A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Boise vs. Salt Lake City for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Boise or Salt Lake City?

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

Should I visit Boise or Salt Lake City? 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.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a notable, religious, and architectural city. It's also popular because of the hiking, shopping, and museums.

Boise and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Boise or Salt Lake City?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Salt Lake City than Boise. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Salt Lake City is very popular for its museums, food, scuba diving & snorkeling, and hiking, while Boise attracts visitors for its nightlife. Salt Lake City is more touristy than Boise and is known for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population. It is also well known for Temple Square. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Boise different from Salt Lake City?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Salt Lake City offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Many of the fascinating sights around town are influenced by the city's Mormon culture. Temple Square is a highlight for most visitors. It spans 35 acres and is beautifully landscaped with several fountains. There are also four main churches - The Temple, the Tabernacle, the Temple Annex, and Assembly Hall. The city also has several museums such as the Natural History Museum and the historic Liberty Park.

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 Salt Lake City? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Salt Lake City is becoming an appealing option for foodies. In recent years the food scene has really improved and you'll find a variety of restaurants that serve everything from upscale dishes to more casual fare.

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 Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Boise is very good for its evening party scene. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for nightlife.

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.

Salt Lake City is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. Known for its large Mormon population, nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Salt Lake City. While it will likely never be a party city, there are a growing number of entertainment options around town.

Is Boise or Salt Lake City Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Boise is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Salt Lake City has a few good snorkeling spots. There are a number of good ski resorts nearby, making this a good base or starting point for a ski vacation.

Boise is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Boise or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Boise is not a hiking destination.

Salt Lake City is a good destination for hiking. The city offers easy access to many diverse trails, so if you're a nature enthusiasts, you'll appreciate this destination.

Boise is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Boise or Salt Lake City?

Shoppers can find a variety of nice stores in both Boise and Salt Lake City.

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.

Salt Lake City is a great destination for shopping. The city has sprawling outlet malls as well as local stores and craft shops. City Creek Center is a favorite shopping destination, but there are also several large shopping malls that are worth visiting.

Is Boise or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

Salt Lake City is a family-friendly city. There are museums that kids will enjoy like the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Leonardo Museum. There are also fun-filled activities like a visit to Lagoon Amusement Park. You can learn about history at This Is the Place Heritage Park or learn about the undersea world at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

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 Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Salt Lake City is a good city for couples to visit. The city is filled with beautiful gardens like Red Butte Garden. There are also nice restaurants and romantic hotels that will make this a nice place for a couple's getaway.

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 Salt Lake City Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

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

Salt Lake City has some public transit options. There's a surprisingly good public transit system that includes light rail, buses, and commuter trains, but if you want to get out of town you'll need to have a car.

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 Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Boise and Salt Lake City are reasonable when it comes to walkability.

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

Salt Lake City is generally not very walkable. While some neighborhoods are walkable, like Temple Square, most visitors prefer to have a car.

For even more information, also check out Is Boise Worth Visiting? and Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Salt Lake City or Boise?

How long in Boise or Salt Lake City?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City.

One day in Boise or Salt Lake City?

In Boise, you'll find nightlife and shopping. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

In Salt Lake City, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this religious destination offers. 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 Salt Lake City?

Boise is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Salt Lake City. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. 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 Salt Lake City?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Boise. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Salt Lake City is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the destination of Salt Lake City. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Boise or Salt Lake City?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the city of Boise. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week 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.

You'll find scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping around the religious destination of Salt Lake City. 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 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Boise and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Boise or Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City has a larger population, and is about 22% larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Boise and Salt Lake City, 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.