Chicago was named the "Best Big City" nationwide in Condé Nast Traveler's 2021 roundup for the fifth year in a row.
Of more than 800,000 readers who submitted responses of their travel experiences, Condé Nast Traveler showed the Windy City scored the best among major cities across the U.S. -- beating out New York City, New Orleans and Boston for the top spot.
"A world-class destination known for its impressive architecture, first-rate museums, brilliant chefs, and massive brewing scene, it’ll take several repeat visits to get through your list of must-dos," the magazine wrote.
After Chicago, the next nine top ranked cities were New York City, New Orleans, Boston, San Francisco, Washington D.C., San Diego, Portland, Honolulu and Nashville.
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“Last year, I said being chosen by Condé Nast four times in a row was truly a testament to rich diversity of our city and an accomplishment unlike any other. Now, we’ve one-upped ourselves,” said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “Since 2017, Chicago has rightfully claimed its spot as the Number One Best Big City in the U.S. and I want to thank each of our residents, our world-class restaurants and incredible businesses who continue to represent our city so well."
Chicago's The Gwen hotel also ranked among the top globally, earning No. 8 in the list of "Best Hotels in the World" from Condé Nast.
The luxury hotel, located along the Magnificent Mile, has earned Reader's Choice Awards in 2017, 2019 and 2021, according to the magazine.
