This SC destination ranks among nation’s best places to visit — and eat. Here’s why
A South Carolina travel destination ranks among the nation’s favorite places to visit — and eat.
Charleston ranks No. 9 on a list of the top travel destinations in the United States. It also landed the No. 2 spot on a separate list of the best cities for food lovers, according to results published Thursday, Jan. 9.
To create the rankings, the travel review website Tripadvisor studied the “quality and quantity of ratings and reviews” that travelers left on its website from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024. It focused on restaurants, hotels and attractions in cities across the country to determine the winners of its annual Travelers’ Choice Awards, a spokesperson told McClatchy News via email.
“The Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best title celebrates the highest level of excellence in travel,” the website wrote in its report. “It’s awarded to those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions.”
What makes Charleston a top travel destination?
That might not come as a surprise, as Charleston also ranked on the same lists in 2023 and 2024. In the past, Tripadvisor gave nods to the city’s waterfront, food tours and restaurant scene, McClatchy News reported.
“Historic Charleston is bursting with Southern charm and hospitality,” Tripadvisor wrote this time around. “The city feels a bit like it’s suspended in time.”
Here are the top-ranked places on the two lists:
- New York City at No. 1 among top overall destinations
- New Orleans at No. 1 among best foodie cities
The only other place in South Carolina to win a Tripadvisor award was Hilton Head Island. It ranked No. 10 among trending destinations, defined as up-and-coming places that travelers think are “worth the hype.”
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 11:19 AM with the headline "This SC destination ranks among nation’s best places to visit — and eat. Here’s why."
