Travel & Leisure Releases Annual Best Cities to Visit List

Travel & Leisure rates locations based on sights, culture, food, friendliness, shopping, and value.

Travel & Leisure has revealed it’s annual World’s Best Awards — and the number one U.S. travel destination might surprise you.

According to the magazine’s survey, the top spot is Santa Fe, New Mexico. Travel & Leisure says it readers loved the city’s cuisine and natural beauty. Santa Fe unseated Charleston — which held the top spot for 12 straight years. Coming in at number two is New Orleans. In this southeastern city, readers enjoyed the jazz clubs, festivals and of course the creole and cajun food. Rounding out the top five are Charleston at number three…Savannah at number four…and Alexandria, Virginia at number five. For the survey, Travel & Leisure rated locations based on sights, culture, food, friendliness, shopping, and value.