NEWBURYPORT — Ann Brown of the city tourism booth doesn't need a New York Times article to tell her Newburyport is a highly ranked tourist destination.

"People come to Newburyport for the day," Brown, 77, said from the booth next to the Firehouse. "People come here and tell me they used to go other places like Gloucester or Rockport but now come here. It's less congested, and people enjoy it more."

You think New Yorkers don't know about Newburyport's laid back, summer charm? Fuhgeddaboutit!

The New York Times published a list of 25 Northeast getaways for its readers earlier this month as relief from more expensive trips — telling them they don't have to book a flight or worry too much about gas prices to find a great place to visit during the summer.

Near the top of that list, of course, is Newburyport. The Northeast region, as defined by the Times, stretches along the Atlantic seaboard from Virginia to Maine.

"There have been some visitors from New York (since the article came out)," Brown said. "I love it here. You meet so many interesting people."

Listed at No. 2 — behind only "Maine's Southern beaches" — the editors at the Times suggest New Yorkers visit Newburyport, which they say "combines shops, boutiques and maritime heritage with breathtaking views and beaches."

"The sea captains of 200 years ago are gone, but in town, the charm of their stately homes and commercial buildings remains," the description says. The article also praises Plum Island and the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for its "wide, sandy oceanside beaches."

Since the Times list was published, visitors have come from Buffalo, Brooklyn, East Greenbush, Northport, Lawrenceville and New York City, according to the tourist log book that catalogs the hometowns of tourists and how they heard about Newburyport.

While most of the entries listed "word of mouth" or a "friend" as the reason for visiting the city, a few noted "newspaper article," as the reason.

For Brown, who has worked at the tourist booth for 12 years, the lure of Newburyport is real and does not change regardless of what list the city falls on.

"It's just a beautiful place, and the festivals are coming up," Brown said. "There is plenty to do."

Newburyport beat out other Bay State locations, such as Lowell and Buzzards Bay, and also out-impressed the Berkshires and New London, Conn.