The South's Best Cities 2017

By Hannah Hayes

Revitalization—it’s a word used to describe what’s happening in nearly every American city right now, but in the South, our cities aren’t so much undergoing a revitalization as much as they are an awakening. Sure, we’re breathing new life into historic buildings and settling into homes that are in high rises and once-neglected neighborhoods. But from the Gulf coast to the Atlantic coast, a diverse mix of lifelong Southerners, millennials, newcomers, and transplants are launching start-ups, building new restaurants, creating new music, solving problems, and coloring the South as one of, if not the, most exciting regions of the country to live. And it's happening in ways we couldn’t have even imagined a decade ago.

RELATED: 23 Reasons to Visit Charleston Now

Just look at our winner, Charleston, which has made Southern cuisine not only a serious subject, but a globally renown destination to experience it from the culinary cathedral Husk to soul food sanctuary Martha Lou’s and Southeast Asian sensation Xiao Bao Biscuit. Savannah has become a visual arts and design hub thanks to Savannah College of Art and Design, and New Orleans might be one of the biggest comeback stories of all time with its storied restaurant and music scenes more intriguing than ever.

RELATED: The South's Best Small Towns 2017

Then there’s Nashville whose crane-filled skyline signals the endless stream of newcomers to the city. In Atlanta, there’s no city that exemplifies the new South better and rivals cities like New York and San Francisco in innovative city planning, green spaces, and food. (And we’re not just talking about how they have a Shake Shack.) Speaking of San Francisco, it’s not the only place where entrepreneurs and tech sector workers are going; Austin is attracting a whole new generation of business developers and creative thinkers. Up the coast, the North Carolina Research Triangle is firing on all cylinders now that Durham has developed into a cultural hotspot, and Richmond has us daydreaming of finding the perfect house in the Fan neighborhood. But our hometown Birmingham might illustrate what we’re talking about the best: there’s a new generation of Southerners who are not only proud to say they’re from Alabama (or any other state), they are committed to making it a better place. If you’ve visited the Magic City three or five years ago, and then seen it today, it’s clear to see we’re back in business, y’all.

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1. Charleston, South Carolina

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2. Savannah, Georgia

Like a time capsule of historic architecture and city planning, Savannah’s old-school exterior belies its status as a progressive art, design, and culinary hub.

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3. New Orleans, Louisiana

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A global cultural capital, home to some of the country’s best restaurants and an incomparable music scene, the Big Easy beautifully blends new and old like no place else.
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4. Nashville, Tennessee

Robbie Caponetto
Music City is booming, and not just in its fabled recording studios. From downtown development to an influx of newcomers calling the city home, Nashville is as hot as its chicken.

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5. Asheville, North Carolina

Lissa Gotwals
Known as Beer City, USA, Asheville has seen a recent burst of acclaimed farm-to-table restaurants complementing its brewery scene.

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6. Atlanta, Georgia

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Atlanta’s open-arms approach to diversity—from industry and food to design and music—has made it one of the most vibrant cities in the country and worthy of its nickname, Hotlanta.
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The South's Best City: Charleston, S.C.

View all of the South's Best 2017 winners here. 

Charleston is having a moment. Again. Nearly 400 years after a group of enterprising colonists settled the jewel of the Lowcountry, the Holy City continues to cast its spell on visitors far and wide.

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7. Austin, Texas

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Musicians might still head to America’s live-music capital in hopes of hitting it big, but now so do those looking to launch start-ups and work in the tech industry.

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8. Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina

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Once in the shadow of its sister city, Durham has become a formidable cultural counterpart to Raleigh.
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9. Richmond, Virginia

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Off-the-radar Richmond has the South paying attention. The beautifully restored Quirk Hotel, an unconventional music scene, and restaurants that are redefining Appalachian cooking have made us all take notice.

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10. Birmingham, Alabama

Robbie Caponetto
A new generation of Birmingham residents have committed themselves to putting the magic back in their city, and it has never been more visible than now—especially downtown, where a sprawling park, a new food hall, apartment buildings, cocktail bars, and creative start-ups coalesce.
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