A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America California vs. Virginia for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit California or Virginia?

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 California and Virginia. 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.

Where Should I go: California or Virginia?

California

California is the most populous state in the U.S. and is known for a variety of attractions such as Hollywood, warm beaches, the San Francisco bay area, Redwood trees, national parks, and stunning mountain vistas. With a variety of locations and activities to offer, California has become one of the premier travel destinations in the world.

Virginia

One of the original thirteen British colonies, Virginia is a place of rich history and varied environments. You might explore the historic settlement of Colonial Williamsburg, dive into the current culture of its major cities, or get lost in nature along the coast or in the scenic landscape of the Appalachian Mountains. There's a little something for everyone.

Which city is cheaper, Virginia or California?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in California is $198, while the average daily cost in Virginia is $0.00. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for California and Virginia in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    California $92
    Virginia -
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    California $184
    Virginia $0.00
Compare Hotels in California and Virginia

Looking for a hotel in California or Virginia? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in California


Hotels in Virginia


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    California $34
    Virginia -

Hired Cars and Shuttles in California

Also for California, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • San Diego: Private Transfer to/from San Diego Airport (SAN): $69
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to San Mateo City - One Way: $73
  • Private Airport Transfer from SFO to San Francisco: $79
  • Departure Private Transfer to San Francisco Cruise Port by Business Car: $84
  • Orange County: 1-Way Private Transfer to/from Anaheim Resort: $89
  • Los Angeles International Airport: Private Transfer to/from: $93
  • SF: Private Transfer to/from San Francisco Airport (SFO): $99
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Oakland City - One Way: $105
  • Private San Francisco Transfer: Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port: $122
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Union City - One Way: $137
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to Mountain View City - One Way: $147
  • Low Cost Private Transfer From San Francisco International Airport to San Francisco City - One Way: $166

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Virginia

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Virginia:

  • Virginia Park Lodge to Dublin Airport or Dublin City Private Chauffeur Transfer.: $312
  • Virginia Park Lodge to Dublin Airport or Dublin City Private Chauffeur Transfer: $256
  • Virginia Park Lodge to Dublin Airport or Dublin City Private Chauffeur Transfer: $398
  • Virginia Park Lodge To Dublin Airport Or Dublin City Private Chauffeur Transfer: $360

Is it cheaper to fly into California or Virginia?

Prices for flights to both Virginia and California change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    California $37
    Virginia -

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in California

For California, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour: $70
  • San Francisco: Mission District Walking Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $75
  • San Francisco: Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $79
  • North Beach: Curated 4-Course Food Tour: $99
  • Monterey: Guided Walking Food Tour with Tastings: $150
  • Napa Valley Wine Train: Gourmet Express Lunch or Dinner: $175
  • Los Angeles: 3-Hour Secret Food Tour: $217
  • Napa or Sonoma Dinner Transportation: $500

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Virginia

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Virginia.

  • Richmond: Church Hill Food Tour: $66

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    California $49
    Virginia -

Tours and Activities in California

For California, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • San Francisco: Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour with App: $5.57
  • San Francisco: Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $14
  • San Diego: Haunted Historic Whaley House - Self-Guided Tour: $14
  • San Francisco: Exploratorium After Dark Entry Ticket (18+): $20
  • Los Angeles: Skip-the-Line Battleship Iowa Museum Ticket: $23
  • Amazing Temecula Scavenger Hunt Adventure: $27
  • Los Angeles: Urban Adventure Quest Mini Scavenger Hunt: $27
  • San Francisco: 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Urban Hiking Tour: $29
  • Downtown Los Angeles: Food, Arts and Culture Walking Tour: $35
  • Newport Beach: Year-Round Whale Watching Cruise: $36
  • San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences Entry Ticket: $37
  • San Jose: Winchester Mystery House Tour: $42

Tours and Activities in Virginia

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Virginia are as follows:

  • Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Richmond: $44
  • Mount Vernon Full-Day Bike and Boat Tour: $50
  • Virginia Beach: Haunted Walking Ghost Tour: $22
  • Williamsburg: Busch Gardens Ticket & Water Country Option: $80
  • Williamsburg: Jamestown & American Revolution Museum Ticket: $29
  • iFLY Loudoun - Ashburn First Time Flyer Experience: $100

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    California $17
    Virginia -

Sample the Local Flavors in California

Also in California, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Healdsburg Wine Tasting and Food Pairing Guided Walking Tour: $119
  • San Francisco: Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $149
  • Malibu: Vintage VW Hippie Sightseeing Tour with Wine Tasting: $179
  • Golf Somm - A Sommelier-Led Golf and Wine Tour in Napa Valley: $308
  • 6-Hours Customized Private NAPA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hour Customized Private LIVERMORE Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private RUSSIAN RIVER Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay: $480
  • 6-Hours Customized Private SONOMA Valley Wine Tour From San Francisco Bay Area: $480
  • Napa Wine Tour: $500
  • Sonoma Wine Tours: $500
  • Napa Valley Wine Tour Planning and Transportation: $513
  • 8-Hour Napa Valley Wine Tour: $570

About these numbers

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

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip has average travel costs for thousands of cities around the world, all provided by other travelers. You can also register to organize your spending by category and location with graphs, maps, charts, and tables.
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California vs. Virginia Travel Comparison

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