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Santa Fe takes No. 1 for 2025 top U.S. travel destinations, locals feel it 'absolutely' deserves the recognition
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The City Different has claimed the No. 1 spot on Travel + Leisure’s 2025 top U.S. Travel Destinations list.
Santa Fe’s reader score of 88.80 toppled 15 destinations, including New Orleans, Honolulu and New York. It also sits at No. 19 on the publication’s 25 Favorite Cities in the World — the only U.S. location to make the list.
“I couldn’t be more excited,” TOURISM Santa Fe Executive Director Randy Randall said. “It speaks to the unique offering that Santa Fe has. I love to say, ‘We look different. We taste different.’”
Santa Fe has landed on Travel + Leisure’s top U.S. cities list since 2002, making it one of the most awarded locations, according to a news release. Long-loved by readers, its constant recognition has earned it a designation as a World’s Best Awards Hall of Fame Honoree.
“People who visit our city feel the hospitality and magic of Santa Fe,” Mayor Alan Webber said in a statement. “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.”
Resorts in Santa Fe also appeared on the publication’s best hotels and spas list. Bishop’s Lodge placed No. 2 on top resorts in the west while Ten Thousand Waves was No. 15 on best domestic U.S. spas.
“I just couldn’t be prouder of all the people and businesses in Santa Fe who offer up these experiences that keep Santa Fe so special,” Randall said. “This is something I hope everyone’s going to take pride in.”
Aside from a sense of pride, Randall said the recognition is a great endorsement. Because Travel + Leisure’s awards are granted on reader scores, he said those who voted have “confidence” in Santa Fe.
“It’s so consistently special,” Randall said. “We are not a bucket list destination like Mount Rushmore. We are a destination that you can come back (to) and continue to discover new experiences.”
For Randall, picking a single favorite thing about Santa Fe is a hard task. He loves the city’s well-preserved look. He’s amazed by the depth and complexity of its art market. And to him, New Mexican red and green chile is “second to none.”
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Tomasita’s, a Santa Fe restaurant staple since 1974, is dedicated to serving the state’s traditional cuisine.
“It’s comfort food,” owner George Gundrey said. “It’s based on the staples the Spanish have grown here since the 1600’s. New Mexico has very unique food, and it contributes to the cultural experience.”
Gundrey said Santa Fe is “absolutely, 100%” deserving of the No. 1 spot.
While born here, Gundrey moved to California for a period of time before moving back when he was 38. He said it was obvious upon return that nothing could “change the soul of Santa Fe.”
“It’s still real, it’s not plastic,” Gundrey said about Santa Fe. “It’s not (a) very corporate, chain store, chain restaurant feel. We’re still a locally owned, locally operated little community.”
