America's Friendliest People

By Adrien Glover
December 07, 2009
Credit: Kelly Bazely
Some U.S. cities are renowned for their dazzling skylines, some for their brash style, and others for a high density of big thinkers and artists. But where can travelers expect warm smiles, firm handshakes, and easygoing hospitality? Travel + Leisure’s 2009 America’s Favorite Cities Survey asked who is the nicest of them all, and the answers may surprise you.

Covering 30 U.S. cities from Boston to Seattle, the survey—now in its fifth year—offers a snapshot of America’s up-to-date opinions on such popular travel topics as the best cities for hotels, dining, nightlife, and shopping, among other categories. Additionally, it aims to take the country’s temperature regarding residents—which U.S. city has the most attractive population or the smartest? As those who’ve traveled to a hotel and been treated to bad service or dismissed by gruff waitstaff can attest, there’s no underestimating the friendliness, too, when it comes to travel.

Louisiana’s largest city ranks high on the list for friendliest people. Despite the ravages of Hurricane Katrina and a battered economy in recent years, New Orleanians, according to survey-takers, still walk on the brighter side of life. Maybe a collective sense of optimism springs from the city’s laid-back, laissez les bons temps rouler attitude. Or perhaps the city’s good old-fashioned hospitality can be traced to pride in its rich cultural heritage—from its gracious architecture and chicory-laced coffee to its cool strains of jazz. Whatever the answer, New Orleans was one of the top contenders for this year’s congeniality prize.

But the Louisiana city is not alone in its welcoming and ultra-sociable demeanor; other urban centers rank high on the nice scale, too. Take Minneapolis/St. Paul—which also ranked first in the 2009 survey for city with the most intelligent residents—or the southern belle city of Charleston, SC.

“I moved to Charleston over a year ago and was so touched by how friendly and welcoming the residents in this little city were. People feel comfortable saying hi, introducing themselves to you, asking you questions, even inviting you over for a dinner party!” says 37-year-old physician’s assistant Catherine Kelso.

Some cities, however, did not fare as well with the survey-taking public. Bostonians are not winning friends with their buttoned-up Yankee style; Angelenos are coming off as more vain to out-of-towners than nice; and belying the friendly southern city trend, Dallas/Fort Worth ranked in the bottom third of the list.

Kindly souls and thoughtful people exist everywhere, but thanks to their residents, some cities are genuinely more pleasant to visit. Read on for the 2009 America’s Favorite Cities Survey results.
Start Slideshow

1 of 30

#1 Nashville

Credit: Dennis MacDonald / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 30

#2 New Orleans

Credit: Teshira Nobie

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

3 of 30

#3 Charleston

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement

4 of 30

#4 Austin

Credit: cameraPT / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

5 of 30

#5 Minneapolis/St. Paul

Credit: Visions of America, LLC / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

6 of 30

#6 Kansas City

Credit: Ann Shields

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 30

#7 Houston

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

8 of 30

#8 Honolulu

Credit: © KEVIN LAMARQUE/Reuters/Corbis

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

9 of 30

#9 San Antonio

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 30

#10 Portland, Oregon

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

11 of 30

#11 Denver

Credit: Getty Images

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

12 of 30

#12 Santa Fe

Credit: ImageState / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 30

#13 Cleveland

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

14 of 30

#14 St. Louis

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

15 of 30

#15 Providence

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 30

#16 Seattle

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

17 of 30

#17 San Diego

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

18 of 30

#18 Orlando

Credit: Dennis MacDonald / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 30

#19 Chicago

Credit: Courtesy of choosechicago.com

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

20 of 30

#20 Atlanta

Credit: Digital Vision / Alamy

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

21 of 30

#21 Phoenix/Scottsdale

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 30

#22 San Francisco

Credit: iStockphoto

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

23 of 30

#23 Dallas/Fort Worth

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

24 of 30

#24 Las Vegas

Credit: Courtesy of LAX Nightclub

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 30

#25 Boston

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

26 of 30

#26 Philadelphia

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

27 of 30

#27 Miami

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 30

#28 Washington, D.C.

Credit: Meghan Lamb

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

29 of 30

#29 Los Angeles

Credit: iStock

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

30 of 30

#30 New York

Credit: Kelly Bazely

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

See America’s Most and Least Attractive People

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Adrien Glover