Santa Fe, N.M. – July 8, 2025: Santa Fe ranked as the best U.S. city in the 2025 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, achieving the #1 position on the list of readers’ 15 favorite cities in the United States 2025, for the first time in award history. Additionally, Santa Fe scored as the #19 city on readers’ list of their 25 favorite cities in the World. Santa Fe is the only U.S. city featured on the list of winning international destinations this year.
“We’re #1! This award belongs to all of Santa Fe,” said Santa Fe Mayor, Alan Webber. “People who visit our city feel the hospitality and magic of Santa Fe. It’s in the history, culture, art, food, and architecture of our community, from the air we breathe to the mountains that surround us. Most important, it’s in the people. Our hospitality industry and tourism team are great ambassadors for Santa Fe. So, let’s toast Santa Fe: We’re #1—it’s official.”
“Travelers today have many options for where to spend their vacation time, so to be singled out as the top city destination in the entire country is an extraordinary achievement,” said Randy Randall, TOURISM Santa Fe Executive Director. “This honor is indeed gratifying and recognizes not only the uniqueness of The City Different, but it also underscores the diligent and hard work of our hospitality partners, who welcome and care for our visitors on a daily basis.”
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the World’s Best Awards where readers shared their opinions on the best travel experiences across the globe. A long-loved travel destination for T +L readers, Santa Fe has finished on the list of top cities in the U.S. since 2002, making it one of the most awarded cities and earning the designation as a World’s Best Awards Hall of Fame Honoree.
In addition to the best cities lists, Santa Fe resorts also appeared on lists of best hotels and spas. Bishop's Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection, took the #2 spot on the list of top resorts in the west and Ten Thousand Waves was #15 on the list of best domestic U.S. spas.
Travel + Leisure also compiled a list of the "5 Favorite Santa Fe Hotels of 2025," highlighting The Inn of the Five Graces, Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe, La Fonda on the Plaza, Hotel Santa Fe The Hacienda and Spa and Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi.
Travel + Leisure shared several verbatim responses gathered in the 2025 reader surveys. Highlights include:
“A unique beautiful city. Captures one’s heart.”
“The City Different is like a big hug. The art, culture, history, food and outdoor activities are endless and ever changing.”
“Every trip exceeds the last, with so many new things to discover. Santa Fe offers a multi-layer experience.”
The complete list of awards is now available online and will appear in the magazine’s August 2025 print issue.
B-roll video and press ready photos of the destination can be downloaded here: https://platform.crowdriff.com/m/s-X8N7RPuXGZT0xsG-
