Which place is cheaper, Napa Valley or Hot Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley? 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 Napa Valley?
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.
Napa Valley
Napa Valley, in the Bay Area of California, is a popular destination for its wineries and beautiful scenery. The area, referred to as Wine Country, is just north of San Francisco and makes for a great day or weekend trip. Many honeymooners visit the area for its romantic setting and popular bed and breakfasts. The best time to visit is during the months of September and October when the grapes are wipe. This time is referred to as the harvest "crush." The summer months are also a popular time but the crowds are often overwhelming.
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 Walking Tours in United States of America, and The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHot Springs $182Napa Valley $288
The average daily cost (per person) in Hot Springs is $182, while the average daily cost in Napa Valley is $288. 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 Napa Valley in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHot Springs $100Napa Valley $126
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHot Springs $200Napa Valley $252
Compare Hotels in Hot Springs and Napa Valley
Looking for a hotel in Hot Springs or Napa Valley? 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.
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 Napa Valley Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hot Springs $47Napa Valley $183
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: $142
- Private Departure Transfer from Hot Springs Resort to Little Rock: $71
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Napa Valley
Also for Napa Valley, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Napa, CA to Sacramento Airport (SMF) - Departure Private Transfer : $110
- Private Airport Transfer from Sonoma to SFO (One-way): $286
Is it cheaper to fly into Hot Springs or Napa Valley?
Prices for flights to both Napa Valley 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
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Food Meals for one dayHot Springs $52Napa Valley $62
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hot Springs $30Napa Valley $28
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 Napa Valley
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Napa Valley.
- Sonoma Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour & Game: $25
- Napa Valley River History Kayak Tour: Single Kayaks: $79
- Napa and Sonoma Wine and Food Experience (Napa pickup): $109
- Napa Valley Wineries Tour Including Picnic Lunch: $125
- The Original Napa Valley Wine Trolley "Up Valley" Castle Tour : $125
- The Original Napa Valley Wine Trolley Classic Tour: $125
- Sonoma Valley Open Air Wine Trolley Tour: $125
- Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour through Sonoma Valley: $130
- Small-Group Wine-Tasting Tour through Napa Valley: $130
- Half Day Tour: $139
- Half Day Bike Tour: $139
- Napa Valley River History Kayak Tour: 2 Person Tandem : $158
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHot Springs $22Napa Valley $66
Sample the Local Flavors in Napa Valley
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Napa Valley:
- Private Self-Guided Wine Tasting Tour in Sonoma: $50
- 6 Hour Wine Tour in Napa & Sonoma with Pick-Up from Napa: $109
- Napa Cable Car Wine Tasting Tour: $129
- Intro to Wine Tasting with Napa Sommelière : $195
- Healdsburg Cycling Wine Tour : $199
- Yountville Food and Wine Tour in Napa: $275
- Napa's Downtown Food & Wine Tour : $275
- Private, Customized Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $300
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Hot Springs and Napa Valley, we can see that Napa Valley is more expensive. And not only is Hot Springs much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Hot Springs would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Hot Springs 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 Napa Valley would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Napa Valley than you might in Hot Springs.
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 Napa Valley Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hot Springs or Napa Valley?
Napa Valley has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Hot Springs. When comparing the sizes of Hot Springs and Napa Valley, 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.
When is the best time to visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Hot Springs as well as Napa Valley. Also, most visitors come to Napa Valley for the hiking and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In July, Hot Springs is generally a little warmer than Napa Valley. Daily temperatures in Hot Springs average around 83°F (28°C), and Napa Valley fluctuates around 73°F (23°C).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Napa Valley. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hot Springs this time of the year. In the summer, Hot Springs often gets less sunshine than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Napa Valley receives 439 hours of full sun.
Hot Springs usually gets more rain in July than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 3.6 inches (92 mm) of rain, while Napa Valley receives 0.1 inches (2 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHot Springs 83°F (28°C)Napa Valley 73°F (23°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley in the Autumn?
Both Napa Valley and Hot Springs are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Also, the autumn months attract visitors to Napa Valley because of the hiking trails, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
Hot Springs is around the same temperature as Napa Valley in the autumn. The daily temperature in Hot Springs averages around 64°F (18°C) in October, and Napa Valley fluctuates around 62°F (17°C).
It's quite sunny in Napa Valley. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Hot Springs. Hot Springs usually receives less sunshine than Napa Valley during autumn. Hot Springs gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Napa Valley receives 300 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain, while Napa Valley receives 1.3 inches (33 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHot Springs 64°F (18°C)Napa Valley 62°F (17°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley in the Winter?
Both Napa Valley and Hot Springs during the winter are popular places to visit. Furthermore, the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Napa Valley this time of year.
The weather in Hot Springs can be very cold. In the winter, Hot Springs is much colder than Napa Valley. Typically, the winter temperatures in Hot Springs in January average around 40°F (4°C), and Napa Valley averages at about 46°F (8°C).
It's quite sunny in Hot Springs. In the winter, Hot Springs often gets more sunshine than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 205 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Napa Valley receives 149 hours of full sun.
Hot Springs usually gets less rain in January than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Napa Valley receives 3.8 inches (96 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHot Springs 40°F (4°C)Napa Valley 46°F (8°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Napa Valley in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Hot Springs and Napa Valley. Furthermore, many travelers come to Napa Valley for the natural beauty.
In April, Hot Springs is generally a little warmer than Napa Valley. Daily temperatures in Hot Springs average around 65°F (18°C), and Napa Valley fluctuates around 56°F (13°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Napa Valley this time of the year. In Hot Springs, it's very sunny this time of the year. Hot Springs usually receives less sunshine than Napa Valley during spring. Hot Springs gets 304 hours of sunny skies, while Napa Valley receives 328 hours of full sun in the spring.
Hot Springs gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In April, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than Napa Valley. Hot Springs gets 5.2 inches (133 mm) of rain, while Napa Valley receives 1.2 inches (31 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHot Springs 65°F (18°C)Napa Valley 56°F (13°C)
Typical Weather for Napa Valley and Hot Springs
| Hot Springs | Napa Valley | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 40°F (4°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 46°F (8°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Feb | 45°F (7°C) | 3.6 inches (91 mm) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Mar | 54°F (12°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.7 inches (69 mm) |
| Apr | 65°F (18°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.2 inches (5 mm) |
| Jun | 79°F (26°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | 69°F (21°C) | 0.1 inches (3 mm) |
| Jul | 83°F (28°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) | 73°F (23°C) | 0.1 inches (2 mm) |
| Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 72°F (22°C) | 0.1 inches (1 mm) |
| Sep | 75°F (24°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) | 70°F (21°C) | 0.3 inches (7 mm) |
| Oct | 64°F (18°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.3 inches (33 mm) |
| Nov | 53°F (12°C) | 5.1 inches (130 mm) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.8 inches (71 mm) |
| Dec | 44°F (6°C) | 4.6 inches (118 mm) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.7 inches (68 mm) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.