Florida Tailgating at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: Lots & Rules

Can't miss

"We Are the Boys" At the end of the third quarter, the whole Swamp locks arms and sways to the old Florida song.
Mr. Two Bits Before the game, a guest honoree in George Edmondson's yellow shirt and orange-and-blue tie leads the "Two bits, four bits" cheer from the field.

Quick answers

What time can you tailgate at Florida?

Setup can start at 6 a.m. on game day, or 8 a.m. in UAA reserved lots, which are barricaded overnight until they open. Everything has to be down and cleared by 3 a.m. after the game.

Can you grill at Florida tailgates?

Yes. Keep the grill attended, on level ground and at least 25 feet from any building or structure, vehicles included. Douse the ash and dump it in an outdoor trash can, never a cardboard one. Open flames, fire pits and ground fires are banned.

Can you drink at Florida tailgates?

If you're 21 or older, from 6 a.m. on game day until 3 a.m. after. Open containers have to stay in the tailgating area, off public sidewalks, streets and walkways. No outside alcohol goes into the stadium.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at Florida?

UF doesn't post a ticket rule for tailgating in open campus areas, which are first come, first served. You need a ticket for the stadium, and once it's scanned there's no re-entry.

How do you buy parking at Florida?

Most lots near the stadium are reserved for Gator Boosters. The few public lots are first come, first served and fill fast, and Lot 113 is set aside for visiting fans, paid in the Passport app. Otherwise, park at a shuttle lot and ride in.

The game-day timeline

Fri 4 PMGators RV City (Lot 78) opens
6 AMTailgate setup can start on campus
8 AMUAA reserved lots open
3.5 hrs beforeRoads beside the stadium close to cars
3 hrs beforeShuttles start, and Gators Fan Fest opens
2 hrs 25 min beforeThe Gator Walk at the north end
90 min beforeGates open
3 AMEvery tailgate cleared

Where to park

Public parking near the stadium is thin. Most close-in lots belong to boosters, so plan on a shuttle or a walk.

Booster lots: Reserved for Gator Boosters. They open at 8 a.m., no re-entry, one 10 x 10 tent per pass, never in a parking space.
Public lots: Limited and first come, first served. They fill fast, and saving spaces isn't allowed.
Visitors: Lot 113 is set aside for visiting fans, paid in the Passport app.
Shuttles: Park at Celebration Pointe, UF Park and Ride #2 on Hull Road or Garage 109. Rides start 3 hours before kickoff.
RV: Gators RV City (Lot 78) is for boosters: in after 4 p.m. Friday, out by noon Sunday. Other RVs, call UF Transportation and Parking Services.
Accessible: Public disabled parking at Garage 109, with a free lift-equipped shuttle from 3 hours before. EZ Event Ride is free from other lots.
Oversize: Nothing over 24 feet long or 7 feet wide outside the RV lots. Charter buses park on Village Drive.

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and the University of Florida game-day campus, simplified

See the official Ben Hill Griffin Stadium parking map

UF set up Waze for game day. Pick your lot by name and let it route you around the closures.
From 3.5 hours before kickoff until the game ends, University Ave, Gale Lemerand Dr and Stadium Rd beside the stadium are closed to cars.
No car? The official map marks rideshare pickups on University Avenue, off Stadium Road on the west side and near Newell Drive. Game-day shuttles drop off at Van Fleet Hall.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 14, 2026 against floridagators.com.

UF's policy is long and specific. These are the lines that shape a tailgate.

Grills: Attended, on level ground, 25 feet from any building or structure, vehicles included. Douse the ash; outdoor trash cans only. No fire pits, candles or ground fires.
Alcohol: 21 and over, 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. Open containers stay in the tailgate area, off sidewalks, streets and walkways.
Tents: 12 x 10 feet max without a permit, 10 x 10 per pass in UAA lots. No ground stakes, and never in a parking space.
Your space: First come, first served. No saving spaces. Nothing blocking exits, walkways, ramps, fire lanes or roads.
Power: No university outlets. Bring your own generator, with a muffler.
Not allowed: Tailgating in garages or on rooftops, drones, private portable toilets, selling or charging admission.
When it ends: Everything down and cleared by 3 a.m. after the game.
Bags at the gate: Clear, up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, or a 1-gallon freezer bag, plus a clutch up to 4.5 x 6.5 inches.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff. No re-entry.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

UF game day tailgating policy Florida football parking 2026 football parking map (PDF)Game day shuttles Clear bag policy

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

Pack for Gainesville

What we'd bring.

Ultralight Tall-Back Camp Chair
$45

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Electric Wagon, 500W with Balloon Wheels
$449

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Tents can't go in parking spaces, so setups move onto the lawns. Balloon wheels handle the grass.

More for this lot

Taiga 55 qt Hard Cooler, 60 Cans$299 · Ships free
ExtremeMist Portable Misting System Kit, 170 PSI, 16 to 24 ft$239 · Ships free

UF runs misting stations and cooling buses for the first 3 home games. The September heat is real, so bring water.

Shipping and returns

Get the Pregame for the Gators. Your lot, your game and what to cook, every week. Free.Get the Pregame for the Gators

Gear for Florida fans

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Where the party is

Florida tailgates on the grass. Tents can't go in a parking space, so setups spill onto the open lawns around campus, and the North Lawn by University Avenue becomes Gator Walk Village.

The moment

The Gator Walk

2 hours 25 minutes before kickoff, the team walks into the north end of the stadium, closest to University Avenue. Gator Walk Village on the North Lawn has reserved tents, with food trucks along West University Avenue.

The free stop

Gators Fan Fest

Opens 3 hours before kickoff outside Gate 2 of the O'Connell Center, at Lemerand Drive and Stadium Road. Free, with games and giveaways.

The car-free stretch

Stadium Road, Newell to 13th

It closes to cars 5 hours before kickoff, and UF says fans can still tailgate there.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Grilling is on here, as long as the grill sits 25 feet from cars and buildings, so plan the spread around where the grill can go.

Cook thisAlligator banh mi

Getting out

The roads beside the stadium stay shut until the game ends, then everyone moves at once. Your options, best first:

Take the shuttle back. Return shuttles start in the 4th quarter, back to Celebration Pointe, UF Park and Ride #2 and Garage 109.
Rideshare from a marked pickup. The official map shows pickups on University Avenue, off Stadium Road on the west side and near Newell Drive.
Stay put. You have until 3 a.m. to clear the tailgate. Let the traffic go first.
Skip this
Drive out at the whistle. Every car on campus, at the same moment, on one-way postgame routes.

First time here?

Setup starts at 6 a.m., or 8 a.m. in UAA lots. Nothing goes up earlier.
Tents go on the grass, not in a parking space, and stay 12 x 10 feet or smaller.
Keep the grill 25 feet from your car and any building.
Open containers stay in the tailgate area, not on the sidewalk.
Be at the north end for the Gator Walk, 2 hours 25 minutes before kickoff.
Bring 1 empty, commercially branded plastic water bottle, 20 oz or less, and fill it inside.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Lot 113 is set aside for visiting fans, and UF's fan code of conduct bans mistreating visitors by name. Wear your colors, bring something to share and wait for a wave before you join a tent.

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