A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Boise vs. Niagara Falls for Families, Couples, Attractions, and Food

Should you visit Boise or Niagara Falls?

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

Should I visit Boise or Niagara Falls? 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 welcoming, authentic, and friendly city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is a impressive, iconic, and breathtaking city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the food, hiking, and shopping.

Boise and Niagara Falls: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Boise or Niagara Falls?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Niagara Falls than Boise. While Boise is larger than Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls has more sights and attractions for tourists. Niagara Falls is more popular for its food, hiking, and impressive beauty, while Boise is known for its museums & sights. Niagara Falls is more touristy than Boise and is popular for the large volume of water that flows over it. It is also home to the Journey Behind the Falls. Boise is popular for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Boise different from Niagara Falls?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Niagara Falls 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 Niagara Falls?

Boise is a popular place for its sights and museums. However, Niagara Falls is a mediocre city for its museums and history.

Boise offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. 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.

While most people don't head to Niagara Falls specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. The Niagara Falls History Museum is one of the best museums in the area. There are also more touristy museums and attractions that you can visit as well. There's also a butterfly conservancy that is worth checking out.

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

Niagara Falls is a popular place for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Niagara Falls is becoming an appealing option for foodies. It's an iconic Canadian destination so, of course, you should try all things Canadian while you're in town. Maple syrup, poutine, butter tart, and beavertail (fried dough) are all things that should be on your list. Also make sure you sample some of the local game meat.

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 Niagara Falls Better for Nightlife?

Both Boise and Niagara Falls have good vibes after the sun sets.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Boise. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Niagara Falls has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There's a decent concentration of clubs, pubs, and bars around town that keep things fun late into the evening.

Is Boise or Niagara Falls Better for Hiking?

Niagara Falls is an excellent place to visit for its hiking trails. However, Boise is not a hiking destination.

Many visitors explore the nearby hiking trails while visiting Niagara Falls. The nearby area is filled with hiking trails that let you escape into nature and enjoy impressive views.

Boise is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Boise or Niagara Falls?

Shoppers can find a variety of good stores in both Boise and Niagara Falls.

Boise has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Niagara Falls is a great destination for shopping. You'll find touristy souvenir shops as well as outlets and malls nearby.

Is Boise or Niagara Falls Better for Families?

Niagara Falls is a must-visit destination for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Niagara Falls is a very family-friendly destination. The views and setting are spectacular, and kids will love the boat tours or taking a ride on the Whirlpool Aero Car. There's also an indoor waterpark, a butterfly conservatory, and plenty of nature to explore.

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 Niagara Falls Better for Couples?

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

Niagara Falls makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The setting has long brought to mind romance, and to this day couples still honeymoon at this iconic destination. There are boat tours, nature trails, luxury hotels, and even wineries to explore.

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 Niagara Falls Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Plenty of budget travelers visit Niagara Falls. There's a hostel or two where you can stay for cheap and 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 Niagara Falls Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Niagara Falls is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.

Niagara Falls has some public transit options. There is a bus system through town.

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 Niagara Falls a more walkable city?

Niagara Falls is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Niagara Falls is a somewhat walkable city. Most of the attractions and close together by the falls, so it's relatively walkable.

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 Niagara Falls Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Niagara Falls or Boise?

How long in Boise or Niagara Falls?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Boise and Niagara Falls. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Niagara Falls than in Boise. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Boise, and 2-3 days is enough time in Niagara Falls.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Niagara Falls 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 Niagara Falls.

One day in Boise or Niagara Falls?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the friendly destination of Boise. Your budget might influence how long you stay. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

In Niagara Falls, many people enjoy the nightlife and food that this impressive destination offers. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. 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 Niagara Falls?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Boise. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Niagara Falls. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Boise or Niagara Falls?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the authentic destination of Boise. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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.

Niagara Falls is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Niagara Falls. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Boise or Niagara Falls?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the city of Boise. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

You'll find nightlife and food around the breathtaking destination of Niagara Falls. Hikers are also drawn to this area. 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 One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America, The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada, and The Best Camping Tours in Canada.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Boise or Niagara Falls?

Boise has a larger population, and is about 78% larger than the population of Niagara Falls. When comparing the sizes of Boise and Niagara Falls, 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.