--- title: These Are the 20 Best Cities for Singles description: Here are the liveliest singles scenes, whether at bars, bookstores or bowling alleys canonical: https://time.com/3686515/americas-best-cities-singles/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-28T21:08:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:16.716Z og:title: These Are the 20 Best Cities for Singles og:description: Here are the liveliest singles scenes, whether at bars, bookstores or bowling alleys og:url: https://time.com/3686515/americas-best-cities-singles/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb67aa91a5c1407c/69877c6255a85955d6a8581a/americas-best-cities-for-singles.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1333 og:image:height: 750 og:image:alt: New York, NY og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: These Are the 20 Best Cities for Singles twitter:description: Here are the liveliest singles scenes, whether at bars, bookstores or bowling alleys twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltcb67aa91a5c1407c/69877c6255a85955d6a8581a/americas-best-cities-for-singles.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # These Are the 20 Best Cities for Singles > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: 7 Tips for Booking Cheap Flights [Watch (HLS stream): 7 Tips for Booking Cheap Flights](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HVvtex7p.m3u8) (0:59)  _Published 2016-01-27_ by [Katrina Brown Hunt / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Katrina Brown Hunt / Travel + Leisure Jan 28, 2015 9:08 PM UTC  New York, NY New York, NY Noe DeWitt by [Katrina Brown Hunt / Travel + Leisure](https://time.com/author/travel-leisure/) ## Katrina Brown Hunt / Travel + Leisure Jan 28, 2015 9:08 PM UTC The singles scene in New York City is a little crazy, maybe even certifiably so. “This is a city with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but only in the best ways,” says Rachel Harrison, a Brooklyn-based public relations exec. “You can dress a little wilder, slap on some fake eyelashes—you can do anything you want, at any age. There are no judgments.” Unabashedly batting those faux lashes got the Big Apple more than a few second glances this year. New York City landed in the top 10 for the best cities for singles, according to _Travel + Leisure_ readers. In this year’s [America’s Favorite Places](https://travelandleisure.wylei.com/Survey/Index/37) survey, readers ranked 38 cities on dozens of appealing qualities, including good-looking locals, cool shopping, and hipster-magnet coffee bars. **_Travel + Leisure:_**[_Extreme Travel Instagrammers_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/extreme-travel-instagrammers?xid=PS%5Ftime) The winning cities in the singles-scene category excel in the off-hours, ranking highly for nightclubs, dive bars, and even great diners, where you might lock eyes with someone over a late-night order of fries. But the most singles-friendly cities also put a creative spin on conventional meet-up spots. Plenty of big attractions—from the Brooklyn Museum to the San Diego Museum of Art—offer monthly happy hours, wooing artsy singles with cocktails and live music. In Boston, one of the coolest bookstores does Trivia Nights, while in downtown L.A. a popular bar stocks old-school video games. Another strategy for uncovering a city’s best singles scene is exploring the activities that locals love most. “New Orleanians live and breathe festivals—like Jazz Fest, and even Creole Tomato Fest,” says native Stephen Schmitz. Just be warned: “The heat and humidity,” he says, “can make for a rough appearance.” Read on for the full results. And make your point of view heard [by voting in the America’s Favorite Places survey](https://travelandleisure.wylei.com/Survey/Index/37). ## [No. 1 Miami](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-cities-for-singles/2) Gorgeous locals, a wealth of nightclubs, and a wild streak as long as the beach: Miami climbed from second to first place this year, thanks to its flair for throwing a big party. Hot spots like [Wall](http://www.wallmiami.com/) at the [W South Beach](http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-guide/miami-beach/hotels/w-south-beach) or the Italian-restaurant-meets-cocktail-lounge [Cavalli](http://miami.cavalliclub.com/) get a big boost when celebs grace the premises, whether it’s Bieber or the formerly single Clooney. Other trendy hangouts are a little more accessible to the non-red-carpet crowd: [Tamarina](http://www.tamarinarestaurants.com/), for one, features an oyster bar and alfresco champagne bar, plus a reasonably priced happy hour. You might meet other singles while strolling through galleries and past street art on the [Wynwood Art Walks](http://www.wynwoodmiami.com/), held the second Saturday of the month. And in this otherwise well-dressed town, your best secret-weapon accessory may be a smile: readers found the locals to be a little aloof. ## [No. 2 Houston](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-cities-for-singles/3) Houston sashayed into the top five for singles this year, and why not—the locals ranked as both smart and stylish, and the city landed near the top for both its decadent barbecue and world-class art. Gallery Row, at the intersection of Colquitt and Lake streets, offers both great art and conversation starters: check out [Hooks-Epstein](http://www.hooksepsteingalleries.com/) for contemporary surrealists or [Catherine Couturier Gallery](http://www.catherinecouturier.com/introducing-catherine-couturier-gallery/) for vintage photos. Houston also pulled off an upset by winning the wine bar category this year. Pull up a stool to chat at [La Carafe](https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Carafe/107567809270676)—the city’s oldest bar, with a fabulous jukebox—or try the newbie, downtown’s [Public Services Wine and Whisky](http://publicservicesbar.com/), which is located in the old 1884 Cotton Exchange building and serves a wide range of global wines, sherries, and whiskeys. **Travel + Leisure:** [Best Places to Travel in 2015](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-places-to-travel-in-2015?xid=PS%5Ftime) ## [No. 3 New Orleans](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-cities-for-singles/4) Last year’s No. 1 city for singles still knows how to whoop it up, ranking at the top of the survey for festivals, bars, and wild weekends. But a good singles experience in NOLA need not be limited to collecting beads: some cool places to meet a more local crowd, off the tourist grid, include the Saturday night dance party at the [Hi-Ho Lounge](http://hiholounge.net/) in the Marigny; Bywater wine bar [Bacchanal](http://www.bacchanalwine.com/), with its live-music-filled courtyard; or [Fulton Alley](http://fultonalley.com/) for late-night “boutique bowling,” with shareable, andouille-sausage tater tots. ## [No. 4 Austin, TX](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-cities-for-singles/5) The seat of Texas government is also the nation’s capital of hipsters, according to readers, who also ranked Austin No. 1 for cool locals. Given Austin’s high density of both college students and bearded Peter Pan types, the can’t-miss spots for meeting singles include dive bars and food trucks: you can find both at [Wonderland](http://www.wonderlandaustin.com/) on East 6th, a stylishly low-key bar that provides space outside for the Thai-flavored [East Side King](http://eskaustin.com/) truck. To mingle with fellow foodies, check out [The Picnic](https://www.facebook.com/thepicnicaustin/timeline), a trailer park on Barton Springs Road, which is home to [Turf N Surf Po’ Boy](https://www.facebook.com/pages/Turf-N-Surf-Po-Boy/364351950938) and [Hey Cupcake](https://www.heycupcake.com/)! If you need an excuse to let down your emotional walls, consider that Austin also ranked well for feeling safe. **_Travel + Leisure:_** [_Best Countries for Solo Travelers_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-countries-for-solo-travelers?xid=PS%5Ftime) ## [No. 5 Atlanta](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-cities-for-singles/6) The Georgia hub scored well for its java, and [Dancing Goats Coffee Bar](https://www.facebook.com/DancingGoatsCoffeeBarPonceCityMarket), a single-origin coffee and donut bar in Ponce City Market, is a fine place for a pick-me-up (and perhaps a pick-up line). If you prefer snobs of the burger variety, head to [Holeman and Finch](http://www.holeman-finch.com/), where every night at 10 p.m., you can line up for one of the 24 acclaimed double-patty (grass-fed chuck and brisket) cheeseburgers, served on house-made buns. Atlanta’s residents also made the top 20 for being smart. [_Read the full list HERE._](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/americas-best-cities-for-singles?xid=PS%5Ftime) _This_ [_article_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/americas-best-cities-for-singles?xid=PS%5Ftime) _originally appeared on_ [_Travel + Leisure_](http://www.travelandleisure.com/?xid=PS%5Ftime) ### See the 10 Healthiest Cities to Live in America  Honolulu, Hawaii Best Place for Lifelong Health The heavenly climate helps, but the key to well-being here also includes enviable health care and a rich cultural tradition of looking out for one another. Colin Anderson—Blend Images/Corbis  San Francisco Bay Area, Calif. Best Place for Eating Right. The "farm to table" movement began here. The region's bounty of produce and year-round growing season make eating healthy—and local—a natural. Getty Images  Burlington, Vt. Best Place for Raising Healthy Kids This New England city offers great schools, excellent pediatric care, loads of culture and limitless options for healthy outdoor fun all year long. Matt Hogan/www.mphoganphoto.com  Silicon Valley, Calif. Best Place for Workplace Wellness With treadmill desks, meetings on bikes, time off for creativity, and gobs of organic food, tech titans are reinventing how to stay healthy on the job. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. Best Place for Aging Well Yes, it can be cold. But with a plethora of stimulating activities and a robust web of support, the Twin Cities prove that growing old doesn't mean slowing down. Getty Images  Denver and Boulder, Colo. Best Place for Keeping Fit The urge to get outside and get moving is contagious in these Rocky Mountain cities, where physical challenge is built into the landscape. Celin Serbo—Aurora Photos/Corbis  Plano, Texas Best Place for Staying Safe Once a rural outpost, this booming, diverse city has kept its small-town vibe, thanks in part to a police force and community that knows how to work together. Misty Keasler—Redux for TIME  Portland, Ore. Best Place for a Healthy Environment Small, walkable neighborhoods, 300 miles of bike paths, and urban policies that foster active living and sustainability make for one clean, green city. Getty Images  Boston, Mass. Best Place for Health Care This history-rich city is home to some of the nation's most advanced medical institutions and policies that help ensure that quality care is available to all. K.C. Cohen—Courtesy of Boston Children's Hospital  Provo and Orem, Utah Best Place for Spiritual Well-Being A stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop and a tight-knit population that lives its faith contribute not only to this region's serenity but also to lower rates of disease. 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