safeco field guide
Most of what you read about Safeco Field is positive. Mariners fans seem to love almost everything about this ballpark, with one big exception…parking. More on that in a minute. One thing that should be mentioned is if you have a Nintendo DS, bring it with you. The Mariners have some sort of network set up where you can access interactive game features for free while you are at the game. I don’t have a DS because I am a grown man, but if I did I would take it to Safeco Field and love every minute. Maybe I should buy a DS. According to the team's A-Z guide, Guests have an opportunity to download NFN to their Nintendo DS free of charge. This gives access to: order food and beverages, watch broadcast video and much more. Wireless instant loading access points are located in the following areas: NFN Kiosk: Section 143, along the concourse near the signs in Sections: 108, 116, 123, 134, 227, 238, 314, 327, 333, 344, in front of Suites 26 and 55, in the Diamond Club and in The 'Pen presented by ROOT SPORTS.
cheap or free parking at safeco
There are free parking opportunities in the area surrounding Safeco Field. The setting is a little bit of an industrial type area, so most of this parking is near local businesses.
Pictured below is an overhead view of an alley way with free parking behind the Paper Zone store. Be careful here as some of the spots are reserved for employees and others, but you are generally safe taking a spot along the fence. Really you are generally safe parking for free on Utah St., just be watchful for signs. The great news is this is really close to the stadium.
Another place you can find free parking is in front of the Mojo Market, which is a little North of Safeco, and very much near Qwest Field. These spots are all on Occidental Ave. S. so you can look for spots on the street near Qwest Field, or in front of Mojo Market. You will need to arrive pretty early to land one of these spots as it is great free parking just steps from Safeco Field.
Pictured below is an overhead view of an alley way with free parking behind the Paper Zone store. Be careful here as some of the spots are reserved for employees and others, but you are generally safe taking a spot along the fence. Really you are generally safe parking for free on Utah St., just be watchful for signs. The great news is this is really close to the stadium.
Another place you can find free parking is in front of the Mojo Market, which is a little North of Safeco, and very much near Qwest Field. These spots are all on Occidental Ave. S. so you can look for spots on the street near Qwest Field, or in front of Mojo Market. You will need to arrive pretty early to land one of these spots as it is great free parking just steps from Safeco Field.
The area surrounding Safeco is currently undergoing quite a bit of construction, and many complain that getting to the stadium and finding even paid parking can be a nightmare. I bet that if you start reading reviews of the stadium, parking is one of the most common complaints.
That being said, you may not feel like trying to drive down and find one of the free parking spots at Safeco Field. Personally, I would go for it but I can understand if you didn’t. If you are going to pay for parking, here is what I recommend. Buy it ahead of time on the Mariners web site. You will pay $15 which is a little steep, but you are going to be parking as close to the stadium as you can get. This garage is right behind home plate. There is also something to be said for have a spot basically reserved for you before you ever leave the house. If you hate congested driving, I think this cuts down on your stress level.
Another option is to park & ride a shuttle to the game. The fare is $5 each way, but may present less hassle if you don't want to navigate the traffic yourself. Here is some more information.
Another benefit of prepaying for parking at Safeco Field is that it costs less. According to the team website, this same garage goes for $20 - $40 if you just drive up and park there on game day. I say that is a double whammy of goodness.
Another solid option for Mariners parking is using Park Whiz. This site lets you pre-pay for a space in various garages/lots so you don't have to stress about where to park. It is a pretty cool concept and you can find some cheap deals for sure. It is especially helpful when you are going to a game that is supposed to be a big crowd.
Here is a look at some upcoming parking available at Safeco. Simply click on a day to book a spot.
That being said, you may not feel like trying to drive down and find one of the free parking spots at Safeco Field. Personally, I would go for it but I can understand if you didn’t. If you are going to pay for parking, here is what I recommend. Buy it ahead of time on the Mariners web site. You will pay $15 which is a little steep, but you are going to be parking as close to the stadium as you can get. This garage is right behind home plate. There is also something to be said for have a spot basically reserved for you before you ever leave the house. If you hate congested driving, I think this cuts down on your stress level.
Another option is to park & ride a shuttle to the game. The fare is $5 each way, but may present less hassle if you don't want to navigate the traffic yourself. Here is some more information.
Another benefit of prepaying for parking at Safeco Field is that it costs less. According to the team website, this same garage goes for $20 - $40 if you just drive up and park there on game day. I say that is a double whammy of goodness.
Another solid option for Mariners parking is using Park Whiz. This site lets you pre-pay for a space in various garages/lots so you don't have to stress about where to park. It is a pretty cool concept and you can find some cheap deals for sure. It is especially helpful when you are going to a game that is supposed to be a big crowd.
Here is a look at some upcoming parking available at Safeco. Simply click on a day to book a spot.
best tickets at safeco field
The Mariners now use dynamic pricing, which is more and more common. Simply put, this is where the ticket prices change based on a number of factors that determine how much demand there will be. If the opposing team is the Yankees, for instance, your upper deck ticket may cost $20 instead of $12. The day of the week is also a factor - weekends tend to cost more than week days. If you know this ahead of time, it can certainly work to your advantage.
Bleacher seats at Safeco are always the cheapest. I say that if you aren’t a really diehard fan and you just kind of like being at a game, these are perfect. The reason I say that is because Safeco Field has tons of cool standing room spots around the stadium. Many of these are in Center and Left Field which is pretty convenient. It is a great stadium to roam around and find a picnic area or standing room spot to watch the game. Safeco also provides the closest access to bullpen pitchers in the MLB as you can stand right behind the catcher and get a unique view of the pitches. Its worth walking to left field for.
The disadvantage of the cheap seats in center field is that you have the video scoreboard right behind you. You may know that I personally prefer to have a good view of the scoreboard as it provides great information and between inning entertainment.
If you want to step it up a little you should still spend wisely. I think the field seats down the lines are over priced, and you should avoid them. There is decent value in the view box seats between home and first base. You should look for the odd numbered sections between 321 and 327. These are about $30 a piece, but your view of the action is impeccable. Besides a great view of the game you have a nice view of the downtown skyline as well. For an evening game you will see the sunset beyond left field as well, it’s a pretty amazing sight. Definitely not the best value seats I have seen compared to other stadiums, but if I am going to pay $22 to sit in the outfield upper deck, sign me up for the $30 seats with an exponentially better view. (Prices are estimates, dynamic pricing effects this but the ratio should be the same).
Bleacher seats at Safeco are always the cheapest. I say that if you aren’t a really diehard fan and you just kind of like being at a game, these are perfect. The reason I say that is because Safeco Field has tons of cool standing room spots around the stadium. Many of these are in Center and Left Field which is pretty convenient. It is a great stadium to roam around and find a picnic area or standing room spot to watch the game. Safeco also provides the closest access to bullpen pitchers in the MLB as you can stand right behind the catcher and get a unique view of the pitches. Its worth walking to left field for.
The disadvantage of the cheap seats in center field is that you have the video scoreboard right behind you. You may know that I personally prefer to have a good view of the scoreboard as it provides great information and between inning entertainment.
If you want to step it up a little you should still spend wisely. I think the field seats down the lines are over priced, and you should avoid them. There is decent value in the view box seats between home and first base. You should look for the odd numbered sections between 321 and 327. These are about $30 a piece, but your view of the action is impeccable. Besides a great view of the game you have a nice view of the downtown skyline as well. For an evening game you will see the sunset beyond left field as well, it’s a pretty amazing sight. Definitely not the best value seats I have seen compared to other stadiums, but if I am going to pay $22 to sit in the outfield upper deck, sign me up for the $30 seats with an exponentially better view. (Prices are estimates, dynamic pricing effects this but the ratio should be the same).
In my humble opinion the best place to buy tickets is Score Big. Let's face it, most ticket broker sites are the same but this one is actually different. It is kind of like the Priceline of sports tickets. Essentially you can search events in your area, and make an offer on tickets and get an instant answer on whether your bid is accepted.
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are dates with discounted tickets available:
Here are a couple of screenshots of how it works. You can select a quantity, and then it gives you different tiers. It gives you an approximate discount percentage, and shows on the seat map which sections your tickets could possibly be in.
Next you enter in a price, again it gives you an idea how how likely that is to be accepted. I made the comparison to Priceline, and it is true, you have to put in payment details prior to making an official offer. But if you are going to the game, what a great way to save money on tickets!
Here are dates with discounted tickets available:
Stubhub is the official marketplace for MLB tickets, and they protect you against fraudulent tickets. If you want to buy on Stubhub, you are usually better off if you can wait until close to game time. For baseball, you usually print your tickets at home after you buy. This means you can often buy tickets up until a couple hours before game time. From the seller perspective, Stubhub encourages sellers to reduce their price incrementally as the event gets closer so they aren't stuck with the tickets. So when you are looking at a game that starts in just a few hours, it is likely you are going to find some great value.
food at safeco park
Safeco Field is known for having a great variety in their concession stands. Yes, the prices are ungodly like every other stadium, but it’s a nice ballpark to splurge in. The garlic fries are a hit with everyone, but honestly they have salmon and other crap that doesn’t belong in a ballpark. The fans say it is delicious but I stick to more normal ballpark food because I am an American. One reader suggested that they always buy the Moose Meal at Safeco. It is meant for kids, but the tipper tells me that they never ask... it includes a hot dog, drink, and Cracker Jack in a bucket. That is a bucket of a deal if you ask me.
More in line with the nature of this site, you are free to take your own food into Safeco Field. The food needs to be in a container or wrapped up, so I guess you can't just walk in carrying a sloppy over stuffed sandwich that is shedding lettuce and dripping condiments on children. No, that sandwich needs to be in tupperware. This is the first time I have seen a ballpark specify this rule, which makes me wonder what the circumstance was that made them start enforcing it. Were there too many people gnawing on a turkey leg as they came in the stadium? The citizens of Seattle are a barbaric bunch.
That is the only restriction on food, so like I say; boycott ballpark prices and bring your own food. Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle... a candle of cheaper snacks.
You can’t bring drinks of any kind with you, but you can pack an empty bottle and fill it up at one of the 66 drinking fountains in the stadium.
You can also check restaurant.com where you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of Safeco Field (98194) to see what restaurants are nearby.
More in line with the nature of this site, you are free to take your own food into Safeco Field. The food needs to be in a container or wrapped up, so I guess you can't just walk in carrying a sloppy over stuffed sandwich that is shedding lettuce and dripping condiments on children. No, that sandwich needs to be in tupperware. This is the first time I have seen a ballpark specify this rule, which makes me wonder what the circumstance was that made them start enforcing it. Were there too many people gnawing on a turkey leg as they came in the stadium? The citizens of Seattle are a barbaric bunch.
That is the only restriction on food, so like I say; boycott ballpark prices and bring your own food. Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle... a candle of cheaper snacks.
You can’t bring drinks of any kind with you, but you can pack an empty bottle and fill it up at one of the 66 drinking fountains in the stadium.
You can also check restaurant.com where you can buy $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $10. You can also do a google search for "Restaurant.com coupon codes" and almost always get an extra 60 - 80% off that. I often buy these $25 certificates for $2. That is the best way to eat a decent meal before or after the game and save a chunk of change. When you follow the link, just type in the zip code of Safeco Field (98194) to see what restaurants are nearby.
free stuff at the mariners game
- A fun and informative destination that you will want to visit is the Baseball Museum of the Pacific Northwest, which is the home of the Mariners Hall of Fame. Both are located on the Main Level along the Third Base line behind Sections 133 - 136. The Museum and Hall of Fame are free and open to all fans during every Mariners home game.
- Guests have an opportunity to download NFN to their Nintendo DS free of charge. This gives access to: order food and beverages, watch broadcast video and much more. Wireless instant loading access points are located in the following areas: NFN Kiosk: Section 143, along the concourse near the signs in Sections: 108, 116, 123, 134, 227, 238, 314, 327, 333, 344, in front of Suites 26 and 55, in the Diamond Club and in The 'Pen presented by ROOT SPORTS.
- Check the schedule for promotional nights, where you can get free stuff just for showing up to the game.