This City Just Won Best U.S. Destination for the 11th Year in a Row
'Travel + Leisure' released its 2023 World's Best Awards on Tuesday, naming the top cities in the U.S. and abroad
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One Southern city has been sweeping Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards for over a decade.
Praised by readers who love its blend of Southern charm and urban flair, Charleston, South Carolina, took the top spot on the outlet's list of best domestic destinations, as voted by readers.
“This place is a destination to behold,” one wrote in Travel + Leisure Readers’ 15 Favorite Cities in the United States of 2023.
Others complimented the welcoming locals, historic attractions, and the shopping and dining along King Street.
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“So many incredible restaurants” have made Charleston a hotspot destination for food, and "the mix of hotels makes the city a perfect fit for any type of traveler," T+L shared.
This year’s awards — the 28th annual— received hundreds of thousands of votes in a comprehensive survey that ran from Oct. 24, 2022, to Feb. 27, 2023.
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Respondents rated various categories such as airlines, airports, cruise ships, destination spas, hotels, luxury villa rental companies, safari outfitters, U.S. national parks and many more, all based on different features. The final scores are the averages of these ratings.
The number two spot on the U.S. cities list went to an equally scenic spot a few thousand miles west.
"Santa Fe has something to offer for everyone — great food, culture, outdoor activities including skiing and world class hiking... [and the] architecture is wonderful," one reader said of the New Mexico city. The arts scene has long attracted both artists and connoisseurs, the latter lured by the galleries along Canyon Road and in the Railyard District.
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New Orleans came in at number three, with a reader stating its musical traditions provide “street performers that will knock your socks off.” Number four on the list was Savannah, praised for its “southern charm” and “haunted houses." Chicago, Honolulu and New York City followed.
Visit Travel + Leisure to see the full U.S. cities list.
The outlet also reported the top-voted international cities, with Oaxaca, Mexico — known for its rich indigenous culture, food and architecture — securing the #1 spot. It is “hands down one of the coolest cities in the whole world,” one reader wrote.
Istanbul was considered the best city in Europe at number 8 overall, with a reader praising “the intermingling of cultures and religion and people."
Among the other cities on this list include Tokyo; Bangkok; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Luang Prabang, Laos; Marrakesh and Porto, Portugal.
See every World's Best Awards winner on travelandleisure.com.
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