The Boca Raton Bowl packs 30,000 fans into a 777 Glades Road campus in mid-to-late December — and the moment the FAU parking lots fill, Glades Road becomes a crawl and 20th Street closes entirely. If your group is coming from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Delray Beach, or West Palm Beach, the question that matters isn't who's playing. It's how are we all getting there and back without losing anyone?
This guide covers the one thing most bowl-week articles skip: exactly what happens to traffic, parking, and group logistics at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on game day. We handle bowl-game transportation for groups heading to this stadium every December, so the detail below comes from doing it — not from a stadium brochure. By the end, you'll know which vehicle fits your group, what it actually costs to charter a bus to the Boca Raton Bowl, and how your group parks, drops, and gets back out while everyone else is stuck on Glades Road.
Stadium
Howard Schnellenberger Field at Flagler Credit Union Stadium — 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431
Capacity
30,000 — one of the only stadiums in the U.S. with ocean views
Game date
Annually in December, typically around Dec. 18–23
Parking cost
$20 per car — cash only, no day-of bus parking on site
Road closures
20th Street closed on game day; heavy delays on Glades Road & Spanish River Blvd
Tri-Rail option
Boca Raton station — Palm Tran Route 94 runs to FAU; ~50-min walk without it
What Is the Boca Raton Bowl?
The Boca Raton Bowl launched in December 2014, making it one of South Florida's only annual college football bowl games and one of the few bowl games held on a college campus rather than a dedicated stadium or NFL venue. Since then it has become a legitimate holiday tradition for South Florida sports fans — a mid-week, mid-December game that draws out-of-town fan bases from across the country alongside locals looking for a great pre-Christmas outing.
The game is played at Howard Schnellenberger Field at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on the FAU campus in Boca Raton — a $70 million facility that opened in 2011, holds 30,000 people, and genuinely claims something no other football stadium in the country can: a view of the Atlantic Ocean from the upper deck. The bowl features conference tie-ins that rotate among the American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West, and the Sun Belt, meaning the visiting fan bases change every year — but the parking and access situation stays the same. And that situation is the thing you need to understand before you plan a group trip.
The event is owned and operated by ESPN Events, and since 2025 has been officially titled the Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans. Winners receive the Howard Schnellenberger Championship Trophy. Kickoff is typically at 2:00 p.m.
ET (as in 2025) or late afternoon (5:30 p.m. in 2024) — confirm the exact kickoff on the official Boca Raton Bowl gameday information page once your date is confirmed, since time changes by year.
Why Rent a Bus to the Boca Raton Bowl?
The FAU campus wasn't built for 30,000 visitors arriving by car in a three-hour window. Glades Road is a four-lane arterial road that feeds the entire west side of campus, and when it backs up — which it does, every game, without exception — there's no useful alternate route on that stretch between I-95 and University Drive. The city of Boca Raton closes 20th Street entirely on bowl game day, which cuts out the eastern approach for cars trying to come in from Federal Highway or Dixie.
What's left is a parking lot that fills by lot-close time, a $20 cash-only charge per car, and a walk from the farthest lots that can easily run a quarter mile in December heat.
A Boca Raton party bus rental changes the math completely. Your group loads up at home, a hotel, or a central meeting spot in Delray Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, or Boca itself — the bus takes on every inch of Glades Road congestion while your crew gets the pregame going with stadium snacks and the sound system up. You step off at the stadium entrance and walk straight in.
After the final whistle, when 30,000 people are all trying to leave the FAU campus at once and surge pricing is making rideshare a bad word, your bus is parked and ready. One phone call, one pickup window, one flat rate. No drawing straws for who has to stay sober.
The Parking & Access Situation at Flagler Credit Union Stadium
Here's the honest picture of what parking looks like on bowl game day at FAU, straight from the stadium and the city's own game-day guidance.
General parking lots open at 9:00 a.m. for the Boca Raton Bowl, and parking costs $20 per car, cash only. No cards. No mobile pay.
No exceptions. If your group of eight people shows up in two cars and nobody remembered cash, the day starts with an ATM scramble — and there are long lines at the on-campus ATMs on game days. Stadium gates open approximately two hours before kickoff.
The Bowl uses three numbered parking zones on the FAU campus, each serving different approach directions. Fans arriving from the north via I-95 South to Exit 48 (Yamato Road) are directed to Zone 3 parking — the northernmost lots accessed from Spanish River Boulevard. Fans arriving from the south via I-95 North to Exit 45 (Glades Road) are routed to Zone 1 parking through the main entrance on West University Drive.
Fans approaching from the east on Glades Road or via 20th Street (when it's open) are directed to Zone 2. The full official Boca Raton Bowl directions page lays out approach routes by origin and the corresponding parking zone for each.
Motorhome and RV parking is available in Lot 5 at $100 per vehicle — this is the north lot, which also hosts the student tailgate section on FAU football game days. Oversized vehicles planning to tailgate should target Lot 5. Accessible parking is located on the first floor of the parking garage directly west of the stadium, subject to the same $20 cash charge as general parking.
Guests requiring special accessibility assistance can call 561-362-3650 in advance to arrange accommodations.
The cash problem, in plain terms: on-site parking is $20 cash only with no card readers at the entrance. For a group arriving in multiple cars, that means every vehicle needs exact change or small bills ready before you reach the lot attendant. One bus sidesteps this entirely — the bus parks in its designated zone, your group walks in, and the only cash question is who's buying the first round of nachos.
Road Closures and Traffic on Bowl Game Day
The city of Boca Raton manages traffic around the FAU campus every Boca Raton Bowl game day. The consistent pattern in recent years: 20th Street closes completely on game day, eliminating the eastern campus approach route entirely. Heavy traffic delays are the norm on Glades Road and Spanish River Boulevard in the hours before and after kickoff.
Boca News Now has flagged traffic issues in advance of the game as a community reminder in recent years — a sign that the congestion is predictable enough to warrant a public alert.
For a group in multiple cars, the traffic picture means this: if you're coming from Fort Lauderdale (about 20 miles south via I-95 to Exit 45), plan on arriving a minimum of 90 minutes before kickoff just to account for the Glades Road backup after exiting the highway. From West Palm Beach (about 20 miles north via I-95 to Exit 48), the Spanish River Boulevard delays near Zone 3 parking add similar time. And regardless of which direction you approach from, any group member who arrives a few minutes behind the others won't necessarily be parking in the same lot.
On a bus, none of that is your problem. The bus works the Glades Road approach on your schedule, keeps the whole group together through the delays, and drops everyone at the stadium entrance before parking in its designated zone. After the game, when both approaches back up simultaneously as 30,000 people funnel out, your group's exit is already arranged — no scrambling, no rideshare wait, no "meet at the car" phone tag across a dark campus lot.
| From… | Approx. distance | Typical drive time (off-peak) | Game-day reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Boca Raton | ~2–3 miles | 8–12 minutes | 20th Street closed; expect 25–40 min on game day |
| Delray Beach | ~10 miles | 18–25 minutes | 40–55 min via Glades Road or Military Trail |
| Fort Lauderdale | ~20 miles | 25–35 minutes | 50–70 min via I-95 North to Exit 45 |
| West Palm Beach | ~22 miles | 25–35 minutes | 50–65 min via I-95 South to Exit 48 |
| Miami / Miami Beach | ~50 miles | 50–65 minutes | 75–90+ min via I-95 or Turnpike northbound |
Transportation Options Compared
We'll be straight with you: a private charter bus isn't automatically the right call for every group. Here's the honest look at your options for getting a group to the Boca Raton Bowl.
| Option | Cost shape | Arrive together? | Cash parking? | Post-game exit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private charter bus or party bus | One flat rate split across the group | Yes — one vehicle, one arrival | No — bus parks in its zone | Best — bus waits nearby, no surge wait | Groups of 15–56 |
| Multiple cars & parking | $20 cash per car + gas per car | No — caravans always split | Yes — cash only, no ATM guarantee | Worst — same exit, every car for itself | 1–2 cars, small groups |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | Per car, surge pricing post-game | No — multiple ETAs | No | Poor — surge rates after 30,000 people exit | 1–4 people |
| Tri-Rail + Palm Tran Route 94 | Low per-person ticket cost | Only if everyone is on the same train | No | Depends on train schedules after game | Individuals, budget travelers |
The Tri-Rail option deserves a real look if your group is on a tight budget and is already near a Tri-Rail station. The Boca Raton Tri-Rail Station sits roughly 4,200 yards from FAU Boulevard — about a 50-minute walk without a connecting bus — but Palm Tran Route 94 runs from the Yamato Road station to FAU campus, running every 20 minutes from roughly 6:45 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For individuals or couples coming from Miami, Deerfield Beach, or Pompano Beach, this is a legitimate way to skip the parking scramble.
For a group of 20 with different Tri-Rail boarding stations and a coordinated tailgate plan? The logistics fall apart fast. You're on the transit authority's schedule, not your own, and post-game train capacity on a December evening is not guaranteed to absorb a crowd of 30,000 people at once.
For groups past four or five people traveling from the same area, a Boca Raton charter bus rental is the single option that keeps everyone together, lets everyone enjoy the game without a designated driver, and skips the cash-only parking problem entirely.
The Pregame and Bowl-Week Experience
The Boca Raton Bowl is a bowl week, not just a game — and that's a legitimate selling point for group trips. The night before the game, both teams hold a Pep Rally at Mizner Park Amphitheater in downtown Boca Raton. It's a free public event featuring the marching bands, dance teams, and spirit squads from both programs, and it gives fans a real chance to soak up the bowl atmosphere before game day.
Mizner Park is about four miles east of the FAU campus, and free parking is available at Mizner Park, City Hall, and the Downtown Public Library — or your group can use BocaConnect, the city's free and low-cost on-demand shuttle service that runs downtown.
On game day itself, the Fan Fest and Family Midway sets up outside Flagler Credit Union Stadium from roughly 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (for 2:00 p.m. kickoff games) or 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (for evening games), featuring live music, food trucks, local activities, a kids' zone, and typically a walk-through by both teams' bands and spirit squads.
It's free and open to the public, which means a group that arrives an hour or two before gates open has a genuine pregame scene to walk into rather than just waiting in the parking lot.
A party bus rental to the Boca Raton Bowl can cover the pep-rally night and the game-day Fan Fest in one coordinated plan. Your group loads for the pep rally at Mizner Park, the bus parks in the downtown area, everyone takes in the free event, then the bus runs the group to FAU for Fan Fest and kickoff the next day. Two stops, one vehicle, one plan.
Call 728-241-1900 and we'll build the multi-stop schedule for your group.
Which Bus Fits Your Boca Raton Bowl Group?
Not every bowl-game group is the same size, and you should never pay for seats you don't actually need. Here's how the fleet breaks down for a Boca Raton Bowl run.
| Vehicle | Typical seats | Luggage / gear | Best for | Key amenities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-passenger Sprinter limo / Sprinter van | Up to ~14 | Modest — coolers and a few bags | Small crew, VIP group, compact tailgate | Premium leather, USB charging, tinted windows |
| 15–35 passenger minibus | ~15–35 | Overhead plus some underfloor | Mid-size friend group or family crew | Powerful A/C, plush reclining seats |
| Party bus (15–50 passengers) | ~15–50 | Onboard, lighter | Fan groups who want the rolling pregame | Built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, Bluetooth sound, flat-panel TVs, dance area |
| 40–56 passenger charter bus | Up to 56 | Excellent — deep undercarriage bays | Large fan groups, alumni associations, corporate groups | Reclining seats, climate control, overhead storage, WiFi, power outlets, onboard restroom, undercarriage bays |
For bowl-game groups that want the tailgate energy to start on the highway, a 15- to 50-passenger party bus is the right pick — the full-length bar, color-changing LED lighting, and premium sound system mean the game-day buzz is already running by the time you hit Glades Road. For larger groups or anyone packing chairs, tailgate gear, and a cooler, a full-size 40- to 56-passenger charter bus carries it all in the undercarriage bays and adds an onboard restroom for the ride from Fort Lauderdale or farther south. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available — just let us know before your departure date.
Boca Raton Bowl Bus Rental Prices
Party Bus Rental Boca Raton offers all-inclusive pricing online in under 30 seconds — you'll know the exact number before you ever commit to booking. The quote is shaped by a few clear factors: your group size and the vehicle it calls for, how many hours the bus is reserved (including tailgate time and post-game wait), the date, and your pickup location.
For real ranges to anchor your estimate: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour or $1,200–$2,500/day. Pricing depends on mileage, time of year, and vehicle type, and you'll never be surprised by hidden charges.
Here's the per-person math that settles the decision for most groups. A 50-seat charter bus for a bowl-game outing from Fort Lauderdale, split across 40 people, often comes out cheaper per head than the combination of gas, $20 cash parking per car (multiple vehicles), and the post-game rideshare surge that hits after 30,000 people exit the FAU campus simultaneously in December. One flat rate, one vehicle, zero parking headaches.
Call 728-241-1900 for a no-obligation quote built around your exact date and headcount.
A Real Bowl-Game Example
For the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl (James Madison vs. Western Kentucky, kickoff 5:30 p.m.), a 34-person alumni group from Fort Lauderdale booked a 40-passenger party bus. Pickup was at 3:00 p.m. from a hotel on Federal Highway, at the FAU campus by 3:50 p.m. — well ahead of the heaviest Glades Road traffic before a 5:30 kickoff. The undercarriage storage held their folding chairs, a pair of coolers, and the group's gear for Fan Fest.
After the game, the bus waited on campus for an 8:30 p.m. pickup while everyone else was navigating the Spanish River Boulevard backup. Six-hour all-inclusive rental: about $58 per person. No cash scramble.
No one left behind.
Bowl-Week Planning: When to Book
The Boca Raton Bowl draws two full visiting fan bases from somewhere in the country every December, and both sets of fans need transportation from the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach areas where most out-of-town visitors stay. December is also peak snowbird season in South Florida, which means the local demand for group vehicles is already elevated before the Bowl teams even arrive. South Florida's available vehicles book up fast in the last two weeks of December.
Our recommendation: lock in your bus as soon as the Bowl matchup is announced, typically in early December. If your group has a set tradition of attending the Boca Raton Bowl every year regardless of teams, book in November — bowl week dates and kickoff times are announced well ahead, and the vehicles that fit a group of 25 or 30 are the first to go. Waiting until the week of the game usually means a smaller selection, higher rates, or both.
Call 728-241-1900 the moment your headcount is confirmed to lock in availability.
Stadium Policies to Know Before You Go
A few things every group should have sorted before they step off the bus at Flagler Credit Union Stadium:
- Clear bag policy (NFL standard). The Boca Raton Bowl follows NFL-standard bag rules: one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″ (or a one-gallon clear zip-top freezer bag), plus a small hand-sized clutch no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″. Standard backpacks, coolers, and opaque bags are not permitted. Medical and childcare bags require inspection at entry. Have everyone brief their group members on this before game day — nothing slows a group entry like four people being turned away at the gate for non-compliant bags.
- No outside food or beverages. Outside food, drinks, coolers, cans, and glass containers are prohibited inside the stadium. Keep coolers in the undercarriage bay for tailgating before gates open, and plan to buy food inside once you're in.
- Re-entry is not guaranteed. Once your group enters the stadium, they may not be permitted to exit and re-enter. Make sure everyone makes one complete entry together rather than staggering their way in over 45 minutes.
- Cash-only parking. As noted above, $20 cash per car at the lot entrance — no card readers. If any member of your group is driving separately, make sure they have cash before leaving home.
- Accessibility. Disabled parking is on the first floor of the parking garage immediately west of the stadium. For special assistance, call 561-362-3650 in advance. ADA-accessible seating and facilities are available inside the stadium. If your group needs an ADA-accessible bus, notify our team when you book.
- Smoking-free venue. The entire stadium grounds are smoke-free.
For the full, current version of all policies, verify against the official Boca Raton Bowl gameday information page before your trip — specific items and procedures can shift year to year.
Popular Group Origins: Drive Times From South Florida
Most groups heading to the Boca Raton Bowl are coming from somewhere along the I-95 or Florida Turnpike corridors between Miami and West Palm Beach. Here's what the drive actually looks like on bowl game day, so your group can plan the pickup window realistically.
From Miami and Miami Beach, budget 90 minutes minimum on a midweek December afternoon. I-95 northbound through Broward County is slow on weekday afternoons regardless of the bowl game, and the Glades Road backup adds time on the back end. For a 2:00 p.m. kickoff with a noon gate open, a 10:30 a.m. departure from Miami keeps you comfortably ahead of the worst of it.
For a 5:30 p.m. kickoff, the afternoon rush-hour traffic on I-95 is already rolling by the time the Bowl Glades Road congestion kicks in — plan accordingly.
From Fort Lauderdale, the trip is roughly 20 miles up I-95 to Exit 45. Off-peak, that's 25–35 minutes. On bowl game day, 50–70 minutes is realistic.
A bus rental from Fort Lauderdale to the Boca Raton Bowl leaves a central Fort Lauderdale pickup point, rolls up I-95, and handles the Glades Road queue while your group settles in — no one has to watch the odometer.
From West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, the approach is I-95 South to Exit 48 (Yamato Road) toward Zone 3 parking. About 22 miles, 25–35 minutes off-peak, and 50–65 minutes on bowl game day with the Spanish River Boulevard delays near campus. Groups from the Palm Beaches making a day trip of the bowl game are a natural fit for a charter bus — the drive is just long enough that a comfortable climate-controlled vehicle with reclining seats makes a real difference versus squeezing into cars.
Multi-Stop Bowl-Week Itineraries
The Boca Raton Bowl draws visitors who have never been to South Florida before — fans from MAC programs in Ohio, AAC schools in Texas, or Mountain West teams in Nevada who are in town for one week in December and want to see more than the inside of a stadium and a hotel room. A charter bus rental makes a legitimate multi-day bowl-week itinerary possible for out-of-town groups.
A sample bowl-week run for a group of 30 from out of town: arrive at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport or Palm Beach International Airport, the bus picks everyone up from baggage claim and runs to the hotel in Boca or Delray Beach. Evening before the game, the bus takes the group to the Mizner Park Pep Rally — Mizner Park Amphitheater is at 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, with free public parking nearby — then returns the group to the hotel. Game day: Fan Fest pickup, stadium drop-off at Flagler Credit Union Stadium, post-game return to hotel or the airport.
That's a single chartered vehicle covering every airport transfer, the pep rally, and the game — no rental cars, no rideshare roulette, no one left behind at Arrivals.
Bowl week in South Florida in December is also a natural opportunity to build in a day at the beach, a stop at Mizner Park's restaurants and shops, or a visit to Boca Raton's Waterway along the Intracoastal. Tell us your full itinerary and we'll sort out the pickups, the timing, and the routing around the bowl game schedule. Call 728-241-1900 to build a custom bowl-week plan for your group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does a charter bus drop off at Flagler Credit Union Stadium for the Boca Raton Bowl?
Bus drop-off at FAU Stadium is in Lot 5, north of the stadium, which also serves as the motorhome and tailgate zone during the Boca Raton Bowl. From Lot 5, your group moves through the tailgate area and enters through the stadium's north gates. The stadium address is 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431.
Because lot assignments and approach routes can shift year to year, we confirm your group's exact drop point and approach route for your specific game date when you book with us.
How much does bus parking cost at the Boca Raton Bowl?
General car parking is $20 cash only. Motorhome and oversized vehicle parking in Lot 5 is $100 per vehicle, per the official Boca Raton Bowl parking page. Always verify current rates before your trip, as pricing is subject to change.
When you book your Boca Raton charter bus rental with us, we build the parking logistics into the plan so there are no surprises at the gate.
What roads close on Boca Raton Bowl game day?
20th Street closes completely on bowl game day, eliminating the eastside campus approach. Significant traffic delays are the norm on Glades Road and Spanish River Boulevard before and after kickoff. I-95 Exit 45 (Glades Road) serves fans arriving from the south; Exit 48 (Yamato Road) serves fans from the north.
Because exact closure details are confirmed closer to game day, check the Boca Raton Bowl gameday page and local traffic reports the week of the game.
Is there public transportation to the Boca Raton Bowl?
Yes, though it requires planning. Tri-Rail stops at the Boca Raton station on Yamato Road, and Palm Tran Route 94 runs from that station to the FAU campus approximately every 20 minutes. Without the bus connection, the Tri-Rail station is about a 50-minute walk to FAU Boulevard.
This option works well for individuals and couples; for a coordinated group with tailgate gear and specific arrival times, a private bus rental is a simpler, more reliable choice.
How far in advance should I book a bus for the Boca Raton Bowl?
Book as soon as the bowl matchup is announced — typically the first or second week of December. If your group attends the Boca Raton Bowl every year as a tradition, booking in November is even better. South Florida's December vehicle inventory tightens quickly once bowl week and the snowbird season overlap, and the right-size vehicles for groups of 20–40 are the first to go.
Waiting until the week of the game usually means fewer choices and higher rates. Call 728-241-1900 to lock in availability the moment your headcount is confirmed.
Can a charter bus stay on-site during the game?
Yes. The bus is reserved as a block of hours, so it can park in the designated oversized vehicle zone during the game and be ready for pickup when your group exits. Set a clear post-game pickup window with our team before the game so the bus is in position when the final whistle blows — no hunting, no waiting in the rideshare line while surge pricing climbs.
What's the bag policy at the Boca Raton Bowl?
The Boca Raton Bowl follows NFL-standard bag rules. Permitted: one clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC bag no larger than 12″ × 6″ × 12″ (or a one-gallon clear freezer zip bag), plus one small hand-sized clutch no larger than 4.5″ × 6.5″. Backpacks, opaque bags, and coolers are prohibited inside the stadium.
Strollers must be checked at customer service. Verify current policies on the Boca Raton Bowl gameday page before your trip.
How much does it cost to rent a party bus or charter bus to the Boca Raton Bowl?
Pricing depends on group size, vehicle type, hours, and pickup location. As a guide: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour; and 40–56 passenger charter buses run $150–$300/hour. We provide all-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds with no hidden charges.
Call 728-241-1900 or use our online tool for an instant quote built around your exact date and headcount.
Does a charter bus need a permit to park at FAU Stadium during the Boca Raton Bowl?
Oversized vehicle parking in Lot 5 is $100 per vehicle, payable in advance, per published Boca Raton Bowl parking information. As with car parking, there is no guarantee of day-of availability without pre-arrangement — confirm current requirements against the official parking page before your trip. We sort out the parking plan for your group's bus when you book with us, so you're not discovering the policy at the lot entrance on game day.
Book Your Boca Raton Bowl Bus Today
The Boca Raton Bowl is one of the best reasons South Florida sports fans circle a December date on the calendar — a real college bowl atmosphere, a beautiful campus setting with ocean views, and a game-week experience that runs from the Mizner Park Pep Rally to Fan Fest right outside the stadium gates. Your group deserves to enjoy every minute of it instead of fighting Glades Road in two cars, hunting for a working ATM for the cash-only parking lot, and waiting for surge-priced rideshares after the final whistle.
Party Bus Rental Boca Raton has access to a full fleet of party buses, charter buses, minibuses, and Sprinter vans to get your group to Flagler Credit Union Stadium and back — from Fort Lauderdale, Miami, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, or right here in Boca. Call 728-241-1900 any time for an all-inclusive price quote, or use our online tool for instant availability. Lock in your bowl-week bus before December — the right vehicles go first.
