Alexandria Named Fifth Best Small City in U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler

Even after an unforgettable year stricken by a pandemic, Alexandria has been named one of the best small cities in the United States.

Alexandria took the fifth spot in the Condé Nast Traveler’s 33rd annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The city placed third last year and fourth the year before that.

Here’s the top five small cities in the U.S. this year, according to the magazine:

1. Charleston, South Carolina
2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
3. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
4. Laguna Beach, California
5. Alexandria, Virginia

According to Condé Nast:

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; then land at the waterfront, where you can watch the boats bobbing on the water before touring the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a collective of galleries and artists’ studios. End the day at Gadsby’s Tavern, where some of our founding fathers used to drink–don’t mind the actors in colonial garb.

Just announced! Alexandria is a Top 5 Best Small City in the U.S. for the third consecutive year, according to the @CNTraveler 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. #RCA2020 https://t.co/shDD9oZopJ

— Visit Alexandria VA (@AlexandriaVA) October 6, 2020