Every year, Condé Nast Traveler asks its readers and fellow travelers to vote for their top favorite, well, everything and anything that has to do with travel. Hotels, resorts, spas, airlines and airports, the best luggage, trains, cruise lines, cities, and even countries–it’ll take you a while to go through all of the results. But what makes these results so great, is that every vote casted–all 575,048 of them–came from travelers just like you who have actually flown with that airline, stayed at that resort, and experienced the train ride, spa treatment, and perfectly non-squeaking wheels of that suitcase. So when so many people can come to an agreement on the Best Island in the United States, it means a lot!
This year was the 37th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, and as far as the island portion goes, the rankings saw both new destinations and returning favorites. Hilton Head Island clinched the top spot, keeping its title for eight years in a row. Author of the announcement of “The Best Islands in the United States: 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards,” Caitlin Morton, mentions the island’s 12-miles of pristine beaches, local artisans and shops, a restaurant scene that can “compete with those in major cities,” and more.
South Carolina boasts not only two islands on the list, but the top two, with Kiawah Island coming in at second place. Georgia was also represented with nearby, Tybee Island and Jekyll Island taking the tenth and twelfth spots respectively. This ranking includes fifteen total islands, including some of the most-visited Hawaiian Islands, and representation in the Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and even in the Midwest.
