Top 10 American cities to travel to (according to Conde Nast Traveler)

Saw this list while getting an oil change, and thought it would be good food for discussion. I think I have it just about right from memory, particularly the top of the list:

1) San Francisco
2) Charleston
3) Santa Fe
4) Chicago
5) New York City
6) Honolulu
7) Carmel
8) Savannah
9) Seattle
10) Boston

 

What is the criteria? Surprised not one Florida city is listed, though I can't really argue with any of the ones selected.

 

Spent quite a bit of time in Charleston as a kid. I cannot for the life of me remember anything there that would merit making this list.

The other nine? Definitely.

 

When I saw the thread title, the first place I thought of was San Francisco.

Been to 7 of the 10 on the list.

 

Carmel?

 

I've been to five of them. I was unimpressed with Honolulu. Felt like "Hawaii Land" to me, a theme park. Not that great as a city and not that great as an island.

 

Wasn't Clint Eastwood the mayor at one point?

 

Santa Fe? I, too, would be interested in the criteria

 

They polled like 25,000 "sophisticated travelers." The magazine has a ton of lists - best hotels in the world, best European cities (Florence), best Asian cities (Bangkok), best islands (Maui), etc., etc.

 

I've been to 9 of the 10, hard to argue with the list. I'd be tempted to add Santa Fe, as well.....just not which I'd dump off the list.

 

There are definitely places in Hawaii that are better to go to than Honolulu, but I doubt a city in Kauai is going to make the list.