Photo by Tibor Nemeth
Shopping in Old Town Alexandria
Alexandria has been nominated for “Best Small City in the U.S.” in the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, Visit Alexandria announced Tuesday.
Since the category was created in 2018, Alexandria has maintained its top three standing since 2023 (also achieved in 2021 and 2019).
In 2025, Alexandria retained that prestigious accolade — an important milestone alongside destinations such as Charleston (#1) and Santa Fe (#2), while surpassing others including Savannah and Honolulu.
This year, the City needs your help to secure Alexandria’s spot as a 2026 “Best Small City in the U.S.” for the second year in a row. Your vote means highlighting the stories of Alexandria's vibrant small business community, energizing historic destinations and the greater community, making this an important milestone for Alexandria.
Here's how to help
Vote at cntraveler.com/vote and rate Alexandria as “excellent” across all categories by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30, 2026. Visit Alexandria also encourages you to show your support for the City's hotels: Archer Old Town Alexandria, Hotel AKA Alexandria, Hotel Heron, Hyatt Centric Old Town Alexandria, Morrison House and The Alexandrian. By taking part, you’ll be given a chance to win an eight-day cruise on Viking’s Italian Sojourn journey for two to Italy and Norway (prize provided by Condé Nast Traveler).
Each year, Visit Alexandria secures this recognition and conducts an extensive get-out-the-vote campaign. Consistent national recognition in top-tier publications such as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and others helps solidify the city’s reputation as a top destination and is a key part of Visit Alexandria’s year-round promotional efforts. Research demonstrates that these rankings make a real difference in influencing travel decisions to our destination.
The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the travel industry’s longest run and most prestigious accolades. More than 757,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers from across the United States rated their travel experiences across the globe to offer a comprehensive look at the places they eagerly anticipate revisiting.
Alexandria also has a unique position of being a top-three “Best Small City in the U.S.” located minutes from a top-10 “Best Large Cities in the U.S.,” Washington, D.C. Visitors can stay in one location but experience two of the nation’s best cities.
All winners will also be celebrated in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler.
Spread the word by sharing Visit Alexandria’s social media posts about the survey on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Join the conversation online by using #CondeNastTraveler and #visitALX.
Your vote has a big impact and can help Alexandria remain a top city in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Reader’s Choice Survey. Consistent national recognition in top-tier publications helps solidify the city’s reputation as a top destination and is a key part of Visit Alexandria’s year-round promotional efforts. In fact, research demonstrates that these rankings make a real difference in influencing travel decisions to our destination.
