Which U.S. Cities Travelers Rate The Most Welcoming, According To Booking.com

Booking.com revealed the winners of its 14th annual Traveler Review Awards, and the takeaway is clear: the places travelers value most are not big cities chasing volume, but smaller destinations where hospitality still feels personal rather than transactional.

The list reads like a celebration of small-town America, with the largest place on it topping out at just over 50,000 residents. So, which U.S. cities did travelers rate the most welcoming?

Fredericksburg, Texas

Fredericksburg sits in the heart of Texas Hill Country, roughly 70 miles west of Austin and north of San Antonio.

German settlers founded the town, an influence still visible throughout its compact, walkable historic center, filled with over 150 locally owned stores, boutiques, and art galleries.

Fredericksburg is best known for its annual Oktoberfest , which celebrates its German heritage with beer, music and food. This year marks 45 years since the festival began in 1981.

Palm Desert, California

Last year, Joshua Tree represented California, but this year, it’s Palm Desert . The town sits in the Coachella Valley between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park and is also the largest destination on the 2026 list by population.

The city is best known for its relaxed, upscale desert landscape with award-winning golf courses, spas, an extensive shopping district and polished resorts.

However, due to its proximity to Joshua Tree National Park, roughly a 20–30-minute drive from Palm Desert, the town can also be a comfortable base for hiking, stargazing, and desert scenery. The park is especially ideal to visit during the winter .

Cape May, New Jersey

Cape May kept its place on the list of the most welcoming U.S. cities two years in a row. This small town sits at the southern tip of New Jersey, where the Atlantic Ocean meets Delaware Bay.

Cape May is the country’s oldest seaside resort, renowned for its well-preserved Victorian architecture, with over 600 immaculately restored historic buildings, family-run inns and a slow-paced beach culture.

It is also a birdwatching destination, as Cape May sits along a major migratory flyway that attracts thousands of species each year. The next event to watch out for is Cape May Springwatch from March, run by New Jersey Audubon’s Cape May Bird Observatory .

Broken Bow, Oklahoma

Broken Bow , a small town in southeastern Oklahoma with only about 4,200 residents, also returns for the second year. It is a gateway town to Beavers Bend State Park near the Arkansas border.

Broken Bow, together with Hochatown, is best known for secluded cabin stays and outdoor recreation. It describes itself as Oklahoma’s premier cabin destination.

Beavers Bend State Park is the natural anchor behind Broken Bow’s appeal, featuring popular sights such as Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. The park draws travelers for clear-water paddling, trout fishing and more than 30 miles of forested hiking trails.

Waikoloa, Hawaii

Waikoloa, sitting on the western slope of Mauna Kea on Hawaii’s Big Island, is also a repeat winner from last year's list, even as fellow Hawaii honoree Lahaina did not make it this time.

Waikoloa refers to two different places: the inland residential area of Waikoloa Village and the coastal corridor known as Waikoloa Beach Resort.

That oceanfront stretch is where visitors find the large-scale beachfront resorts, golf courses andthe polished, service-forward hospitality the area is known for.

Bryson City, North Carolina

Bryson City in western North Carolina is one of the new winners this year. The town is a small mountain hub just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

It is best known for outdoor activities such as hiking, rafting and scenic rail journeys paired with locally run lodges.

Spring is a great time to visit this area. The wildflower season in the Smokies ramps up in spring with the 76th annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage (April 22–25, 2026). The event features expert-led walks and naturalist programming that turns this season into a learn-as-you-hike experience.

Snowmass Village, Colorado

Snowmass Village , a purpose-built mountain resort near Aspen in central Colorado, is also a new winner this year.

The town is best known for its seamless ski-in, ski-out infrastructure, year-round resort operations, and, according to this list, a highly rated guest experience.

Together with Aspen, Snowmass is also one of the country’s most sustainability-focused ski regions , combining lower-impact operations with hospitality.

Oakhurst, California

Oakhurst , California, is a small town near the South Gate of Yosemite National Park, bordering the Sierra National Forest. It serves as an ideal base for exploring the park and the forest.

In February, it is still the Badger Pass Ski Area , the oldest ski area in California, that draws winter visitors, while hikersstart to arrive toward the end of the month to catch Yosemite’s "Firefall" spectacle.

Spring is also an ideal time to visit the area, since the snow in Yosemite begins to thaw and its waterfalls surge, although peak runoff may only hit in May or June.

Booking.com Methodology

2025 was the first year Booking.com broke out a dedicated list of the most welcoming towns in the U.S.

In both years, Booking.com used verified, unedited guest reviews to select the winners. To be eligible, partners had to meet minimum review-count and score thresholds by November 30, 2025. Booking.com then ranked the destinations by the share of award-winning accommodations relative to total eligible properties.

This year’s list keeps Cape May, Broken Bow, Waikoloa and Oakhurst from the previous year, but drops St. Augustine, Newport, Joshua Tree, Sedona, Lahaina and Prescott. New additions are Snowmass Village, Palm Desert, Bryson City and Fredericksburg.

By Emese Maczko, Contributor