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

Should you visit Durham 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 Durham and Salt Lake City 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.

Salt Lake City

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

Durham and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

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

Travelers will usually find more to do in Salt Lake City. Although Durham and Salt Lake City are popular destinations, Salt Lake City has more sights and attractions for tourists. Salt Lake City is very popular for its scuba diving & snorkeling and hiking, while Durham attracts visitors for its nightlife. Salt Lake City is more touristy than Durham and is popular for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population. It is also well known for Temple Square. Durham is famous for its college town vibe as well as being the home of the famous Blue Devil basketball team.

How is Durham 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 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 Salt Lake City?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Durham or Salt Lake City.

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

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Salt Lake City can be an interesting and educational experience. 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.

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

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Durham and Salt Lake City can be difficult as they are each nice in their own way.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Durham area. 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.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Salt Lake City. 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 Durham or Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Durham 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 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.

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

Salt Lake City is very good for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Durham 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.

Durham is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Durham or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Salt Lake City is very good for the nearby hiking options. However, Durham 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.

Durham is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Durham or Salt Lake City?

Both Durham and Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City. 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 Durham or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

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

Durham is a family-friendly place to visit. 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.

Salt Lake City is a family-friendly city. 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 Durham or Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

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

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.

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 Durham or Salt Lake City Better for Students?

Durham is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

Durham is very popular with students. 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.

Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

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

Salt Lake City is very good for its public transit. However, Durham is not a good 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 mostly limited in Durham. There are buses around town, but you really need a car to explore the area.

Is Durham or Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Durham and Salt Lake City 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.

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

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

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

How long in Durham or Salt Lake City?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Durham and Salt Lake City. In our opinion, Salt Lake City has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Salt Lake City than Durham. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Durham, and 2-3 days is enough time in Salt Lake City.

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

One day in Durham or Salt Lake City?

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

Many travelers enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Salt Lake City. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Durham or Salt Lake City?

Durham 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.

Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City?

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

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

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

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

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

Which is Bigger, Durham or Salt Lake City?

Durham has a larger population, and is about 15% larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of Durham 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.