Visiting Boston

Boston outranked New York City on this list of best large cities in the U.S.

Boston has "aged with style."

The Back Bay skyline and Charles River. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press/File 2022

The age-old question of “Boston or New York?” was answered by Conde Nast Traveler readers this week.

The travel publication released a list of the 10 best large cities in the U.S. on Tuesday as part of its annual 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards, and Boston ranked No. 7, edging out New York City at No. 8. Chicago topped the list.

Boston has “aged with style,” wrote Conde Nast Traveler, which recommended that visitors walk the city’s Freedom Trail, explore the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, slurp oysters at Neptune, and catch a baseball game at Fenway Park (adding “just be sure to learn the words to ‘Sweet Caroline’ before you go”).

Advertisement:

New York City “buzzes as though perpetually caffeinated,” wrote Conde Nast Traveler. Visitors enjoy world-class museums such as the Met and Guggenheim, food that includes soup dumplings in Chinatown, pizza in Greenwich Village, and steak frites in Soho. They stroll the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge, and more.

When we asked which is the better city between Boston and New York, perhaps unsurprisingly 66 percent of Boston.com readers said Boston, with several mentioning its more livable, family-friendly environments. The question was posed after a New York Post columnist wrote in 2022 that Boston gave New Yorkers a glimpse at “what their city could be like.”

Advertisement:

Conde Nast Traveler editors compiled the 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards based on the results of an online survey completed by 575,048 readers between April 1 and June 30. The awards rank the best hotels, resorts, destination spas, countries, cities, islands, trains, airlines, airports, and cruise lines in the world. 

Profile image for Kristi Palma

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

 

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.

Sign up for the Today newsletter

Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com