Chicago Voted 'Best Big City in the US' By Conde Nast Traveler for 6th Year in a Row - NBC Chicago
By: NBC Chicago
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Chicago is No. 1 — again. And again, again, again, again and again.
According to a Tuesday press release from Choose Chicago, Conde Nast Traveler has crowned Chicago the "No. 1 Best Big City in the U.S." — again — as part of the magazine's 2022 Reader's Choice Awards.
The award has consecutively been bestowed on Chicago since 2017. And according to Choose Chicago, the win has made history. "No other city has been voted Best Big City in the U.S. more than three straight times in the 35-year history of the Conde Nast Readers' Choice Awards," the release says.
"There are so many reasons why Chicago is the Best Big City in the U.S.," Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said in the release. "We have world-class restaurants, top-tier hotels and meeting spaces, cultural institutions and entertainment venues that can rival the best in the world and vibrant, diverse neighborhoods that make sure there is something for every visitor."
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When it comes to visitors, Choose Chicago tourism data from summer 2022 show that leisure and business travel are approaching a "full return" to 2019 levels.
Hotel room demand during the summer months exceeded 3 million room nights, the agency says, "which is nearly 90% of summer 2019 levels." Group hotel room demand, which tallies large conventions and meetings, also skyrocketed this past summer, exceeding summer 2019 levels, according to the release.
But it's not all about tourism numbers. The rankings are chosen by more than 240,000 Conde Nast Traveler readers, who touted the Chicago's variety of offerings.
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"A world-class destination known for its impressive architecture, first-rate museums, brilliant chefs, and massive brewing scene, it'll take several repeat visits to get through your list of must-dos," the magazine says.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker echoes that sentiment, saying in the release that "Chicago has everything: picturesque lakefronts, extraordinary architecture, world-class museums, the kindest people you'll ever meet—and yes, the best pizza, too."
Chicago also recently ranked above New York and Los Angeles on a list of the nation's top 'foodie' cities, and one city and one iconic eatery even earned a spot on a Tripadvisor 2022 "Best of the Best" list.
Rounding out the magazine's list of Best Big Cities are Seattle at No. 10; Washington D.C. at No. 9; New Orleans at No. 8; San Francisco at No. 7; Boston at No. 6; New York City at No. 5; Nashville at No. 4; San Diego at No. 3 and Honolulu at No. 2.
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My daughter, her husband, and daughter's BFF spent a long weekend in Chicago last fall. They really enjoyed themselves
When I'm in Chicago I always haunt the 'Blues Joints''....Some of the very best in the world.
Two of my favorites are Buddy Guy's Legends and the Kingston Mines.
Robert Johnson, ''Sweet Home Chicago''.
I've made several trips to Chicago (via train - the only way to go IMHO) with my best friends and we've never failed to have a great time.
I can't wait to get back there again someday.
They drove but if I were to visit that's how I would go
My best friend and I took the train out to Chicago (from Maryland) just for a day trip one time.
Another time we all spent several days in Chicago and then stopped in Pittsburgh for a few days on the way home. 9/11 happened while we were in Chicago.
It only took you a day by train to get to Chicago? It took us approx 12 hours to get to NYC from Johnstown PA by Amtrak.
Was it scary when 9/11 happened? I was doing field work that day and didn't hear about it until we made our first stop.
We went there for the day on one of our trips. The trip itself took from late afternoon to overnight and into the next day
It was pretty numbing actually when 9/11 happened - needless to say it put a damper on the whole trip. Good thing we did take the train (I hate flying and wouldn't have anyway) because there was a real problem getting flights around that time.
Weird. If you believe right wingers here on NT you are risking your life by setting foot there.
Weird, according to the liberals here on NT there were gangs of Trump supporters wandering around attacking people of color, Just ask Jussie Smollett.
There are other ratings by other groups that name best cities that dont have Chicago at the top, but it is still worth mentioning this. Chicago has gotten a bad rap from right wingers since Barack Obama became president.
So true - one of those dog whistles they love to blow.
I've taken my family there three times for the theater, museums, food and baseball (an American Girl Doll) three times and always felt safe. We never rented a car and walked, taxied/Uber and the L. It's very safe if you are white and downtown, Lakeside and in the North end and Northwest. It's much more dangerous if you are of color and in the South Side and some western neighborhoods.
t' s very safe if you are white and downtown, Lakeside and in the North end and Northwest.
Historically, that's been very true. But shootings, car jackings and other violent crime is rapidly rising in the formerly "safe areas"
Most, if not all, large cities have "dangerous" neighborhoods. And it has been that way for many many decades if not centuries. I think Chicago has had the highest murder rate in the country once in the past 20 years. Other crime rates in Chicago are on a par with other big cities. If we just go by crime rates no large city would be the best big city in the country.
The vast majority of Chicagoans do not walk around afraid for their lives. The vast amount of people in the "bad" neighborhoods do not walk around afraid for their lives on a constant basis. Its just a silly argument.
Chicago has been the "second city" for a hundred and fifty years. It overcomes all and survives all and will certainly do so again.
The right wing picks on Chicago because it was the home to Barack Obama , the first black president. It is as simple as that.
Of course that's true, in Chicago's West Garfield neighborhood, the violent offences per 100,000 people rate two years ago was: 3,596
Exactly, Black Southside Chicagoans are much braver than NT's who seem very worried about being hurt by an assault weapon in a mass shooting.
Your view on history is very near-term, my first memories of Chicago history starts with the Democratic Convention in 1968 and Boss Daley's police busting heads outside the convention. Of course, you can go back further, say to Upton Sinclair's visit in 1904.
Yes, a city that was incorporated in 1830 - something has a history. Such insightful analysis !
Knowing your keen interest in our racial history, I'm surprised that you left out Chicago's racial history.
Didn't Chicago force Blacks to live separately from whites, and then later expanded that exclusion tom Hispanics? Have you looked at a current Chicago map of racial and ethnic segregation? Is Chicago, even today, one of our most segregated big cities?
Is there a reverse Black migration continuing in Chicago?
As the Black population continues to drop in Chicago and Illinois, few regret their move: ‘I have peace’
Why dont you comment to someone that gives a shit about what you say?
What an insightful, knowledgeable rebuttal, you've shamed me JR, really shamed me. You really know your racial history of Chicago.
Make any comment you want on the article. I am not interested in the trolling bullshit you address to me.
I'm sorry, maybe I've misunderstood your past comments on Americans not coming to grips with their racial history. Why do you want to exclude Chicago?
You do know I can delete you on this seed, dont you?
You are trolling.
Why would you consider what I wrote as trolling?
It doesn't measure up to your linking criticism of Chicago to Barack Obama having lived there for 20 years.
Obama was neither born nor raised in Chicago, and hasn't returned there. They live in DC and Martha's Vineyard and are building another mansion on Oahu. They've said goodby to Chicago.
Barack Obama is building the crowning achievement of his life, his presidential library, in Chicago. He will be here A LOT in the coming years.
You dont even have a point half the time, other than the one in your imagination.
I think that it's being called a presidential center, not a library since unlike all the presidential libraries before it, it will be privately managed instead of by the National Archives and Records Administration, and it will have no research library and his archives will not be housed on the site.
In one sense seeing the Bean is like "is that all there is"? because it is so simple , but in another sense it is awe inspiring and very cool to many many people. Its hard to describe until you go inside it or see the Michigan Avenue skyscrapers reflected off its surface. A one of a kind thing . Not something to travel to Chicago for to see itself, but once you're here everyone who goes downtown should check it out.
Sure, you’ll find some familiar names on this list of the best big cities in the U.S., but go beyond what you might expect and you’ll find some surprising gems.
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Angel Ceballos/Unsplash
10. Seattle
Perhaps no major city in the U.S. has a more close-knit relationship with the water than Seattle: Here, the spoils of Puget Sound find their way onto the crushed ice at Pike Place Market and the seafood towers at high-end restaurants ; seaplanes are a legitimate, non-touristy way of getting around; and ferries are a part of daily life. If you prefer your vessels a little more intimate, you can rent a hot tub boat or take out one of the free peapod rowboats from the Center for Wooden Boats for a spin around Lake Union. On dry land, culture abounds, from Chihuly Garden and Glass to the National Nordic Museum , which moved into a gorgeous new facility in Ballard in 2018. And thanks to the presence of tech giants like Amazon, which has attracted an avalanche of new development, the Emerald City seems to be shining even brighter than usual these days.
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Eleven Photographs/Unsplash
9. Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C. may have finally shed its buttoned-up reputation. Yes, we're still riding the high from the 2016 opening of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture , designed by world-renowned British-Ghanian architect David Adjaye. But then came the smartly revitalized Wharf, with its can't-miss waterfront views, and the arrival of hotel Eaton , which prioritizes activism instead of pillow mints—not to mention the city’s stylish Airbnbs. Suddenly, we can't seem to get enough of the place. Something's brewing in D.C., and it's not just the craft beer.
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Nico Bhlr/Unsplash
8. 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 .
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Eric Ward/Unsplash
7. San Francisco
While San Francisco is on the small side for a major city, at just 49 square miles, it packs a punch. Yes, there’s Alcatraz and the famed Golden Gate Bridge , but you could also spend a whole day wandering through the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art or discovering street art in the character-filled Mission District. Treat yourself to some pampering at one of the city’s fantastic spas , or head north and take in the majesty of the redwoods in Muir Woods . Add in some of the best restaurants and bars in the world and a hotel scene that truly has something for everyone, and you’ll likely find that one visit to the city by the bay just isn’t enough.
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Aubrey Odom Mabey/Unsplash
6. Boston
For one of the oldest cities in the U.S., Boston sure has aged with style. To get a quick refresher on our nation’s history, walk the Freedom Trail , a 2.5-mile route along a string of historic sites that takes you through the country’s founding. Other activities worth adding to your itinerary include slurping up oysters at Neptune , visiting the eclectic salon-style art display at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum , and catching a ball game at Fenway Park . Just be sure to learn the words to “Sweet Caroline” before you go.
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Jason Briscoe/Unsplash
5. New York City
New York City buzzes as though it's perpetually caffeinated (and most of its residents probably are)—packed with people moving, creating, and making the most of every block. After a requisite visit to a few world-class museums (you can never take enough trips to the Met or the Guggenheim ), make like a local by tucking into soup dumplings in Chinatown , pizza in Greenwich Village, and steak-frites in Soho, and walking it all off on the High Line ; or picnic in Bryant Park. Of course, there are four boroughs beyond Manhattan, and they deserve love, too; stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge for a drink at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge , or venture out to Long Island City for a day at MoMa PS1 . In this town for all seasons, there's no wrong itinerary.
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Getty
4. Nashville
A southern city with a small-town feel, you might find that a weekend isn’t enough to get all you can out of Nashville . Music City is known for its legendary honky tonks on Lower Broadway, but be sure to take time away from the buzz of the strip to explore the city’s shops and restaurants . You’ve likely heard of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack , but you’ll also want to check out Arnold’s Country Kitchen , a classic “meat and three” cafeteria with a James Beard Award. Stop into Hatch Show Print , which has been creating show posters for Nashville’s biggest venues for more than 140 years, to check out their vintage letterpress machinery and take home a piece of Nashville history.
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Braden Jarvis/Unsplash
3. San Diego
Several years ago, travelers headed to San Diego might have wondered what they would do in the city, besides hitting the beaches . No longer. With a recent string of hot hotel openings (like the Guild and the Carté) and a legit food scene that offers up some of the best Mexican dishes and seafood platters you'll ever taste, San Diego has officially stepped out from the shadow of its big sister to the north, earning world-class destination status that goes well beyond the waves. Come for the sunshine, sure; but stay for everything else.
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2. Honolulu
The gateway for many to the Aloha State, Honolulu is Hawaii’s largest city and capital. Stay at one of the city’s classic hotels, including Halekulani or the Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head , and be sure to make a dinner reservation at Miro Kaimuki , named one of the best new restaurants in the world. Off the beach, the wide, paved Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail offers an accessible hiking option, as well as excellent potential for whale watching in the winter and early spring. Spend an afternoon at the Bishop Museum , a wonderful resource to gain insight into Hawaiian culture and history, with interactive exhibits that will keep the whole family interested. Its Hawaiian Hall provided design inspiration for Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu’s leeward coast—an excellent spot for families looking to stay outside the bustle of Honolulu.
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Joe Thomas
1. Chicago, Illinois
It's no wonder Chicago is topping this list yet again. A world-class destination known for its impressive architecture, first-rate museums, brilliant chefs, and massive brewing scene, it’ll take several repeat visits to get through your list of must-dos. Most people start downtown—from the Magnificent Mile to the ritzy Gold Coast to funky Old Town—but there are 77 neighborhoods to explore, where you'll find cutting-edge restaurants , chilled-out corner bars , and, no matter where you go, some of the most pleasant people you'll find anywhere.
They should add Saint Augustine to the list.
There is another list for smaller cities. Maybe St Augustine is on that one.
I like San Antonio
The River Walk is very cool.
When we got that one day in basic to go off base that's where I went. The Alamo was "ok". It was smaller than I exepcted
San Antonio had one of the, if not the hottest summer on record there this year. Ive been to San Antonio a couple times, but fortunately never in the summer.
The River Walk is very cool. I also was impressed by the Alamo. It is interesting, the Alamo is set up to be a shrine, but according to the original layout of the perimeter, and as it was in 1836, the outer walls that the Mexican Army scaled is now a streetscape filled with storefronts.
I did the last part of my training at Brooks AFB in San Antonio...May- July. Yes. Hot. It. Was. But I survived.
The only standing part of the Alamo is the chapel. When you go inside that is where you are. The perimeter walls of the Alamo as you see in movies about it are gone , were farther out , and are now just part of the neighborhood.
I did not know that. Thanks for the info. Now I have a better perspective
Personally, I think Tucson should have been on the list myself for the culture and the food.
Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to die there.
Anyone headed to Chi town, should rewatch Ferris Bueller's Day Off which was a John Hughes love letter to the city.
From his buddy's house with the glass enclosed Ferrari (also home to the 4th of July mass shooting), all around town and then back to the the North side to Glencoe Beach, Ferris, Cameron and Sloane see many of the cities best sites.
Surprisingly, I don't remember any scenes from West Garfield Park, Washington Park or East Garfield Park. Surprising because who doesn't like a park.