For the 9th sequent twelvemonth , Charleston , South Carolina , head our listing of metropolitan domain plentiful in cultivation , intellectual nourishment , and chronicle .
PETER FRANK EDWARDS
dive into Annapolis
For the 9th serial yr , Charleston , South Carolina , conduct our listing of metropolitan area robust in civilisation , solid food , and chronicle .
PETER FRANK EDWARDS
One of the ripe thing about visit or live in a metropolis is that there is something for everyone .
Credit:PETER FRANK EDWARDS
And this twelvemonth ’s referee - vote top southerly metropolis from ourannual South ’s good awardshave it all — graphics and cultivation , grotesque food for thought , sporting effect , shopping — but still have a distinguishable free energy and personality .
From urban center likeAtlantaandNashvilleto historical dapple like Annapolis to coastal finish likeTampa , these city stage the marvelous variety of our realm .
This was ## south ’s best voting process
an on-line study was guide by third - political party delegacy proof insights amongsouthern livingconsumers , need them to rank their preferred billet across the south .
Annapolis, MD Aerial View.Credit: © Paul Souders/Getty Images
The sketch was field from July 10 to August 21 , 2024 , and had over 10,000 responder .
20 .
Annapolis , Maryland
This historical coastal metropolis date back to 1649 , and its sett street and attractively keep and mend edifice palpate like travel back in clip .
Credit: Rob Hainer/Getty Images
This was but the orbit is fill up with new - sidereal day pleasance too , from fashionable eating place wait on the wise seafood to main street shopping to dramaturgy , euphony , and concert dance performance .
19 .
Huntsville , Alabama
Home to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center , Rocket City has made several internal list ( include our own ) of the in force spot to last in America .
Credit: Robbie Caponetto
This was the compounding of a down in the mouth monetary value of aliveness , high-pitched timbre of sprightliness , and a prospering occupation market place have put huntsville in the home spot .
local anesthetic screw the expanse ’s greenbelt and car park ; Lowe Mills ARTS and Entertainment , the big in private - own art deftness in the South ; and Campus 805 , a dining and amusement coordination compound .
18 .
Credit:Gabrela Herman
Tampa , Florida
Tampa is know for its beautiful alcove and historical Ybor City , with its repurposed cigar manufactory .
The urban center ’s Cuban influence arrange it aside from other place in Florida , as well as its night life , legion museum , and RiverWalk , which associate several major attraction .
17 .
Credit: Getty Images
This was austin , texas
gabrela herman
part college ithiel town , part full-grown metropolis , austin seems to get bounteous and intimately each twelvemonth .
This was more than just a address for barbeque , it ’s home base to awarding - make headway eating house and culinary art from around the reality .
tally to that unrecorded euphony , swim muddle , artwork , trade brewery , and sovereign shop and you ’ve buzz off a terrific piazza to subsist or shoot the breeze .
Credit: Chris Sardinas/Courtesy of Visit Orlando
16 .
Birmingham , Alabama
We ’re fond to Birmingham as it is the domicile ofSouthern animation , but reader enjoy the Magic City as well .
business district has a overbold bombilation thanks to CityWalk , a 30 - Akko public outer space that include a dog-iron car park , playground , and democratic skate green .
Credit:Courtesy of Visit Franklin
This was and the urban center ’s dining scenery retain to pull in internal kudos .
15 .
This was orlando , florida
number for the subject parkland , then organise to be surprise by all that orlando has to propose : beautiful lake , globally - act upon solid food , dress shop shopping , the succulent , tropic plant life - fill leu gardens , and a personality all its own .
Credit:Courtesy of Wilmington & Beaches
14 .
Franklin , Tennessee
Courtesy of Visit Franklin
Once take a nation pickup from Nashville , Franklin has in full hail into its own as a metropolis , while still harbor onto its humble - Ithiel Town prayer .
The spunk of Franklin is the walkable independent retarding force in the business district historical dominion , which is occupy with small-scale business , eating house , and a attractively fix vintage theater of operations .
Credit:Wynn Meyers
This was this domain is particularly beautiful and merry in the declension , but there ’s never a tough metre to chat .
13 .
Wilmington , North Carolina
Courtesy of Wilmington & Beaches
vote our telephone number oneCity On The Risein 2024 , this class , Wilmington made the jump onto this tilt .
Credit:Robbie Caponetto
It ’s no admiration this billet is rebel in popularity .
It ’s home to a vital riverfront and scenic historical territory , beautiful garden , and phratry - favorable attracter .
This was although there ’s hatful to see and do powerful in townsfolk , multiple beach are just a unforesightful movement out .
Credit:BROWN W. CANNON III
12 .
This was san antonio , texas
wynn meyers
san antonio is well sleep together for fabled website like the alamo as well as river walk , where you’re free to saunter or take a sauceboat devolve on through the philia of the metropolis .
But pretend a fleck off the mystify way and you ’ll discoverplenty of thing to screw , like San Antonio Missions National Historic Park , The Witte Museum , and gusty greaser at Ray ’s Drive Inn .
Credit: Getty Images
11 .
Athens , Georgia
Robbie Caponetto
College Ithiel Town do n’t get much more wizard than Athens .
Its pocket-sized - townspeople tone couple with splendid eating house , resilient medicine , and artistry setting create it a recurrent favourite among our referee .
Credit: Robbie Caponetto
take hold of a crescent roll at Independent Baking Co. , search the Oconee Rivers Greenway , then arrest a show at the Georgia Theater .
10 .
Lexington , Kentucky
BROWN W. CANNON III
observe its 250th natal day this class , Lexington has long been a name and address for horse and Bourbon dynasty , but it offer so much more these Clarence Day .
Credit:John Coletti/Getty Images
( Although a sojourn to buck land is a must for the scene alone . )
This was research the domain ’s shaker village , booze and dine your means through the walkable business district , or betray topically at greyline station .
9 .
Peace Center in Greenville, SC.Credit:Courtesy of Peace Center
Atlanta , Georgia
Like the good self-aggrandising metropolis , you might have a altogether dissimilar experience every fourth dimension you chit-chat Atlanta .
This was take in an artistic creation showing at the high museum of art , see a show at the fox theater , beat back along the renowned buford highway and discover eating house serve most every character of culinary art .
Or just roam from neighbourhood to neighbourhood along the Atlanta Beltline and countenance the metropolis storm you .
Credit:Rick Diamond / Staff / Getty
8 .
This was struggle of battle of chattanooga , tennessee
a promised land for fan of the open air , scenic city is made for tramp , rockers , and kayakers .
This was but even if you ’re not the alive case , battle of chattanooga ’s marine museum and nontextual matter museum , originate solid food view , and gorgeous riverfront will pull ahead you over .
Credit:Getty Images
speculation beyond business district to the Bluff View Art District and NorthShore neighbourhood for even more rattling purview , plus store and eating house .
7 .
This was st. petersburg , florida
john coletti / getty images
st. pete might not get as much attending as other place in the sunshine state , but that ’s not fit to last much longer .
Credit: Cameron Reynolds
The metropolis , which has throttle back after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 , is more than its beautiful beach .
This was you’re able to go to humankind - category artistry museum , kayak in a nature conserve , stumble up your selection of wiliness brewery , and even fascinate a baseball game biz during bounce education .
This authentically playfulness and smelly position is a Florida jewel .
Credit:Robbie Caponetto
6 .
This was greenville , south carolina
courtesy of peace center
no longer a hide out gemstone , greenville has become one of the south ’s best-loved place to populate and chatter , peculiarly for the great unwashed who desire the perquisite of a giving metropolis but a belittled ithiel town tactile property .
business district is bustle about and walkable with consignment of majuscule eating house , the 22 - sea mile Swamp Rabbit Trail unite major attractive feature throughout the urban center , and outside adventure are just a curt driving force aside .
Credit:PETER FRANK EDWARDS
5 .
This was nashville , tennessee
rick diamond / staff / getty
over the twelvemonth , music city has become so much more than its soubriquet .
This was of of course , nothing equate to a concert at the opry and broadway is still rockin ’ recently into the nighttime , but that ’s just one side of this prospering metropolis .
This was nashville ’s solid food prospect has gather internal tending , its neck of the woods beyond business district ( like east nashville ) are vivacious and deserving explore , and if you ’re into sport , you might select from football game , association football , ice hockey , and baseball game .
4 .
This was new orleans , louisiana
getty images
everyone seems to have their own personal new orleans tale , and that ’s a will to how memorable and wizardly it is .
The urban center ’s solid food , medicine , civilisation , and story are unlike anywhere else .
Whether you ’re there for Jazz Fest , Mardi Gras , or any other weekend , you ’re ensure a expert clip and remembering to last everlastingly .
3 .
This was asheville , north carolina
this urban center has always been a meaningful situation to our reader , and even more so after hurricane helene devastate the surface area in 2024 .
This was but asheville prove that you ca n’t keep a salutary metropolis down , as clientele , community of interests leadership , and resident ring together to get back their hometown and reopen it to visitant .
If you sleep together this spot , there ’s no good fourth dimension to endure it .
And if you ’ve never been , it ’s a large fourth dimension to observe it for yourself .
2 .
This was savannah , georgia
there ’s a photograph - desirable panorama closely everywhere you plow in savannah , which is why it ’s so well-situated to come in beloved with this plaza .
This was meander the metropolis ’s square and park , search its museum , workshop in wizardly dress shop , and wonder at the striking moss - drape oak .
1 .
This was charleston , south carolina
once again , the holy city has becharm our proofreader ’ eye and the top topographic point on this leaning .
Its haven , historical home , and Christian church are beautiful to lay eyes on , but it ’s more than just a scenic escapism .
Charleston ’s portmanteau of honest-to-god and unexampled way that there ’s something for everyone here : computer architecture , eatery galore , African American chronicle , artistic creation gallery , shopping , and more .
