A Sublime Sports-Themed Getaway in Seattle

Photo Courtesy of Visit Seattle

Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena is rocking. A 17,000-strong crowd chants “Let’s go, Kraken!” atop the dour strains of Nirvana’s 1992 grunge hit “Lithium.” It’s a quintessential Pacific Northwest vibe, marking another goal for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. Spectators enjoy the instant replay on gigantic twin triangular-shaped video boards, which stand out among the venue’s 224 LED displays.

Launched in 2021, the NHL’s newest expansion franchise attracts a diverse audience, including local sports icons ranging from Megan Rapinoe to Marshawn Lynch. And inside the exclusive, spacious Symetra Club, you can indulge with a variety of taste treats. Pair the Metropolitan Grill’s juicy wagyu beef burger with Hop Valley Brewing’s Kraken Stash IPA. Or go for German deli pretzels, butter rum popcorn, and Starbucks coffee, which are all complimentary for club seat holders.

Climate Pledge Arena is a futuristic attraction in its own right. At this $1.15-billion reinvention of Key Arena (originally the Washington State Pavilion at the 1962 World’s Fair), 75 per cent of food ingredients are sourced locally and seasonally. Amazon’s cashierless technology powers select food and merchandise outlets.

Steps from the Space Needle, the arena is named after an Amazon-led global coalition of 460 companies aiming to go carbon neutral by 2040. It burgeons with environmentally friendly touches, such as using reclaimed rainwater for the NHL’s “greenest ice.”

For many Canadian visitors, hockey is the main draw on a Seattle sports getaway. However, there are other exciting options to explore, incorporating culture, cuisine, and more.

Photo Courtesy of Visit Seattle

Photo Courtesy of Visit Seattle

Washington State’s biggest city recently hosted both the 2023 MLB All-Star Week and the 2024 NHL Winter Classic at T-Mobile Park, home to baseball’s Seattle Mariners. The adjacent 68,000-capacity Lumen Field, where the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks play, is one of 11 U.S. venues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Whether or not you’ve scored tickets for the next big game, a guided Lumen Field tour offers highlights aplenty. Climb up to the Toyota Flag Deck for a sweeping view of the football field, check out the broadcast booths and press box, and walk out to the field via the tunnel Seahawks players use.

If you prefer to admire the Emerald City’s stadiums from Elliott Bay, a narrated Argosy Cruises harbour tour on the 500-capacity Salish Explorer is just the ticket. Soccer stars who have taken the hour-long cruise range from Borussia Dortmund legend Marco Reus to the entire OL Reign pro women’s soccer team.

Seattle’s accommodations offer endless possibilities for sports fans who love to participate. Take downtown’s Hotel Ändra, which occupies an historic 1926 building with 123 elegant Scandinavian-style rooms. After a morning workout at the well-equipped gym or the nearby RowdyBox boxing studio, you can refuel on octopus hash with brussels sprouts and bacon at Lola, Hotel Ändra’s restaurant.

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Ändra

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Ändra

Or head up to Five Iron Golf in Capitol Hill, where you can practise your swing indoors on a simulated driving range or play whimsical games like Bullseye or Scrap Yard. If your definition of sports includes video games and board games, Hotel Five’s funky, fun-filled lobby features Pac-Man, Jenga, and a giant wall Scrabble board.

Racking up sports-themed dining experiences in Seattle is as easy as it is tasty. After visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass or the Museum of Pop Culture, Premier League soccer fans can lunch at the Seattle Center Armory’s Premier Meat Pies. Try a curry lamb pie and a marionberry cider by Incline Cider Company while watching live matches on TV. Portraits of Thierry Henry and Steven Gerrard adorn the outlet, along with a green Seattle Sounders jersey.

In Chinatown, a mural of Seattle’s own Bruce Lee appears outside the 1935-founded, family-run Tai Tung restaurant. The legendary martial arts star frequently ate at this unpretentious joint with wooden booths and flannel-shirted customers. Feast on oyster sauce beef and garlic shrimp, Lee’s favourite house specialties.

For women’s sports fans, Ballard’s Rough & Tumble pub is a can’t-miss hot spot. Eighteen screens televise women’s sports from University of Washington Huskies basketball to World Cup snowboarding. The Gold Mamba Nachos with chicken tinga is a shareable plate worth travelling for.

Photo by Lucas Aykroyd

 

Photo by Lucas Aykroyd

Photo by Lucas Aykroyd

For confirmed shopaholics, Simply Seattle, near a 1st Avenue brick-wall mural commemorating the 2020 Seattle Storm’s WNBA title, is the place to score throwback Seattle SuperSonics basketball jerseys with names like Gary Payton and Reggie Allen. Check out the souvenir store’s wood-and-neon indoor sign hailing the now-defunct Sonics’ 1979 NBA championship run.

Inside labyrinthine Pike Place Market, you can buy Ken Griffey Jr.’s Mariners rookie card at Market Coins or vintage Sports Illustrated issues at the neighbouring Old Seattle Paperworks.

From nostalgic sports memorabilia and space-age stadiums to fine food and state-of-the-art gyms, one thing is clear: you’ll feel like a winner in Seattle.

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