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

Should you visit Durham 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 Durham and Boise can help you decide which place is right for you.

Durham

Durham is a diverse, student-filled, and sports oriented city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Durham and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Durham or Boise?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Durham than Boise. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Durham is famous for its college town vibe as well as being the home of the famous Blue Devil basketball team. It is also well known for the Duke University Chapel. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Durham different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Durham 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.

Durham offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Duke University is one of the most popular destinations in town. There are several museums on campus as well as the famous Duke Chapel. Elsewhere in Durham there's the Durham Museum of Life and Science.

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 Durham or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Durham is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Barbecue is a favorite around town. You'll also find plenty of restaurants that cater to the student population, particularly along Nineth Street near Duke's campus.

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 Durham or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Both Durham and Boise are nice when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Durham. The younger population tends to hang out near campus and along Nineth Street. If you're looking for something less student oriented, head to downtown Durham.

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.

Is the Shopping Better in Durham or Boise?

Both Durham and Boise are nice shopping destinations.

Many visitors go to Durham to go shopping. The Streets of Southpoint is the best mall in the area. Other shopping areas include Brightleaf Square and Nineth Street.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Boise. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Durham or Boise Better for Families?

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

Durham is a family-friendly city. A highlight for kids is a visit to the Durham Museum of Life and Science. It has both an indoor and an outdoor section and brings science to life for families. There's also an impressive playground and climbing area. Other activities in town include the Notasium and Eno River State Park. If you plan ahead you could also organize a trip to the Duke Lemur Center.

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 Durham or Boise Better for Couples?

Durham is a popular place for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Durham is a good city for couples to visit. Have a picnic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens or spend the day hiking at Eno River State Park. In the evening there's a wonderful selection of restaurants around town. Then you can check out a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center or see a Durham Bulls game.

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 Durham or Boise Better for Students?

Durham is an excellent place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Durham is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. Duke University has a stunning campus with a world class garden. There's also nearby Nineth Street, which has shops, restaurants, and bars that are geared toward the student population.

Boise is not popular with students.

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

Both Durham and Boise offer reasonable public transit options.

Public transit is generally limited in Durham. There are buses around town, but you really need a car to explore the area.

Public transit is mostly limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Durham or Boise a more walkable city?

Durham and Boise both are reasonable when exploring on foot.

Durham is generally not very walkable. Downtown Durham and a few areas near Duke University are the most walkable areas.

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 Durham Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Durham?

How long in Durham or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Durham or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Durham than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Durham, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

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

One day in Durham or Boise?

In Durham, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this student-filled destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

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 Durham or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Durham. 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 Durham or Boise?

Durham is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Durham. 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 Durham or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the diverse destination of Durham. 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 friendly 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 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America, and The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America.

When comparing the travel costs between Durham and Boise, we can see that Durham 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 Durham Expensive? and Is Boise Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Durham or Boise?

Durham has a larger population, and is about 40% larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Durham 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.