America's Favorite Cities 2012

Travel + Leisure magazine publishes an annual survey of America's Favorite Cities. They list three categories: the Heavyweights, The Surprise Contenders, and The Rising Stars. Herewith is their list for this year:

THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
#1 New Orleans
#2 New York
#3 San Francisco

THE SURPRISE CONTENDERS
Nashville, Tennessee
Sante Fe, New Mexico
Charleston, South Carolina

THE RISING STARS
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Savannah, Georgia
Portland, Oregon