Heading to Seattle for a business trip. Want to go to Safeco to see a game. Are tickets readily available or should I purchase in advance? Any recommendations for good seating or any good values?

Go to seattlemariners.com and click on schedule. It will show you ticket availability - there is also a place to click on ticket specials. We bought tickets a day or 2 before game when we were in Seattle, but it was a midweek day game against a boring opponent.

Safeco is a great park inside, although I think it looks like some sort of an insect from the outside.

Gail - thanks for the tip - their website was the first place I checked but the ticket availability section was not operating.

I was hoping to get fans' general impression on availability as I want to purchase my ticket as late as possible. This being a business trip I can't be sure that I'll get out of my meetings on time to attend. Are tickets available at the gate ever? Thinking of a Wed or Thurs game against the A's.

You can almost always get general admission tickets at the gate. Big name opponents will sell out, but if you can get tix the day before (box office or Ticketmaster - ugh) you'll get in. Most of the seats, even the cheap ones, are great at Safeco. Try not to sit in the plume of the Garlic Fries stand, or else innoculate yourself by getting some.

As a season ticket holder I will tell you that most games are sell outs.

I would buy tickets as soon as you know you are going to come on the site:

http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/sea/schedule/sea_schedule_calendar.jsp

Of course there are always scalpers outside the gates too.

The best seats are the Field and lower box seats but as others have said the entire stadium really has great seating. I don't prefer the bleachers (no cup holders haha!)

Be sure to take in the views from different parts of the park by walking around. My favorites include the Hit it Here Cafe and the Bullpen pub where you can spy on the pitchers through small holes in the wall and watch the manually operated scoreboard form behind.

As John mentioned the garlic fries are addicting, there is also Porter's BBQ with the famous "Man" hot sauce, Ivars clam chowder, the ice cream of the future- Dots, and since it's Seattle sushi and saki!

Have a great time!