A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Boise vs. Montreal for Attractions, Nightlife, Food, and Families

Should you visit Boise or Montreal?

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

Should I visit Boise or Montreal? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Montreal

Montreal is a colorful, cultural, and vibrant city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Is there more to do in Boise or Montreal?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Montreal than Boise. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Montreal is more touristy than Boise and is known for its music, fashion, and cultural activities. It is also well known for Notre-Dame Basilica. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Boise different from Montreal?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Boise or Montreal?

Montreal is a must-visit destination for its museums and history. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Montreal has many famous sights for visitors. The city is filled with world-class museums and historic sites such as Notre-Dame Basilica, St. Joseph's Oratory, the Biosphere, and the Fine Arts Museum.

Boise is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. As the state capital, there's a nice selection of local museums around town. Favorites include the Boise Art Museum, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, and Discovery Center.

Is the Food Better in Boise or Montreal? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Montreal has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. There are both local and international restaurants that serve up excellent dishes. Some of the local recipes that you should try include tourtiere (a meat pie), a smoked meat sandwich, and, of course, poutine.

Boise offers some easy restaurants to choose from. While Idaho has long been associated with the potato, the locals usually think of "finger steaks" when describing local food. These are deep-friend beef strips that are as good as they sound.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Nightlife?

Montreal is a must-visit destination for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Montreal is a world class party destination. The city's nightlife scene is centered around its live music scene, which is excellent. There are also many bars and clubs, as well as a young population that keep evenings lively.

Boise has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Music?

Montreal is a must-visit destination for its music scene. However, Boise is not a live music destination.

Montreal has become a mecca for musicians from around the world. The music scene is thriving and world class. One of the most unique aspects of the city's music scene is its impromptu nature. You'll find many talented street performers and you'll likely stumble into many high quality performers. There's also a great indie scene as well as hip hop, classical, jazz, and heavy metal at the many live music venues.

Boise is not a live music destination.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for its Old Town?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Boise does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Montreal. Vieux-Montreal is the historic part of the city, and it's filled with cobblestone streets and historic buildings. This is also where you'll find the Old Port, which has a waterfront promenade.

Boise does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Boise or Montreal?

Montreal is a must-visit destination for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many people travel to Montreal specifically to go shopping. It's known for its fashion scene and there are many independent and local vendors around town. Bonsecours Market is both historic and fascinating, but also make sure you check out Mont-Royal Avenue, which is the main shopping and dining street in town.

Boise is a great destination for shopping. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Families?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Montreal. Kids and teens will love the many science museums, parks and gardens, and the nearby La Ronde Amusement Park. If your kids are music lovers, there are many talented street performers in the city that will entertain the young and old alike.

Boise doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. You'll find parks, playgrounds, and the Discovery Center which will help keep kids entertained.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Couples?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Montreal makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The city is filled with romance, from the world class music scene to the romantic restaurants and sunset river cruises. If you're in town during the fall months, check out the Botanical Gardens, which come to life with the annual Gardens of Light.

Boise is not the best destination for a couple to visit. Date night activities include dining at a nice restaurants and seeing a show at the theater.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Montreal is a popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Boise is lacking in options for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Montreal. There's a decent number of hostels as well as a great nightlife scene and plenty of younger visitors looking to meet other travelers.

Boise is not the best destination for backpackers and budget travelers due to its high prices. Backpackers rarely make their way to this town.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Students?

Montreal is a must-visit destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Many students frequent Montreal. It's regularly ranked as one of the top cities in North America for students. There are many students around town, a great nightlife scene, and plenty of opportunities to receive a world-class education.

Boise is not popular with students.

Is Boise or Montreal Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.

Montreal offers a very effecient public transportation network. There's an efficient and reliable metro and bus system.

Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Boise or Montreal a more walkable city?

Montreal is an excellent place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Montreal is a very walkable destination. The city is very walkable, particularly in the areas that are popular with tourists.

Boise is generally not very walkable. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but, in general, the town isn't very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Boise Worth Visiting? and Is Montreal Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Montreal or Boise?

How long in Boise or Montreal?

In either Boise or Montreal, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Montreal than Boise because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Boise, and 3-5 days is enough time in Montreal.

Families should spend more time in Montreal than Boise. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Montreal, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Montreal than Boise. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Montreal that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Montreal than Boise 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 Montreal.

One day in Boise or Montreal?

The city of Boise offers nightlife and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Each neighborhood in Montreal has its own distinct appeal, so there are pleny of areas to explore. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Boise or Montreal?

Boise is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Boise, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Montreal. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Boise or Montreal?

Boise is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Montreal is a fun place to experience. Each neighborhood in Montreal has its own distinct appeal, so there are pleny of areas to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. This would be the perfect place to spend five days, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A week in Boise or Montreal?

Boise is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the cultural big city of Montreal. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boise and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Boise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boise 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 Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal than you might in Boise.

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

Which is Bigger, Boise or Montreal?

Montreal has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Boise and Montreal, 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.