Houston Scores High On Magazine's Most Attractive Cities List

People visit cities to dine, shop, visit cultural landmarks, and attend sporting events. What's more, a city's attractiveness can play a large role in whether travelers leave with a good impression of a place. Some cities have "ugly" reputations, while others are deemed to be high on the attractiveness spectrum. If pretty is what you're looking for, Houston should be put on your agenda, according to readers of Travel and Leisure magazine.

The magazine published its list of America's most attractive cities this week, and Houston came in at number 9. Here's how the story introducing the list began:

Oscar Wilde never visited Houston, Texas, but he might as well have. “Crying is for plain women,” he reportedly quipped. “Pretty women go shopping.” And the lovely ladies (and men) of Houston do a lot of shopping. Whether at luxury megamalls or one-of-a-kind boutiques, they have endless retail options to keep them looking pretty.

And here's how the list sums up the Bayou City.

Beyonce is from Houston. Tom Ford, Patrick Swayze, and Matt Bomer, too. That list alone should earn Space City a high score for attractiveness. But T+L readers also note the city’s penchant for fashion. Montrose neighborhood’s boutiques and the enormous Galleria Mall’s 375 luxury shops ensure Houstonians always look their best. See them wearing athleisure clothes in any of the city’s 337 parks, or in black-ties and gowns at performances from the world famous Houston symphony, ballet, and opera companies.

One other Texas city made Travel and Leisure's list, and it was not Dallas. No, San Antonio, with its River Walk and the Alamo, finished in the 15th spot, rounding out the roster. Better luck next time, Big D.

Here's the complete list:

1. Honolulu, Hawaii

2. Boulder, Colorado

3. Scottsdale, Arizona

4. Salt Lake City, Utah

5. San Diego, California

6. Nashville, Tennessee

7. Charleston, South Carolina

8. Denver, Colorado

9. Houston, Texas

10. Madison, Wisconsin

11. Alexandria, Virginia

12. Las Vegas, Nevada

13. Savannah, Georgia

14. Norfolk, Virginia

15. San Antonio, Texas

And remember what I said about ugliness? That's right, Travel and Leisure readers gave their input about that as well for the poll, and while no Texas city was unfortunate enough to make that list, Baltimore might want to spruce up a bit.

Here's that list:

1. Baltimore
2. Sacramento
3. Spokane
4. Charlotte
5. Milwaukee
6. Cleveland
7. Tampa
8. Atlanta
9. Memphis

— Image: Wikimedia Commons/Bobby L. Warren