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

Old Montreal looking old and tired



The Hotel Nelligan is too much for too little!

 Just got back from Montreal where I spent a lovely weekend touring the city's famed Old Town (Vieux Montreal) and enjoying great food - Montreal chefs remain Canada's best - and soaking up the festive atmosphere that always surrounds this lovely French city.

To make the weekend a little more special I checked into one of Montreal's Old Town boutique hotels - Quebec hoteliers are the best at turning old period buildings into chic hotel properties.

The historic Hotel Nelligan on Rue St. Paul, named after one of French Canada's best known authors, was my property of choice.

Impressions: Very nice hotel - very average service - typical "boutique" property that christens itself a 5-star hotel and delivers 3-star service - the staff always seems to have their hands out for tips here - but their service does not warrant it.

Other impressions of Montreal:

* Judging by the number of "Louer" (to let) signs splattered about the Old Town, Montreal looks like an economic disaster area;

* Too many Old Town restaurants offer "set menus" - meaning you get three courses (all of which are fabulous) when you only want one or two; I hate chefs dictating how fat I will get;

* The provincial sales tax and other local taxes tourists must pay here are outrages - my $230 a night room (I stayed 2 nights) resulted in a $630 final bill - $430 for the stay and $200 in additional taxes and a two night hotel parking charge - ouch!

* The Old Town is looking old and tired - streets are littered with garbage and there's too many "chain" restaurants moving into the area - I liked Old Montreal when it was a bastion for up-and-coming young chefs.

Despite all the pitfalls, though, I can't wait for my next visit to Montreal!

 

Boston, N.Y. and Chicago holding festivals throughout summer 2011

Chicago's parks host great music festivals in summer.

Porter Airlines, the best little airline that ever flew, sent me a reminder this morning that there's a bunch of summer  festivals coming up in the cities where the 4-star (out of five) airline flies into.

In New York (Porter actually flies into Newark - the New Jersey city that's a short cab ride from downtown Manhatten) the Blue Note Jazz Festival is being held throughout June, That festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is expanding its doors throughout New York to feature numerous high-profile acts such as Dave Brubeck, Nancy Wilson, Bobby McFerrin, Roberta Flack, Brian Wilson and more.

For more information about what's happening in New York visit: www.nycgo.com

Over in Chicago (Porter flies right into downtown Midway Airport) they're holding the Grant Park Music Festival in Millennium Park. Chicago, which is the sister city of Toronto, is one of the best music festival cities in the world with events honouring blues and jazz being held throughout the summer and fall months. The music festivals in majestic Millennium and Grant parks, which showcase the parks' stunning landscapes, always attracts big crowds and great artists.

For more information about what's happening in Chicago visit: www.www.choosechicago.com

And in Boston, now home to the 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Bruins, Art Fridays is a festival not to be missed.

Arts Friday is downtown Boston's largest weekly outdoor arts and crafts market that has grown into a Boston institution. Enjoy live music performances while you shop and delicious food options (make sure you try the lobster rolls) are only steps away. Arts Fridays run throughout June.

For more information about what's happening in Boston visit: www.bostonusa.com

Porter can get you to any of these great American cities in about an hour from Toronto's downtown Billy Bishop Airport and I guarantee you'll love the big service thrills little Porter delivers to its customers.

To book a flight on Porter, go to www.flyporter.com

Quebec puts accent on hospitality

Mt. Tremblant golf courses are some of the finest in Canada.

Spent yesterday on a golf course - for research purposes only - at an annual event hosted by Quebec Tourism.

Quebec, along with British Columbia, P.E.I. and Alberta are the four Canadian provinces that "get it" when it comes to promoting tourism. They always hold well organized events where their tourism partners - hotels, casinos, airlines, etc. - get a chance to showcase product lines to interested people like travel professionals and travel journalists.

That's why those three provinces get more ink than any others and reap the rewards for their efforts with impressive visitor numbers each year.

The big news out of Quebec is that the casino in Mt. Tremblant - one of the my favourite spots in all of Canada - is doing well and that plans are underway to build a mega resort right next door. The Quebec government agreed to give the Laurentian resort town its own casino in the hopes of luring more tourists and the plan appears to be working quite well.

Porter Airlines will soon be launching its annual summer direct flights to Tremblant to go along with its flights to Montreal and Quebec City.

Summers are special in Tremblant, which is world renowned for its ski hills and apres ski hijinks. But in recent years, Tremblant, with is outstanding inventory of mountain golf courses, has been challenging places like Ontario and P.E.I. as a top Canadian golf destination. Le Geant is my favourite course in Tremblant, which offers at least five other world-class layouts.

Accommodation offered in Tremblant runs from bargain basement to 5-star with lots in between. The Fairmont is my favourite spot to stay in Tremblant but one day when I have lots of money, I'll book a room at Hotel Quintessence, one of the most luxurious properties in Canada.

Montreal, Quebec City, the Eastern Townships, the Gaspe and the Laurnetians all offer their unique brand of tourism and the European flavour one experiences while visiting Quebec is something that most people treasure for a long time afterwards.

Quebec has a lot to offer and its puts an accent on hospitality.

For tourism options in Quebec, go to www.bonjourquebec.com