gift in the mail. Here are a couple of fun, customizable birthday gifts we think dad would love, or at least laugh about!

• This breezy Hawaiian shirt with your face printed right on it
• A charging block with dad’s name on it, so his charger never mysteriously disappears again
• Thoughtful photo collage with all of your favorite memories (so far!)

There you have it - last minute dad birthday gifts anyone can pull off.

There you have it – 10+ awesome ideas to get you going on your quest to find the ultimate birthday gift for dad. If none of the options above seem quite right, don’t forget to check out the full GiftYa catalog for all of our digital gift card options. With thousands of local and national vendors to choose from, you’re sure to find something dad will love. Happy shopping!