US President Barack Obama and his daughter Sasha (L) walk out from Thomas Sweet ice cream in Washington June 19, 2011.[Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and his daughters celebrated a sweet Father's Day, paying a visit to a Georgetown ice cream parlor before the girls left with their mother on a trip to Africa.

Obama and his daughters, Sasha and Malia, took a Sunday afternoon drive to the Thomas Sweet cafe, about 20 blocks from the White House. The store's menu includes ice cream, frozen yogurt and homemade fudge.

Sasha and Malia were scheduled to travel with first lady Michelle Obama, their grandmother, Marian Robinson, and cousins Leslie and Avery Robinson on a weeklong trek in Africa. They will arrive Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The trip is intended to improve relations between the US and Africa and promote youth engagement, education, health and wellness.