At an awards ceremony Monday in New York, Charleston was named the country’s No. 1 tourist destination, winning the coveted Readers Choice Award held annually by Conde Nast Traveler. Displacing San Francisco—which held the title for 18 years—Charleston earned the honor based on evaluations in six categories: atmosphere/ambience, culture/sites, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and shopping. For the past 16 years ranking in the top ten, Charleston came in No. 2 for the past three years in a row, holding its own beside cities like Boston, New York, and Chicago. Mayor Joseph P. Riley in a prepared statement noted that we Charlestonians “love to share our extensive heritage and tradition of hospitality. It is thrilling to see that the visitors who come here not only enjoy what they see and experience, they also find an open welcome from the city.”

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