Photo by Yoav Aziz on Unsplash
Los Angeles may have a reputation for being fast-paced and traffic-filled, but a new report suggests first-time visitors have nothing to worry about.
The City of Angels has been ranked the No. 4 most welcoming city in the United States, earning a spot among the country’s top destinations for travelers.
The new ranking comes from travel eSIM provider Holafly. The study looked at cities around the world and compared factors that can shape a visitor’s experience.
Why Los Angeles ranked so highly
L.A. welcomes more than 50 million visitors every year. The report notes that the city has 29 tourism assistance and information services to help travelers make the most of their visit.
The report also pushes back on the idea that Los Angeles is unfriendly. The city generated more than 36,000 searches related to being “friendly” and “welcoming.” According to the report, that’s a good sign that visitors see L.A. as a place where they’ll feel at home.
Los Angeles earned an overall welcoming score of 56.91. It finished just behind Boston, New York City, and San Diego.
With world-famous beaches, museums, diverse neighborhoods, and countless cultural experiences, Los Angeles continues to prove that there’s much more to the city than Hollywood stereotypes.
The 10 most welcoming U.S. cities
According to Holafly, these are the country’s most welcoming destinations for travelers:
Boston
New York City
San Diego
Los Angeles
Denver
Austin
Orlando
Tampa
Las Vegas
Seattle
How the rankings were determined
Holafly evaluated 200 cities by combining the world’s most-visited destinations with some of the largest urban areas. Each city received a weighted score based on:
English proficiency
Tourism and visitor information services
Safety scores
Visa openness
Social support
LGBTQ+ equality
Online search interest related to cities being “friendly” and “welcoming”
The data reflects information available as of June 15, 2026.