Southampton - With Father's Day literally right around the corner, it's high time to start coming up with a game plan for ways you can honor dear old dad and give back to the guy who helped make your existence possible. So what do you do for the guy? Fortunately, throwing something together that dad will surely enjoy is made somewhat easier here in the Hamptons; there are tons of great shopping opportunities, plenty of activities most any guy would love and in a pinch, there is nothing wrong with spending a relaxing day with the old man swapping stories over the glowing embers of a backyard barbecue. In the spirit of Father's Day, we've decided to narrow down the list and bring you a selection of some surefire hits he's sure to enjoy all in an easy to read, top ten format. Without further ado, we present the "Father's Day Top Ten."

Just because you've never seen him smoke one, doesn't mean your father wouldn't relish a finely handcrafted cigar or humidor for those special occasions. Image courtesy of courtesy of www.bridesmaidgifts.us

Ten: For some reason, probably a vestigial urge dating back to our species' hunter gatherer days, a strange primal transformation occurs to men when faced with a Flintstones sized slab of meat and cherry red bed of charcoal briquettes. While it might not be as exciting as taking dad on a hunt for wild game in the savannas of Africa, there is nothing wrong with stopping by Village Prime Meat Shoppe in East Quogue (495 Montauk Highway, 631-653-8071) and picking up one of the best cuts of meat you can find, so you can bring it home and watch dad scurry out to the backyard to fire up the grill. Throw in a couple of cold ones and get ready for some serious man time followed by something every man enjoys: a nice, juicy steak.

Nine: Whether or not you've ever seen him smoke one, buying dad some nice cigars (or even a humidor if he's a true aficionado) also provides an avenue for relaxation and bonding while adding something of a celebratory air to the occasion. Both Blue Train Tobacco (55B Main Street, East Hampton, 631-329-8993) and Doug & Besim's (46 Jobs Lane, Southampton, 631-287-9230) have a wide selection of cigars and accessories and a knowledgeable staff to help you find just what you're looking for. Stop in and pick up a few stogies (don't forget one for yourself, cigars are best enjoyed with company) and maybe now that you're old enough, dad might surprise you by showing you the trick to blowing perfect smoke rings. Just don't tell mom.

Eight: Although many of us would love to, most sons and daughters don't have the means to buy dad a boat, so why not do the next best thing: call up the folks at Sag Harbor Sailing (Hidden Cove Marina on Pine Neck, Sag Harbor, 631-725-5100) and sign dad up for a day on the water in a rented sailboat. Not from a nautical family? No problem, you can always get the two of you a private lesson or even charter a boat with a captain to take you out for a day or maybe just him and mom on a romantic sunset sail.

Fishing is a perfect activity shared between fathers and their children, but instead of going after some puny brook trout, take dad out and watch him bag a 180-pound shark. Image of "Seaventure" courtesy of montauksportfishing.com

Seven: If dad is more of the adventurous type, Main Beach Surf and Sport (352 Montauk Highway, Wainscott, 631-537-2716) has all the gear dad will need for an exciting day out on the water. Whether it's surfing, stand up paddle boarding, wakeboarding or kayaking, Main Beach has your bases covered. You can even sign him up for a lesson and let him relive the moment when he saw "Endless Summer" for the first time and had dreams of moving to California, buying a Woody and living life in the sand and sun-dreams he had until you came along that is. C'mon, you owe it to him.

Six: Alright hear us out on this one: while getting dad a tie for Father's Day has become the paradigm of cliché destined to receive a lukewarm reception and be relegated to somewhere in the back of his closet doesn't mean you should take it off the table as an option, it simply means you've got to do it better. In the world of silk neck adornments, few can even touch the handcrafted detail and timeless style of Hermes (63 Main Street, East Hampton, 631-324-1177). Each one is handmade in France from some of the finest silks available with extremely high attention paid to detail and are recognized as some of the best ties in the world. Even if he doesn't like it, he only need to travel to the new seasonal store in East Hampton to exchange it for a pattern that he'll actually wear.

While ties are something of a staid Father's Day gift, up the ante with some handcrafted silk masterpieces from Hermes. Photo by Colin M. Graham

Five: For all the athletic fathers out there, consider booking dad some time on the newly built squash courts over at the Southampton Town Recreation Center (1370A Majors Path, Southampton, 631-287-1511). Only a town as tony as Southampton would have facilities as immaculate as these and a teaching staff of world ranked players ready to give him a workout that will leave him smiling and sore. You don't even have to be a member to get court time or lessons, all you have to do is call. Singles courts are $20 an hour plus $10 per player ($7.50 for players under 18) and doubles go for $30. Non-member lessons start at $100 per hour for two people.

Four: Wouldn't it be great to surprise your dad by tossing him the keys to a Lamborghini, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari or any other exotic supercar and watch his eyes grow as wide as sliver dollars as he walks outside and sees it in the driveway? Well with Luxury Automotive Players Car Rental (112 Riverhead Road, Westhampton Beach, 1-800-597-0939) you can make dad's day by making him a reservation to rent some seriously exotic wheels either for the day or for the week. Just imagine the fun he'll have answering the question "so what did you get for Father's Day," after zipping around the Hamptons showing off his (sort of) new ride. After all, owning a supercar for a day is way better than not owning one at all.

Three: Few things are as bucolic as taking pops out for a day of fishing and since this is the Hamptons, we're not talking about taking a rinky dink rod down to the old fishing hole; we're talking about chartering a serious sportfishing boat out of Montauk and going after 20-pound tuna, 40-pound striped bass or even chumming for blue shark and makos. Get in touch with Captain Gene Kelly or visit www.montauk sportfishing.com/charters for everything you need to know about sportfishing and a listing of legendary Montauk charter boats, all sure to help you and the old man boat some serious sea monsters or reenact his favorite scene from the movie "Jaws." Fish on!

The approach to the 12 hole at Montauk Downs. All dad's love golf, yours is no different. Image courtesy of Montauk Downs

Two: No Father's Day gift/activity list would be complete without mentioning something to do with the dad-liest sport in the world: golf. While there is no shortage of incredible courses out here on the East End, most are difficult to gain access to without knowing the right people. Fortunately, there are alternatives to memberships at private clubs. Poxabogue Golf Center (3556 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, 631-537-0025) offers a driving range to fine tune your swing, on site teaching professionals if you need a bit more help dialing it in, full pro shop where you can get dad a new set of head covers and a nine-hole course to put what you've learned to good use. There is also Montauk Downs State Park (50 South Fairview Avenue, Montauk, 631-668-1234), which features one of the best public courses offering a gorgeous 18 holes designed by Robert Trent, Jr. and currently being updated by the man himself, Rees Jones. Be sure to book your reservations as far ahead as possible, and if you are a New York State resident, don't forget your drivers license, since greens fees are greatly reduced for people who live in state.

Possibly the greatest gift for any father, let alone any male, is the chance to get behind the wheel of a professionally tuned race car and burn some rubber around some of the best tracks in the country. Why not race the old man for bragging rights! Summit Point photo courtesy of Turn Key Drive

One: What father (or any man for that matter) wouldn't jump at the opportunity to climb into a professionally modified, race ready BMW M3 or Mazda Miata, strap in and tear around a real race track while receiving instructions from nationally ranked professional drivers? Exactly. Why not sign dad up for the ride of his life-literally - with the folks at Turn Key Drive (610 Scuttle Hole Road, Watermill, 631-537-1548). Run by The Car Doctor Ryan Pilla, who is himself a professional racer, the Turn Key Driving Experience offers motorsports entertainment like nobody else. Between laps, drivers get professional instruction through the use of on board telemetry in each car that overlays each lap on the track so customers can see the route they drove and the way they can drive it faster. Unlike other race schools that spend more time in the classroom than behind the wheel, Turn Key Drive does 90 percent of its instruction on the track, not on a chalkboard. The next track date is Aug. 6 at Lime Rock Park in New York. They say money and gifts can't buy love, but once you tell dad that this is what you got for him, we're sure he'll love you forever.