The Seattle Mariners will be on a road trip during Worldcon, but those who arrive in town a few days early will have a chance to enjoy one of the finest days anyone can spend in our beautiful town: a sunny August day at T-Mobile Park. And even for those who miss the August 8–10 series between the Mariners and Rays, the park is worth a tour—or to catch an upcoming concert.
The park that many of us still call “the Safe” feels like it hasn’t aged a day in its 25 years. With its magnificent views of the Seattle skyline from the seating bowl and its incredible views of Elliott Bay from the outside concourses, T-Mobile Park is a place to wander while you cheer. It’s a ballpark which encourages a good time with friends and family while rooting on the hometown nine.
There’s barely a bad seat at the ballpark, either. I’ve sat in unbelievable seats near home plate and seats with an eagle eye’s view in the bleachers, and many places in between. I’ve never had a bad experience. Fans here are friendly and not aggressive, and it’s always easy to make new buddies if that’s something you enjoy doing.
While the Safe is a great place to catch a game, it’s also a fantastic place to eat, drink and have a great time. “The Pen,” in right field, is a fun area in which to grab a cold Northwest microbrew, some sashimi or barbecue, or even a caesar salad before grabbing a high-top table to watch the game in style along with several thousand close friends.
T-Mo abounds with food and beverage choices (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). You’ll find yourself overwhelmed by good options: It can be hard to choose between gobbling down an IchiRoll from Nakagawa Sushi, garlic fries and a three-piece salmon at Ivar’s seafood, a classic Northwest burger at Kidd Valley, or a veggie curry if that’s more your style.
If you’re not here on a game day, the park is still worth a visit. The convention may be able to arrange a custom tour of the park, and sometimes in the summer T-Mobile opens their standard gameday tour on a first-come-first-served basis. That’s a very cool chance to see the locker rooms, press room, luxury boxes, and other hidden areas of the park. That tour also really shows off the complex engine which makes a major league ballpark function.
Best of all, during convention week there’s not one but two major concerts at The Safe: Hozier play August 14 and The Lumineers on August 16th. The ballpark has great acoustics, and you’ll have a great summer evening watching a fun band whether you choose one or both.
The surrounding SoDo area of Seattle is also a great area to grab a pre-game drink or meal, and if you can’t find tickets, the good, old, divey Hooverville Bar is a good place to hang out, watch the game, and argue with friends and strangers over a cold beverage or two.
Link Light Rail takes you down to the Park (just get off at Stadium Station), so even that is easy.
If you get a chance to walk around T-Mobile Field, you’ll see why it’s considered one of the finest parks in all of Major League Baseball.