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NYC’s not number one — and it’s not even close.
The Big Apple has received a big Bronx cheer from the worldly readers of a high-end travel publication — shoved down to a mediocre number eight on a list of the best cities in the country.
Travel + Leisure’s hotly anticipated annual Best Cities awards saw Gotham garrotted by charmers like Charleston, SC, and Santa Fe, NM — the latter muscling into the top spot.
The elite list is part of the glossy rag’s World’s Best Awards — determined annually by reader votes for three decades.
With an overall score of 88.5, readers praised New Mexico’s diminutive capital city, favored turf of artists like Georgia O’Keeffe, as a four-season destination with an unparalleled food and arts scene.
With a population of just over 90,000, Santa Fe, set in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is famed for its Pueblo-style buildings and historic plaza. A National Historic Landmark, the plaza continues to serve as a commercial and cultural hub where local craftsmen sell their work.
Just south of the city is the San Miguel Chapel, thought to be the oldest church in the U.S.
(Presumably, votes were counted and travel completed before it was revealed that wild rats in Santa Fe country tested positive for the plague — just saying.)
Charleston, last year’s winner, slipped to number 2 on the list — but still received high marks from travelers this year, with an overall score of 87.3.
Readers praised the South Carolina city for its “excellent restaurants,” “Southern hospitality,” and “beauty and history.”
Charleston remains a top-tier destination for travelers and those looking to relocate. In 2025, it posted the highest net migration per capita in the country, adding nearly 80 residents for every 10,000 people already living there.
The South continued to show out elsewhere in the list with Savannah and New Orleans taking third and fourth place, respectively.
Among large cities, Chicago earned top honors and a fifth-place ranking.
Pouring (celery) salt in the wound, T+L directly compared Chicago to NYC.
“Chicago’s got something for everyone. It’s a big city that’s not quite as crowded and fast-paced as New York, but still filled with more things to do than you’ll have time,” the editors explained.
Fort Worth, which came in just behind Chicago and ahead of Honolulu, was described as “a rare place that proudly channels the spirit of the American West.”
Honolulu beat out NYC by a paltry .06.
As the experts at T+L rightly proclaimed, “Whatever it is you’re looking for, you can find it in New York.”
Long a top destination for domestic and international tourists, Gotham has recently seen its reputation slip significantly.
According to a recent survey, New York City ranks second only to Las Vegas among destinations US-based travelers regretted visiting.
Per the study, 9% of travelers wished they could have a do-over after hitting up the city that never sleeps.
While some are regretting their visit, many more aren’t making the concrete pilgrimage at all.
It was revealed earlier this year that NYC still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic tourism numbers.
While NYC missed out on top billing in tourism, it was crowned the No. 1 “most sinful” city in the US, beating out Vegas for nightlife venues and sexually transmitted infection (STI) cases.
The 10 Best Cities in the U.S. in 2026, according to Travel + Leisure readers
- Santa Fe, NM
- Charleston, SC
- Savannah, GA
- New Orleans
- Chicago
- Fort Worth, TX
- Honolulu
- New York
- Alexandria, VA
- Greenville, SC
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