Locals may have their personal beefs with San Diego, from the high cost of housing to rising homelessness, but travelers give the city record high marks in Conde Nast Traveler’s newly released Readers’ Choice awards for the top large cities in the U.S.
For the first time ever, San Diego came in No. 2 in the long-running poll, besting such stalwarts as Boston, New York and San Francisco.
While Conde Nast may be a little late in recognizing San Diego’s culinary scene and tourist appeal beyond an outing at the beach, its current summary recognizes that Southern California getaways aren’t just about heading north to L.A.
“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,” reads the travel publication’s blurb. “Come for the sunshine, sure; but stay for everything else.”
Chicago nabbed the top spot — it’s been there seven years in a row — while San Diego comes in ahead of Milwaukee, New Orleans and San Francisco in the readers survey released Tuesday.
Just two years ago, San Diego ranked No. 7 among Conde Nast readers but ascended quickly to No. 3 in last year’s poll.
“This accolade is a testament to the welcoming nature of our travel and hospitality community, local businesses and residents, providing unforgettable experiences to visitors,” said Julie Coker, CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.
The annual ranking, now in its 36th year, is tabulated based on ratings submitted by hundreds of thousands of respondents between April 1 and June 30. Readers were asked to fill out a questionnaire that contained lists of candidates in various categories, from cities and hotels to spas. The candidates for the final rankings had to receive a required minimum number of responses and a minimum overall rating to be eligible for a Readers’ Choice Award.
Each were judged on a set of criteria relevant to their category, based on a standard five-point scale converted to a percentage.
In all, Conde Nast Traveler said it received responses from more than 526,000 readers across its various survey categories.
In the category of hotels and resorts, San Diego County got some additional recognition. Among top hotels in Southern California, the Pendry San Diego ranked fifth, followed by the Hotel Del Coronado at No. 7 and L’Auberge Del Mar at No.10.
Among resorts, local favorites were Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, at No. 9; The Lodge at Torrey Pines, at No. 10; Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, No. 13; and the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, coming in at No. 14.
Just last month, San Diego’s bayfront convention center was ranked No. 4 in the country in a ranking assembled by The Wall Street Journal.
