So you have decided to heed the call to adventure. Good for you.
If you need to recall what the Guide is or who I am, please refer to the included links.
Cream cheese goes where?!?
The Guide has the following to say about going to a game at T-Mobile Park (“T-Mobile”):
If you like to party, this place is the place for you. However, there will always be a sense of loss here. Be it the vibes or history, one cannot escape a hint of melancholy while visiting the Emerald City.
Seattle is a hip, cosmopolitan city. One would not expect a city that experiences an average of 150 days of rain a year to be a great baseball town. Apparently, it is not the frequency but the intensity…
Yet the birthplace of grunge, the Pike Place Market, and the Space Needle hide one of the most social settings for a ballgame I have ever seen. For an introvert like me, it takes some getting used to. But for those willing to travel outside of California for a Dodger game without wanting to go through the hassle of leaving the West Coast, T-Mobile Park might just be for you.
To address the elephant in the room, I had visited once before, in 2023, and saw the Dodgers clinch the National League West mere days before my father passed away. One would normally imagine that this ballpark might have some psychic residue for me.
I caught my first ever foul ball here, which I keep in my office at work. I was going to give it to Dad when I got home. I sadly never got the chance. Admittedly, this Guide entry took forever to write, but I genuinely hope that my fondness for this venue shines through.
Frankly, the ballpark ticks a lot of boxes for an urbanist like me. Any ballpark that I can fully enjoy, with the majority of my transportation being public transit and my own two feet, starts with an advantage. The entire experience of going to a Dodgers/Mariners game in Seattle could be classified as one of the best ballparks in the league.
It is not Fenway Park-expensive or Petco Park-expensive to watch the Dodgers play at T-Mobile, but it is certainly more costly than Oriole Park at Camden Yards or PNC Park if one is not careful. As the opportunity to go to a Dodgers game in Seattle only comes around every other year, one should seriously consider making the plunge to the Pacific Northwest when given the opportunity.
Here is all you need to know about attending a Dodgers/Mariners game in Seattle.
The Five Questions of the Guide
1. Is it worth going here?
Yes, but social butterflies will get the most bang for their buck.
Outside T-Mobile Park. September 15, 2023. Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
T-Mobile Park is situated on the outskirts of the city center, between downtown and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. One can easily access this ballpark by multiple means, including light rail. The stadium has a dedicated station about half a block away. Ideally, this stadium would be in the heart of downtown, but this locale serves baseball purposes well enough.
Suppose one needed an analogy to understand the location. In that case, it’s more similar to St. Louis or Baltimore (there is something nearby, but no one would confuse the stadium with part of the neighborhood) than Kansas City, Los Angeles, or Milwaukee (an oasis of baseball in the middle of nowhere).
T-Mobile Park is not perfect, but it excels in many areas at a reasonable price point. Going to Seattle is far less logistically challenging for a Californian than traveling to the East Coast.
Typically, if one wanted to socialize or eat before the game, one could do it a few blocks away in downtown Seattle and then commute to the ballpark. The terrain near the ballpark does vary, though far more than one might initially anticipate from looking at a map. We are not talking about San Francisco-level shifts in elevation, but if one is out of shape and attempting to walk, one might require more effort than initially thought.
T-Mobile has multiple entrances and generally opens 90 minutes before the first pitch. When I visited in 2023, the T-Mobile Bullpen area was the first gate to open, offering food and drink for purchase and a close-up standing view of the bullpens on a first-come, first-served basis.
The food itself at T-Mobile was fine, if unexceptional. The main draw that one should try when attending is the Seattle Dog, a hot dog with cream cheese and onions (hence the title of this entry). The portions of the food I purchased during my last visit were quite generous, but I was not in the most optimal state to eat.
The most coveted food item for locals when I visited was Moto Pizza. Multiple people raved about it, and the line for it before the game had to be seen to be believed. Ultimately, it was fine and similar to Detroit-style pizza in terms of shape.
This line is actually a line for Moto Pizza. T-Mobile Park. September 16, 2025 Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
Tours are offered at T-Mobile Park. The tour I took in 2023 did not visit the Press Box and required more effort than most to actually find, due to unclear instructions on where to meet and staff not knowing where to direct people, as I had to wander over three different entrances trying to find my pregame tour on a rainy Saturday morning. Still, those hiccups aside, if the weather cooperates, one can see excellent views of the ballpark and of Seattle itself. The best advice for games in Seattle is to bring layers, especially if visiting in the spring or fall.
1/41Seattle Tour 2023 Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
First Game Certificates are available at the Customer Service booths located in Sections 128 and 329. While I appreciate the customization of the certificate, which is generated on the spot, I did not appreciate the thinness of the paper stock. Still, even though it was rolled up tightly like a newspaper, I think it came out all right.
First Game Certificate – T-Mobile Park Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
The Seattle denizens were subdued the first time I visited, but that state was likely due to the disappointing nature of the 2023 Mariners. When things are going well in Seattle, this group can and does get rowdy — act and plan accordingly.
2. How should I get there?
Upper Deck. T-Mobile Park. September 16, 2023 Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
If you live in California, getting to Seattle is straightforward: unless one has the compulsion to do a lengthy road trip by car, one flies to the Emerald City. If one were feeling overly romantic or nostalgic for an age that never was, one could take Amtrak over a 21-hour journey, at best, via the Coast Starlight.
The light rail network in Seattle runs throughout the city, and the relevant route for the Guide’s purposes is the green line on the left. Accordingly, while one can ride share to and from the park, traffic does not flow as well as one might hope. Therefore, the best options are a combination of light rail and walking. Safety is not a concern (apart from using common sense), as there is generally a high level of safety among large crowds both entering and exiting the ballpark.
Seattle Light Rail Map Courtesy of Sound Transit
As an aside, it is approximately 1,100 miles (1800 kilometers) from Los Angeles to Seattle. One can make an approximate journey on the Japanese Shinkansen in about eight hours, far more comfortably. There is parking near T-Mobile Park, but if you follow the recommendations in the Guide, you will not need a car, unless you plan to ride share from SeaTac Airport.
Seattle is a major metropolitan city. Finding an affordable hotel in Seattle is relatively easy, provided that one starts searching early. While there are hotels extremely close to T-Mobile Park, any hotel downtown with easy access to the Green Line will suffice.
Hotels near T-Mobile Park Courtesy of Google Maps
The Silver Cloud Hotel is the closest hotel to T-Mobile Park, but in my experience, it tends to sell out quickly. Trust in the power of the light rail to get one to and from the ballpark. As for landmarks, for context, a visitor to T-Mobile Park will be far closer to Pike Place Market than the Space Needle, but both landmarks can be easily accessed through either ride-sharing or public transit.
From the 200 seats. T-Mobile Park. September 17, 2023 Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
T-Mobile Park is an excellent ballpark, offering great views of the action, easy-to-navigate concourses, and social gathering hubs. If I were to point out a flaw in the ballpark, it is that ticket prices when the Dodgers come to town are what I would call “high floor, reasonable ceiling.”
The Guide’s classic distinctions of value, social, and best combination are of limited use at this ballpark because most seats will work for our purposes, just be mindful of your overall budget, as T-Mobile Park is a venue where you generally get what you pay for.
If you are looking for a bargain ticket, good luck.
Much like Petco Park in San Diego or Oracle Park in San Francisco, the concept of a cheap ticket when the Dodgers come to town is purely a hypothetical. Be prepared to spend at least $100/ticket per game if you buy directly from the team. You might be able to find a modest bargain on the secondary market if you do not care where you sit.
There is a higher barrier to entry for games, but tickets for better seating are eminently reasonable compared to similar prices at Dodger Stadium. That said, I can understand if fans balk at paying $250-$300 per ticket per game. The question of value is subjective, but having a vantage point for a game with shade that does not break the bank cannot be underestimated.
The view from the Pedialyte Game. T-Mobile Park. September 17, 2023. Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
Truthfully, there is a sweet spot of seating at T-Mobile Park. While sitting in the upper deck is a viable option, it is not a recommended option unless there is a sale on tickets. If you are already spending money on the flight and hotel, there is no reason to skimp on the ticket more than once to attend a game.
The recommended seats at T-Mobile Park Courtesy of the Seattle Mariners / Illustration by Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
Back in 2023, I found seats by the visiting bullpen for around $50, which appeared to be a good deal because you are right by the T-Mobile Gate and Bullpen, which opens up first with its standing-room-only section to gawk at the bullpens. If you ever wanted to shout anything at a bullpen and know that they heard you, these fishbowl-like areas of T-Mobile Park are for you.
By the Dodgers bullpen. T-Mobile Park. September 15, 2023. Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
The general problem with these seats is that you are so far away from the action. Unless you are socializing with everyone around you or have brought friends with you, the view is just not worth it. Another issue with sitting so far away is that the photo below does not accurately demonstrate the sheer drop from your seat to the bullpen, which limits the appeal of this section.
From Section 183, Row 1. T-Mobile Park. September 15, 2023. Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
Technically, any of the seats in the 200 section are fine, but in my experience, the ones on the visiting side tend to be more expensive than the ones by the home Mariners, which just seems silly.
For day games, your best bet for shade is seats in the 200 section, seats on the third base side, farther back, or home plate field-level seats, row 35, and further back. One would be best served using the structure of the stadium for shade or being liberal in the use of sunblock.
5. After your trip, is it worth going back?
Field Level. T-Mobile Park. September 17, 2023. Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
In the disclaimer to the Guide, I described the informal range of subjective outcomes that can occur after visiting a location. So far, I have attended three games at T-Mobile Park in 2023, during which the Dodgers won three. After these visits, my rating of going to T-Mobile Park is:
Hey, that was fun! This trip needs to be a yearly event, if able!
T-Mobile Park is not perfect, but it excels in many areas at a reasonable price point. Going to Seattle is far less logistically challenging for a Californian than traveling to the East Coast. Will you likely be humming the theme song from Frasier during your entire visit? Probably, but that inconvenience should not deprive you of experiencing one of the best ballparks in MLB.
I have not experienced this ballpark from luxury seating or when the retractable roof is in place. Perhaps these factors may impact my overall rating in the future. Still, barring some unexpected and serious regression, I do not anticipate having to revisit my whole-hearted recommendation in the near future.
I cannot overstate the importance of careful planning when visiting T-Mobile Park. If you wait until the last minute, the costs will be comparable to those of going back east. However, if you bargain hunt for a reasonable flight and hotel, you can afford to splurge on tickets that would be comparable to a rent payment if bought in Los Angeles.
The Mariners have had a history of futility and crushing their fans’ hopes and dreams in recent years. If the Seattle-faithful had a reason to pack T-Mobile Park year after year, that result would be a boon to baseball and those fortunate enough to visit while watching their team.
Adric: See you next time! Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA
[Author’s Note: This entry of the Guide is dedicated in memoriam to my father, Dr. Javier G. Elizondo, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2023, literally days after my visit here.
Dad and me Michael Elizondo / True Blue LA