WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from July 28, 2021.
Travel magazine Travel + Leisure has ranked Williamsburg, Virginia, in its Top 15 U.S. Cities list for this year.
From Busch Gardens to Colonial Williamsburg, it's not hard to see why the peninsula city earned a spot.
Every year, the magazine asks its readers to share their opinions on top cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. People rate cities based on sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness and shopping. An overall score is calculated based on the averages of responses.
According to the magazine, this year's survey was open for voting from Jan. 11 to May 10. That's around the time that many COVID-19 restrictions were being lifted.
For this year's list, Williamsburg landed in ninth place. It got a score of 83.4.
Visit Williamsburg CEO Victoria Cimino said the nod from Travel + Leisure was a good sign for the area as travelers were venturing back out.
"A recognition like this speaks to the world-class caliber of the region's activities, attractions, food, drink, shopping, and more," Cimino wrote.
Other destinations that made the cut include Asheville, North Carolina; Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; and first-place winner Charleston, South Carolina.
You can read Travel + Leisure's full list by clicking here.
Author's note: The video below is on file from March 2019.