Alexandria, Virginia, has been named a Top 5 Best Small City in the U.S. for the third consecutive year according to the 2020 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Since the Best Small Cities category was created in 2018, Alexandria has ranked in the top 5 along with Charleston and Santa Fe.

The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.” More than 715,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers across the globe submitted an incredible number of responses rating their travel experiences to provide a full snapshot of where and how we travel today.

“Washingtonians are all in on the secret, but it's no surprise the rest of the world is catching up: Alexandria, Virginia, the charming, historic city just across the Potomac River from our nation's capital, draws travelers and would-be residents alike. Most folks start to imagine moving there just after setting foot in Old Town, once they've strolled the red brick sidewalks, clocking street after street of perfectly preserved rowhouses from the 18th and 19th centuries. When you visit, scope out King Street, packed with boutiques, restaurants, and specialty shops, before landing at the waterfront.” Condé Nast Traveler

Alexandria also has the unique positioning of being a Top 5 Best Small City in the U.S. located minutes from one of the Best Large Cities in the U.S. (Washington, D.C. is #2). Visitors can stay in one location but experience two of the nation’s best cities.

Read the full article: cntraveler.com/gallery/best-cities-us. All winners will also be celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler.

Top 10 Small Cities in the U.S.:

1. Charleston, South Carolina

2. Santa Fe, New Mexico

3. Caramel-by-the-Sea, California

4. Laguna Beach, California

5. Alexandria, Virginia

6. Greenville, South Carolina

7. Aspen, Colorado

8. Savannah, Georgia

9. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

10. Key West, Florida

Top 10 Large Cities in the U.S.:

1. Chicago, Illinois

2. Washington, D.C.

3. Boston, Massachusetts

4. New Orleans, Louisiana

5. San Antonio, Texas

6. New York, New York

7. San Diego, California

8. Nashville, Tennessee

9. Tucson, Arizona

10. St. Petersburg, Florida

This story is courtesy of Visit Alexandria.