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

Should you visit Minneapolis or Reno?

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

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

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.

Reno

Reno is a vibrant, energetic, and growing city. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

Minneapolis and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Minneapolis or Reno?

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

How is Minneapolis different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Reno 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 Reno?

Minneapolis 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.

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.

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 Minneapolis or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Foodies will find both Minneapolis and Reno both to be good destinations.

Minneapolis has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. 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.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Reno area. 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 Minneapolis or Reno Better for Nightlife?

The very good nightlife scene is relatively similar in Minneapolis and Reno.

Minneapolis has a large number of nightlife venues. 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.

Reno is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. 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.

Is the Shopping Better in Minneapolis or Reno?

Minneapolis is renowned for its shopping areas. Also, Reno 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.

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 Minneapolis or Reno Better for Families?

Minneapolis 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 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.

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 Minneapolis or Reno Better for Couples?

Minneapolis and Reno are both good to visit as a couple.

Minneapolis makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. 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.

Reno is a good city for couples to visit. 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 Minneapolis or Reno Better for Students?

Minneapolis is an excellent place to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Reno 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.

Reno is not popular with students.

Is Minneapolis or Reno 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, Reno 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 Reno. There's a public bus system with routes around town.

Is Minneapolis or Reno a more walkable city?

Minneapolis is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Reno 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.

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 Minneapolis Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Minneapolis?

How long in Minneapolis or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Minneapolis and Reno. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Minneapolis than in Reno. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Minneapolis, and 1-3 days is enough time in Reno.

Families should spend more time in Minneapolis than Reno. 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 Reno. 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 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 Minneapolis.

One day in Minneapolis or Reno?

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

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the vibrant city of Reno. 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 Reno?

Minneapolis is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the shopping. 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.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the growing destination of Reno. 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 Reno?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the dynamic destination of Minneapolis. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

The energetic city of Reno offers shopping and museums. 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 Reno?

The diverse city of Minneapolis offers nightlife 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.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Reno. 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 Reno, we can see that Minneapolis 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 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 Reno.

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

Which is Bigger, Minneapolis or Reno?

Minneapolis has a larger population, and is about 82% larger than the population of Reno. When comparing the sizes of Minneapolis 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.