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

Should you visit Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Charlotte and Salt Lake City can help you decide which place is right for you.

Charlotte

Charlotte is a evolving, up-and-coming, and growing city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Salt Lake City

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

Charlotte and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Active nightlife
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less popular with backpackers
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Good scuba and snorkeling destination
  • Good for hiking
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Home to Temple Square
Things to Consider
  • Less popular for nightlife
  • Less popular with backpackers


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

Tourists will generally find more to do in Charlotte than Salt Lake City. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Charlotte is very popular for its nightlife and big city activities, while Salt Lake City attracts visitors for its museums, scuba diving & snorkeling, and hiking. Salt Lake City is more touristy than Charlotte and is known for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population. Charlotte is famous for its banking industry and growing Uptown area. It is also well known for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

How is Charlotte 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 Charlotte. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is great for its historical sights. Also, Charlotte is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Many visitors head to Salt Lake City specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. 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.

Charlotte is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. The Mint Museum is a popular place to visit, as is the Gantt Center for African American Arts. Art enthusiasts will appreciate a visit to the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and sports enthusiasts will enjoy a stop at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.


Is the Food Better in Charlotte or Salt Lake City? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Local dishes at restaurants are fun to try in both Charlotte and Salt Lake City.

Charlotte is becoming an appealing option for foodies. The food scene continues to grow and change around town. You'll find the latest trendy restaurant changes regularly, but dishes often include upscale southern faire or classic American. There are also many international restaurants, particularly Mexican, Thai, and Chinese.

Salt Lake City offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. 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.

Is Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Charlotte 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 Charlotte. Head Uptown for some of the best nightlife. The city has many bars and clubs that keep things fun late into the night.

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 Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is very good for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Charlotte is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

It's worth going snorkeling or scuba diving in Salt Lake City. There are a number of good ski resorts nearby, making this a good base or starting point for a ski vacation.

Charlotte is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.


Is Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is very good for hiking. However, Charlotte is not a hiking destination.

Many people include a hike when visiting Salt Lake City. The city offers easy access to many diverse trails, so if you're a nature enthusiasts, you'll appreciate this destination.

Charlotte is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

If you're looking to go shopping, Charlotte and Salt Lake City both offer plenty of nice spots.

Charlotte has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Shopping malls such as SouthPark Mall or Carolina Place offer all of the standard retailers. Concord Mills is another favorite mall in the area. Aside from the malls, there is no shortage of shopping centers around town.

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 Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

You'll find nice kid-friendly activities in either Charlotte or Salt Lake City.

Charlotte offers lots of family activities. There are a number of museums for kids, with one of the best being Discovery Place. It has many hands-on science based exhibits that kids will love. Another unique experience is a visit to the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Carowinds Amusement Park is also in the area as are many great parks, playgrounds, and natural areas.

Salt Lake City is a family-friendly place to visit. 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.


Is Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Both Charlotte and Salt Lake City are nice destinations to visit as a couple.

Charlotte is a good city for couples to visit. There are a number of date night activities around town, particularly Uptown. You can see a show or concert at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center or hit up one of the trendy bars or restaurants. There are also sporting events and other festivals that are fun to experience.

Salt Lake City is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Is Charlotte or Salt Lake City Better for Students?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Charlotte is very good for its student-friendly activities. However, Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Charlotte. There are a number of smaller colleges in town, but the biggest university is the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

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

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Charlotte and Salt Lake City both offer nice public transit to get you around.

While Charlotte offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There's a light rail system as well as buses that travel around town.

Salt Lake City has a few 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.


Is Charlotte or Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Charlotte
Salt Lake City

Charlotte is very good for its ease of walking around. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for its walkability.

Charlotte is a somewhat walkable city. The Uptown area is the most walkable part of the city.

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 Charlotte Worth Visiting? and Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting?.

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

How long in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Charlotte and Salt Lake City. You can spend similar amounts of time exploring each one. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Charlotte, and 2-3 days is enough time in Salt Lake City.

Families should spend more time in Salt Lake City than Charlotte. 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 Charlotte. 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.


  • How many days in Charlotte or Salt Lake City? Ideal Length of Stay
    Charlotte 1-3 
    Salt Lake City 2-3

One day in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

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

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Salt Lake City. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Charlotte 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.

You'll find museums and food around the religious destination of Salt Lake City. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.


Five days in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

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

Travelers enjoy the food and scuba diving and snorkeling when visiting the architectural city of Salt Lake City. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the city of Charlotte. 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.

Salt Lake City is a popular choice for travelers. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, and The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Salt Lake City or Charlotte?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Charlotte is $191, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $246. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Charlotte and Salt Lake City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Charlotte $118
    Salt Lake City $119
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Charlotte $236
    Salt Lake City $238
Compare Hotels in Charlotte and Salt Lake City

Looking for a hotel in Charlotte or Salt Lake City? 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 Charlotte


Hotels in Salt Lake City


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.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Charlotte Hotel Prices and Salt Lake City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Charlotte $33
    Salt Lake City $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Charlotte

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

  • Private Departure Transfer to Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT): $54
  • Departure Transfer: Charlotte to Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT in Business Car: $132
  • Charlotte Round Trip Chauffeur Driven Airport Transfer by Sedan: $150
  • Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT): 1-Way Transfer to Charlotte: $99
  • Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $134
  • Charlotte Douglas Airport (CLT) to Charlotte City - Arrival Private Transfer: $67
  • Arrival Transfer: Charlotte Douglas Airport CLT to Charlotte in Business Car: $132

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City

Also for Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City hotel or address: $259
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Round-Trip Transfer: $228
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC): Transfer to Salt Lake City: $200
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City UT - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $180
  • Private Transfer from SLC to Salt Lake City : $119
  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $119
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Arrival Transfer: $114
  • Private Transfer: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $106
  • Private Transfer: Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) : $106
  • Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC: $36

Is it cheaper to fly into Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City and Charlotte 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
    Charlotte $46
    Salt Lake City $50
Typical Food Prices in Charlotte

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Charlotte:


  • Pizza at Airport
    $4.03
  • Cracker Barrel Lunch (family of 4)
    $29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Charlotte $43
    Salt Lake City $28

Tours and Activities in Charlotte

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Charlotte.

  • 2.5 Hour Black History Van Tour-Perseverance, Power, and Progress: $59
  • 90 Minute Historic Uptown Neighborhood Segway Tour of Charlotte: $75
  • Big Bite Brew Tour in Charlotte's LoSo District: $150
  • Carolina History and Haunts Charlotte Historical Ghost Walking Tour : $27
  • Charlotte Ghost Walking Tour - Smartphone guided audio/gps Tour at your own pace: $6.75
  • Charlotte Ghost Walking Tour: Smartphone Audio & GPS Tour: $6.50
  • Charlotte Haunted Booze and Boos Ghost Walking Tour: $35
  • Charlotte Historic : Queen Bee City Tour: $39
  • Charlotte Historical City Tour: $45
  • Charlotte Indoor Skydiving Experience with 2 Flights & Personalized Certificate: $90
  • Charlotte Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour and Game: $25
  • Charlotte's Only Southern Charm Haunted/True Crime Golf Cart Tour: $48

Tours and Activities in Salt Lake City

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

  • 2 Hour Salt Lake Boat Tour with Swimming on the Lake: $79
  • 4-Day Winter Yellowstone Tour: $2,499
  • 45 Minute Great Salt Lake Boat Tour: $37
  • 5-day Tour Yellowstone Park Los Angeles-Salt Lake City: $1,558
  • From 3-Day Yellowstone Wildlife Adventure: $999
  • From Private Bryce Canyon National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Canyonlands National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Capitol Reef National Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Goblin Valley State Park Tour: $1,475
  • From Private Tour of Arches National Park: $1,475
  • Great Salt Lake Flying Tour: $249
  • Great Salt Lake Guided Bus Tour from Salt Lake City: $70

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Charlotte $20
    Salt Lake City $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Charlotte

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Charlotte:

  • Charlotte Brewery Crawl Tour: $48
  • 3-Hour Brewery Crawl on 7 passenger Cart: $48
  • Original Charlotte Brewery Tour - Craft Beer Experience : $125
  • Bar Crawl on a Rollin Disco Ball Golf Cart in Charlotte: $240


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Charlotte and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City is more expensive. And not only is Charlotte much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Charlotte would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Charlotte 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 Charlotte.

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


Which is Bigger, Charlotte or Salt Lake City?

Charlotte has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of Charlotte 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.