Rent a Bus to Flagler Credit Union Stadium: FAU Owls Game-Day Group Guide

Getting 20, 30, or 50 people from Boynton Beach to a Florida Atlantic Owls game sounds simple until you actually try to coordinate it. Glades Road backs up hard in both directions before kickoff, stadium parking fills early, and trying to keep a large crew together while splitting into separate cars or waiting on rideshares is the fastest way to drain the pregame energy before you ever reach the gates. A group bus rental from Party Bus Boynton Beach solves every piece of that puzzle at once — your whole crew rides together, someone else handles the route and the parking scramble, and the tailgate starts the moment the bus pulls away from the curb.

This guide covers everything a group organizer needs to know about Flagler Credit Union Stadium: the stadium's backstory, exactly how group transportation works on game day, where to park and drop off, tailgating rules, bag policy, and the real drive times from the Boynton Beach area. All of it drawn from the stadium's own published game-day information so your group isn't guessing at a closed gate.

What Is Flagler Credit Union Stadium?

Flagler Credit Union Stadium is the on-campus home of Florida Atlantic University football, sitting at the north end of the main Boca Raton campus at 777 Glades Road. The stadium opened October 15, 2011, cost $70 million to build, and holds 30,000 spectators on a natural Bermuda grass surface. The playing field is officially called Howard Schnellenberger Field, named for the coach who founded FAU's football program and led the team from 2001 to 2011.

The stadium got its current name in December 2024 through a 15-year, $22.5 million naming rights deal between Florida Atlantic and Flagler Credit Union — the largest corporate stadium sponsorship in the American Athletic Conference. FAU announced the partnership on December 17, 2024, with the renaming taking effect immediately ahead of the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl. The deal is also among the largest stadium naming agreements in the entire Group of Five.

Beyond football, the stadium hosts the annual Boca Raton Bowl and has previously hosted Major League Lacrosse events.

One thing that makes this stadium genuinely unique among college football venues: skybox seating offers views of the Atlantic Ocean, with the Boca Raton beaches just 1.8 miles away. On a clear September or October evening, you can watch an Owls game with an ocean panorama over the palm trees in the background — there isn't really another stadium like it in college football.

Getting to Flagler Credit Union Stadium from Boynton Beach

For groups coming from Boynton Beach, Flagler Credit Union Stadium is about as close as a college football stadium gets — roughly 11 miles south via I-95. On a clear weekday that's a 16-minute trip. On game day it's a different story.

The moment you exit at Glades Road (Exit 45) and head east toward campus, you're in the thick of stadium traffic. The two main approaches — Glades Road itself and the local streets feeding Lot 5 and Lot 36 — both slow to a crawl as kickoff approaches.

Your group skips all of that. A party bus or charter bus from Party Bus Boynton Beach handles the routing, the parking logistics, and the post-game exit while everyone in your crew focuses on the Owls. The approach from I-95 South is straightforward: take the Glades Road exit east, follow it approximately one mile to the FAU campus entry.

Game-day traffic on Glades Road easily adds 20–30 minutes to those estimates. Build in extra time for evening kickoffs when the Glades/I-95 interchange is already congested from rush-hour residual. For post-game exit, the stadium's own guidance recommends using Spanish River Boulevard as an alternative egress to avoid the heaviest Glades Road backup — your bus navigates all of this for you.

Game-Day Parking at Flagler Credit Union Stadium

Understanding the parking setup matters whether you're bringing a group bus or coordinating logistics. FAU operates several numbered lots around the stadium, and the key details every group should know before game day:

• Lots open 4 hours before kickoff. General game-day parking runs $20 per vehicle. Cash lots are available, but purchasing permits in advance through FAU Athletics is strongly recommended — lots fill before the game-day window closes.
• Lot 5 (north of the stadium) is the student tailgate epicenter — the home of the Rat's Mouth tailgate — and fills fast. This lot is also where the team bus drops the Owls off before the Owl Walk.
• Parking Garage III is the designated ADA/accessible parking location, though ADA spaces are available throughout campus lots. Groups with accessibility needs should contact the FAU Athletics ticket office in advance at 1-866-FAU-OWLS (328-6957).
• RV parking is designated in Lot 5A (Tarmac), northeast of Lot 5.
• After the game, taking Spanish River Boulevard to the north beats the Glades Road backup by a meaningful margin for groups heading back toward I-95 and Boynton Beach.

For a group bus, the practical reality is that one bus replaces a dozen cars — each needing its own $20 parking pass, each fighting the same lot for a space, and each trying to find each other post-game in a dark, crowded lot. One bus, one coordinated pickup, one straightforward exit. That math works heavily in your favor once the group gets past five or six cars' worth of people.

Bus Drop-Off and Group Transportation at the Stadium

Here is the piece most group organizers want to nail down before game day. The main vehicle drop-off flow at Flagler Credit Union Stadium runs through the Glades Road entrance to campus, with groups unloading close to the gate area that fits their section. For large groups, Lot 5 on the north side of the stadium functions as the primary staging and drop-off zone — it's where the team bus drops the Owls before the Owl Walk, and it puts fan groups right at Gate 5 and the Rat's Mouth tailgate area.

Because the specific drop-off and bus staging flow can shift depending on the opponent, the kickoff time, and whether the Rat's Mouth is fully open, confirm your group's exact drop point when you book. FAU Parking and Transportation can be reached at fau.edu/parking to verify current procedures. When you book with Party Bus Boynton Beach, we nail down these logistics for your specific game date so your group steps off the bus steps from the action — not at the wrong gate a quarter-mile away.

A note on the Rat's Mouth timing that matters for group bus logistics: no vehicles can enter or exit the Rat's Mouth area from four hours before kickoff until halftime. If your group wants to participate in the tailgate, plan to arrive while the lot is still open to traffic — meaning 4+ hours before kickoff. Groups that arrive within the 4-hour window before kickoff will need to unload at the perimeter and walk in, rather than staging inside the lot.

The Rat's Mouth: FAU's Tailgate Scene

The Rat's Mouth is the official name for FAU's student tailgate area in Lot 5, north of the stadium, and it's the center of pregame energy for Owls home games. It's also where the Owl Walk happens roughly 2.5 hours before kickoff — the team walks through the lot in a fan-created human tunnel before entering through Gate 5. Per the official FAU tailgate procedures, here's what groups need to know:

• The area opens 5 hours before kickoff (no earlier than 8:00 AM for morning games). Tailgating activities don't begin until 4 hours before kickoff.
• Vehicles cannot enter or exit from 4 hours before kickoff until halftime. Plan your arrival accordingly if you're staging a bus inside the lot.
• Grills are welcome. Kegs, party balls, and glass bottles are prohibited. Charcoal must be fully extinguished and disposed of before kickoff. FAU is a tobacco-free campus — no smoking.
• Tents larger than 10'x10' require an approved vendor and pre-registration. Maximum tent size is 30'x40'. All tents must be secured with water barrels or sandbags.
• Begin breaking down your tailgate at least 30 minutes before kickoff.
• Contact the FAU Campus Life office at (561) 297-3735 or dvanpelt@fau.edu for tailgate registration questions.

For groups arriving on a party bus, the undercarriage bays on a full-size charter bus handle grills, coolers, folding tables, and all the tailgate gear without anyone hauling it across a parking lot. Everything loads at pickup in Boynton Beach and unloads right at the tailgate zone.

Clear Bag Policy at Flagler Credit Union Stadium

Like most college football venues, Flagler Credit Union Stadium enforces a clear bag policy for stadium entry. Each fan may bring:

• One clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12"
• One small clutch bag no larger than 6.5" x 4.5", with or without a strap

Backpacks, tinted bags, and oversized bags are not permitted inside the stadium. No coolers, outside food, alcohol, or glass containers are allowed past the gates. Cameras with lenses longer than five inches and pro-grade video equipment are also prohibited.

A note for 2025: for the home opener against FAMU, FAU distributed 3,000 complimentary clear bags sponsored by Flagler Credit Union outside the gates. Check FAU's current game-day communications to see if that continues for later home games. Bag check is available on-site if a member of your group needs to store a prohibited bag rather than leave it on the bus.

The bus is the best answer to the clear bag question for a group. Everyone leaves non-compliant bags, backpacks, and extra gear secured on the bus instead of checking them at the gate or turning around.

Stadium Gates and Entry

Flagler Credit Union Stadium has multiple gate entry points around the 30,000-seat bowl. Gate 3 serves as the entry point for the Rat's Mouth student tailgate zone. Gate 5 is the north entry point where the Owl Walk ends and the team enters.

General admission gates open 2 hours before kickoff.

The Fan Fest area near the stadium offers live music, giveaways, and food vendors in the pregame window before gates open — a good gathering spot for groups that arrive early and want to wait for the gates without setting up a full tailgate. Seating-wise, lower-bowl sections 104–106 on the home sideline and the upper-level seats on the east side deliver the stadium's famous ocean views.

The Free Tri-Rail Shuttle Option

For groups that want to park once at a commuter station rather than deal with the campus lot situation entirely, FAU runs a free game-day shuttle from the Boca Raton Tri-Rail Station to the stadium. Two 57-passenger shuttles run approximately every 20 minutes between 2:00 PM and 9:00 PM on home game days. The Boca Raton station is at 808 NW 1st Street, Boca Raton — about 1.5 miles west of campus.

This works for groups already coming from a Tri-Rail station along the corridor. But for a large group departing together from Boynton Beach or West Palm Beach, a private bus is still the simpler answer — no train schedule to match, no station transfers, and no splitting the group between two 57-passenger public shuttles that fill up on a big game day.

Which Bus Fits Your Group?

The right vehicle depends on your headcount and what you're hauling. Here's how the Party Bus Boynton Beach fleet maps to a typical Owls game-day run:

For fan groups that want the pregame to start on the bus — not in the parking lot — the 25-passenger party bus or 40-passenger party bus options come with a built-in bar, LED lighting, and a premium sound system. The Owls chants start before you hit Glades Road. For groups with serious tailgate gear — grills, folding tables, a 60-quart cooler — a full-size charter bus stores everything in the undercarriage bays so your aisle stays clear the whole ride down.

What It Costs to Rent a Bus to Flagler Credit Union Stadium

Pricing for a group bus from Boynton Beach to FAU depends on a handful of clear factors: vehicle size, total hours dedicated to your group (including any tailgate wait and post-game pickup), your exact date, and the pickup location. There is no single sticker number, but here are real ranges to anchor your estimate:

• 14-passenger Sprinter limo: $160–$450/hour
• 15–20 passenger party bus: $100–$250/hour
• 20–30 passenger party bus: $180–$400/hour
• 35–50 passenger party bus or minibus: $300–$520/hour
• 40–56 passenger charter bus: $150–$300/hour

Here's the math that almost always surprises groups doing the comparison: a 56-passenger charter bus replaces roughly 14 cars. That's 14 separate $20 stadium parking passes, 14 separate I-95 runs, and at least 14 people who can't have a drink because they're driving. Split the bus cost across 40 or 50 people and the per-head number usually comes out cheaper than parking alone — and everyone gets to tailgate.

Check our party bus pricing page for a detailed breakdown, or call 728-233-2840 any time for a free quote built around your specific headcount, game date, and pickup address.

A Real Game-Day Example

To put real numbers behind the math: a 38-person fan group heading to a Saturday evening FAU home game books a 40-passenger party bus. Pickup at 3:30 PM from a central Boynton Beach location puts them at the stadium before 4:00 PM — well ahead of the 4-hours-before-kickoff tailgate opening window — with the undercarriage storing a grill, two coolers, and folding chairs. The group tailgates through the Owl Walk, watches the whole game, and the bus is staged for a 10:45 PM pickup after the final whistle.

The 7.5-hour block rental runs around $2,100 all-in — about $55 per person. Compare that to $20 parking plus $15+ in rideshare each way, per car, with everyone separated and someone stuck having to stay sober to drive.

FAU Football Schedule and the Boca Raton Bowl

The 2025 FAU football schedule includes multiple home dates at Flagler Credit Union Stadium, with the season running from early September through late November. The Owls compete in the American Athletic Conference, and home opponents in 2025 include FAMU (the home opener on September 6 at 6 PM), plus additional conference and non-conference matchups through October and November.

Beyond the regular season, the stadium hosts the annual Boca Raton Bowl — the postseason game that brought the venue its new naming rights deal, with Flagler Credit Union's partnership activating immediately ahead of the 2024 edition. Bowl game crowds pull in fans from across South Florida, making a group bus an especially smart call since bowl-week hotel blocks and parking fill faster than a typical regular-season Saturday.

For groups coming from Boynton Beach sporting events who regularly make the run down to South Florida college and pro venues, Flagler Credit Union Stadium is as close as it gets — and the combination of an on-campus atmosphere, ocean views, and the Rat's Mouth tailgate makes it worth doing right.

Nearby Destinations to Pair With Your Trip

Boca Raton is a natural stopping point for South Florida groups that want to make a full day out of the stadium run. The town center along Federal Highway and Mizner Park offers pre-game dining within a 15-minute ride of the stadium. For groups coming from further north — say, a West Palm Beach hotel block or a post-game dinner before the drive back — a private event bus rental keeps the whole crew together whether you're stopping for dinner in Delray or heading back to a Boynton Beach bar crawl after the game.

Groups who use the Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) to fly in from out of town for a big bowl game can connect directly via a Boynton Beach airport shuttle — one coordinated pickup at PBI, one bus, straight to the stadium or hotel. No rental cars, no navigation in an unfamiliar city, no trying to regroup at a stadium entrance you've never been to before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Flagler Credit Union Stadium?

The stadium is at 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431, at the north end of Florida Atlantic University's main campus. From I-95, take Exit 45 (Glades Road) and go east approximately one mile to the campus entrance. From Boynton Beach, it's about 11 miles south on I-95.

When did FAU Stadium get renamed Flagler Credit Union Stadium?

Florida Atlantic University's Board of Trustees approved the naming partnership on December 17, 2024. The 15-year, $22.5 million deal with Flagler Credit Union took effect immediately, with the new name debuting at the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl. The playing surface retains its existing name, Howard Schnellenberger Field, in honor of FAU's founding coach.

What is the clear bag policy at Flagler Credit Union Stadium?

Each fan may bring one clear plastic bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12" and one small clutch no larger than 6.5" x 4.5". Backpacks, tinted bags, and oversized bags are not permitted inside. No outside food, alcohol, coolers, or glass containers are allowed past the gates.

Review the FAU clear bag policy page for current details before your game date.

Where does a charter bus drop off at FAU stadium?

Group vehicle drop-off flows through the Glades Road campus entrance, with Lot 5 on the north side of the stadium serving as the primary staging area for buses and the team drop-off for the Owl Walk. Confirm your specific drop point and bus staging with FAU Parking and Transportation (fau.edu/parking) or with Party Bus Boynton Beach when you book, as procedures can vary by game date. The critical timing rule: no vehicles can enter or exit Lot 5 / the Rat's Mouth area from 4 hours before kickoff until halftime.

What are the parking costs at Flagler Credit Union Stadium?

Game-day parking is $20 per vehicle, with lots opening four hours before kickoff. Season parking passes ($60) and pre-purchased permits through FAU Athletics are available and strongly recommended — lots fill before game time. ADA parking is located in Parking Garage III and throughout campus lots.

Contact the FAU ticket office at 1-866-FAU-OWLS (328-6957) for accessible parking arrangements.

Is there a free shuttle to the stadium?

Yes — FAU operates a free game-day shuttle from the Boca Raton Tri-Rail Station to the stadium. Two 57-passenger shuttles run roughly every 20 minutes from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM on all home game days. The Boca Raton Tri-Rail station is at 808 NW 1st Street, Boca Raton.

This works well for smaller groups using the commuter rail corridor, but for a large crew departing together from Boynton Beach, a private group bus is typically the cleaner solution.

What is the Rat's Mouth at FAU Stadium?

The Rat's Mouth is FAU's official student tailgate area in Lot 5, north of the stadium and adjacent to Gate 3. It opens for drop-off and setup 5 hours before kickoff (no earlier than 8:00 AM for morning games), with tailgating activities starting at 4 hours before kickoff. No vehicles can enter or exit once the lot locks down at the 4-hour mark until halftime.

Prohibited items include kegs, glass bottles, and anything involving smoking. Grills are welcome. Full tailgate procedures are published by FAU at fau.edu/campuslife/tailgate.

How much does a party bus from Boynton Beach to FAU cost?

Party bus and charter bus pricing from Boynton Beach to Flagler Credit Union Stadium depends on vehicle size, hours, and your game date. Most group runs are priced in the range of $1,500–$2,500 all-in for a standard game-day block with a party bus or minibus. Call Party Bus Boynton Beach at 728-233-2840 for a free, specific quote — we price transparently with no hidden costs, and you'll have a real number in under 30 seconds.

Book Your Boynton Beach Group Bus to Flagler Credit Union Stadium

A Florida Atlantic Owls home game is one of the better college football experiences in South Florida — an on-campus venue, a passionate student section, ocean views from the upper deck, and a short hop down I-95 from Boynton Beach. The only part that doesn't need to be good is the parking. Let that be someone else's problem.

Book a Boynton Beach sporting event bus rental with Party Bus Boynton Beach and your whole crew rides together, the tailgate starts on the bus, and nobody is stuck in the Glades Road crawl trying to find the right lot exit at midnight.

We handle groups of all sizes — from a 14-passenger Sprinter limo for a small crew with suite seats to a full 56-passenger charter bus for a large alumni or booster group with serious tailgate setup. Call 728-233-2840 any time, 24/7, for a free quote. Tell us your headcount, your game date, and your pickup address in Boynton Beach and we'll have pricing back to you immediately.