SafeCo Field - Buy Seattle Mariners tickets for SafeCo Field at TickCo.com! Enjoy Seattle Mariners Tickets for home games at Safeco Field
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Safeco Field /
Seattle Mariners
No doubt about it: Safeco Field is the best ballpark when it comes to pampering fans. It is both traditional and modern, retro and corporate, intimate and sprawling, cacophonous and soothing. The attention to detail is truly amazing, both for those planted in their seats watching the game, and those who want a little diversion while wandering around the spacious ballpark surroundings. Of course, the more cynical among us would expect Safeco Field to be nothing less than truly spectacular, given its price tag: when it was completed in 1999 for $517 million, it was the most expensive single-use stadium in North America. Was it worth the money? For those of us outside Seattle, it sure was. For me, the most amazing thing about Safeco Field is that it uniquely woven into the fabric of Seattle. Safeco Field may have a retractable roof, but it's really not a retractable roof in the same way that Miller Field or the BOB have retractable roofs. In those stadiums, when the roof is closed, you are enclosed in a climate-controlled environment -- you are now watching a game in an indoor stadium. This isn't the way the retractable roof works at Safeco Field: the roof covers the playing field, but it does not create a closed environment. Even when the roof is closed there are plenty of openings where you can view the rest of Seattle, so you never get the sense that you're watching a game in an indoor stadium -- you're merely watching a game where a giant roof is protecting the players from the rain. And you're never cut off from the great outdoors. This is important in an area like Seattle, where connecting with the environment is a way of life. Depending on where you sit, you'll have views of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, downtown Seattle, or the Space Needle as a backdrop. You're always reminded that you're in Seattle -- giving it a sense of place that precious few other ballparks have. (The ones that do are mainly in the minor leagues -- which probably accounts for why the minor leagues inspire such passion among fans.) There are really two ways to approach Safeco Field: as a ballpark and as a giant food court. Both approaches are valid. If you can spring for the expensive seats, do so -- while most of the grandstand seats are situated quite a distance from the playing field, they offer a panoramic view of the entire stadium and greater Seattle. You'll appreciate the manual scoreboard, the giant Tully's sign, and the backdrop. Even if you score a good seat, you'll want to explore the rest of the ballpark. Check out the Bullpen Market, located in center field. The market includes several concession areas, most populated by Seattle-area merchants; these include Bubba's Burritos (where the vegetarian burritos are mandatory for the vegetarians), Bullpen Asian Bentos (your source for noodle bowls or stir fry), and Bullpen BBQ (run by the Porter's folks, out of Tacoma). From the nearby Bullpen Pub you'll have a view of both bullpens as well as the workings behind the manual scoreboard; sit down and sample the Ivar's Fish and Chips. Oh, and one more thing: dress for the elements. Seattle has a fickle environment, and it can quickly turn chilly any time of the year once nighttime arrives. Since the roof merely covers the stadium and does not enclose it, Safeco Field should really be viewed as an outdoor park, and even if the roof is closed, you'll get chilly on a chilly night.
Concessions OK, so Safeco Field isn't the only stadium in the bigs selling sushi (Dodger Stadium has been doing so for years). But there's an amazing diversity of food options at Safeco Field, and you may end up spending much of your time at the ballpark wandering between the various food offerings. The highlights are many among the 62 food stands and 26 food kiosks. Besides the Bullpen BBQ, Porter's also manages several other BBQ stands around the concourse. Porter's is a family-owned institution in Tacoma and the locals speak highly of its BBQ, but I was not impressed. Ivar's Original Acres of Clams is another Seattle-area institution, serving seafood and clam chowder in a large, sprawling restaurant on the waterfront. It's worth a visit in and of itself, but at the ballpark you should visit the Ivar's concession stand near section 117. Besides the aforementioned clam chowder, Ivar's serves salmon, seafood, and the Ivar's Dog. Other concession highlights in Dippin' Dots, the Grounds Crew espresso stands, pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, the International District (where you can find sushi and stir-fry delights), various Tully's Coffee stands, and the Good Hops Beer stands, featuring a variety of local and regional microbrews. Interestingly enough, it's hard to find a good hot dog at Safeco Field. The Mariner Dog is OK; it tastes like your average hot dog, but it comes in a bun as big as the Ritz. (Yes, there is such a thing as too much bread, and the Mariner Dog violates the hot-dog/bun ratio.) Given the plethora of good foodstuffs at Safeco Field, the lack of a good hot dog is mystifying.
For the Kids
Before/After the
Game I'd also recommend dropping by the Pyramid Alehouse, where all the Pyramid microbrews are on tap. It's kitty-corner from Safeco Field and can be quite the zoo on game days, but the beers are worth braving the crowd. Close by Safeco Field is the Filson Store, where you can shop for rugged and reliable outerwear. In the West, Filson's has a loyal following for its outerwear, and the company store is worth the visit. |
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