The Excitement Around Our Reader’s Choice Travel Awards Is Insane!

As I write these words, there are almost exactly 29 hours to go before voting closes in Sunset‘s 2019 Reader’s Choice Travel Awards—and oh man, the tension is killing me! Since we launched the contest a couple of weeks ago, we’ve been watching the votes roll in with rapt fascination. And while I can’t reveal how each of the nominees in the 45 (!) categories is doing, I can tell you there are some serious nail-biters:

The top two nominees in Best Airlines, Best Tacos, and Best Bike Town are terrifyingly close. Best Beer Town is totally up for grabs, as are Best Dispensary and Best Library. A handful of votes in any direction could sway those contests completely.

And clearly, we’re not the only ones observing this with excitement. Many of the nominees themselves have been running get-out-the-vote campaigns. Visit Tucson, for example, was justifiably proud of that city’s multiple candidates:

Meanwhile, the Surfhouse Boutique Hotel, in Leucadia, California, hosted a happy hour last night, offering patrons a free beer in exchange for voting—and you didn’t even have to vote for them:

This L.A.-based comedian is adorably humbled to be among such esteemed competition: 

I'm a Finalist in @sunset's Readers Choice Awards? WAIT, WHAT? First, I have no idea how this happened. Second, I in no way think I am on the level of Ali Wong or Brian Reagan but it you want to vote, you can cast your vote here! https://t.co/pTG2xyx1TR Tagging all my friends 🙂 pic.twitter.com/yB9koJGCbi

— Thom Tran (@_thomtran) May 31, 2019

Will any of these campaigns actually sway the vote? We don’t know. But we do know this—we want to hear from YOU! You’ll find the voting form just below, so fill it out and make this a true Reader’s Choice.