What makes a city the most lovable in the nation? According to Travel + Leisure readers, it could be a mix of food, culture, and some funny accents.

‘When Travel + Leisure Magazine tabulated the overall popularity results—those cities with the most top-five rankings across the 66 categories—a clear winner emerged. New Orleans scored in the top five in more than half of the survey’s categories, from fine dining, architecture, and antiques to the entertaining people-watching and its No. 1-ranked music scene. As reader Danya Powell Bushey posted to T+L on Facebook: “New Orleans is the epitome of soul: strong people and satisfying food mixed with passion-fueled tunes.”

The Crescent City is the ultimate crowd-pleaser: it scored in the top five in more than half of the survey’s categories. These high marks run the gamut from the quite civilized—fine dining, architecture, and antiques—to the boisterously unpretentious, such as its top-rated music scene and the colorful people-watching. As reader Larry Lovell posted to T+L on Facebook: “In New Orleans, the people are friendly, the bars have history, and the local music culture has no comparison. It’s easy to be comfortable there.”’

*this article is directly quoted from the original article for Travel + Leisure Magazine written by Katrina Brown Hunt.  To view the  article, click here.