A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Lancaster vs. Reno for Attractions, Nightlife, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Lancaster or Reno?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lancaster or Reno, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Lancaster

Lancaster is a picturesque, scenic, and traditional town. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and shopping.

Reno

Reno is a energetic, growing, and vibrant city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Lancaster and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Lancaster or Reno?

Both Reno and Lancaster have plenty of things to do for visitors. Both offer a variety of sights, activities, and attractions for tourists. Lancaster is very popular for its museums, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Reno attracts visitors for its nightlife. Lancaster is famous for its history and long running Amish community. Reno is famous for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Lancaster different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Lancaster or Reno?

Lancaster is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Lancaster offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Filled with history and local culture, there are many educational opportunities in the area where you can learn about Amish traditions. The Amish Village has tours and unique experiences. The town also has James Buchanan's Wheatland, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, the National Toy Train Museum, the Ephrata Cloister, and the National Watch & Clock Museum, among many others.

Reno is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Museums in town range from art and history to local or quirky. The National Automobile Museum, the Nevada Museum of Art, Fleischmann Planetarium, and the Anthropology Museum are some of the favorites.

Is the Food Better in Lancaster or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Lancaster and Reno can be difficult as they are each nice in their own way.

Lancaster is becoming an appealing option for foodies. You can sample authentic Pennsylvania Dutch dishes at one of the Amish restaurants in the area. Many places serve food family-style and dishes include chicken pot pie, ham balls, and pork and sauerkraut. Whoopie pies also originated in the area.

Reno offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The food scene has been growing in recent years and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants that serve hearty and filling comfort foods.

Is Lancaster or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is a great city for its evening party scene. However, Lancaster is not known for nightlife.

The nightlife in Reno has something for everybody. There's a big nightlife scene with a huge number of bars and entertainment options. There are also a growing number of breweries in town.

Most people don't head to Lancaster specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. It's a small town, but you'll still find local pubs and cozy bars where you can enjoy a drink in a laid back atmosphere.

Is the Shopping Better in Lancaster or Reno?

Lancaster is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Lancaster. Many visitors pick up hand-crafted Amish items while they're in town. Furniture and Amish quilts are particularly popular. Farmers markets and antique shopping are both unique in the area and there are also art galleries and several outlet stores that you can visit.

Reno is a great destination for shopping. In addition to your standard suburban shopping malls and strip malls, there's the Midtown District, which has local retail shops and an eclectic and alternative vibe. The area has thrift shops, music vendors, and more.

Is Lancaster or Reno Better for Families?

Lancaster is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Lancaster. In you area you'll find farms and petting zoos, amusement parks, and train rides. They can learn about a unique lifestyle at the Amish Experience or soak up the local beauty and farmland in the surrounding countryside.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Reno. You'll find some arcades and entertainment options for kids in some of the casinos. There's also the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, which has kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits, and the largest zoo in Nevado, the Sierra Nevada Zoological Park.

Is Lancaster or Reno Better for Couples?

Lancaster is an excellent place to visit for couples. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

Lancaster makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This region is known for it's local beauty and serene farmland, making it a relaxing and peaceful destination for couples. There are walking trails, outdoor activities, buggy rides, and a variety of dining experiences. You can also stay at a bed and breakfast or local inn.

Reno is a nice destination for couples. There are outdoor parks and scenic walks like the Truckee River Walk or the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. There's also several great museums and some interesting restaurants.

Is Lancaster or Reno Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Lancaster and Reno both offer reasonable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Lancaster. The city has buses and several transportation options, but once you're outside of the urban core, your options are limited.

Public transit is generally limited in Reno. There's a public bus system with routes around town.

Is Lancaster or Reno a more walkable city?

Lancaster and Reno are reasonable when it comes to walkability.

Lancaster is generally not a very walkable town. While the city itself has walkable areas, most visitors want to get out and explore the countryside, which requires a car.

Reno is generally not very walkable. While there are some reasonably walkable neighborhoods, you really need a car to get around town.

For even more information, also check out Is Lancaster Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Lancaster?

How long in Lancaster or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Lancaster and Reno. In our opinion, Lancaster has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Lancaster than Reno. In general, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Lancaster, and 1-3 days is enough time in Reno.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Lancaster than Reno 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 Lancaster.

One day in Lancaster or Reno?

Visitors enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Lancaster. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Reno. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Reno has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Lancaster or Reno?

Lancaster is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the growing destination of Reno. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Lancaster or Reno?

You'll find shopping and museums around the scenic destination of Lancaster. This town offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the vibrant city of Reno. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Lancaster or Reno?

The picturesque town of Lancaster offers museums and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

Reno is a popular choice for travelers. 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America, The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America, and The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Lancaster or Reno?

Reno has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Lancaster. When comparing the sizes of Lancaster and Reno, 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.