5 Truly Unexpected Father's Day Gifts for the Coolest St. Louis Dads

Buying Father's Day gifts can be tough. This special celebration of dads is, of course, an annual event. But finding something to show the dads in your family just how much they are loved and appreciated becomes more of a challenge every year. Sometimes you just need to get creative and go for the unexpected. In other words, find a gift that's as awesome as they are.

So forget the shirts, ties and golf clubs. We've searched St. Louis to find the unusual and unexpected – gifts and experiences that the cool dads in your family will not only love, but also not forget anytime soon.  

1. The Need for Speed.

Ahh, men and their cars. Your husband probably gave up his dream of waking up on Father's Day to find a bow-wrapped red Porsche in the driveway a long time ago – maybe even before you bought your first family minivan. But, he'd still likely love to get behind the wheel of a speed machine and pretend, if just for a day, that he's THE MAN.

In fact, a 2009 study found that a man's testosterone actually increases when he drives a fast car, whether or not anyone is watching. So, it's biological, this need for speed. He can't help it, ladies. So give him what he wants at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill.

Your dearest can get behind the wheel or ride shotgun in a real dragster on the track, an experience that promises "raw speed and explosive acceleration" as well as an adrenaline (and apparently testosterone) rush. Whether you want to watch? That's up to you. Details can be found at, where else: purespeedracing.com.

2. The Ultimate Beer-Lover's Weekend.

Whether your man is into home brewing, loves craft beer, or enjoys sampling new beers (actually, if he likes anything to do with beer), he'll be in heaven at this weekend's St. Louis Brewers Guild Heritage Festival. Held in Forest Park, the festival showcases local craft brews from Schlafly, Exit 6, Perennial, Six Row, 4 Hands, Square One, Urban Chestnut and many more, as well as some local home-brewed creations. 

Festival-goers receive a tasting glass, enjoy live music, and sample the beers on hand surrounded by men (and women) after their own beer-loving hearts. If you really want to make a splash, splurge for VIP tickets for Friday or Saturday night, which include access to a separate "VIP Comfort" lounge area, a limited-edition tasting glass, barbeque, VIP parking, specialty beers not available to those in the general festival area, and air-conditioned bathrooms. Tickets and details are available at stlbg.com, and designated drivers receive significantly reduced admission.

3. Smell the Love.

A lot of men don't like strong fragrances, so forget the Hugo Boss and Dolce & Gabbanas of the world and head to St. Louis' own Maven, where they make their own line of men's after shave, vegetable glycerin soaps, body creams, hair gels, beard oils, mustache wax and more, in scents inspired by American literary figures: Hemingway (a gin-martini and citrus scent), Poe (absinthe with hints of pimento) and Kerouac (a rustic, cedar-pine scent).

Store owner Kate Bethel said that the fragrances in the men's line, which Bethel and her team developed and began selling about a year ago, have staying power but are not overpowering. As for the inspiration from authors and poets: "We were trying to think of literary figures who had notable facial hair – think of Edgar Allan Poe's manicured mustache – but who also represent all-American 'manly men,' and, for Kerouac especially, an outdoorsy, adventurous spirit," Bethel said.

Maven, which Bethel opened in 2007, also sells refurbished, vintage straight razors that are salvaged, cleaned and repaired by Maplewood artisan Alex Born. "The old razors are incredibly well-made," Bethel said. "The saying 'they don't make them like they used to' is really true in this case."

Purchase one of these razors and Born will come to your home to personally show you how to sharpen it and use it safely. Yes, shaving lessons are included when you buy the razor (how cool is that?) Pair it with one of Maven's handmade shaving scuttles – a ceramic shaving bowl with a reservoir for hot water meant to keep the shaving cream warm – for an old-fashioned, perfect shave.

And for the truly debonaire father in your life, try the store's wildly popular Don Draper fragrance soap, lotion or colone stick. Bethel said she is developing a full men's line for the crisp, unique scent as well. (It currently also comes in one of the store's handmade soy candles. You might want to get that one for yourself.) 

One unforgettable whiff of this handsomely crafted, gin martini and rum-inspired aroma and you and your beloved will be dancing the Charleston Mad Men-style ala Pete and Trudy Campbell and stocking your bar with all the makings for the perfect vodka gimlet.  

Each of Maven's hand-made, wood wick candles burns for 90 hours of pure Jon Hamm heaven. Maven is located on Manchester Road in Maplewood, and you can learn more about all the lines they carry on their web site or Facebook page.

4. The Grill of His Dreams.

Even men who don't consider themselves foodies love a great grill. Is there something about cooking meat outdoors that is particularly manly? Is it the cold beer (see #2) that usually accompanies backyard barbecues? No matter. It's always a treat when dad becomes the grillmaster for the evening. 

We asked St. Louisan Scott Thomas, one of the founders of Grillin' Fools, what he would recommend in grilling-related goods for Father's Day, and especially about where we could find the ultimate grill of dad's dreams. At Grillin' Fools, Thomas and his fellow fools are all St. Louis guys who are "beyond passionate about cooking and dedicated to teaching others how to grill by showing them step-by-step, picture-by-picture instructions to make amazing meals on the grill without repeating the countless mistakes we've made."

And the Fools are, ahem, not fooling. Their web site, grillinfools.com, is packed with fantastic, easy-to-follow recipes for just about any type of food that could possibly be grilled. The enticing photos don't hurt either. Prime rib, flat bread pizza, wings, sweet potato fries, oysters, scallops, bruschetta, apple tart, pumpkins. You name it and they've grilled it.

So what's the ultimate grill? The Kamado made by Grill Dome. "The Kamado has been around for thousands of years but the folks at Grill Dome have perfected it," Thomas said. "It's over-engineered and guaranteed for life. It's the best Kamado on the market. It's not cheap," he continued. "One of those is going to start at $900, but it will be in your will and your children will fight over it."

The Grill Dome can be purchased at Leisure Time Outdoors in Swansea, Ill., or at St. Charles Pool and Spa.

For those with a smaller budget, Thomas has some other suggestions for dads who love to grill. One is the Pitmaster IQ, a programmable temperature probe that measures and controls the tempurature of the food and the cooking environment. "It's basically a thermostat connected to a blower," Thomas explained. "You set the temperature and the Pitmaster IQ blows air into the vents to keep the temps constant. No more fiddling with coals." Another plus: It's designed and made right here in St. Louis.

Thomas also recommends St. Louis-based Code 3 Spices BBQ Rubs. They carry a full line of rubs that season beef, seafood and everything in between. A five-pack of Code 3 rubs retails for less than $30, and Thomas said the rubs themselves are "outstanding, but there's something else about them that's even better." The owners of Code 3 "give a portion of every bottle sold to first responders and military charities that are near and dear to my heart. You can give dad a great gift and give back to a wonderful cause at the same time."

5. Fly Him to the Moon

Even though every minute of parenting can be an adventure unto itself, give dad an adventure he's probably never had: Flying through the air with the greatest of ease. The Circus Harmony Flying Trapeze Center opened at Union Station earlier this year, and offers lessons seven days a week. Dad can soar through the air like a pro, and he doesn't even have to wear a leotard (but he can if he wants to).

Flying trapeze lessons are a gravity-defying 90 minutes long, and he'll come away with an experience he'll never forget, as well as a great story to tell. You can also get into the swing of things and sign up to learn the art of trapeze with him. 

During the class, participants receive a short demonstration, safety explanation, and learn techniques before actually taking flight. You'll learn how to swing, dismount and maybe even how to do a trick if you're game. If not, just swinging from the bar is perfectly acceptable. There's even a low-hanging bar to practice on.

Of course, you won't fly to the moon, but defying gravity isn't something most of us get to do on a regular basis, and in honor of his special day, dad deserves something out of this world.

Learn more at www.circusday.org.

_{Photos: iStock (main), Maven, Circus Harmony Facebook page, Gateway Motorsports Park, Grillin' Fools}