Alexandria Included On Travel + Leisure Best Cities In U.S. List

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Readers of Travel + Leisure appear to have a favorable opinion of Alexandria, because the city made the top 10 of the magazine's 15 Best Cities in the United States list.

Travel + Leisure conducts a World's Best Awards every year, inviting readers to rate their travel experiences. Between Oct. 25, 2021 and Feb. 28, 2022, readers rated cities, hotels, airlines, airports, car-rental agencies, cruise ships and more travel experiences. The city ratings were based on factors like landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value.

Alexandria was ranked eighth among big cities like New York City, New Orleans and Chicago on the national list. While many of the locations were large U.S. cities, another Virginia historical destination made the list — Williamsburg at number 12.

Travel + Leisure noted Alexandria is a suburb of DC but has its own perks, such as its food, shopping and walking trails.

Overall, Southern and Western states dominated the list with only three representing the Northeast or Midwest U.S. The magazine noted in its ranking, "wherever Travel + Leisure readers went, they sought out cities with a fun-loving spirit, delicious regional cuisine, and historic sites."

Charleston, South Carolina took the top spot, charming travelers with its Southern hospitality, food and drinks, walkability and history. Rounding out the top five were New Orleans; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Savannah, Georgia; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

See the full Best Cities in U.S. list here.