The votes have been cast and counted, and Charleston is once again the #1 city in the U.S. This latest accolade is according to the folks at Travel + Leisure Magazine. It’s from their Best Cities in the U.S. list, as part of their annual World’s Best Awards. Readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine did the voting, choosing among all the cities in the United States to decide on their favorite 15. Interestingly, eight of the 15 are in the South. Voters used the following features to make their choice: sights and landmarks, cuisine, culture, shopping, friendliness, and overall value.
We’re the #1 City in the U.S. - Again
This is the eighth year in a row that Charleston has been named the #1 city in the U.S. Traditionally, readers have waxed poetic about three areas where Charleston really shines - the history, the hospitality, and the food. Here is what they had to say about the #1 City in the U.S., our own beloved Holy City.
Charleston has history, architecture, culture, pleasant weather, gracious locals, and even proximity to the beach. But chances are, if you were to ask T+L readers for their top reason for their obsession with this genteel city, they’d say the food. It doesn’t matter whether you opt for a homey hole-in-the-wall or a fancy establishment. “I've never had a bad meal in Charleston,” one T+L reader gushed. Still, we’d be remiss not to mention how much readers appreciate the city’s hospitality. As a World’s Best voter noted, part of the fun is “striking up conversations with the folks you meet along the way!”
So what other places join Charleston as the top cities in the United States?
Here’s the top list of the best cities in the U.S., according to Travel + Leisure
- Charleston, South Carolina
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Savannah, Georgia
- Chicago, Illinois
- New York City, New York
- San Antonio, Texas
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Austin, Texas
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Washington, DC
- Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
- Carmel-By-The-Sea, California
The magazine’s voting survey closed in early March, just before COVID kicked in. Read more about the Best Cities in the U.S. at Travel + Leisure’s website. Or, check out the coverage from Live 5 News. You can also see all of their World’s Best Awards 2020 here. So check out the voting. And when you’re ready to book a beach house Charleston near the #1 city in the U.S., just give us a call at EP. All best, Lowcountry Lisa your Isle of Palms vacation blogger