SLO is one of America’s top 10 towns to visit, CNN says. Where did it rank?

San Luis Obispo is one of America’s best towns to visit, according to CNN.

The multinational media network recently shared a list of the top 10 destinations in the United States, as determined by its travel editors.

“These destinations offer loads of personality and plenty to see and do without the elbow-to-elbow crowds of the big tourist cities,” CNN said.

Richmond, Virginia, came in first place, followed by Providence, Rhode Island, and Tacoma, Washington.

San Luis Obispo landed at No. 5 on the list, CNN said, “thanks to (its) gorgeous landscapes, retro West Coast attractions and modern buzz.”

Why is SLO one of America’s best towns to visit?

CNN called San Luis Obispo “pure California perfection.”

“SLO has small-town charm,” CNN contributor Danielle Ames wrote in an article published June 23. “For those in search of the original California dream, this paradise destination — only a short hop from vineyards and Pacific Coast beaches — offers plenty of postcard moments that hark back to classic Golden State tourism.”

In addition to historic landmarks such as Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, the Ah Louis Store and the Sunset Drive-In movie theater, Ames mentioned a number of modern-day draws, including Bubblegum Alley and the Madonna Inn.

The popular pink hotel was “one of the city’s quirkier classics,” wrote Ames, who was a news assistant for The Tribune in 2015 and 2016.

Other attractions included:

• Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market
• Duncan Alley
• Edna Valley wineries, including Claiborne & Churchill Winery and Tolosa Winery
• San Luis Obispo Museum of Art

• San Luis Obispo Public Market

Local restaurants that earned mentions included:

• Ebony

• Firestone Grill

• F. McLintocks Saloon

• Giuseppe’s Cucina Rustica
• Linnaea’s Cafe
• Mee Heng Low Noodle House

What are the top 10 cities to visit in US?

According to CNN, these were the top 10 “great U.S. towns to check out now.”

1. Richmond, Virginia
2. Providence, Rhode Island
3. Tacoma, Washington
4. Portland, Maine
5. San Luis Obispo
6. Flagstaff, Arizona
7. Macon, Georgia
8. Grand Rapids, Michigan
9. Knoxville, Tennessee
10. Duluth, Minnesota

This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 4:16 PM.

Sarah Linn

The Tribune

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Sarah Linn is an editor and reporter on the West Service Journalism Team, working with journalists in Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno, Merced and San Luis Obispo in California and Bellingham, Olympia and Tri-Cities in Washington, as well as Boise, Idaho. She previously served as the Local/Entertainment Editor of The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, working there for nearly two decades. A graduate of Oregon State University, she has earned multiple California journalism awards.