If you’re looking for a domestic destination for your next vacation, you can’t do better than Charleston, South Carolina — at least according to Travel + Leisure.
The travel magazine just published the results of its annual reader survey, and once again, the Southern destination topped the list of best cities in the United States.
As Travel + Leisure Editor-in-Chief Jacqui Gifford explained during a Tuesday visit to TODAY, this marks the 10th year in a row that the charming coastal city, affectionately known as Chucktown by locals, has topped all others.
“We’re so excited for (Charleston),” Gifford raved. “I think it really is the full picture."
The city has just about anything a tourist could want, with readers pointing to friendly locals, its accessibility on foot, and the historic architecture.
"You can see Rainbow Row, which is all those colorful old homes, and take pictures," Gifford said. "The food scene is amazing — you can go to Halls Chophouse — and there’s so much shopping to do.”
In short, she added, “It’s a great place.”
It's so great that it also ranked 23rd in a list of the best cities worldwide. But Charleston isn't the only great place in the state of South Carolina.
Over on Travel + Leisure’s list of top islands in the world, Kiawah Island, which is situated about 30 miles southwest of Charleston, earned a spot alongside global sensations like Greece’s Crete and Spain’s Ibiza.
But back on the list of the 15 best cities in the U.S., other states had a chance for their own towns to shine, too.
Here's the full rundown:
- Charleston, South Carolina
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Savannah, Georgia
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- New York, New York
- Chicago, Illinois
- Alexandria, Virginia
- San Antonio, Texas
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Austin, Texas
- Williamsburg, Virginia
- Asheville, North Carolina
- San Diego, California
- Nashville, Tennessee
See more reader picks for destination spots and lodging options in the full roundup of Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards 2022.