In this first of many posts about Seattle, I wanted to just give a glimpse at how we spent three days in the Emerald City. After not taking a real vacation all year, Kim and I desperately needed some good, relaxing fun. Our friends in Seattle didn't disappoint.

Being Kim's first time in Seattle, no trip would've been complete without a stop at Pike Place Market. One of the best people watching spots I've ever encountered, Pike Place has something for everyone. Definitely sample some of the fresh seafood, we chose oyster shooters for a little snack, and take your time strolling around. It could easily be an all day destination if you let it. 

We even managed to run into a wedding party taking photos before heading off down 1st Ave. to the Goorin Bros. Hat Shop. More of a personal pilgrimage since they don't have stores here in Houston. When heading to the Pike Place area, consider taking public transit as parking is scarce and can be pretty expensive. 

After picking up some wine, goat cheese, fresh baked bread, falafel and donuts, we jumped on the nearest bus and headed over to the Seattle Center for a little downtime. 

At the Seattle Center you'll get an up close and personal look at the Space Needle, enjoy some lovely park area and even get to see the coolest radio station, KEXP Seattle. Add this to any Seattle itinerary for an easy, relaxing day. 

Of course I had to make a quick stop into Emerald City Guitars to sample one of the best vintage guitar collections anywhere. Above you can see my friend Daniel J. Wood trying out an early 60's Fender Jaguar. The staff are awesome and love to talk about the collection. It's a must see if you're a music nerd like me. 

Heading up north, the Fremont area is full of eclectic and fun shops, including the Sunday Market where you can feast on lots of different types of cuisines, find that perfect vintage t-shirt and then sit along the Fremont Cut that connects Lake Union with Shilshole Bay. 

And last but not least, no trip to Fremont is complete without a visit to the Troll. Quite possibly the quirkiest thing in an already quirky part of town, the Troll is about as random as you can get. A great picture spot, especially if you have kids. 

That's it for now, but there'll definitely be more to come covering the different places to eat, parks to sit at and more. Easily one of my favorite cities in the US, Seattle is always worth another visit. 

Gear Used

Sony a7R II Full-Frame Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera, Body Only (Black) (ILCE7RM2/B) Buy on Amazon

Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Lens Buy on Amazon

Fujifilm X-T20 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/XF18-55mmF2.8-4.0 R LM OIS Lens - Silver Buy on Amazon

I'm fascinated by the way light affects a city. The sun in the day characterizes a time of work, checking off to-do lists and general responsibility, while the night and more artificial light brings out the carefree and fun. 

It's not that the night has no light, it's just softer from natural sources and more harsh from artificial ones. The carefree attitude is like a pat on the back for human ingenuity and being able to brighten up the dark. 

In his short "London Day & Night", filmmaker Matel uses the low light capabilities of the Sony a7r ii to capture the English capital in both settings. The contrast is beautiful and telling of the way that London comes alive at night. I'm personally intrigued by this short because I just picked up an a7r ii for my trip to Seattle this weekend and can't wait to see how it performs. 

How is your city different in the day or night? Let us know where you're from in the comments below and what unique things separate the light from the dark in your part of the world. 

So you've booked your airfare (hopefully saving a little money in the process) and now you're ready to head to your destination. The anticipation builds. What to see? How much should I plan? 

Lets be honest, a new city can be really overwhelming. Plethora of guidebooks, Yelp recommendations and that one place your great-Aunt said you just have to try. How can you fit it all in? To help, here's our travel-tested Journey & Play tips for exploring a new destination without all the stress. 

1. Use Public Transportation

If you're headed to a city like New York, Paris, London or Rome, taking advantage of the available public transportation can really help give you an insight into the city. In most cases it's the cheapest option for getting around and you'll feel more like a local using it. 

Avoid during rush hour times between 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. to cut down travel time and cost for a smooth trip. Remember, if you run into a fun busker in the tunnels playing violin, guitar or some homemade instrument, tip them when the performance is over, but don't fall for scams from buskers on actual trains. 

2. Take A Walk

There's no better way to experience a new place than by walking. Not only are you going to earn that decadent lunch and dessert, you'll probably run across a few hidden places that you'll love. One of my favorite memories in a new city was walking around Pike Place Market in Seattle with my friend Katie and then just continuing along the waterfront. We ran across a ton of brilliant photo spots that I never would have found without moving my feet. 

3. Pick a Starting Spot, Then Explore

My wife and I are coffee lovers so every time we're in a new town, we find a fun little coffeeshop to start our day and then explore the area around it. We started this in New York City by hitting up Stumptown Coffee at The Ace Hotel and then exploring Midtown and the Garment District. 

By picking a single starting location, whether that's around coffee, food or shopping, we kept ourselves in a smaller area so we wouldn't get tired of walking around. After all, it is a vacation. 

4. Don't Plan Too Much

A new destination can be overwhelming and overloading your schedule can quickly turn your vacation into working tourism. The idea is to slow down, enjoy your surroundings and make memories. Leave some breathing room in your schedule to reflect and react. Not only will you feel more relaxed and enjoy the trip more, you'll probably remember it better because you gave yourself time to savor the newness of it. 

Remember, there's nothing wrong with taking a random gelato break in Venice to watch tourists queue to go into St. Mark's Basilica. Take the time to be silly and enjoy yourself. That's when memories are made. 

5. Keep Track Of What You Find

Our last trip to Paris was punctuated by walking around the 15th Arrondissement looking for a pizza place my parents and I had visited years earlier. Why? Because I had failed to write down the name of the restaurant. A travel journal is an invaluable tool for logging those off the wall places you find on your first visit when everything is new and fresh. 

There's lots of ways to document your experiences. If you'r not a pen and paper person, try using Notes on your phone or starting a Google Map for the destination. It'll make recommending spots to your friends much easier and make you look even more in the know. 

So the votes are in!!

First off, thanks to everyone for participating! We did this a bit off the cuff and couldn't be happier to involve everyone in the process. We narrowed down our four choices to places that we have friends to visit and really wanted to go. That itself was hard enough, so with your help, we're finally going to get a bit of rest and relaxation. 

So without further adieu, the winner is...

Wait for it...

Seattle

After receiving a whopping 44% of votes, our next vacation is going to be spent in the great Pacific Northwest in Seattle!!! Thanks to everyone for participating and stay tuned for lots of pictures, videos and other content from the Emerald City!

Leave all your recommendations in the comments below!

Update 10/22/17: The contest is now closed. Check out the winning destination here.

Ever been in one place for too long?

Today we're in travel planning mode thinking about a quick domestic getaway to help recharge the creative batteries. We're lucky to live in such a vibrant city with so much to offer, but sometimes you just need a change of scenery to gain some perspective. 

So to try something new, we're going to crowdsource our next vacation. What's the best place for a quick fall getaway to capture some memories, eat good food and recharge our batteries? Vote below on Twitter and we'll announce the winning destination on Friday! If you're not on Twitter, leave your choice of one of the four destinations in the comments below to be counted.

Help us pick our next vacation destination! What's the best place to recharge the creative batteries?

— Journey & Play (@journeyandplay) September 20, 2017