First Trip to Seattle. Home OPENER!!!!

[Seahawker86]

Me and the wife have finally done it. We booked out flight/hotel for the weekend of the Seahawks home opener. I have a few questions if you guys could help us.

First off, tickets. I see that the normal online websites(Stubhub, craigslist, etc.) have tickets available. I live in New Jersey and I find it extremely easy to find tickets at the stadium via scalpers and other fans. Is that the case usually for the seahawks? Like, I literally am turning down tickets constantly for games when I go to Giants/Jets/Eagles. Is it worth waiting? I already spent more on getting there, staying there, and moving around there, while I am there lol. If I can save some money buying them in person I'd like to do so.

Also, I pretty much have only Saturday to explore Seattle and its surrounding areas. Give me your must see places to go. Mind you my wife is pregnant and can't go hiking or anything like that. Be it a restaurant, seahawks bar, space needle, etc. I have never been and would like to go see something besides the great stadium and us kicking the 9ers ass.

Also, is there anything special to do IN the stadium before the game starts? Like if you get in early? Sometimes they have events or you can meet players when I have gone to sporting events hours before the event started.

Is there anywhere I SHOULD NOT travel to or through? Rented a car and I don't want to get robbed lol.

Any information will be greatly appreciated. I thank you all in advanced for any advice.

GO HAWKS!!!!

 

[mikeak]

If you only have Saturday and Sunday I would skip the car and do Uber. Saves money overall and not worry about parking. Can take the light train from airport to downtown (not sure where hotel is)

I find tickets sold online right before kickoff at StubHub etc are usually well priced. However you picked the home opener. It will be a crapshoot.

I personally do not buy tickets on the street any longer. I used to do what you describe. I travelled a lot and would get great prices outside right before puck dropped, first whistle. These days I could sell you my real printed ticket sent by the Seahawks BUT have invalidated the barcode online. So it is real, it looks real but is worthless. How would you ever know?.....

I buy via StubHub or similar OR via Craigslist but only if payment is via PayPal and must be a sale transaction. Not state sale but actually be protected by them as a real transaction. In person doesn't mean a thing to me - likelier to get robbed

 

[Bigpumpkin]

I know that I wouldn't want to get into an argument with those dudes selling tickets outside the stadium. They all appear to be at least 270 lbs.

 

[pmedic920]

I travel from Texas to Seattle for games.

With all the costs involved I think trying to save a few bucks on game tickets via Craig's List or scalpers is a risk I'm not willing to take.

There's only 3 ways that I'm willing to obtain tickets to the game.
StubHub
Ticketmaster
Or someone that I know personally.
First two options are guaranteed.

 

[Seahwkgal]

The last time I flew out to a game(that was 10 years ago), I got tickets from a season ticket holder on this forum. Awesome seats and we were not ripped off by a scalper. They sent the tickets to us via mail and honestly, I don't remember if I paid before I got them or after(10 year brain fart here-lol) but I would highly recommend you try to do this somehow, if you have time left to do so. The two tickets we got were behind the opposing team's bench on the 47 yard line about 10 rows up. We got them at face value. It was an awesome time.

 

[GLio14]

Fellow east coast 12! Good to see. I'm from Long Island.

I travelled to Seattle this past November for my first Hawks game when they beat the Eagles and it was a blast. I really just drove around to take everything in. Pike Place is obviously a must. Also, check out the Fremont Troll. It's a pretty amazing site. It may be hard to find because it's right under a bridge, but it's worth a good picture and memory. And I also saw the needle, but you already have that down lol.

I wasn't able to do a whole lot either because I was there for basically a day, then the following day was the game and went straight to the airport afterwards.

Hope this helped! Hope you have an amazing time bro.

 

[kidhawk]

There is some pretty sound advice in this thread. With the advent of electronic ticketing, any ticket you purchase off the street may well have been sold to a dozen other people, and even if it's real, only the first person through the gate will get into the game. Nowadays, it's safest just to go through the sites that guarantee the sales and take the hit. I too am traveling in for a game this season. I was debating between the Texans and the Home Opener. I would LOVE to attend a home opener, but those games are always more expensive on the secondary market no matter who the opponent is. This is the main reason I opted for the Texans game. I ended up buying my seats awhile back when the Seahawks were selling some single game tickets through ticketmaster online. Similar seats are now selling for at least 50% more than what I paid a few months ago. As others have said, many games you'll see prices decrease online as gameday gets closer. I'm not sure that will happen with this one, but I have never tried it for an opener, so I'm just using my best guess here. Good Luck

 

[RastaHawk12!]

I've been a fan since '76 and live out of the area too, so I face the same dilemma getting tickets as you are now. Ticketmaster is a good place to go. You can go right to the "map" and pick seats. It's weird, sometimes resale seats will be really high and sometimes you catch one that would be considered a good deal. As far as scalpers go, I have done that many times as well and never been burned with a bad ticket. I would suggest sniffing out a regular, someone who does that every Sunday. I'll asked the mounted police, "is that guy doing this every home game?" You probably will save a few bucks doing it that way, but the peace of mind in getting them online and guaranteed is worth it to me. I scored some really neat seats right on the rail just by being patient and shopping the site every day.

As for what to do, again, I only get up there once or twice a year and absolutely LOVE Seattle!!! I do lunch on the Space Needle every time. With a meal, the ride is free and the prices aren't really that unreasonable all things considered. Make reservations soon... it fills up and that Saturday will be full. The Seattle Center is pretty cool. Pikes Place Market, Pioneer Square (maybe tour underground Seattle), The Great Wheel, and of course... meet Sylvester at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop while you're strolling down the Wharf.

You can take the Light Rail directly to the stadium and downtown from the airport. The monorail goes from there to Seattle Center and is a fun little ride. You really don't need a rental car. In fact, like somebody else said, I would avoid it and simply use public transportation and Uber.

Have a great time... I'll be there too! 8)

 

[SoulfishHawk]

King Street Bar and Oven before the game is a great spot for pre-funk. If you can do an argosy tour as well, that's a great way to see the area, especially on a sunny day.

 

[SPIRITOF12]

Pike Place Market is always a must see for new guest, and from there head down the hill and take a stroll along the water front, followed by a round-trip ride on the Bremerton Ferry (passenger walk-on) which will give you spectacular photos of the city from the Sound. On your return, there are numerous restaurants, including at the Space Needle that you can get to by monorail that you can catch at Westlake Center. And a car is not needed for any of this.
Enjoy your stay – and Go Hawks!

 

[Subzero717]

I dunno. The guys selling tix outside the game are the same guys every week. They aren't bothered for it because they aren't ripping people off. If someone else is trying to pull that off my guess is they'd be putted immediately as to not ruin their own business interests. I've bought tix that way for tons of Mariners and Sounders games and never had an issue.

Must do things are EMP whatever they call it now. Skip Space Needle and do the Columbia Center so you can see the Needle. 5 Point Cafe. Best bar in Seattle.

 

[Sports Hernia]

If you do hit the Space Needle hit the EMP/MOPOP, same property, it's Paul Allen's music,
Movie and Si-fi museum, plus if They still have the Hawks exhibit you can see the actual Lombardi trophy from XLVIII.

 

[kev007]

:greetingsearthling: fellow 12's !

Wife and I are coming to Seattle for the first time in 20 days time and have got tickets for the 49ers game too; been to an NFL game in London years ago but so excited about seeing the Seahawks at the C-Link

We are in Seattle for 11 days so getting some great ideas on this thread, keep them coming!

Go 'Hawks.

Kev

 

[pmedic920]

:greetingsearthling: fellow 12's !

Wife and I are coming to Seattle for the first time in 20 days time and have got tickets for the 49ers game too; been to an NFL game in London years ago but so excited about seeing the Seahawks at the C-Link

We are in Seattle for 11 days so getting some great ideas on this thread, keep them coming!

Go 'Hawks.

Kev

If you have 11 days, I'd recommend taking the "clipper cruise" to Friday Harbor or Victoria BC. It's a Day Trip and you can do the whale watching on the side.
The San Juan Islands are amazing and IMO shouldn't be missed.
http://www.clippervacations.com/multi-p ... ds-cruise/

You will see tons of marine wild life. Friday Harbor is very nice, couple of nice places for lunch.

Mt. Rainer National park is another Day trip that I highly recommend.


Edit:
Actually Victoria BC would be better as the overnight stay.
Friday Harbor is a good day trip. You get back to Seattle at dusk, the view of the city is incredible as the sun is going down/ lights coming up.

 

[kev007]

:greetingsearthling: fellow 12's !

Wife and I are coming to Seattle for the first time in 20 days time and have got tickets for the 49ers game too; been to an NFL game in London years ago but so excited about seeing the Seahawks at the C-Link

We are in Seattle for 11 days so getting some great ideas on this thread, keep them coming!

Go 'Hawks.

Kev

If you have 11 days, I'd recommend taking the "clipper cruise" to Friday Harbor or Victoria BC. It's a Day Trip and you can do the whale watching on the side.
The San Juan Islands are amazing and IMO shouldn't be missed.
http://www.clippervacations.com/multi-p ... ds-cruise/

You will see tons of marine wild life. Friday Harbor is very nice, couple of nice places for lunch.

Mt. Rainer National park is another Day trip that I highly recommend.


Edit:
Actually Victoria BC would be better as the overnight stay.
Friday Harbor is a good day trip. You get back to Seattle at dusk, the view of the city is incredible as the sun is going down/ lights coming up.

Thanks man!

Kev

 

[Seafan]

If a visitor were to try to enjoy the downtown amenities and the evening game (KC preseason game on 8/25) where would be the best place to park. Could you park once and then use public trans to get around?