Lists! Lists! Lists!
San Antonio slips on Travel + Leisure's list of best U.S. cities in 2019
In its annual World's Best issue, Travel + Leisure maps out the 15 Best Cities in the U.S., a list voted on by the magazine's readers. After securing the No. 7 spot last year — the best for a city in Texas — San Antonio slipped in the 2019 ranking.
To determine the winners, T+L invited readers to vote on everything from their favorite airline and hotel brand to the top spa and inclusive resorts, and a minimum number of votes was required in order for inclusion. Voting for the top cities was conducted from November 2018 through March 2019, according to the following criteria:
- sights/landmarks
- culture
- food
- friendliness
- shopping
- value
"The experiences you can have in the places on this list couldn’t be more wildly different," writes Lila Battis. "Whether you’re after a romantic weekend close to home or a lengthy, adventure-packed family vacation, one or more of the cities on the list is sure to fit the bill."
This year, the Alamo City came in at No. 11, with an overall score of 81.22. Austin, the only other Texas city to be included, came in at No. 9 with a score of 81.31. No reason was given for San Antonio's decline, though it's possible last year's Tricentennial was instrumental in boosting the city's notoriety.
Topping the list of the second year in a row (and making an appearance on Travel + Leisure's Top 15 Best Cities in the World 2019) is Charleston, South Carolina.
Joining the "ever popular" Charleston in the top five is Santa Fe (No. 2); New Orleans (No. 3); Savannah, Georgia (No. 4); and New York City (No. 5). Though the order was slightly changed, those cities were also in the top five last year.
