America's Favorite Cities 2008 | Charleston | Travel + Leisure

Charleston

Paul Damien/Getty Images/National Geographic Creative

Charlestonians are America's friendliest people. The city got second-place rankings for its noteworthy neighborhoods, vintage stores, flea markets, and peace and quiet. Not surprisingly, many travelers found the club scene (No. 24) disappointing.

Best Feature

Friendly (#1)

Worst Feature

Late-night/club scene (#24)
Culture
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Classical music 3.92 10
Historical sites/monuments 4.78 4
Live music/bands 4.24 15
Museums/galleries 4.26 9
Theater 3.85 14
Food/dining
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Cafés/coffee bars 4.17 13
Destination restaurants 4.62 6
Ethnic food/cheap eats 4.12 18
Farmers’ and specialty food markets 4.24 7
Holiday travel
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Spring Break 4.31 6
Summer Vacation 4.31 9
Thanksgiving 4.29 2
Winter/Christmas 4.35 8
Nightlife
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Cocktail hour/lounge scene 4.27 16
Late-night/club scene 3.89 24
Singles/bar scene 4.07 21
People
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Athletic/active 4.01 14
Attractive 4.28 4
Diverse 3.95 20
Friendly 4.59 1
Intelligent 4.12 12
Stylish 4.08 6
Quality of life & visitor experience
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Affordability 3.79 6
Cleanliness 4.29 5
Environmental awareness 3.93 10
Noteworthy neighborhoods 4.59 2
Peace and quiet 4.32 2
People-watching 4.33 9
Public parks and access to the outdoors 4.52 11
Public transportation and pedestrian friendliness 4.04 10
Safety 4.05 4
Skyline/views 4.03 16
Traffic 3.70 1
Weather 4.42 5
Shopping
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Antique stores 4.52 1
Art galleries 4.33 6
Local boutiques 4.47 3
Luxury boutiques 4.21 11
Vintage stores/flea markets 4.31 2
Type of trip
Category Score (out of 5) Rank (out of 25)
Active/adventure vacation 3.74 15
Cultural getaway 4.48 6
Family vacation 4.41 6
Relaxing retreat 4.59 3
Romantic escape 4.70 2
Wild weekend 3.57 23

+ See T+L's Charleston guide