The best cities in the United States in our annual “Worlds Best Awards” survey for 2023.

Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels.

The final scores are averages of these responses.

Downtown San Antonio on a bright sunny day with the Hemisphere Tower of the Americas and Alamodome in view

Mariah Tyler/Travel + Leisure

Santa Fe, Savannah, New York City, and Boston also returned to the list.

The Full List

1.

This place is a destination to behold, gushed one reader.

Two people ride bikes down street of colorful bright homes in Charleston, SC

Lindsey Harris Shorter

Others praised the friendly locals, historic sites, and theshopping and diningalong King Street.

Reader Score: 88.63

T+L Reader

This place is a destination to behold.

Reader Score: 88.47

3.

Santa Fe and the mountains in the distance

Tetra Images/Getty Images

Reader Score: 86.10

4.

Savannah, Georgia

Hal Bergman/Getty Images

Savannah makes southern charm feel like an understatement.

And for those looking for a beach escape, Hilton Head Island is just an hours drive away.

View of Business District from the French Quarter on a rainy summer afternoon in New Orleans

Mariah Tyler/Travel+Leisure

Reader Score: 85.96

5.

Chicago, Illinois

Getty Images

Honestly, who doesnt like Chicago?

one reader rightly asks.

Aerial shot of the historic waterfront of Savannah, Georgia at sunset, including a moored paddle-wheel riverboat and the golden dome of city hall rising over the downtown buildings.

Hal Bergman/Getty Images

Reader Score: 83.45

6.

Naturally, the sand and surf are still the main draws.

Said one reader: It doesnt get better than a walk on Waikiki Beach at sunset.

Train subway in Chicago in a sunny day, Illinois, USA

Getty Images

Reader Score: 83.40

7.

And the subway and ferries make the Big Apple one of the easiest cities to navigate.

Reader Score: 83.36

8.

Skyline of Honolulu, Hawaii seen from the ocean on a cloudy day

Laura la Monaca/Travel + Leisure

(It is the home of hot chicken, after all.)

Reader Score: 82.89

9.

Reader Score: 82.71

10.

The sun sets on the Empire State Building, the towers of Hudson Yards and the Vessel in New York City

Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

Reader Score: 82.57

11.

Reader Score: 81.43

12.

Just a 30-minute drive east of Mt.

View from up high of Broadway lit up at night

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Reader Score: 81.38

13.

Reader Score: 81.31

14.

Boston, Massachusetts

Brian Rice/Getty Images

History buffs can find their happy place in this northeastern city.

Small shops and outdoor dining with people in line in Alexandria, Virginia

Nicholas Schmidt/Travel + Leisure

Boston is one of those cities that has a LOT of history.

Reader Score: 81.23

  1. one reader wrote of the property, which also has overnight accommodations, a spa, and a winery.

San Antonio river from King William neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas

Mariah Tyler/Travel + Leisure

Williamsburg, Virginia

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

View of Old Mill District near downtown Bend in Central Oregon. An American flag can be seen blowing in the wind.

MRA/Getty Images

Aerial view of Fishermans Chanel and Crown Point in Mission Bay, San Diego, California, USA.

Getty Images

Boston’s North End, early summer evening on the street as the sun sets.

Brian Rice/Getty Images

High Angle View of South Downtown Asheville, North Carolina from the South on a Sunny Day

Jeremy Poland/Getty Images