NYC\u2019s not number one \u2014\u00a0and it\u2019s not even close. <\/p>\n
The Big Apple has received a big Bronx cheer from the worldly readers of a high-end travel publication \u2014\u00a0shoved down to a mediocre number eight on a list of the best cities in the country. <\/p>\n
Travel + Leisure\u2019s hotly anticipated annual Best Cities<\/a> awards saw Gotham garrotted by charmers like Charleston, SC, and Santa Fe, NM \u2014\u00a0the latter muscling into the top spot. <\/p>\n New York came in at a questionable eighth place in Travel + Leisure\u2019s annual roster of the \u201cBest Cities in the US.\u201d f11photo \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n The elite list is part of the glossy rag\u2019s World\u2019s Best Awards \u2014\u00a0determined annually by reader votes for three decades. <\/p>\n With an overall score of 88.5, readers praised New Mexico\u2019s diminutive capital city, the favored turf of artists like Georgia O\u2019Keeffe, as a four-season destination with an unparalleled food and arts scene.<\/p>\n 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. <\/p>\n A National Historic Landmark, the plaza continues to serve as a commercial and cultural hub where local craftsmen sell their work.<\/p>\n Prized for its vibrant food and art scene, Santa Fe, New Mexico, topped the list. SeanPavonePhoto \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n Just south of the city is the San Miguel Chapel<\/a>, thought to be the oldest church in the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n (Presumably, votes were counted and travel completed before it was revealed that wild rats in Santa Fe country tested positive for the plague<\/a> \u2014\u00a0just saying.) <\/p>\n Charleston, last year\u2019s winner, slipped to number 2 on the list \u2014\u00a0but still received high marks from travelers this year, with an overall score of 87.3.<\/p>\n Readers praised the South Carolina city for its \u201cexcellent restaurants,\u201d \u201cSouthern hospitality,\u201d and \u201cbeauty and history.\u201d<\/p>\n Charleston remains a top-tier destination for travelers and those looking to relocate<\/a>. 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n The South continued to show out elsewhere in the list with Savannah and New Orleans taking third and fourth place, respectively. <\/p>\n Among large cities, Chicago earned top honors and a fifth-place ranking. <\/p>\n Pouring (celery) salt in the wound, T+L directly compared Chicago to NYC. <\/p>\n \u201cChicago\u2019s got something for everyone. It\u2019s a big city that\u2019s not quite as crowded and fast-paced as New York, but still filled with more things to do than you\u2019ll have time,\u201d the editors explained.<\/p>\n Fort Worth, which came in just behind Chicago and ahead of Honolulu, was described as \u201ca rare place that proudly channels the spirit of the American West.\u201d<\/p>\n Honolulu beat out NYC by a paltry .06. <\/p>\n As the experts at T+L rightly proclaimed, \u201cWhatever it is you\u2019re looking for, you can find it in New York.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Long a top destination for domestic and international tourists, Gotham has recently seen its reputation slip significantly. <\/p>\n According to a recent survey<\/a>, <\/a>New York City ranks second only to Las Vegas among destinations that US-based travelers regret visiting.<\/p>\n Per the study, 9% of travelers wished they could have a do-over after hitting up the city that never sleeps.<\/p>\n Santa Fe shut down Charleston\u2019s 12-year winning streak. f11photo \u2013 stock.adobe.com<\/p>\n While some are regretting their visit, many more aren\u2019t making the concrete pilgrimage at all.<\/p>\n It was revealed earlier this year that NYC still hasn\u2019t returned to pre-pandemic tourism numbers.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n