This SC Travel Hot Spot Ranks No. 1 In Nation. Why The Smaller City Makes A Big Mark

A popular South Carolina tourist spot made a big impression on a national list — and another destination didn’t land far behind.

Charleston ranks No. 1 and Greenville is No. 4 after a travel magazine’s readers voted on their favorite smaller cities across the country, according to results published Tuesday, Oct. 3.

To create the list, Condé Nast Traveler said it gathered the results of an online survey. More than a half-million people voted on the nation’s top destinations from April through June.

“Candidates must receive a required minimum number of responses and a minimum overall rating to be eligible for a Readers’ Choice Award,” the magazine wrote on its website. “Candidates are judged on a set of criteria relevant to their category, based on a standard five-point scale converted to a percentage: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor.”

What put the SC cities near the top?

Charleston had about 150,000 residents as of 2021, making it the most populous city in South Carolina. But the rankings considered Charleston a smaller city, which Condé Nast Traveler defined as those with fewer than 350,000 people, the magazine told McClatchy News in an email.

Over the past decade, Charleston has reigned supreme on Condé Nast Traveler’s list every year except for one. Instead, the skiing hot spot of Aspen, Colorado, earned the first-place spot in 2021.

This time around, Charleston received a nod for its “robust” food scene and its “good looks” — including views of the water and architecture.

“Charleston may be a small town, but this city punches well above its weight,” the magazine wrote in its latest rankings. “When you consider everything it has to offer — history, culture, food, charm — it’s no wonder the so-called Holy City has repeatedly topped our list of the best small cities in the US.”

Meanwhile, the No. 4 destination Greenville received praise for its up-and-coming food and beer scenes. Condé Nast Traveler also gave a shoutout to the award-winning Falls Park on the Reedy, a downtown destination that boasts a suspension bridge, gardens and waterfalls.

“Paired with its dynamic urban spaces are abundant natural resources, including 32-acre Falls Park, which runs through the middle of town, and the Swamp Rabbit bike trail — now at a whopping 22 miles and counting,” the magazine wrote in its report.

Overall, Chicago was named the nation’s best big city. Rounding out the top five smaller destinations were:

• Santa Fe, New Mexico, at No. 2

• Alexandria, Virginia, at No. 3

• Savannah, Georgia, at No. 5

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