America's 'Coziest City' Is A Surprising Out West Spot With Hallmark Charm

On the hunt for cozy towns and cities to get you through the colder months? The US is filled with them. You could get lost amid North Carolina's "Land of Waterfalls" in Brevard, filling time with coffee and winter hikes in the woods. You could escape to Vermont's lakeside college city of Burlington — it got the cozy plaudits on Reddit, where one user wrote: "Here to upvote Burlington because I grew up around there. Cozy levels off the charts." Or, you could trust the findings of AllClear Travel Insurance, which crunched the numbers to come up with a ranking of the coziest cities all around the globe.

The top spot in America? Why, that goes to none other than the fabled Paris of the West, the Golden City, Fog City. Cue San Francisco, California's metropolis of rattling cable cars and hipster neighborhoods. According to the study, it ranks highest among all US cities for coziness factor, beating the big hitters of Boston, Chicago, and even New York — yep, even the legendary Christmas getaway of the Big Apple! SF came in 12th overall, a dozen spots behind the world-leader of Brussels, where all those characterful Belgian beer halls and enticing chocolatiers no doubt sealed the deal.

This league table of coziness isn't mere speculation. The folks at AllClear first isolated a shortlist of cities based on editorial and social media mentions related to coziness. Then, they counted up the total number of "cozy" things in each place — cafes, playhouses, cinemas, even UNESCO World Heritage sites. Lastly, they weighted each city by how frequently it appeared in cozy hashtags on Instagram.

While San Fran might be better known for the booming tech companies of Silicon Valley and great monuments like the Golden Gate Bridge, coziness is certainly something within its wheelhouse. Just take one look at the handsome Painted Ladies all lined up. They're a string of super-pretty Victorian rowhouses that could easily be the backdrop to a Hallmark Christmas movie. In fact, they have actually been the backdrop to countless movies, including multiple romcoms and even Broadway musical adaptations.

Then, there are the coffee stops. San Francisco counts the highest number of cafes per head of population in the whole United States of America — there are over 500 places to cozy up within city limits! One Reddit thread asking about comfy coffee joints is replete with suggestions. They include Simple Pleasures Café on Balboa Street, a boho hangout with vintage furniture and open mic nights, and Coffee To The People on Masonic Avenue, where you can sip matcha lattes on sink-into-me couches.

San Francisco isn't pure big-city living, either. Head over to the laid-back beach neighborhood of Outer Sunset to warm yourself on bonfires and browse local bookstores by the Pacific. Or, hop north across the Golden Gate Bridge to enter Marin County. Mill Valley, one of California's friendliest cities, beckons there, with its own roastery coffee shops and bakeries, not to mention access to the wonderful Dipsea Trail, which weaves through the great redwoods toward the ocean.

AllClear's collection of the top-20 coziest cities around the world lists three other great American destinations. Just a single place behind San Francisco, Boston offers its own dose of heart-warming vibes some 2,700 miles away on the East Coast. Of course, you'll want to walk The Freedom Trail if you haven't before, hopping between museums and meeting halls that hearken back to the days of the American Revolution. Then, crank up the cozy factor in one of Boston's hearty pubs, which include old Irish taverns serving seafood chowders and thick stouts.

Further down the list, in a still-cozy 17th place, Chicago is the spot to be in the Midwest. Its lakeside location proves especially magical once the temperatures begin to dip in fall, as the color changes on the trees from Lincoln Park to Lurie Garden.

Last but most certainly not least comes New York. Coziness comes natural here, since the town is oft-mentioned on lists of the top towns to get festive in the US. Snuggle up and channel your inner "Friends" feels at the Central Perk coffee joint, see a show on Broadway, or wander Central Park under a canopy of shimmering fall colors — it's as cozy as they come!