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Gator Time = Family Time
As a Gator Alum as well as a Gator Parent, any time an opportunity rolls around to enjoy some Gator football with my daughter, I am there. This year’s Family Weekend will be October 22nd – 25th, and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the setting for a home game against Missouri. You might not be able to get a ticket to the game (due to restrictions on how many fans are allowed into the stadium this season), but there are plenty of places all around Gainesville to watch the game surrounded by a Gator crowd.
Be sure to register for Fall Family Weekend and bookmark the page. You can then stay updated on all the events, both those held in Gainesville and those being held virtually. Follow the Gator Parent & Family Association on Facebook for more up-to-date information and scheduling.
For those of you with students who join a sorority or fraternity, you may want to check whether their family festivities are being held the same weekend. When my daughter pledged, we had already booked a visti for Homecoming weekend. Her sorority family weekend was two weeks prior, so we ended up going up for both events. I love seeing my daughter but, if I had to do it all over again, I would not have gone up for both events – especially twice in one month.
If you are a UF Alum, make sure to register for the legacy pinning ceremony. This is a new event held during Family Weekend. My daughter is an indirect third generational gator (see our family featured in the Lasting Legacies column in the UF Alumni Magazine) so sharing in this event was extremely meaningful.
What to do
There will be an entire schedule of events for the Weekend. In the past, activities have included live entertainment, receptions, family competitions, open houses, a Family Fair & BBQ and, of course, the football game. While in Gainesville, be sure to check out some of our recommended places to visit.
Where to eat
Don’t shoot the messenger, but restaurants are crazily crowded all weekend long. We once made the mistake of attempting to go out to eat after a football game. We waited an hour for a table, then two more ravenous hours for our food. The further you travel from campus, the better luck you have in finding less of a crowd and more of a timely meal. Of course, that also means daring to get into your car and navigate through the traffic…and then find parking afterwards. Take it from me: try to eat at off times.
For one football weekend, we ended up driving through a PDQ and “brought” the food back to our hotel. I will admit, though, that we ate most of it in the car. We sat in traffic for over an hour and a half just to go to our hotel on Archer Road, less than 4 miles away! Still, check out our blog on restaurants for good places to eat. A plan is a good thing to have, especially to prevent the hangries.
Lastly, we’ve put together some great Game Day attire and clear bag suggestions for you. It’s time to rock the Orange and Blue!
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