In 2026, the popular East Coast city of Boston is popping up all over "best of" travel lists. Condé Nast included the city in its list of the best places in North America for 2026, U.S. News & World Report ranked it No. 22 out of all U.S. destinations in 2026, and AFAR published a piece celebrating the city ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Boston even appeared on not one but two of Tripadvisor's top United States lists for 2026: it came in tenth for the best general destinations and eighth for food. What changed between 1980 and 2026 that sent Boston to the top of U.S. travel lists?