Charleston is runner-up in Conde Nast awards

By Allyson Bird
The Post and Courier
Monday, October 19, 2009

For the second year in a row, Charleston took the No. 2 spot among American cities in Conde Nast Traveler's 2009 Readers' Choice Awards.

Only the perennial favorite, San Francisco, fared better than the Holy City in the U.S. division. Santa Fe bumped New York out of the No. 3 spot after Charleston stole the second-place ranking from the Big Apple last year.

The annual rankings consider the best in travel, including cities, hotels and airlines. The November issue containing the awards hits newsstands Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Travel + Leisure magazine readers, in the recent "America's Favorite Cities" survey, rank Charleston the top destination in the country for bed-and-breakfasts, the No. 1 place to spend Thanksgiving and among the best spots in a host of other categories.

The annual survey ranks 30 U.S. cities on everything from its food and hotels to its nightlife and residents.

Charleston earned the No. 2 spot for a romantic escape, losing only to Honolulu. It also placed second for its antiques and vintage shops, its peace and quiet and its noteworthy neighborhoods. Readers ranked Charleston third among relaxing retreats, third for safety and fourth for historical sites.

The Holy City even beat celebrity-rich Los Angeles for the No. 3 spot for most attractive people (Miami and San Diego topped that list). But on one particular ranking held close to heart, Charleston fell.

Turns out, T+L readers think Nashville and New Orleans people are a bit friendlier this year. Not that we're keeping score, but they ranked fourth and seventh, respectively, last year.

And those Conde Nast readers who ranked Charleston the country's second-best city also determined it the friendliest.