NFL City Guide: 49ers at Seattle Seahawks is the best road game this season

In a dream world, the 49ers would play all 19 games at Levi’s Stadium this season before playing a street game like the Super Bowl in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium. Unfortunately, an additional game has been added to the schedule this year, meaning the Niners will have to travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to face the Bengals.

Facing the Bengalis does not mean moving the needle for anyone. Street games are more expensive because you have to pay for your travel and stay, as well as other unexpected expenses.

If you had to travel to a game this year, the answer is obvious, right? The answer is December 5th when San Francisco travels to Seattle to face our archenemy, the Seahawks.

In December we will know if every team is in the playoff hunt. Both teams are expected to be over .500, and unlike last season when the 49ers and Seahawks clashed for a second time, this game is going to count for something.

I love going to Seattle as my older sister and her family are season ticket holders. My nephew wears the number 24 and plays running back because he wants to be like Marshawn Lynch. Whenever the 49ers lose to Seattle, I hear about it for weeks.

After week 17 in 2019, I didn’t get any holiday calls from any Washington area codes. I wonder why that was?

You don’t need a reason to watch the Niners face off against the Hawks. However, you may need a reason to get out of your comfort zone and fly north for a day or two. Because of that, I’m here. To help you with a possible itinerary for your 24-36 hour trip.

Eat food

The answer to all your breakfast questions is Beth’s Cafe – although it’s temporarily closed.

This café has been around since the 1950s. There is a classic old-school atmosphere with colored pencil drawings by customers on the wall. Beth’s has a cozy atmosphere as the menu is full of home cooking. If you want to impress your friends, you can order a 12 egg omelette. If 12 is something a lot, you can downsize to just six eggs.

I ate here twice and both times felt like I needed a nap 30 minutes after eating – which is a compliment.

If pastries are your thing, check out Piroshky Piroshky. You are not limited to your typical breakfast or dessert pastries like apples or cherries and cream. Instead, you can order chicken, curry, and rice piroshky, beef and cheese, jalapeno, and cheddar cheese, along with a handful of other options.

Not big on cafes, pastries, or breakfast? There is a Mediterranean grill in Bellevue that you must try. If you can’t make it out there, no sweat. That’s why we have UberEats and DoorDash. From lamba shawrma to a kofta kabab sandwich, you won’t be disappointed with their Mediterranean food.

A couple of other restaurants:

• Biscuit bitch
• Masonry pizza
• La Palmera Mexican

We can’t have a conversation about the road trip to a soccer game without talking about breweries. Here are eight breweries to visit when in the Pacific Northwest:

• Shop
• Rubens
• peddler
• NW summit
• Old furnace
• The tap room
• Pike Place Brewery
• Downpour

For the name alone, go to Cloudburst. Woodinville is another area with a nice selection of breweries and wineries.

entertainment

So what should you do if you don’t eat or drink beer? The Space Needle is a cliché. Pike Place Market is where adult men tossing over 25 pound fish around while a crowd stands and watches. For some, this is a fun Friday.

If you’re a hockey fan, head to the Climate Pledge Arena. The Edmonton Oilers are in town on Friday, December 3rd to play the new Seattle Kraken.

If you’re a basketball fan, watch the supe … too soon?

If this is a family day out, have the Seattle Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, or the Snoqualmie Ski Resort.

They have Mount Rainier too, and if history is your thing, check out Beneath the Streets, which offers an underground history tour.

Whatever you do, bundle it up. In December it will be cold.

The matchday experience

I would be lying to you if I said I don’t spend most of my time trolling Seahawks fans. The toughest Seattle fans can’t stand the 12s and their head coach, which gives us plenty of ammo to work with.

We joke that the Seahawks weren’t fans of their team before Russell Wilson became a thing, but I have evidence that this is true. The last time I was in town, I asked the gentleman pictured below who Seattle was playing against that day. Terrifyingly, he had no idea:

As soon as you are in the stadium it gets loud. It may not be as loud as the decimal levels suggest, but the “fake crowd noise” is a bit over the top. There will be a lot of shouting.

Seahawks fans can come across as delusional, annoying, and tiresome on social media. Nothing changes in real life. But that’s what we expect, right? I’m sure other fans have said the same about you when they visit Levi’s Stadium.

It’s not that you have to worry about being yelled at with profanity, but like any away game, the home team will make your life difficult for you. But since the rivalry between the 49ers and Seahawks is as big as it is, the passion is at level 10.

Go with a group. That way you have support and the home team cannot unite against you. They’re terribly quiet when they don’t win. Strange …

Seattle is a pleasant city that makes a nice change from a typical big city. Nightlife won’t be confused with a Los Angeles or Scottsdale anytime soon, but you will have a good time.

Avoid the local department stores as they are filled with Seahawks gear – unless you come in wearing 49ers clothing. I did this two visits ago and got all sorts of side eyes.