Southern Living ranked the South's best cities. Here's where Wilmington stands
Wilmington is no stranger to 'top cities' lists. The Port City is the least likely U.S. city for you to catch a cold in, one of the best small cities for filmmakers and among U-Haul's top metro areas for growth. Wilmington holds the title for drunkest city in the state, ranking in the top 30 nationwide.
Southern Living's 2025 'The South's Best Cities' has joined Wilmington's growing list of lists. The publication received over 10,000 responses to an online survey conducted by Proof Insights. The survey ran from July to August 2024 and asked readers to rate their favorite places across the South.
Real estate in ILM: New Hanover's top 10 most expensive homes sold in 2024
Wilmington was voted the No. 13 city in the South. While it didn't earn the top spot, Wilmington was named Southern Living's No. 1 'City on the Rise' in 2024. The city also ranked higher than Birmingham, Alabama, where the magazine is based out of.
Here's what Southern Living had to say about Wilmington:
'It's home to a lively riverfront and scenic historic district, beautiful gardens, and family-friendly attractions. Although there's plenty to see and do right in town, multiple beaches are just a short drive away.'
The magazine recommends several well-trodden Wilmington staples, including the Riverwalk, Cargo District, and events such as the upcoming Azalea Festival. Southern Living also praised eateries including Indochine, Britt's Donut Shop and Seabird. Asheville was North Carolina's only other entry on the list, with Southern Living noting how residents and community leaders have banded together to help the city bounce back following the devastation of Hurricane Helene.
For the ninth consecutive year, voters chose Charleston, South Carolina, as the best city in the South.
Here are the cities that topped the list:
Charleston, South Carolina
Savannah, Georgia
Asheville
New Orleans
Nashville, Tennessee
Greenville, South Carolina, finished sixth, followed by St. Petersburg, Florida; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Atlanta; Lexington, Kentucky; Athens, Georgia; San Antonio; Wilmington; Franklin, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Birmingham, Alabama; Austin, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Huntsville, Alabama and Annapolis, Maryland.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover and Brunswick counties for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Southern Living: Wilmington, NC, ranked among South's best cities
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Underrated vacation destination? This SWFL city gets the nod from Southern Living
Note to self: send thank you cards to the editors at Southern Living. Maybe include crate of mangos and a box of Norman Love chocolates. Why the generosity? Southern Living has picked Fort Myers and the surrounding area as one of its "underrated vacation destinations" for 2025. And even better, the article recognized the fact that after a tumultuous couple of years dealing with hurricanes, including historic Hurricane Ian in September 2022, Fort Myers has recaptured its appeal as a place to visit. "After sustaining heavy damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022, Fort Myers, and its surrounding communities, have recovered nicely and are more than ready to welcome visitors to experience the magic of the City of Palms," Southern Living said. Now that is some good news! Southern Living calls Fort Myers "a gateway" to Southwest Florida. The story states: Fort Myers's downtown has plenty to see, do, and eat—and did we mention it's also situated on the beautiful Caloosahatchee River? Seeking a beach vacation where you can enjoy some R&R in the company of sand, sun, and surf? Fort Myers Beach has all you need. And if you want to venture down a road slightly less traveled, nearby Sanibel Island and Captiva Island offer even more room to roam. Southern Living went on to list, in detail, 20 best things to do in Fort Myers, including: This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Southern Living's list of Florida's best underrate vacation places
Miami Herald
17-07-2025
- Miami Herald
This NC city is ‘on the rebound' — and again ranks among best US places to visit
A rebounding North Carolina city is 'ready to welcome travelers' — and again ranks among the nation's best places to visit. Asheville is No. 9 on a list of cities that visitors love the most, according to results published July 8. The mountain tourist destination made its mark after missing the list last year. But it regained a spot in the rankings as travelers showed 'love for the city and hope for its revival, after the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024,' Travel + Leisure magazine wrote in its report. To determine the fan-favorite U.S. travel destinations, the magazine teamed up with researchers at Proof Insights. From Oct. 21, 2024, to Feb. 24, it received hundreds of thousands of responses in an online reader survey. For cities, scoring criteria included 'sights/landmarks, culture, food, friendliness, shopping' and value, according to the magazine's website and details shared with McClatchy News via email. What makes Asheville, NC a fan favorite? In the resulting World's Best Awards, Asheville was the only place in North Carolina to rank among the top 10 U.S. cities. Travel + Leisure said the 'artsy' destination is taking steps toward recovery after Hurricane Helene battered the area with storm damage and catastrophic flooding in September. 'Readers praised the North Carolina city for its hiking trails, craft beer, and funky art galleries,' the magazine wrote in its report. The honor adds to a list of accolades for Asheville. In June, CNN Travel named the mountain destination one of the nation's most interesting places to visit, calling it a city 'on the rebound.' The city, which has several tourist attractions that are open after the storm, received nods for its mountain views and food and drink scene. Earlier this year, Asheville also ranked among the nation's best cities for beer lovers and made a list of top destinations in the South, McClatchy News reported. This time around, Travel + Leisure said places that offer travelers a glimpse into history and a taste of regional foods received high marks in the best U.S. city rankings. 'When choosing city escapes in the United States, travelers continue to seek destinations with pedestrian-friendly streets, dynamic arts and culture institutions, and excellent food,' the magazine wrote in its report. 'For many visitors, it was also important to have access to activities that suit everyone, whether you're traveling as a couple, with friends, or as a multigenerational family.' Across the country, the top-ranked vacation spot was Santa Fe, New Mexico. Here are the other destinations that round out the top five: New Orleans at No. 2Charleston, South Carolina, at No. 3Savannah, Georgia, at No. 4Alexandria, Virginia, at No. 5 In addition to boasting winners in the U.S. cities category, places in North Carolina landed in the top 10 on another World's Best Awards list. Here's how they fared among the 'best resorts' in the South: High Hampton in Cashiers at No. 2The Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville at No. 3Old Edwards Inn & Spa in Highlands at No. 7
Chicago Tribune
16-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Naperville School of Rock performing at Veggie Fest in Lisle; live Latin music and dance part of Latin (sub)URBAN Art Walk
School of Rock Naperville is among many performers providing live entertainment at this year's Veggie Fest in Lisle. The 15th annual Veggie Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and, Aug. 9-10, at Danada South Park, 2701Navistar Circle. There is no admission to the event, which features a variety of vegan and vegetarian cuisine from around the world. Tickets for food sales are $1 each, with most food items costing between $3 and $15. Dining options include salads, pizza, vegetarian kabobs, tacos as well as smoothies, juices, fresh fruit and desserts. Several live musicians will be performing, including School of Rock Naperville at 11 a.m. Saturday and School of Rock Glen Ellyn at 11 a.m. Sunday. Brother John Katkke will present a mix of blues, soul and rock, at noon Saturday and Sunday; Afinca'o will perform Latin music at 3:30 p.m. Saturday; and Rico, a cover band featuring the music of Santana, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and more, will perform at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Award-winning reggae band Gizzae will take the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Veggie Fest also features health and wellness talks, live cooking demonstrations, yoga and meditation tents, and kids' activities. For festival information, go to Naperville Park District and the DuPage Hispanic Alliance will bring live Latin music and cultural dance performances to the Naperville Riverwalk Saturday, July 26. The free event, 'Latin Rhythms on the Riverwalk,' will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. near the Paddleboat Quarry rental area, 441 Aurora Ave. Performers include Ballet Folklorico from Spain, Tambors from Venezuela, and authentic flute and guitar performances from Ecuador, a park district news release said. The event coincides with the DuPage Hispanic Alliance's Latin (sub)URBAN Art Walk taking place throughout downtown Naperville. During the art walk, participants can check out a variety of art and speak with artists while strolling downtown streets. For more information, go to Mannsha N. Assudani, a Naperville resident who attended Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, was awarded a National Merit Scholarship from Purdue University, where she plans to study engineering. The National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced nearly 800 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities, which provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of study. The final group of winners brings the number of 2025 National Merit Scholars to more than 7,100, a news release said. These distinguished high school graduates will receive nearly $26 million in various scholarships for undergraduate study, the release said. Students reaching the finalist stage had to submit a detailed scholarship application that included an essay, a description of leadership positions held, an outstanding academic record, an endorsement from a high school official and qualifying standardized test scores.
