A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Daytona Beach vs. Salt Lake City for Nightlife, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

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

Should I visit Daytona Beach 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.

Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is a party-hard, energetic, and lively beach city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the beaches, nightlife, and live music.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a notable, religious, and architectural city. Other popular activities here include hiking, shopping, and museums.

Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

Pros
  • Active nightlife
  • Good music scene
  • Nice resorts
  • Popular beach
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for students
Things to Consider
  • Less family-friendly
  • Public transit not as usable
Pros
  • Popular museums and historical sights
  • Good scuba and snorkeling destination
  • Good for hiking
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
  • Good for backpackers and budget travelers
  • Good public transit
  • Home to Temple Square
Things to Consider
  • Less popular for nightlife


Is there more to do in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Daytona Beach than Salt Lake City. While Salt Lake City is larger than Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach has more sights and attractions for tourists. Daytona Beach is very popular for its nightlife, music, resorts, beaches, and big city activities, while Salt Lake City attracts visitors for its museums, food, scuba diving & snorkeling, hiking, and shopping. Daytona Beach is more touristy than Salt Lake City and is popular for its spring break culture, wild parties, and the Daytona 500 NASCAR race. It is also well known for The Daytona International Speedway. Salt Lake City is famous for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population.

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

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

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a well-known place for its sights and museums. However, Daytona Beach does not have 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.

Daytona Beach does not have museums and landmarks.


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

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its restaurants.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Salt Lake City area. 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.

Daytona Beach offers some easy restaurants to choose from. This beach is more about the parties and drinks than it is about the food.

Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Daytona Beach is a world-class destination for its evening party scene. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for nightlife.

People head to Daytona Beach just to party. Spring break is when the parties are at their peak. For the most active nightlife head to A1A from Ormond-by-the-Sea to Ponce Inlet, Main and Beach Streets, and Seabreeze Boulevard, ONE DAYTONA and International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach, and Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach.

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 Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Music?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Daytona Beach is very good for its music scene. However, Salt Lake City is not a live music destination.

Music lovers will find a few good venues in Daytona Beach. You can see live music at the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Bandshell and The Roof.

Salt Lake City is not a live music destination.


Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Resorts?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Daytona Beach is a decent place to visit for its luxury resorts. However, Salt Lake City is not a resort destination.

You might not think of Daytona Beach as a resort destination, but it has a few places. Many resorts in the area focus more on affordability than luxury. The oceanfront hotels usually have nice beachfront pools and rooms with balconies and oceanfront views. You'll pay a bit more for the waterfront rooms.

Salt Lake City is not a resort destination.

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

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Daytona Beach 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.

Daytona Beach is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Beaches?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Daytona Beach is very good for the beach. However, Salt Lake City is not a beach destination.

Many people head to Daytona Beach to enjoy the beach. The city's beaches are lively and festive, so if you're looking for a beach with music, drinking, and partying, then this is your place. In the surrounding areas you'll find some quieter, more family-friendly beaches. It's also best to avoid the Spring Break crowds if you're hoping for a quieter and more family-friendly vacation.

Salt Lake City is not a beach destination.


Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for the nearby hiking options. However, Daytona Beach 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.

Daytona Beach is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its shopping areas. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for shopping.

Many visitors go to Salt Lake City to go 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.

Daytona Beach is a good destination for shopping. Souvenir shops and t-shirt shops are the main shopping you'll find in this area. The boardwalk is lined with gimmicky shops where you can pick up magnets or beach paraphernalia.

Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its family-friendly activities. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its kid-friendly activities.

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.

Daytona Beach is not always a place people visit with their families. Although it's best avoided during spring break, Daytona with kids can be fun when the crowds aren't too bad. There are water parks, surfing lessons, and of course the beach. The restaurants are usually family-friendly as well with many offering kid's menus and early opening hours.


Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

With fun activities for couples, both Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City make for a nice place to visit.

Daytona Beach is a good beach city for couples to visit. While romance isn't exactly what comes to mind when you first think of Daytona, couples who like to party and be out and about will enjoy a visit to Daytona Beach. There's plenty to do and some very great seafood restaurants in the area, so it's not hard to turn it into a couple's destination.

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 Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City Better for Students?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Daytona Beach is a world-class destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

Students come from all over the world to visit Daytona Beach. It's one of the original Spring Break destinations, and the trend continues. If you're a student looking to cut loose, you'll find plenty of likeminded vacationers in the area, with many bars and hotels catering specifically to the younger crowd.

Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

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

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its public transit. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for times when you don't have a car.

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.

Public transit is quite limited in Daytona Beach. There's limited transportation options around town so you really must have a private vehicle. If you've been out drinking, you can call a taxi or an Uber.


Is Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Daytona Beach
Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a moderate city for its ease of walking around. However, Daytona Beach is not a good beach city for its walkability.

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

Daytona Beach is not a very walkable beach city. This area requires a car if you want to access restaurants, nightlife, or anything away from your hotel.

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

Should I spend more time in Salt Lake City or Daytona Beach?

How long in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Salt Lake City than in Daytona Beach. Usually, 7 days is a good amount of time for Daytona Beach, and 2-3 days is enough time in Salt Lake City.

Families should spend more time in Salt Lake City than Daytona Beach. 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 Daytona Beach. 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 Daytona Beach 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.


  • How many days in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City? Ideal Length of Stay
    Daytona Beach 7 
    Salt Lake City 2-3

One day in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

In Daytona Beach, you'll find live music and nightlife. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the notable destination of Salt Lake City. Your budget might influence how long you stay. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Daytona Beach is a great place to explore. Anyone can find something fun to do here. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Salt Lake City. 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.


Five days in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Daytona Beach. It offers something for everyone. One reason most visitors come is for the nightlife. 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 destination of Salt Lake City. 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.

A week in Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the beach city of Daytona Beach. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One reason most visitors come is for the nightlife. 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 city of Salt Lake City. 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.


For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, Salt Lake City or Daytona Beach?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Daytona Beach is $211, 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 Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Daytona Beach $84
    Salt Lake City $119
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Daytona Beach $168
    Salt Lake City $238
Compare Hotels in Daytona Beach and Salt Lake City

Looking for a hotel in Daytona Beach 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 Daytona Beach


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: Daytona Beach Hotel Prices and Salt Lake City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Daytona Beach $53
    Salt Lake City $45

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Daytona Beach

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Daytona Beach:

  • Private Transfer from New Smyrna Beach to Port Canaveral: $239
  • Private Transfer from New Smyrna Beach to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport: $185
  • Private Transfer from Daytona to Orlando-Sanford (SFB) Airport: $200

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Salt Lake City

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

  • Private Departure Transfer to Salt Lake City Airport SLC: $36
  • Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) - Departure Private Transfer: $46
  • Private Transfer: Salt Lake City to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) : $107
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Arrival Transfer: $115
  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Salt Lake City : $120
  • Private Transfer from SLC to Salt Lake City : $120
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City UT - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $182
  • Salt Lake City Airport (SLC): Transfer to Salt Lake City: $201
  • Salt Lake Airport (SLC) to Canyons Village - Round-Trip Transfer: $230
  • Private Transfer from Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) to Park City hotel or address: $261
  • Private Transfer from SLC to Park City UT : $261

Is it cheaper to fly into Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City and Daytona Beach 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
    Daytona Beach $80
    Salt Lake City $50

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Daytona Beach

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

  • Polynesian Fire and Dinner Show Ticket in Daytona Beach: $53

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Daytona Beach $28
    Salt Lake City $28

Tours and Activities in Daytona Beach

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

  • St. Johns River Nature Cruise at Blue Spring State Park : $28
  • 2 Hour Coastal Discovery Cruise: $75
  • 2-Hour Glass Bottom Guided Eco Tour in Flagler County-Small-group: $85
  • Guided Kayaking or Standup Paddling Tour: $65
  • Dolphin and Manatee Kayak Tour of Daytona Beach: $65
  • Dolphin and Manatee Stand Up Paddleboard Tour in Daytona Beach: $65
  • Electric Bike Tour of New Smyrna Beach: $115
  • Guided Wildlife Eco Kayak Tour in New Smyrna Beach: $45
  • Half Day Coastal Fun Cruise in Florida: $200
  • New Smyrna Dolphin and Manatee Kayak and SUP Adventure Tour: $65
  • Orlando Manatee and Natural Spring Adventure Tour at Blue Springs: $65
  • Ormond Beach Manatee and Nature Tour Kayaking or Paddle Boarding: $65

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:

  • Mormon History - Salt Lake Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour: $6.75
  • Mormon History Salt Lake Self-Guided Audio app Walking Tour: $7.75
  • Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Salt Lake City by 3Quest Challenge: $10
  • Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $13
  • Salt Lake City Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $15
  • Salt Lake City & La Sal: Self-Guided Walking & Driving Tour: $20
  • Salt Lake City Ghost Tour: Outer Reaches Tour: $23
  • Salt Lake City Haunted Old Town Tour: $23
  • Haunted Walking Tour: $26
  • 45 Minute Great Salt Lake Boat Tour: $37
  • History & Culture Guided Walking Day Tour: $50
  • Salt Lake City Walking Tour: $50

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Daytona Beach $43
    Salt Lake City $17

Sample the Local Flavors in Daytona Beach

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

  • Dive Bar Bus Crawl: $38
  • Dive Bar Bus Crawl from Daytona Beach: $40


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

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


Which is Bigger, Daytona Beach or Salt Lake City?

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