Here's Why New Orleans Was Named One Of The Best Big Cities In The U.S.

By Sarah Tate

Photo: Getty Images

As more people begin traveling again, some cities are being considered highly-desired destinations. While some bigger cities like New York City or Chicago may be obvious choices, many travelers are also heading to smaller towns.

After more than 800,000 people weighed in on Condé Nast Traveler's 34th annual Readers' Choice Awards, the magazine compiled a list of the best big cities in the U.S. One city in Louisiana made the cut, even being chosen among the Top 3.

So which Louisiana city was recognized as one of the best?

New Orleans

The Crescent City was chosen as the third best "big" city in the U.S., coming in behind two of the most populated cities in the country, Chicago and New York City, and beating others like Boston and Washington, D.C. Here's what the travel magazine had to say about New Orleans:

"It's easy to experience New Orleans through its most popular attractions: Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street, Cafe du Monde (which is great, don't get us wrong), and Preservation Hall jazz (also fantastic). But there's so much more to this soulful city. Its Creole, Cajun, and French roots inform everything from the music on Frenchman Street to the food and cocktails in the French Quarter over to the Bywater. It's also worth exploring the revitalized Warehouse District, home to the city's Ace Hotel, where you could easily stumble on half a dozen excellent galleries all within a few blocks' radius, or spend a whole day in contemplation at the National WWII Museum."

These are the cities that were named the 10 best big cities in the country:

  1. Chicago, Illinois
  2. New York City, New York
  3. New Orleans, Louisiana
  4. Boston, Massachusetts
  5. San Fransisco, California
  6. Washington, D.C.
  7. San Diego, California
  8. Portland, Oregon
  9. Honolulu, Hawaii
  10. Nashville, Tennessee

The list also ranked the 10 best "small" cities in the country, also chosen as part of the Readers' Choice Awards:

  1. Aspen, Colorado
  2. Charleston, South Carolina
  3. Alexandria, Virginia
  4. Santa Fe, New Mexico
  5. Greenville, South Carolina
  6. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
  7. Key West, Florida
  8. Savannah, Georgia
  9. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
  10. Newport, Rhode Island

Check out the full report here.

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