A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Minneapolis vs. Boise for Attractions, Nightlife, Families, and Food

Should you visit Minneapolis or Boise?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Minneapolis or Boise, 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.

Minneapolis

Minneapolis is a diverse, dynamic, and innovative city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Boise

Boise is a welcoming, authentic, and friendly city. Visitors also love the shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Minneapolis and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Minneapolis or Boise?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Minneapolis than Boise, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Minneapolis is more touristy than Boise and is known for its professional sports teams, countless outdoor activities, and friendly people. It is also home to Mall of America. Boise is popular for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Minneapolis different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Minneapolis or Boise?

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

Minneapolis offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There's a wide variety of museums that include art, history, science, and local culture. Some of the favorite museums in the city are the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Walker Art Center, the American Swedish Institute, and the Weisman Art Museum.

Boise is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. As the state capital, there's a nice selection of local museums around town. Favorites include the Boise Art Museum, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, and Discovery Center.

Is the Food Better in Minneapolis or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Minneapolis is a popular place for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Minneapolis is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Dishes in the Midwest are known for being hearty comfort foods, and the food in Minneapolis is no exception. You'll find cheese-stuffed burgers that are known as Juicy Lucys, Tator Tot casseroles, and deep-fried cheese curds. For international food, there's a variety of Scandinavian options around town.

Boise offers some easy restaurants to choose from. While Idaho has long been associated with the potato, the locals usually think of "finger steaks" when describing local food. These are deep-friend beef strips that are as good as they sound.

Is Minneapolis or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Minneapolis is an excellent place to visit for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Minneapolis has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. There are diverse neighborhoods that each have their own personality. You'll find rooftop lounges in Uptown, international venues in Whittier, and trendy bars in the North Loop. But at the heart of the city's nightlife scene is Downtown Minneapolis.

Boise has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Is the Shopping Better in Minneapolis or Boise?

Minneapolis is a must-visit destination for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many people travel to Minneapolis specifically to go shopping. Known for the megamall, Mall of America, this is a shopper's paradise. Mall of America is the largest shopping mall in the country and it even has an aquarium and a theme park within it. In addition to this iconic shopping mall, Minneapolis also has many shopping districts including the Minnehaha Mile.

Boise is a great destination for shopping. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Minneapolis or Boise Better for Families?

Minneapolis is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Minneapolis. Mall of America is at the top of the list for most families, but there's also plenty of kid-friendly museums around town as well as nature centers, parks, and playgrounds. There's the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, the Minnesota Zoo, and Afton Apple Orchard. For museums, kids will love the Minnesota Children's Museum or the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Boise doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. You'll find parks, playgrounds, and the Discovery Center which will help keep kids entertained.

Is Minneapolis or Boise Better for Couples?

Minneapolis is a popular place for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Minneapolis is a good city for couples to visit. There are beautiful parks and outdoor spaces to explore as well as museums and fine dining. Couples will appreciate stopping by the Stone Arch Bridge or wandering through the Lyndale Park Rose Garden.

Boise is not the best destination for a couple to visit. Date night activities include dining at a nice restaurants and seeing a show at the theater.

Is Minneapolis or Boise Better for Students?

Minneapolis is an excellent place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Minneapolis is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. There are a number of colleges and universities in the area including the University of Minnesota. The city is known for its academic and intellectual focus, and students will enjoy being challenged educationally while enjoying a dynamic city.

Boise is not popular with students.

Is Minneapolis or Boise Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Minneapolis is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.

Minneapolis has some public transit options. There are buses, light rail, and commuter trains that stop at many of the major entertainment centers around town.

Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Minneapolis or Boise a more walkable city?

Minneapolis is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Minneapolis is a somewhat walkable city. There are neighborhoods that are dense enough to be walkable, but the city is still very car-focused.

Boise is generally not very walkable. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but, in general, the town isn't very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Minneapolis Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Minneapolis?

How long in Minneapolis or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Minneapolis or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Minneapolis than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Minneapolis, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Minneapolis than Boise 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 Minneapolis.

One day in Minneapolis or Boise?

In Minneapolis, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this innovative destination offers. Lots of people come for the shopping. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the authentic city of Boise. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Minneapolis or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Minneapolis. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the friendly destination of Boise. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Minneapolis or Boise?

Minneapolis is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Minneapolis. Lots of people come for the shopping. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

The welcoming city of Boise offers museums and nightlife. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Minneapolis or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the innovative destination of Minneapolis. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the shopping. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Many people enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting Boise. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

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 Minneapolis and Boise, we can see that Minneapolis is more expensive. And not only is Boise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boise 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 Minneapolis would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Minneapolis than you might in Boise.

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

Which is Bigger, Minneapolis or Boise?

Minneapolis has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Minneapolis and Boise, 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.