CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) -- If you wake up every day and think you are living in the greatest city in America, you might be right. The Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards rank Charleston No. 4 on their list of the top 10 cities in the United States and Canada for 2012.
TOP 10 CITIES IN THE U.S. AND CANADA 2012
- New York City
- Chicago
- San Francisco
- Charleston
- New Orleans
- Santa Fe
- Vancouver
- Savannah
- Quebec City
- Honolulu
Cities are ranked in six categories by Travel + Leisure readers that include: sights, culture and arts, restaurants and food, people, shopping and value. Charleston fell two spots from last year's No. 2 ranking on the list.
The World's Best Awards rank more then just top cities, and South Carolina shows up on several of those other lists.
Kiawah Island is in the top five islands in the U.S. and Canada. Vancouver Island in British Columbia is ranked No. 1 in this year's survey.
TOP 5 ISLANDS IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S. AND CANADA 2012
- Vancouver Island, British Columbia
- Mount Desert Island, Maine
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Florida Keys
- Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Seven South Carolina properties made the rankings, including four from right here in Charleston. Wentworth Mansion is ranked the Top Small City Hotel in the U.S. The Market Pavilion Hotel ranks fourth and Planters Inn seventh on the list.
The Wentworth Mansion is also ranked the No. 12 hotel in the world regardless of size. Owner of the Wentworth Mansion Rick Widman says they are most proud of the No. 12 ranking.
"The most important thing for everyone to understand is these are guests who have stayed in the hotels all around the world, and it is they who have filled out the surveys and rank the hotels," Widman said. "So its a very legitimate and great measurement of the service and facility you have given to guests."
Charleston Place is No. 33 on the list of Top Large City Hotels in the U.S. The Inn at Palmetto Bluff and the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort rank No. 6 and No. 11 respectively in America's Top Resorts. The Wilcox in Aiken is among the top five Inns and Small Lodges.
The World's Best Awards will be the cover story for the August issue of Travel + Leisure that hits newsstands July 20.
Rainbow Row in Charleston (File)
Wentworth Mansion (WCIV)
Wentworth Mansion room (WCIV)
