A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Hot Springs vs. Jasper National Park for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Hot Springs or Jasper National Park?

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

Should I visit Hot Springs or Jasper National Park? 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.

Where Should I go: Hot Springs or Jasper National Park?

Hot Springs

Hot Springs is a popular resort city in central Arkansas. It's location in the Ouachita Mountains make it a convenient base for exploring the area's natural hot springs, from which the city gets its name. The city is also home to Hot Springs National Park, which have long been believed to have healing properties. Today many spas have popped up around the hot springs.

Jasper National Park

An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jasper National Park, located in Canada's Alberta Province, is one of a few national and provincial parks that showcase the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to Canada, and The Best Tours for Seniors to Canada.


Which place is cheaper, Jasper National Park or Hot Springs?

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

The average daily cost (per person) in Hot Springs is $182, while the average daily cost in Jasper National Park is $82. 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 Hot Springs and Jasper National Park in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Hot Springs $100
    Jasper National Park $45
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Hot Springs $200
    Jasper National Park $90
Compare Hotels in Hot Springs and Jasper National Park

Looking for a hotel in Hot Springs or Jasper National Park? 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 Hot Springs


Hotels in Jasper National Park


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: Hot Springs Hotel Prices and Jasper National Park Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Hot Springs $47
    Jasper National Park $19

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hot Springs

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hot Springs:

  • Hot Springs Resorts to Memphis Airport (MEM) Departure Transfer: $143
  • Private Departure Transfer from Hot Springs Resort to Little Rock: $71

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Jasper National Park

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Jasper National Park are as follows:


  • Park Pass
    $14

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Jasper National Park

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Jasper National Park:

  • Jasper Thermal Resorts to Calgary Airport YYC Departure Transfer: $170
  • Jasper Thermal to Edmonton Airport (YEG) Departure Transfer: $170

Is it cheaper to fly into Hot Springs or Jasper National Park?

Prices for flights to both Jasper National Park and Hot Springs 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
    Hot Springs $52
    Jasper National Park $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Jasper National Park

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Jasper National Park.

  • Half-Day Jasper Culture Food Tour: $107
  • Peak Nic - A hike and an outdoor cooking lesson: $119
  • 4-Hours E-Bike Food Tour : $201

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Hot Springs $30
    Jasper National Park $7.75

Tours and Activities in Hot Springs

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hot Springs are as follows:

  • Hot Springs, AR: Magic Springs Theme & Water Park Ticket: $44
  • Small-Group Zipline Tour in Hot Springs: $67

Tours and Activities in Jasper National Park

Here are a few actual costs in Jasper National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Icefields Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour: $17
  • Live Theater Show Ticket 'From Jasper with love': $24
  • From Jasper: Jasper National Park Wildlife Discovery Tour: $53
  • Planetarium and Telescope Combo Tour : $54
  • Maligne Canyon Hiking Tour: $60
  • Morning Jasper National Park Wildlife Tour: $64
  • Jasper Evening Wildlife Tour: $64
  • Winter Wildlife Discovery Tour: $64
  • Jasper National Park Tour: Maligne Valley, Medicine Lake and Spirit Island: $64
  • Maligne Lake Cruise: $67
  • Jasper Wildlife and Waterfalls Tour with Maligne Lake Hike: $72
  • Class 3 Sunwapta River Rafting Adventure in Jasper: $94

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Hot Springs $22
    Jasper National Park $11


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hot Springs and Jasper National Park, we can see that Hot Springs is more expensive. And not only is Jasper National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Jasper National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Jasper National Park 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 Hot Springs would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Hot Springs than you might in Jasper National Park.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Hot Springs Expensive? and Is Jasper National Park Expensive?.