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SAFECO FIELD
Seattle, Wash.
Opened: 1999
Capacity: 47,116
Average Ticket Price: $24.01
Average Cost of Concessions & Souvenirs: $75.99
Pluses:
Twenty-five local bus routes operate within walking distance of the stadium; approximately 7,000 parking spaces available at the park.

Minuses:
Day of game parking at spaces closest to Safeco runs a hefty $22; traffic in Seattle isn't as laid back as the city's reputation would suggest.
The Seattle mascot, the Mariner Moose, greets fans at Safeco Field. The stadium has a retractable roof to combat the rain and features great views of the skyline and Puget Sound.
Photo by AP
Interior structure of stadium is circular, so fans can walk any concourse without missing any of the game; a veritable mall of concessions is available (62 permanent, 26 portable), including vegetarian options; stadium has an abundance of restrooms (56); wheelchair-accessible seating on hand for more than 450, an average total; children's play field behind center field has baseball-themed playground equipment; the Bullpen Market behind left field offers a bazaar of activities and food, including an open pit barbecue.
A product of the Camden Yards era of ballpark construction, "The Safe" shares many of the requisite traits: faux old-fashioned façade details, an asymmetrical playing surface, well-planned sightlines, wide concourses, lots of bathrooms and vertigo-inducing cheap seats. California it isn't, but there's no mistaking that you're on the West Coast: the game is secondary, the "event" is primary. Crowds are well-behaved, and the joint is family friendly. So leave your rude T-shirts at home: stadium policy forbids wearing anything that proclaims the Yankees (or any team, for that matter) "suck." Stadium fare is varied, highlighted by noodles and sushi. -- Sean Bowles  
The stadium is right on the edge of one of Seattle's oldest neighborhoods, Pioneer Square. Known also as the original "Skid Road," the Square is not very beguiling, but there are a number of bars and nightclubs within a 20-minute walk of the park. But that may be better than driving, since the games tie up the town's bridges and make traffic-weary people mean. And once you arrive you'll have to fork over $20 for parking. A better option might be to catch the bus, which the local transportation folks try to provide more of during games. -- Sean Bowles  
2005 Record: 55-75 (all statistics through Aug. 29)
Players worth price of admission: Ichiro Suzuki (.300 BA, 14 HR, 59 RBI, 27 SB), Richie Sexson (.260 BA, 32 HR, 96 RBI), Felix Hernandez (2-1, 1.75 ERA).  
A nice park for a nice set of fans in a nice city. At least the neighborhood has character. Of course, who's to say ornery fans or a cramped park are the keys to baseball happiness? Life is filled with enough struggles, isn't it? Sometimes one just needs to chill. For that, there's Safeco.  

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