I made a reservation online and decided that the 14.30 tour on 5 July was my preferred choice. Tickets cost $12.50 plus booking fee. I arrived at King St Station Seattle almost on schedule at 11.00. The surrounding streets were from an older period and there was an open air pedestrianised area called Occidental Square that was very lively. I wandered up towards Pike St and realised that I was going to be tight on time so took a steep stair way down to the water front.
When I last drove in Seattle there was a two lane double deck highway called Alaskan Way right along the water front. Removal of the viaduct began in February 2019. All that remains now is the last few yards of it whilst the SR 99 tunnel keeps traffic away from the area.
The Waterfront has the Seattle Wheel and Aquarium and an entertainment complex called the Miners Landing. It was very busy with tourists but I didn’t have time to investigate as I had to wind myself to the stadium area.
Trying to visualise the map in my mind I crossed over and turned one more corner and there was the Stadium – I had made it! Or had I there were no baseball player images on the outside of the shop and with rising horror realised that this was the football stadium. I summoned up the last drop of energy and walked towards the end of the street past the food vendors setting up for the game later that day.
Mariners Stadium or Selco Field as it was but now called T Mobile Park is one of the best stadiums in baseball. It has 5 art installations dotted around the inside and outside of the park. These range from a bronze baseball glove to a lighting chandelier designed of baseball bats.
I know the rules of baseball but I couldn’t name a current player but when the tour entered the field there were two of the players with their families tossing a ball around. The ground crew were preparing the field for the game that evening. I thought that it was very decent of the Mariners to allow the tour to go ahead when there was a game that evening.
So on the field the only name I got was the third baseman Kyle Seager. He was happy to sign a ball given to him by a young fan but the tour guides called the tour away because it was not allowed to approach the players. I think the guides were put out a bit because they didn’t know that they were going to be there.
The tour allowed access all over the stadium and into the press box where foul balls have knocked holes into the commentary boxes. No access was allowed to the dressing rooms but we saw the T Mobile corporate box as well as the owners box.
I loved the mascot though – Mariner Moose! The skyline of Seattle was fantastic from the top deck and you could catch a glimpse of Starbucks HQ.
I had exceeded all my steps and more for the day and afterwards could hardly summon up the energy to move so I jumped on the light rail to Capitol Hill just so I could sit down. Capitol Hill, Seattle is a densely populated area and the centre of the LBGT community. It was buzzing and is a lively and entertaining hub.
I headed back to King St Station because I wanted to catch the free Waterfront Shuttle again so I could sit and kill some time before my train at 19.00. The shuttle starts from around the corner and follows a route to the Space Needle and back again. I did see the cruise terminals and managed to pop of the coach to snatch a picture of the Needle.
It was a long but very enjoyable visit but boy my feet were tired….oh and the Mariners lost that night against the Oakland Athletics 2-5
USA Road Trips by Max 
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