:greetingsearthling:
Welcome! What an exciting trip.
That game is at 1:25, so you don't have a lot of wandering time before hand. Where to go depends on where you're staying and how you want to get around (how much walking you're willing to do, etc.). Green words below are links, FYI.
One option is the
Owl n' Thistle, an Irish-style pub with grub and brews. It's an easy walk to the stadium (less than a mile south) and shows NFL games on a big projection screen. It's busy, but not a hyperactive, sense-overload, TV-screens-everywhere type of place. It'll be packed with Seahawks fans, with great 12th Man energy. The website in that link says they open at 11 am, but on game days in the past they were open earlier. If interested, check ahead of time to be certain.
Since it's your first visit, consider getting to Century Link an hour before kickoff, more if you want to explore
Touchdown City in the adjacent convention center. You can roam the venue, take pictures, locate your section, seats, toilets, and refreshments anxiety-free. Soak in the atmosphere as the stadium fills and the excitement multiplies. En route and once there feel free to shout "Go Hawks!" and high-five any festive-looking passers by. It's a fun way to get into the spirit of things.
As for extra experiences, depending on how much time you have, here's way too much information:
Pike Place Market is about 2.5 miles north of the stadium. It's one of the oldest, largest farmers markets in the nation, with all kinds of shops, food & drink. Also the fish tossing you see on every Seahawks telecast.
Our top local fast-food burger joint is
Dick's. There are 5 locations. If you plan to see the Space Needle, there's a Dick's across from Seattle Center in the Queen Anne neighborhood (4 miles from the stadium). You shouldn't leave Seattle without eating some Dick's.
If you're into music,
KEXP and the
EMP are also located at Seattle Center. KEXP is a non-commercial radio station with eclectic, DJ-run programming, along the lines of BBC 6 music (without the news inserts). They just opened a public space this past spring you can check out. EMP is a music and sci-fi museum with rotating exhibits and outstanding visuals & photo ops.
If you want to take a stroll along the piers, the ferry terminals are 2 blocks from the Owl n' Thistle. Amongst the sites are the Seattle Great Wheel (only 175 feet compared to the London Eye's 443), Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe, and
Ivar's, a local seafood institution notable for the clam chowder.
Finally, if you have lazy recreation time, the Bainbridge ferry is an underrated non-touristy thing to do as a tourist. For less than $10 you can walk on and take a round trip in the sea-salt air of Puget Sound. Each way takes about 30 minutes. There's beer and snacks on board. Sometimes you can see whales along the way. The view of Seattle on the return is awesome. On good-weather days it's a nice, low-key break from the traffic and hubbub. After the game it'll be loaded with 12s.
Best of luck!
