SAN ANTONIO — The city of San Antonio is becoming a top tourist destination, especially after being named one of the 15 best cities in the United States by Travel+ Leisure magazine. Voting for the awards was open from the city in January, based on their experiences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The magazine said that readers cast their votes based on the sights and monuments, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and the overall value of these cities. San Antonio was ahead of Chicago and followed New York City closely.
Charleston, South Carolina, ranked at the top of the city in the United States for the ninth consecutive year, according to the magazine. The Emma Hotel was also recognized by travel magazine as the seventh best urban hotel in the continental United States. This was the only city in Texas to make the list. You can read more about these rankings in San Antonio on the magazine's website here.
Schlitterbahn New Braunfels was named the world's best water park for the 23rd consecutive year. Turns out San Antonio isn't a good place to live, at least not as pleasant as it was last year. The publication considered data related to affordability, quality of life, job prospects and other factors to determine its ranking. It seems that the city's great amenities and the “slightly lower cost of living” weren't enough to keep San Antonio at the top of the list.
No, the city's labor market, which the publication called “less healthy than that of other similarly sized metropolitan areas,” and the local public transportation system surely didn't help with the classification, writing that it doesn't “provide enough coverage to make it a reliable option for all residents.” McHugh's trips to Spain have provided endless inspiration for both his San Antonio restaurants and his next Austin concept, Luminaire. If there's one thing San Antonio chef Steve McHugh is known for besides his award-winning local restaurants, it's bringing people together.
