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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Alexandria has landed on Travel + Leisure's list of the ten best cities in the United States for the fifth consecutive year, scoring 83.53 out of 100 in the magazine's 2026 World's Best Awards to come in ninth.
The ranking is determined by reader votes. This year more than 207,000 readers cast 661,000 votes across more than 10,000 properties in the awards' 31st year. Alexandria placed behind Santa Fe, Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Chicago, Fort Worth, Honolulu and New York — and ahead of Greenville, S.C., Bend, Ore., Nashville and Asheville.
Travel + Leisure describes Alexandria as the perfect home base for a trip to Washington, D.C. — or a destination in its own right. The magazine points to Old Town's King Street, the waterfront, the Torpedo Factory Art Center, the African American Heritage Trail and the Mount Vernon Trail among the city's draws, alongside neighborhoods like Del Ray and the West End's growing craft brewing and international dining scene.
"Combining colonial history and contemporary style with waterfront scenery, great food, and outdoor fun, Alexandria has everything a visitor could want," Travel + Leisure writes, "and its location just minutes from Washington, D.C. is a bonus."
Visit Alexandria secured the nomination and ran a get-out-the-vote campaign to encourage reader participation. The tourism organization said consistent recognition in national publications helps position Alexandria as a destination and influences travel decisions.
The full list and Travel + Leisure's guide to Alexandria are available at travelandleisure.com.
