FSU Graduation 2026–27: Where to Stay in Tallahassee

Book your FSU graduation room now. Not in March, and not after the guest tickets come out. Commencement weekends fill Tallahassee hotels about as fast as a big home game does.

Here are the 2026–27 dates FSU has published, how the ceremonies work, and how we'd plan the weekend if the graduate were ours.

FSU commencement dates for 2026–27

Fall 2026: Friday, December 11. FSU holds three ceremonies that day at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center:

• 9:00 a.m. for doctoral degrees, with faculty hooding
• 2:00 p.m. for bachelor's, master's and specialist degrees
• 7:00 p.m. for bachelor's, master's and specialist degrees

Which ceremony your graduate walks in depends on their college. The list is on commencement.fsu.edu, and the University Registrar posts seating charts by college.

Spring 2027: Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1. The registrar's spring seating page lists a 9:00 a.m. doctoral ceremony on Friday, then bachelor's, master's and specialist ceremonies at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.

Summer 2027. FSU's summer term ends July 30, 2027, with a diploma date of July 31. Summer ceremony details weren't posted when we wrote this, so check commencement.fsu.edu in late spring.

Guest tickets, briefly

For fall, graduates RSVP during a window that runs from early October to November 6. Graduates who RSVP'd for the 2:00 or 7:00 p.m. ceremony can then request up to six guest tickets through the Tucker Civic Center during the week of November 16.

If you're a parent or grandparent, ask your graduate one question: did you RSVP? It's the step people miss, and it decides if you get a seat.

Which night to book

The ceremony time decides it.

• 9:00 a.m. ceremony: arrive the night before. Check-in is 3 PM, and with self check-in, a late Thursday arrival is no problem.
• 2:00 p.m. ceremony: also arrive the night before. Checkout is 11 AM. A 1 PM checkout is $25, which buys a slow morning and time to get dressed.
• 7:00 p.m. ceremony: book that night too. A ceremony, photos and a family dinner end late, and nobody wants to start the drive home after that.

Spring works the same way across Friday and Saturday. Families with a Saturday ceremony often come in Friday and head home Sunday.

Getting to the ceremony

We're about 10 minutes by car from FSU, and the Tucker Civic Center sits on the edge of campus on Pensacola Street. Give yourself extra time anyway. Three ceremonies in one day means parking lots empty and fill again between each one. FSU's Graduation Office posts parking details for every commencement, so read that page the week before.

What makes the weekend easier

• The right rooms. A Double Queen fits a family of four. If grandparents are coming, book their room at the same time instead of later. We have 78 rooms, and graduation weekends use them up. We also have five ADA Queen rooms; call us to book one.
• Breakfast is covered. Free continental breakfast every morning: waffles, eggs, fruit, cereal and juice. The Café is open 24 hours with Lucky Goat coffee and warm breakfast sandwiches for a fee, which helps on a 9 a.m. ceremony morning.
• Parking is free and on site, so a second family car is not a problem.
• Several rooms for one family? Email hello@thebobhotels.com or call (850) 201-1700 and ask about a group block.

Want to see the rooms first? Here's a look inside our King and Double Queen rooms. And if you're wondering whether we're any good, we're the #1 hotel in Tallahassee on Tripadvisor and a 2026 Travelers' Choice winner.

Quick answers

When is FSU's fall 2026 graduation?

Friday, December 11, 2026, at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. Ceremonies are at 9 a.m. (doctoral), 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (bachelor's, master's and specialist).

When is FSU's spring 2027 graduation?

Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1, 2027, according to FSU's University Registrar.

How far is BOB Hotels from FSU?

About a 10-minute drive. We're at 1695 Capital Cir NW, Tallahassee, FL 32303, right off I-10.

Can I check in early on graduation day?

If a room is ready, yes: $100 from 7:00 to 10:59 AM, $50 from 11:00 AM to 1:59 PM, and $25 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM. Standard check-in is 3 PM.

Is parking free?

Yes. Parking on site is free for guests.

Book direct at thebobhotels.com/rooms, or call us at (850) 201-1700.