@MAandMEmom may want to start a BS thrift thread… People like me who have zero thrift smarts need a role model and a mentor!
I suggest you absolutely be there on Opening Day. Some of the many reasons why: it is a whole new “life”, last minute purchase and/or errands, peace of mind in seeing where and with whom she lives, a chance to meet other parents, a chance to meet advisors/teachers/houseparents and… a last giant hug.
Certainly there are tons of great reasons to be there but we also need to be cognizant that not everyone has the option of doing so. One of my children’s very best friends from BS was the extremely bright, charming, and talented child of a low income single mother who lived on the opposite coast. The very first time this mother stepped foot on the campus her child lived on for 4 years was at graduation.
If someone can swing it, great. If not, your child will manage and others will be helpful to assist in their settling in process.
@doschicos That goes without saying. I meant (but did not specify) that, if at all possible, I suggest going. There will, no doubt, many kids without family members dropping off (international students and others from far away, those with economic hardships etc)… My point was that I suspect @sculptordad would feel better if he could arrange to be there.
@london203 My post wasn’t directed at you specifically but towards the overall replies to this thread that express repeatedly that attending is pretty much a “must do”. I agree to the benefits and was the first poster to respond to the OP pointing out those benefits, but in light of the general tilt of the responses I felt it worth stating that it is not a necessity and that there are reasons why people can’t and don’t. Not all readers of this thread (there are many lurkers) may have the resources and opportunities to attend, let alone staying multiple nights in hotels, and that is perfectly acceptable. Kids have done it solo before and they are perfectly ok. I just wanted to extend the options beyond a narrow set of responses geared towards those with the means to do so. No judgement intended.
And it was a valid point that was worth mentioning.
I believe the dorm/dining hall is open during Fall/Spring family weekends as well. Many kids stay at school as their parents (international, etc) cannot attend conferences nor take them for the long weekends.
Thanks for comments. I can afford the trip and I would feel better. But daughter insists that she can handle everything and it won’t be different if we say good-bye at the airport or at the dome. She is right as she went to a 3 weeks residential camp by herself last year. She needs anything, she will use Amazon prime.
And she has had better starts when we were not around because she feels more free to be assertive and independent. So we are leaning toward to let her go by herself.
Your daughter sounds very mature and competent, @SculptorDad. I’m sure she’s going to do great!
To expand on @payn4ward’s comments, we were able to attend the different family weekends because we lived super close (close enough not to need hotel rooms). We always took other students out to meals with us during those visits. My kids were good at rounding up friends whose parents couldn’t be there. It was fun to meet the different kids and as parents we always got more scoop with more kids in tow. I know other families are good about doing the same thing. At my kids school, a lot of kids stay on campus during the long weekends. They enjoy the downtime without obligations and the extra time to catch up sleep, watch netflix, go into town, etc. SPS would have an activity or two, give out free passes to the local movie theater, etc. The only times the dorms closed were Thanksgiving break (some kids who live far away would stay with local SPS families if they wanted/needed to), Christmas/winter break, and Spring break. Other schools may vary but I think many run things the same way.
As parents it’s difficult to imagine that your kids are independent. They aren’t 100% independent yet but this is the first step.
@SculptorDad Sounds like SculptorDaughter is well on her way! Exciting times…Truth be told, my advice to go was really more for your benefit and not a statement on her needing help. 
I think we often forget how life changing boarding school is for parents as well…
@london203 amen to that!
The parents are well planned for the new state of existence.
Exactly.
Although all the information may be found on the website on what to expect, who to call, and communication escalation pathways (advisor > teacher > dean > ) it is useful to hear Q/As, and meet the people who will be around your child daily.
Kids will have plenty of independence.
I would demand a little bit of my stake 
BS is your community too as much or as little as you want to be involved.
This suddenly reminds me DD’s first juried exhibit for students at community college two years ago. My wife and I were all excited and planed to talk to her professor and classmates about her exhibited work. But at the door, she asked us to pretend not to know her. And during the next 150 minutes, she participated the ceremony, talked to professors, other students, guests about her piece and other artists works, while avoiding us!
It took a few days for me to come to the terms with it. A child leaves her nest to be independent in the world. A parent told me that she needs room because it is very difficult for a child to act independently and establish herself in a new group while being the daddy’s little girl at the same time. If she wants to make her first impressions as more of herself, then we can wait until the parent’s weekend.