Condé Nast Traveler Readers Rank Chicago The Best Big City In U.S.
By Stephen Gossett in News on Oct 17, 2017 9:33PM
Chicago can place another superlative in its cap. Condé Nast Traveler today announced the results from its Readers' Choice Awards, and our town did rather well in the Top Large U.S. Cities category. Chicago topped the list in fact, with New York and San Francisco following at Numbers Two and Three. Good job, us.
The ranking represents submissions from some 300,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers, incorporating "millions of ratings and tens of thousands of comments."
Here's our commemorative blurb:
"Despite its 'Second City' nickname, Chicago is no stranger to the best: It was the center for the biggest architecture biennial in North America this year and home to a number of innovative chefs earning James Beard accolades. When in doubt, take a boat tour of the city and float beneath some of the country’s tallest buildings; catch stand-up at, well, the Second City; or see if you can actually get a reservation at Alinea, a leader in molecular gastronomy."
And here's how the full Top 15 shook out:
1) Chicago
2) New York City
3) San Francisco
4) Honolulu
5) Boston
6) Washington, D.C.
7) New Orleans
8) San Diego
9) Seattle
10) San Antonio
11) Nashville
12) Minneaplois
13) Pittsburgh
14) Denver
15) Philadelphia
The awards also survey for top hotels, resorts, islands, airlines, airports, etc. You can peruse those rankings here.
It's been a good year for Chicago as seen through the eyes of glossy monthlies. Recall in August that Bon Appetit crowned Chicago Restaurant City of the Year—a nod that will likely have significant real-world impact. So, yes, we fare pretty well in the eyes of most people. Most people.