Men’s Journal ranks Ouray best destination in U.S. in 2024
The best vacation spot in the U.S.? It’s closer than you might think. A lot closer.
That’s according to Men’s Journal, which last week tabbed Ouray as the No. 1 location on its list of the 50 best vacation destinations for 2024.
Ouray beat out the biggest cities in the U.S., such as Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago, mountain resorts Jackson, Wyoming, and Park City, Utah, and fellow outdoor recreation meccas like Moab and St. George, Utah. Denver, the only other Colorado town that made Men’s Journal’s list, ranked 18th.
The men’s lifestyle magazine considered a host of factors from geographic range and cultural diversity to seasonality and outdoor offerings. Editors looked at green spaces, city and state parks, proximity to national parks, culinary distinctions, unique attractions and the ease of getting around each respective destination. The magazine also weighed the monetary value of a visit and an “adventure quotient” that weighed each city according to a list of editors’ 20 favorite outdoor activities.
“Come to Ouray and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped foot in a live-action REI commercial,” the publication noted. “Nicknamed the ‘Switzerland of America’ because of its snow-capped alpine scenery, itineraries here center on playing on these peaks. In the summer and fall it’s all about rock climbing and via ferrata routes, and ice picks come out in the winter for epic climbing on frozen waterfalls.”
Ouray was followed in the top five, in order, by Chattanooga, Tennessee; San Luis Obispo, California; New Orleans and Bend, Oregon.
Kailey Rhoten, Ouray’s tourism and destination marketing director, said the fact that Ouray was even considered amongst some of the most prestigious tourism destinations in the country was “pretty awesome.”
“I’m surprised (by the top ranking), but I’m also not surprised just because we are so unique, and so many people are seeking the more rural, unique vacation spots versus the biggest cities or well-known attractions,” she said.
Rhoten said the city hosted a writer from Men’s Journal for a couple of days last October. Several businesses stepped up to offer complimentary excursions, accommodations and meals to the writer. Those businesses were mentioned in the magazine’s recommendations.
Using information from the Colorado Tourism Office and Handlebar PR, a travel publication relations agency, Rhoten said officials determined the Men’s Journal article had a readership of roughly 6 million and a media value of nearly $12,000.
The article in Men’s Journal, which comes weeks after an article in Forbes magazine that included Ouray among nine adventure-filled vacations to take in the U.S., is sure to draw fresh attention to Ouray and the surrounding San Juans, a region whose profile was already substantially elevated in the wake of the pandemic. It’s also likely to put frowns on the faces of those who believe Ouray is already overrun with visitors and doesn’t need more notoriety.
Some locals lamented the accolades, fearing it would further erode quality-of-life issues and contribute further to the region being loved to death. Rhoten said she appreciated that Men’s Journal pointed to autumn as the best time to visit because of fall colors, while also mentioning the Ouray Ice Park. City leaders have been working in recent years to draw more visitors in the winter and shoulder seasons.
Rhoten acknowledged the additional publicity can serve as a Catch-22 for the city.
“It’s incredible that hopefully we do have new visitors, and hopefully somebody becomes a repeat visitor,” she said.
“But we also understand the other side of (it) – we don’t necessarily need more people, especially in the summer. But it wouldn’t hurt with the prospect of an economic downturn or recession. We want to make sure we stay steady.”
