A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Martha's Vineyard vs. Reno for Couples, Food, Nightlife, and Attractions

Should you visit Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

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

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Martha's Vineyard and Reno. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Martha's Vineyard

Martha's Vineyard is a coastal, peaceful, and affluent island. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Reno

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

Martha's Vineyard and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Martha's Vineyard. Although Martha's Vineyard and Reno are popular destinations, Martha's Vineyard has more sights and attractions for tourists. Martha's Vineyard is very popular for its food, resorts, beaches, hiking, shopping, small town charm, and impressive beauty, while Reno attracts visitors for its museums and nightlife. Martha's Vineyard is more touristy than Reno and is known for its natural beauty, charming New England towns, and upscale local shopping. It is also well known for the Aquinnah Cliffs. Reno is famous for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Martha's Vineyard different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Reno is a good destination for its historical sights. However, Martha's Vineyard is not known for its sights and museums.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Reno. 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.

Martha's Vineyard offers a handful of options for museums and historical sights. There are a couple of local museums in the area as well as the Martha's Vineyard Museum.

Is the Food Better in Martha's Vineyard or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Martha's Vineyard is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Martha's Vineyard has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The region prioritizes sustainable agriculture and there are many local eateries that range from upscale to more casual. You'll find the greatest number of options during the peak summer months, but regardless of when you visit, you're sure to eat well.

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 Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is a great city for its evening party scene. However, Martha's Vineyard 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 Martha's Vineyard specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. There's more of a laid back vibe, but the best towns in the evening are Edgartown and Oak Bluffs.

Is Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Resorts?

Martha's Vineyard is renowned for its luxury resorts. However, Reno is not a resort destination.

For the ultimate resort vacation, Martha's Vineyard is a great choice. There are beautiful and luxurious resorts that attract celebrities and socialites. Many have pools and serene outdoor spaces that you can enjoy.

Reno is not a resort destination.

Is Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Beaches?

Martha's Vineyard is an excellent place to visit for the beach. However, Reno is not a beach destination.

Martha's Vineyard is considered a top beach destination. The beaches are scenic and peaceful. Head to northern side of the island for shallow water, or south for more surf. While there are some public beaches that are open to everyone, there are also beaches that require a parking or town beach permit to visit.

Reno is not a beach destination.

Is Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Hiking?

Martha's Vineyard is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Reno is not a hiking destination.

Martha's Vineyard is a good destination for hiking. There are miles of trails around the island that pass through fields or along the coastline. The island is mostly flat, so the hikes are relatively easy for all skill levels.

Reno is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Martha's Vineyard 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 Martha's Vineyard. There are no malls, so you'll enjoy shopping at local stores that sell a mix of locally made items and name brand. There are many art galleries as well as craft festivals during the summer months.

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 Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Families?

Both Martha's Vineyard and Reno are nice family-friendly destinations.

Martha's Vineyard offers lots of family activities. You can visit local farms or go to a local baseball game. There's also cafes, ice cream shops, and donut shops that kids will enjoy.

Reno is a family-friendly place to visit. 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 Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Couples?

Martha's Vineyard is renowned for couples. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

Martha's Vineyard makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. It's filled with charming bed and breakfasts and plenty of New England charm. Couples will enjoy the quaint restaurants and mix of history, small town charm, and outdoor adventure.

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 Martha's Vineyard or Reno Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Martha's Vineyard and Reno both offer reasonable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Martha's Vineyard. Access to the island is limited to boat and air. There's a bus service that connects the towns.

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

Is Martha's Vineyard or Reno a more walkable city?

Martha's Vineyard is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Reno is lacking in options for its walkability.

Martha's Vineyard is a somewhat walkable island. Many of the towns have walkable downtown areas, but traveling between towns and into the countryside requires a vehicle.

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 Martha's Vineyard Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Martha's Vineyard?

How long in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Martha's Vineyard and Reno. In our opinion, Martha's Vineyard has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Martha's Vineyard than Reno. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Reno than Martha's Vineyard 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 Reno.

One day in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Martha's Vineyard is a small town where visitors enjoy the shopping and food. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

With shopping and museums around the destination of Reno, there's plenty to do. One day is often enough time to do most activities. It offers something for everyone.

A weekend in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Martha's Vineyard is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. 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.

With museums and nightlife around the energetic city of Reno, there's plenty to do. Your budget might influence how long you stay. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here.

Five days in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Martha's Vineyard is a small town, so you can explore the area with less time. This island offers something for everyone. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the energetic destination of Reno. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

A week in Martha's Vineyard or Reno?

Because Martha's Vineyard is a small town, it's easy to explore in a short amount of time. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. 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. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United States of America, The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Martha's Vineyard and Reno, we can see that Martha's Vineyard 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 Martha's Vineyard would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Martha's Vineyard 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 Martha's Vineyard Expensive? and Is Reno Expensive?.