Washington has a good friend

Washington remains one of my favorite cities to visit.

It seems all we ever hear about is how people in Washington can't work together.

Thankfully, as I discovered this week at a press event in Toronto hosted jointly by the City of Washington and Virginia Beach (a.k.a. Weekend Washington), that only applies to Republican and Democratic politicians.

The Washington delegation was headed by Theresa Belpuisi, the capital's vice-president of Tourism and Visitor Services, and Allicia Malone, International Media Relations Manager, while Kelli Norman represented the interests of Virginia Beach, which remains one of the top summer destinations for Canadians.

According to Belpuisi and Norman, the cities have a long history of working together mainly because so many Washingtonians call Virgina Beach home from Saturday to Sunday.

I was just recently in Washington and couldn't believe the number of cranes I saw dotting the skyline - it looked like Dubai north.

"We actually have an $8 billion (U.S.) renovation of Washington taking place right now," reports the delightful Belpuisi. "But most of the investment is being made by private enterprise - a lot of it is coming from Middle Eastern countries.

"Tourism and government are the big economic drivers in Washington and in recent years we've opened lots of new museums (the ones built to honor Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln are amazing) and Washington nightlife is now rated among the best in North America," says Belpuisi.

As I discovered on my recent visit to Washington, the city has encouraged some creative young chefs to pitch their kitchen tents in the shadow of the White House and with being just a 2.5 hours Amtrak train ride form New York, Belpuisi says her city is seeing a rise in one-day visits by New Yorkers.

Over in Virginia Beach, where the Chesapeake Bay soft shell crabs rank among my favorite foods on the planet, a multi-million dollar entertainment complex featuring a 2,500-seat theatre, giant Ferris wheel and skating rink is currently being built to keep the Weekenders and a lot of Canadians entertained when they visit.

But the biggest attraction in Virginia Beach, where the ocean meets the bay, is the pristine beaches and eco-system.

Norman reminds me that in Virginia Beach you can kayak surrounded by playful dolphins and regal whales and then there's lots of birdies to be seen - both in the area's legendary parks and wildlife preserves and on the sweet golf courses that have been built along the Atlantic coast.

"If you haven't played a Virginia Beach golf course, then you really haven't played golf," teases Norman in a sweet southern drawl.

Okay, let's put Thailand on hold - I think my first trip in 2013 will be to Washington and Virginia Beach!

For information on Washington, go to www.washington.org - Virginia Beach is www.visitvirginiabeach.com