There’s something about dads in the summertime. Maybe it’s the return of long days and open weekends, or the rhythm of school-free schedules, but come June, something shifts. The polo shirts come out, the grill gets dusted off, and suddenly, Dad is in his element.
It’s not that he hasn’t been around all year—he has, in his quiet, steady way—but there’s a different kind of energy in the air when summer hits. This is the season when dads become the MVPs of car rides, backyard games, and impromptu adventures. The days stretch out, and suddenly there’s time for the kinds of moments that become family legend: an accidental detour that leads to the best tacos you’ve ever had, a five-dollar kite that actually takes flight, a cannonball contest that gets a little too competitive.
June brings Father’s Day, of course, but most dads won’t ask for much. Maybe a morning to sleep in. Maybe a new pair of socks that don’t mysteriously vanish. But what means the most isn’t wrapped in paper—it’s time. Time with the people they love, in the places they love, doing the simplest things.
A Sunday morning might turn into an easy brunch on Park Avenue, where the coffee’s strong and the pancakes are piled high. Or maybe it’s a stroll through the farmers’ market with a kid on his shoulders and a dog at his side, pausing for fresh juice and a chat about which tomatoes look best. Some families might surprise him with a boat tour on Lake Osceola, a slow, scenic glide past boathouses and mossy trees. Others might choose to canoe the quiet corners of Winter Park's canals. The thing about dads in summer: they don’t need fanfare. Just space to show up as themselves—and time to make memories out of nothing more than love and laughter.
Summer tends to turn the ordinary dad into an everyday legend.