N※N

New Orleans Claims #3 Spot in Travel & Leisure's U.S. City Rankings

  //travel-leisure.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. -spot-in-travel-leisure-s-u-s-city-rankings.html
  Published in Travel and Leisure on Saturday, November 15th 2025 at 17:24 GMT by NOLA.com

• 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
• 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source

2025-11-15 229 x 220 / 18564 Bytes

2025-11-15 224 x 224 / 12484 Bytes

2025-11-15 179 x 224 / 12292 Bytes

2025-11-15 224 x 224 / 16449 Bytes

New Orleans Rises to the Top of Travel & Leisure’s U.S. City Rankings

When it comes to a city that feels like a living, breathing carnival, few places in the United States can match the energy, culture, and culinary wizardry of New Orleans. That was the key takeaway in the recent NOLA.com feature that examined Travel & Leisure’s latest U.S. city rankings. The article—complete with links to the full ranking list, local tourism resources, and a handful of quirky sub‑articles—provides a clear picture of why the Big Easy is not only a perennial favorite of American travelers, but also a city that is being celebrated on a national stage.

The Travel & Leisure Ranking Methodology

Travel & Leisure’s city rankings are a blend of data, expert opinion, and reader engagement. The publication asks a panel of 100 travel editors and writers to rate cities on a dozen categories—food, nightlife, music, culture, and the like. The rankings also factor in reader surveys that weigh how much people actually visit, how often they go back, and how they spend their money.

In the most recent edition (released in September 2023), New Orleans tops the overall chart at #3 (the same position that had held it for the previous two years). In the music category, the city is #1—a no‑brainer given its status as the birthplace of jazz and the epicenter of the contemporary music scene. Food ranks #4, while nightlife and cultural attractions land at #2 and #5 respectively. Those figures were cited in the article and can be cross‑checked directly on the Travel & Leisure website via the link the NOLA.com piece provided: [ Travel & Leisure City Rankings ].

Why New Orleans Still Captivates

The NOLA.com article takes a closer look at the concrete elements that keep the city climbing those rankings:

The piece underscores that these attributes are not static. In 2023, New Orleans launched a “Reignite New Orleans” campaign—an initiative aimed at boosting tourism in the post‑pandemic era. The article links to the official [ New Orleans Tourism Bureau ] for more details, noting that the bureau has been working in partnership with local businesses to promote the city’s festivals, food tours, and “heritage walks.”

Economic Impact: Numbers that Matter

Travel & Leisure’s rankings aren’t just about bragging rights—they translate directly into dollars. The NOLA.com article cites data from the Louisiana Office of Tourism indicating that the city generated $3.2 billion in tourism revenue in 2022, a 15 % uptick from 2021. It also notes that over 6 million visitors came to New Orleans in 2023, pushing the city to rank among the top five most visited in the country.

The article also points out that the hospitality industry in New Orleans is a major employer. “The hotel industry added 1,200 new jobs in 2023,” says a quote from the tourism bureau. The article links to a press release from the [ New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau ] for a more in‑depth analysis.

Community Response & Cultural Resilience

A significant part of the article was devoted to how New Orleans residents are responding to the renewed influx of travelers. The city’s “cultural resilience” is a recurrent theme: after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic, New Orleans has rebuilt its downtown, restored historic neighborhoods, and re‑asserted its identity as a hub of creative expression.

One of the local voices quoted in the article is Chef Kenny Boudreaux, who has opened a new bistro that fuses traditional Creole spices with modern culinary techniques. Boudreaux shares that “the best part about the city’s rebirth is that tourists are now taking the time to talk to the people who’ve lived here for decades.” This perspective is a reminder that the city’s appeal is not merely aesthetic but also deeply personal.

Where to Go Next

The NOLA.com article rounds off with a practical guide for those reading the travel piece who might want to visit soon. It recommends:

1. Mardi Gras World – an interactive museum that chronicles the history of New Orleans’ most famous festival.
2. The Voodoo Museum – a niche attraction that offers insight into the city’s mystical side.
3. Jazz & Heritage Festival (October) – the city’s marquee event, which the article links to the festival’s official page for tickets and schedules.
4. Street Food Crawl in the French Quarter – a self‑guided route featuring iconic spots like Café du Monde and Boudreaux’s.

For travelers who prefer a more laid‑back experience, the article also suggests a riverboat cruise on the Mississippi or a food‑tour in the Garden District—both of which are linked to local tour operators on the [ New Orleans Travel Guide ].

Bottom Line

New Orleans’ placement in Travel & Leisure’s U.S. city rankings is no accident. The city’s rich blend of music, food, culture, and resilience creates a magnetic pull that keeps tourists coming back year after year. The NOLA.com feature, with its carefully curated links to ranking data, local tourism resources, and community stories, paints a comprehensive picture of why the Big Easy is both a beloved American city and a global destination.

For anyone looking to experience a city where every street corner tells a story and every bite tastes like history, New Orleans remains a top‑tier recommendation—backed by numbers, backed by culture, and backed by a community that keeps the rhythm alive.