Chicago makes history with 10th straight ‘best big city’ win

Chicago has done it again - and this time, there’s a perfect 10 attached to it. For the 10th consecutive year, readers of Condé Nast Traveler have named Chicago the Best Big City in the U.S., giving the city an unprecedented decade-long winning streak and plenty of reason to celebrate.

The honor comes from nearly 800,000 reader survey responses in the magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. Chicago first claimed the title in 2017 and has held onto the top spot ever since, making it the first and only city to win Best Big City in the U.S. for 10 straight years.

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And Chicago plans to make the milestone official with a celebration worthy of a perfect score. The City of Chicago has proclaimed Saturday, October 10, “Best Big City Day,” inviting Chicagoans and visitors to get out and experience the city that travelers have been voting for year after year. Choose Chicago is marking the occasion with its “A Perfect 10” campaign, along with special events, social media activations and local collaborations.

Among them: a special Perfect 10 boat set by house music pioneer DJ Lori Branch on the Chicago Riverwalk from approximately 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. near City Winery Chicago Riverwalk on October 10.

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The celebration also includes some very Chicago collaborations. Eli’s Cheesecake is creating a special pre-packaged cheesecake flight available through the winter holiday season, while Goose Island Beer Company is producing a limited-availability Perfect 10 beer at its local brewpubs. The United Center will also spotlight the milestone, with the Chicago Blackhawks featuring a “Best Big City” activation during their October 10 home game.

“This historic recognition belongs to the entire city of Chicago,” said Kristen Reynolds, president and CEO of Choose Chicago. “We do not stay at the top by standing still. Chicago is always evolving, always creating, and always giving visitors new reasons to come back.”

There’s plenty of data behind the bragging rights, too. Chicago welcomed 56.8 million visitors in 2025, generating a record $21.5 billion in visitor spending and supporting 135,360 local jobs across the region. The city also added more than 2,100 tourism-related jobs last year and set new annual records for leisure hotel room demand, hotel revenue, average daily hotel rate, revenue per available room and hotel tax collections.

The award comes at a time when Chicago continues to add new reasons to visit while maintaining the attractions that have long made the city a favorite. Its architectural landmarks, lakefront, restaurants, museums, theaters, music venues and distinctive neighborhoods remain major draws, while a steady calendar of festivals, sporting events, exhibitions and seasonal celebrations keeps the city changing.

Mayor Brandon Johnson also credited the people and neighborhoods that give Chicago its character, calling the 10-year run a testament to the city’s residents, institutions and businesses.

For visitors, the timing couldn’t be better. Chicago is heading into one of its most festive seasons, with holiday markets, ice skating, seasonal events, theater, shopping and plenty of opportunities to take in the city’s architecture and neighborhoods. And for those who think they already know Chicago, the city’s ever-changing restaurant, arts and entertainment scene offers plenty of reasons to come back and see what’s new.

The recognition is also a useful calling card for meeting planners and travel professionals. With McCormick Place, Navy Pier, two major airports, an extensive hotel inventory and venues ranging from grand ballrooms to one-of-a-kind cultural spaces, Chicago has the infrastructure to handle major conventions and events - and enough dining, nightlife, culture and sightseeing to encourage attendees to stay a little longer.

Ten years at No. 1 is certainly something to celebrate. But perhaps the most Chicago part of the whole story is that the city isn’t treating the Perfect 10 as a finish line. It’s another reason to keep going.