Boca Raton is not only a college town but also a vacation destination for families looking to hit the beach and indulge in some of the luxurious offerings available around town. Boca Raton has a vast selection of hotel options; all in varying price ranges and distances from the Florida Atlantic University campus. There are a few different things to consider when booking a hotel to visit your student. Some may want a suite, free breakfast, close proximity to campus, or perhaps a hotel with a beach view. Some parents may want to bring the family dog along for the visit. And some may want to make a full vacation out of the trip and opt to stay in Delray Beach or Ft. Lauderdale. Whatever your personal preference may be, there is an option to suit your needs.

Loyalty

When it came time for my husband and me to attend parent’s weekends at FAU, we often booked with the same hotel chain. We knew what to expect and after four years of football games and sorority family weekends, we acquired many points. These points can earn you free nights and breakfasts. Also, compare prices online. Oddly, you can find various prices for the same hotel on different sites. Another idea is to book through a website like Reservations.com or Hotels.com or Expedia so you can accumulate points there as well. Perhaps by graduation, your stay will be free, but it is strongly recommended that you try to book that graduation hotel a year in advance. (Same goes for football games and parents weekend.)

Hilton

There are several Hilton owned hotels within close proximity of the Boca Raton area, however, some are closer to FAU than others. The Hilton hotels closest to FAU are Hilton Boca Raton Suites, the Hampton Inn Boca Raton, and The Embassy Suites by Hilton Boca Raton. Both of these hotels are about 3 miles from campus. But before you pull out your Hilton honors cards, there are a few other Hilton options to consider.

For those wanting to stay closer to the beach, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Deerfield Beach Resort and Spa is a great option. This hotel is beachfront, with a large pool and located near several popular restaurants. This hotel is about six miles from the FAU campus.

The Waterstone Resort and Marina will give you more of a resort feel, they have a few restaurants on-site and every room has a water view with a balcony. The Waterstone resort is located on Lake Boca and is about 1 mile from the beach. The Waterstone is about 4 miles from FAU’s campus. The Waterstone is pet-friendly, however, you must pay a pet fee of $125 a day.

We couldn’t talk about Boca Raton and not mention the Boca Raton Resort. The Boca Raton Resort was originally built in 1926 and was designed, partially, by Addison Mizner. (You learn more about him as you visit popular sights around town) The Boca Raton Resort is a Waldorf Astoria hotel, (which is owned by Hilton) it is a renowned, luxury resort. Situated along the Intercostals, guests have access to a private beach and world-class service. The Boca Raton Resort offers spa services, golf, ten dining locations, boating, shopping, and much more. Stays at the Boca Resort can be difficult, it does book up during the high season and prices can be high.

If you are looking for more of an extended stay hotel, close by in Deerfield is WoodSpring Suites. They offer free basic Wi-Fi and parking. queen beds. 100% Smoke-Free. Pet-Friendly. Great location near the ocean and beaches and Everglades. Between I-95 and 811 close to Boca Raton.

Marriott

There are several Marriott brand hotels near FAU, the closest being Fairfield Inn & Suites, Courtyard, Boca Raton Marriott, Towneplace Suites, and Springhill Inn & Suites. These are just to name a few, there are several more within the area. All of the hotels listed are within a 3-mile radius of FAU. The closest, however, being Fairfield inn followed by the Courtyard.

The Fairfield Inn and TownePlace Suites are both pet-friendly, both with an extra charge of $100-$125 for the entire length of stay.

Marriott also has quite a few beachfront resorts. One that I have stayed at was the Delray Beach Marriott. This Marriott is about 20 minutes from the FAU campus, however, it is a great option for those looking to tie in a getaway while visiting their student in sunny South Florida. The Delray Beach Marriott is located in the heart of Delray Beach, FL. It is situated on Atlantic Avenue, which is bustling with restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream, and boutiques. The hotel is directly across the street from the beach. The Delray Beach Marriott also boasts a full-service spa.

Holiday Inn

There are two Holiday Inns located near FAU’s campus. Holiday Inn North Boca is less than 2 miles from campus. A stay at the Holiday Inn includes a free breakfast. It is just a short drive from campus and located near many shops and restaurants.  Holiday Inn Express Boca Raton is a little further west, approximately 5 miles west of FAU.

FAU discounts

Some hotels within the area offer FAU special rates:

Best Western Plus University Inn: 10% off and complimentary shuttle service to FAU

Fairfield Inn & Suites Boca Raton: Special FAU rates available

Hilton Boca Raton Suites: Special FAU rates and complimentary shuttle service to FAU

Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center: Special seasonal rates

Wyndham Boca Raton: Complimentary shuttle service to FAU

For more information on special rates, click here. Book that hotel, pack up your Owl gear, and head on down to Boca Raton! Go Owls!

Finally, while visiting, make sure you see our list of recommended restaurants.

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Did U know… FAU students get in FREE to all Owl athletic events? All they need is their Owl Card and printed ticket from their MYFAU account!

FAU is a part of Conference USA and participates in most collegiate sports including football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, swimming, and soccer. The Owls are the reigning Conference USA champions under the direction of Lane Kiffin.

The Owls play at FAU stadium better known as The Burrow or Schnellenberger field (In honor of the Owl’s first and beloved coach). The official seating capacity is 29,419. FAU Stadium is relativity new; it was constructed in 2011 and is considered to have one of the best playing surfaces in Florida.

With a growing, loyal alumni base and strong student support, game-days are exciting can’t miss events. Student Tailgates occur in the area behind the stadium known as the “Rats Mouth” (the English translation for the name of the city, Boca Raton) Here you will find tents for just about every student organization on campus. Students line the center walkway to watch and support the Owls during the official Owl Walk. The football team and coaches come out 2 hours and 30 minutes prior to kickoff and walk the line of fans as they make their way to the locker room. The surrounding areas around the stadium are reserved for the dedicated alumni base to tailgate.

Non-Student Tickets
Non-students may not use student tickets as entry does require showing your student ID. They are pretty strict about entering with a valid student ID. If you are coming in to visit your student and want to attend a game, you can purchase tickets on the official website.

The Burrow
The Burrow is a tobacco-free stadium. There are 10 concessions stands on the main level of the stadium with another 3 on both the Delray Hyundai Deck and the Acura Club Level. The Delray Hyundai Deck also features a Tiki bar serving both food and tropical drinks. Alcoholic beverages are available throughout the stadium for Owl fans 21 and up.

Demand for hotels can be high during Homecoming and Parent weekend games. Try to book as far in advance as possible.

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After their successful fall 2019 season culminating with a bowl game win, FAU football is ready to show that they can play. I have been going to Owl football games since their program started and continued, as two of my girls became students. The big rival game is against FIU (we’re the reigning champs). An Owl home game is an experience, from the pre-gaming (ask your college student) to the Owl Walk (two and a half hours prior to each home game when fans line up in the Rat’s Mouth and cheer on the players as they walk in the stadium) to the actual game itself.

Of course, the 2020 season will look a little different since the plan is to keep the stadium at 20% capacity. However, as Covid-19 cases decrease in the state, that number could change.

HaveUHeard that FAU has a Clear Bag Policy for football games? I have been at many games at The Burrow over the past few years, and always, there is a student or a parent with a handbag, backpack, or camera bag in their possession. Very small clutches measuring 4.5” x 6.5” (about the size of a hand) are allowed. There is nothing worse than being denied admission, especially close to the start time of a game. So your choice is to go store it in your car (an invitation to have it stolen). FAU does not have a place to check items at the gates and any bags left unattended will be disposed of. A full list of prohibited items can be found here. Most stadiums implement a clear bag policy, so why not have a bag that still has style? HaveUHeard has partnered with Score Gameday bags. Use the code HUH15 for a 15% discount.

Tickets on Sale NOW!

Season tickets are on now but if your plan is to come for a game to visit your student, you may want to start booking your hotel now. Parent’s weekend hotels and game day tickets should be reserved as soon as possible. If a parent wants to sit with their student, the student has to sit with the parent who purchased the ticket. It is very uncommon for any parents to be in the student section of the football stadium. When looking for a hotel, prepare for some sticker shock, as you will notice the rates are sometimes high what you would pay for a weekend with no events. (This is especially true over parents and homecoming weekend)

The biggest rivalries where it is tough to score a ticket will be the November 14th game against Florida International University and the Homecoming Game. The dates of Homecoming week are TBD.  The parent’s weekend game can also be tough to score tickets to; parents weekend will be September 24th – 26th. The game is on Saturday, September 26th against USF. Florida Atlantic’s first home game will be against Stony Brook on September 12th.

Students get sent an email to their fau.edu address with a link to download the free ticket to the home football game. It is recommended to download your ticket as soon as you get the email, especially for a big game because tickets could get sold out.

2020 Football Schedule

September 19 – Owls vs. Georgia Southern (at Georgia Southern), 4 pm

September 26 – Owls vs. University of South Florida, home at 6 pm

October 3 – Owls vs. Charlotte, home at 6 pm

October 10 – Owls vs. Southern Miss. (at Southern Miss.)

October 24 – Owls vs. Marshall (at Marshall), 2 pm

October 31 – Owls vs. UTSA, home at 12 pm

November 7 – Owls vs. WKU, home, 6 pm

November 13 – Owls vs. Florida International University (at FIU), 7 pm

November 28 – Owls vs. Middle Tennessee (at Middle Tennessee)

December 5th – Conference USA Championship

Plan Ahead

If you are planning on coming for Homecoming or Parent’s Weekend, you may want to book a hotel for Friday through Sunday so you can take in the parade on Friday and the game on Saturday. Read our blog on hotels here.

Other Game Info

Make sure you’re in Owl red and blue for the game by reading our student and parent gameday attire recommendations. And of course, you will want to know where to pregame. We’ve got that information here.

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One of the highlights of the fall semester is Homecoming. It’s a time for Owls young and old to celebrate their Owl Spirit. Homecoming has grown into a major event that students and alumni look forward to. Homecoming week for 2019 is October 13th – 19th, 2019. The anticipation builds for so long that there is literally a countdown timer to the beginning of festivities on the Homecoming website.

Homecoming Festivities kick off on Friday night with a pep rally for all students on the housing lawn. Owlsley (the beloved mascot) and the FAU marching band help to kick off the festivities. The next event is the annual homecoming Drag show put on by the office of diversity and multicultural affairs. Sunday is the annual 5K Fun run. The run is open to both children and adults in the community and raises money for Autism Awareness. The run has a theme each year. Last year, the theme was color run complete with paint powder, DJ’s, and bounce houses. Fraternities and Sororities take a big part in the homecoming festivities. Each sorority and fraternity pair up to make teams. These teams then compete in an event called ExtravaCANza. Students are challenged to bring in as many cans as they are able and then construct a sculpture with them based on the theme of homecoming week. These cans are then donated to Boca’s Helping Hands. Another highlight of the week is the Family Fest. On the housing lawn, students can find carnival rides, games, food, bounce houses, and more. This event is open to the public. The remainder of the week is filled with movie nights, talent shows, stroll-offs, comedy shows, a day of service, and Owl Fest (the big concert). Owl fest is one of the last events and it is held in the Barry-Kaye auditorium. Tickets are available at the FAU box office.

While just about any Owl Football game is exciting, the Homecoming game is extra sensational. This is the game that many alumni come to so the spirit is extra high. If you plan to go, you may want to get there a few days before to indulge in some of the fun; you are practically guaranteed a good time. Book your hotel near campus early.  Buy tickets early for the Homecoming game (and try to sit on the shady side of the stadium just in case it is a day game.) Remember too that traffic and parking will be a basic nightmare, so the closer to campus you stay the better – or plan to indulge in many Ubers (which will undoubtedly include exorbitant surcharges). Arrive early to partake in the parade and wish our Owls luck as they take the Owl walk into the stadium.

Happy Homecoming and Go Owls!

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Owl-always love football! I love going to FAU football games- there is nothing like game day. HaveUHeard how FAU got its colors? In the conference room of the second floor of the Weir Plaza, it was suggested by Adelaide Snyder, the first employee and Vice President for University Relations that blue and tan for the sea and sand be FAU’s colors. Roger Miller, then the top administrative officer had just retired from Army JAG as a colonel and he said he never wanted to see the color tan again. So Adelaide brought the chart of colors in again and got the men (at that time there were no other women) to approve French Blue and Silver Grey.

I’m all about the Red and Blue on game days and I am somewhat about the fashion. But I also want to be comfortable especially on those Florida humid days when you are packed in a stadium and it is more than 90° out and the humidity is stifling. Here are my suggestions for what to wear to the game for parents.

You can wear officially licensed Owl wear or just dress in their colors. Here are some great suggestions for us Moms and Dads from cotton tops and t-shirts to comfortable dresses for the moms and collared shirts, polos, or jerseys for dads or just a super comfortable, breathable tee. Throw in some accessories including a regulation stadium bag and a logo-ed skin for your cell and everyone will know you love the Owls.

As Game Day gets closer, FAU will announce what colors students are expected to wear. For example, they may announce that a game will have a “white-out” or a “blue or red-out.” This means Owl students should wear a blue, red, or white outfit! Want to know the actual primary colors- FAU gives you the graphic versions.

We think the best in authentic college clothing, accessories, and fan gear is Fanatics. They carry brands such as Jordan Gear, Vineyard Vines, Stance, Columbia, Dooney & Bourke, Tommy Bahama, Vera Bradley, Orca, Southern Tide, College Row One Shoes, Johnnie-O Clothing, and Peter Millar Clothing. Add in everything you need for tailgating including NCAA tents, tables, and chairs, waterless face tattoos, eye black, jewelry, and more.

For shorts or jeans (only if it is cool out- even ’70s will still be hot), I like American Eagle’s mom jeans or denim shorts.

If wearing a comfortable dress is the way you want to go, definitely check out some of these fun Game Day dresses from Redbubble.

If you are like me and more about ‘repping the school’s colors, just look for red, blue or silver. Throw in some accessories including a regulation stadium bag from SCORE! The Official Game Day bag (you even get a 15% discount- get code by clicking on the link), cute red and blue earrings and everyone will know you love the Owls!

We would strongly recommend leaving the high heels at home as you will be walking to the stadium and climbing stands. I love wearing Converse sneakers or Adidas Stan Smith, depending on my outfit. For cooler weather, I even have worn flat boots.

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She joined a sorority. Congratulations! Your daughter has found her home away from home for the next four years. Being in a sorority opens the door to so many wonderful experiences. I found my lifelong best friends when I became a member of a sorority at FAU. They have been by my side for many of life’s ups and downs as I have been by theirs. To this day, we have remained close friends.

Every sorority is a little different as it relates to social gatherings, academic requirements, and philanthropic requirements. Since FAU does not have Greek housing at this time, the sororities often plan several events throughout each month to ensure sisters can get together. Your daughter is expected to attend weekly chapter meetings and participate in sorority events. The sororities are often paired up with fraternities for social or philanthropy events or hold chapter-wide events with just their sisters; some of these might be mandatory.

Over the years, I have purchased sorority gifts for them, mainly at orientation. Between Big/Little, Orientation and Bid Day, they have accumulated jewelry, water bottles, stationery, wall signs and so much more. And while I know eventually (after they graduate college and move into an apartment to start adulting, their decorating tastes switch), seeing them enjoying this bond with so many young women and the impact the sorority makes during their college years is well worth having all of the sorority items they collect.

Should you decide to get them a congratulatory gift, we have some suggestions here from:

Desert Cactus Greek, Brit and Bee, Alexandra and Company, Go Greek Chic, Greek Gear, Greek Creations,Cotton Sisters, Signature Tumblers, All That Jas,  Bauble Bar, and Gild the Lily. Even Bed, Bath & Beyond carries Greek merchandise including tumblers, pillows, poufs and more!

Being in a sorority is not just about the social aspect, although that is a big part of joining. Many of the sororities require their members to participate in the philanthropy aspect teaching them about helping those less fortunate. They are expected to keep up their grades, as each sorority loves to be able to brag about having the highest GPA amongst all sororities.  They can be found holding positions on Homecoming, Student Government, Order of Omega, and OwlThon to mention a few. Members also have the opportunity to take on positions within their own chapters, often giving them experience in their area of interest. This opens the door for new members to have the opportunity to get involved on campus.

Most of the sororities hold family events each year. Often they do something special for families during FAU family weekend, this year it will be September 20th through 22nd, 2019. Typically the chapters at FAU have another family weekend again during the spring semester.

Most colleges are extremely strict today when it comes to drinking and hazing. I am not going to cherry coat this; it does happen. FAU is no different. Sororities have been put on probation for alcohol consumption and not been allowed to have any socials. Your daughter should never feel pressured to do something that makes her feel uncomfortable.

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