Visiting Seattle for some baseball? Here’s what to do, see, and eat around the city

A visitor’s guide to the Emerald City beyond T-Mobile Park

Whether you’re a Mariners fan visiting the city from elsewhere or planning a baseball vacation that includes Seattle as one of the stops, Seattle has much more going for it than just a place to take in a baseball game at T-Mobile Park—as pleasant as that is on a warm summer evening. More and more, Seattle is a city of transplants, but this born-and-bred Seattleite is here to share all the best insider info on the Emerald City.

Assuming you’re staying downtown to be close to the ballpark, you have the entire city at your disposal thanks to the Link light rail system, which goes from the airport all the way to the suburbs up north. Buy an all-day Orca pass and make as many stops on this itinerary as time allows.

1. Hop on the nearest light rail stop and take it up to the University of Washington stop to stroll around campus; take in some art at the Henry Art Gallery or the Burke Museum, which boasts one of the most robust collections of Northwest Coast native art and artifacts in the world.
2. Get back on the light rail and get off on the Capitol Hill stop; you can take a photo with the Jimi Hendrix statue right by the station, wander through Cal Anderson Park, and get a true Seattle cup of coffee at any of the various independent coffee shops lining Broadway. Volunteer Park is a Olmsted-designed park nestled in among Victorian-era mansions, featuring the Seattle Asian Art Museum, a beautiful conservatory, and a water tower you can climb up for sweeping city views. There’s also a statue called “Black Sun” that most mistakenly believe was the inspiration for the Soundgarden song; that’s a myth, but you can see a pin-sized Space Needle that lines up perfectly through the “donut hole” in the middle of the sculpture.
3. Your next stop is Westlake, where you’ll be able to transfer to the monorail, which will drop you off directly at the base of the Space Needle. (The Orca card you bought also works on the monorail.) You can explore the Seattle Center at your leisure, although if you have kids with you, they’ll probably want to visit the Science Center or the Children’s Museum. There’s also a big public playground that’s free to use, and a space-age-fountain, one of the few remaining pieces of the original Seattle World’s Fair, that’s fun to play in on hot days. Take the monorail back to Westlake and grab a bite at Asean Streat, a southeast Asian market of food vendors specializing in street food. If you’re feeling fancy, wander over to the Fairmont Hotel and have a drink at their spectacular oval-shaped marble bar, or see if you can find the hidden door to the speakeasy in the basement.
4. One final stop before the ballgame: get off at the International District station and look for the ornate red-and-gold Chinatown-style gate that has marked the entrance to the International District since 2008, although the neighborhood is much, much older than that. Walk northward up to the Panama Hotel, located in historic Nihonmachi, home of the Japanese community in Seattle since the turn of the last century. There you can see the only remaining, intact Japanese-style bathhouse in North America, have a cup of tea, and learn about the history of Japanese people in the region. Head back south towards the gate and visit Uwajimaya, an excellent place to pick up a souvenir with a wide selection of food, housewares, gifts, and books. There’s plenty to eat there or pop into any local shop that looks good. If it’s decent out, grab some takeaway dim sum from Dim Sum King and eat in Hing Hay park, or get some smoky, crispy Peking duck at Tai Tung or Kau Kau. Fort Saint George is also excellent if you’re wanting some Japanese-style comfort food. Walk off whatever deliciousness you just consumed with a ten-minute walk back to the stadium and enjoy the ballgame!

You’ll notice this guide doesn’t tell you to stop at one of Seattle’s most iconic locations Pike Place Market (Pike Place, please, no ‘s, the market is on Pike Street, there is no Mr. Pike). The market is full of treasures, but being honest with you, my new best friend on the internet, it’s also kind of a nightmare to navigate. If you must go, go as early as you can possibly drag everyone else out of bed (like, 8 AM early); as a bonus, you’ll have your pick of the freshest and nicest food and flowers. Go earlier in the week if you can, and don’t miss out on all the stuff on the lower levels. Having conquered the market, you can then walk down the new and gorgeous waterfront park at your leisure; this winding walkway will take you down to the waterfront, where you can ride the Great Wheel, if that’s your thing (worth doing, once), shop for all the nautical-themed souvenirs you could want, and visit Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, which is a precious vestige of old Seattle in the face of all that’s new and shiny. Walking south along the waterfront will take you right to T-Mobile Park, although if you have a little time, taking the water taxi over to West Seattle and visiting Alki Beach is a great way to spend a sunny day. If you have a little more time, walk on to a ferry to Bainbridge Island, an easy, half-hour ride where you can spot eagles in the harbor, look for aquatic creatures, and feel the sea breeze for a ten-dollar round trip that will get you back in time for a night game - just make sure to check those sailing schedules.