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

Should you visit Dallas or Boise?

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 Dallas and Boise can help you decide which place is right for you.

Dallas

Dallas is a chic, active, and upscale 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.

Boise

Boise is a welcoming, authentic, and friendly city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Dallas and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Dallas or Boise?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Dallas than Boise, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Dallas is popular for its Tex Mex cuisine, upscale shopping venues, and cowboy culture. It is also home to the Sixth Floor Museum. Boise is popular for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Dallas different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Dallas 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.

Dallas offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Museums range from historical to art and science with some of the favorites being the Dallas Contemporary Museum, the African American Museum, the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Frontiers of Flight Museum. The city is also home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and the Nasher Sculpture Center. A must-see is the Sixth Floor Museum, which is in historic Dealey Plaza and is where Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed JFK. Today there's a museum that goes over the events of that day.

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 Dallas or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Dallas has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. There's a perfect combination of Texas cuisine and international flavors. You'll find Texas barbecue, Tex Mex, and steakhouses intermixed with Thai, Japanese, and Caribbean cuisine. There's also a great food truck scene and many local eateries.

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 Dallas or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Dallas is an excellent place to visit for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Dallas has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. Head to East Dallas for the most active clubs with large dance floors and great music. The city also has rooftop lounges and plenty of live music as well as comedy clubs.

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 the Shopping Better in Dallas or Boise?

Dallas is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Dallas. You'll find a very diverse shopping scene around town, with everything from quirky local vendors to upscale fashion boutiques. There are cowboy outfitters where you can get a feel for the Texas style, but there are also posh shopping centers and local flea markets.

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 Dallas or Boise Better for Families?

Dallas 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 Dallas. The city is filled with families, and you'll find many kid-friendly activities around town. For some outdoor time you can visit the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden or the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The Dallas Zoo is a favorite for many kids and there are also a number of kid-friendly museums around town such as the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas World 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 Dallas or Boise Better for Couples?

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

Dallas makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Head to the observation deck at Reunion Tower for spectacular views of the night skyline. The city also has many great comedy clubs and performing arts venues as well as fine dining restaurants that make for a great date night.

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

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

Dallas has some public transit options. While it's still very much a car-centered city, the public transportation system, DART, is one of the fastest growing in the country. It includes both light rail and bus service.

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 Dallas or Boise a more walkable city?

Dallas and Boise both are decent when exploring on foot.

Dallas is generally not very walkable. The city is not particularly walkable, but there are several more walkable areas such as Ellum and Uptown.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Boise or Dallas?

How long in Dallas or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Dallas or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Dallas than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Dallas, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Dallas 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 Dallas.

One day in Dallas or Boise?

In Dallas, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this chic 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.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Boise. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Dallas or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Dallas. 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.

Boise is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Dallas or Boise?

Dallas is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Dallas. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Boise. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Dallas or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the upscale destination of Dallas. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the welcoming destination of Boise. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.

When comparing the travel costs between Dallas and Boise, we can see that Boise is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, Dallas or Boise?

Dallas has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Dallas and Boise, 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.