A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Blue Ridge vs. Santa Fe for Food, Hiking, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Blue Ridge and Santa Fe. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Blue Ridge

Blue Ridge is a outdoorsy, historic, and quaint town. With plenty of activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the shopping, nightlife, and food.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a cultural, historic, and charming historic town. It's a gorgeous place to visit. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. Other reasons to visit include hiking, shopping, and museums.

Blue Ridge and Santa Fe: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Santa Fe than Blue Ridge, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Santa Fe is better known for its skiing, museums, music, historical sights, and quaint atmosphere, while Blue Ridge is more popular for its nightlife, hiking, and small town charm. Blue Ridge is well known for its beautiful mountain setting, miles of hiking trails, and small town atmosphere. Santa Fe is well known for its strong arts scene, its Pueblo-style architecture, and its unique local cuisine. Also, Santa Fe is famous for The Museum of New Mexico Complex.

How is Blue Ridge different from Santa Fe?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Fe and Blue Ridge. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Skiing?

Santa Fe is a good destination for skiing and snowboarding. However, Blue Ridge is not a skiing destination.

Santa Fe is a great destination for skiing with plenty areas to explore. There are a few good ski resorts not far from Santa Fe. Popular options include Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort.

Blue Ridge is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe is a good destination for its museums and history. However, Blue Ridge is lacking in good options for its museums and landmarks.

Santa Fe is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Head to the Museum of New Mexico Complex, which has four museums that give a great overview of the history of the area. Also make sure you visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

Blue Ridge offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. While you don't immediately think of museums in the area, there are a couple. The Dahlonega Gold Museum gives information on the gold rush and mining industry in town. In nearby Tennessee, Ducktown Basin Museum is a historic mine site that is open for tours.

Is the Food Better in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Blue Ridge and Santa Fe can be difficult as they are each high quality in their own way.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Blue Ridge. You'll find plenty of small town restaurants serving local dishes like barbecue, trout, and biscuits with gravy. Southern food is popular, but you'll also find plenty of breweries and wineries in the area. Head downtown for an assortment of options that include southern, vegan, and even international flavors.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Santa Fe. There are many local restaurants that use regional ingredients and offer great flavors. There are also cafes and bistros where you can enjoy breakfast or brunch. Local dishes include sopaipillas made with Native American fry bread, slow-cooked beans, and anything made with red and green chili peppers.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Nightlife?

Blue Ridge is very good for its evening party scene. However, Santa Fe is not known for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Blue Ridge has a few options to choose from. Head downtown for a mix of breweries, bars, and clubs where you'll find live music and a casual meal.

Most people don't head to Santa Fe specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. While most of the town quiets down at night, the city has a few areas that stay active late into the night. Live music is popular and diverse. It often includes different genres such as the blues, country, salsa or bluegrass.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Music?

Santa Fe is a good destination for live music. However, Blue Ridge is not a live music destination.

You don't have to look far to find a unique music venue in Santa Fe. The town has an eclectic music scene that includes a mix of the blues, country, Latin American music, and bluegrass.

Blue Ridge is not a live music destination.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for its Old Town?

Santa Fe is a very popular place for its historic old town. However, Blue Ridge does not have a historic old town.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Santa Fe. As the 2nd oldest city in the United States, the old town historic district is filled with charm. The Pueblo-style buildings are brightly colored and there are churches throughout.

Blue Ridge does not have a historic old town.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Hiking?

Blue Ridge is a great town for hiking. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for the nearby hiking options.

Many visitors go to Blue Ridge for the hiking trails. There are miles of hiking trails in the area that take you to waterfalls and viewpoints. The starting point of the Appalachian Trail is also nearby, and another popular trail is the Benton MacKaye Trail. Options range from beginner to expert with everything in between.

Santa Fe has hiking trails worth exploring. Because it's located right by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, there are many beautiful hikes right outside of town. Popular trails include the Picacho Peak Trail and the Nambe Lake Trail. Bandelier National also has many places to hike.

Is the Shopping Better in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Shoppers can find a variety of high quality stores in both Blue Ridge and Santa Fe.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Blue Ridge. You'll find artisan shops, art galleries, and boutique clothing vendors. Many places are concentrated in the charming downtown area, which is fun to explore for a day or two.

Santa Fe is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. There are many unique shops and art galleries that feature local artists and craftsmen.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Families?

Blue Ridge is a great town for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Blue Ridge. Kids who enjoy hiking and playing outdoors will have fun here. There are waterfall hikes, fruit picking farms, and plenty of playgrounds. There's also a scenic railway and lots of places to sample treats.

Santa Fe is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a few kids' museums in Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Children's Museum and the Meow Wolf Art Complex. Kids also enjoy the botanical gardens at Museum Hill and Bandelier National Monument just outside of the city.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Couples?

Blue Ridge is a great town for couples. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for romance.

Blue Ridge is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. If you're looking for a cozy retreat where you can relax in a cabin, take long walks through nature, and enjoy local food, then this is your place. There are plenty of bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, and rustic cabins with fireplaces and simple pleasures. If you want to escape it all then the mountains are the place to be.

Santa Fe is a nice destination for couples. There are many romantic inns around town, each with a lot of character. The town also has a lot of atmosphere that makes for a romantic getaway.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Blue Ridge is a great town for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Santa Fe is not known for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Blue Ridge. There are a number of campgrounds in the area as well as plenty of hikes that backpackers will enjoy. Nearby you'll also find the start of the famed Appalachian Trail.

Santa Fe is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There's a hostel in town as well as several campgrounds.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Students?

Santa Fe is a good destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Blue Ridge is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Santa Fe. There are a few colleges and universities in town and students will appreciate the reasonable cost of living and outdoor activities nearby.

Blue Ridge is not popular with students.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Fe is a decent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Blue Ridge is lacking in good options for its public transit.

Public transit is mostly limited in Santa Fe. There is a bus system - the Santa Fe Trails Bus Service.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Blue Ridge. There's no real public transportation system in the area.

Is Blue Ridge or Santa Fe a more walkable city?

Santa Fe is a very popular place for its walkability. Also, Blue Ridge is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

Santa Fe is very walkable. The historic district is walkable and it's easy to visit most of the tourist sights in this area on foot.

Blue Ridge is a somewhat walkable place. While the downtown area is relatively walkable, if you want to hike and get out in nature, you'll need to have a car.

For even more information, also check out Is Blue Ridge Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Fe Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Fe or Blue Ridge?

How long in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

In either Blue Ridge or Santa Fe, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. In our opinion, Santa Fe has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Santa Fe than Blue Ridge. However, 2-5 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Fe than Blue Ridge if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Santa Fe.

One day in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Blue Ridge is a small town where visitors enjoy the nightlife and food. Many visitors also spend a good bit of time hiking. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

With live music and food around the cultural historic town of Santa Fe, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Blue Ridge is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Blue Ridge, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

With food and shopping around the destination of Santa Fe, there's plenty to do. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this historic town.

Five days in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Blue Ridge is a popular choice for travelers. Five days here is typical. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Blue Ridge, five days is sufficent for most. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Santa Fe, a popular historic town, is full of activities for travelers. This is a popular place to visit for five days. Visiting the old town is also a must. In five days, you should have a good grasp of this historic town. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

A week in Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Blue Ridge is a great place to explore. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

Santa Fe is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Blue Ridge and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. And not only is Blue Ridge much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Blue Ridge would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Blue Ridge and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Santa Fe would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Fe than you might in Blue Ridge.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Blue Ridge Expensive? and Is Santa Fe Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Blue Ridge or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe has a larger population, and is about 60 times larger than the population of Blue Ridge. When comparing the sizes of Blue Ridge and Santa Fe, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.