A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America New Orleans vs. Boise for Food, Nightlife, Couples, and Families

Should you visit New Orleans or Boise?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between New Orleans and Boise can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

New Orleans

New Orleans is a energetic, fun-filled, and festive city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. It's also popular because of the food, nightlife, and live music.

Boise

Boise is a friendly, welcoming, and authentic city. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, shopping, and museums.

New Orleans and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in New Orleans or Boise?

You'll generally find more things to do in New Orleans than Boise. New Orleans is bigger than Boise, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. New Orleans is better known for its food, nightlife, music, historical sights, big city activities, and quaint atmosphere, while Boise is more popular for its museums and shopping. New Orleans is more touristy than Boise and is known for its jazz festivals, local cuisine, quaint balconies, and world class Mardi Gras parties. Also, New Orleans is famous for The French Quarter. Boise is well known for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

The French Quarter

How is New Orleans different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in New Orleans or Boise?

Boise is a city with good options for its museums and history. However, New Orleans does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

New Orleans does not have museums and landmarks.

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

New Orleans is a must-visit destination for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

For foodies, New Orleans is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. It has rapidly grown into one of the United State's most well known foodie destinations. It's the birthplace of bananas foster and popular for it's gumbo, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, and red beans and rice. While there are a number of celebrity chefs from New Orleans, you'll also find many local restaurants that aren't as well known but are equally worth visiting.

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 New Orleans or Boise Better for Nightlife?

New Orleans is a must-visit destination for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

New Orleans is a world class party destination. The nightlife scene is at its best during Mardi Gras. But year-round you'll find Bachelor and Bachelorette parties, spring breakers, and anyone who wants to enjoy a crazy time heads to New Orleans. New Orleans is a destination that attracts partiers any time of the year, and the French Quarter is the place to be if you're looking for a party.

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 New Orleans or Boise Better for Music?

New Orleans is a must-visit destination for its music scene. However, Boise is not a live music destination.

New Orleans has become a mecca for musicians from around the world. The city is known for its music festivals that feature jazz, blues, and many other types of live music. The Jazz Festival is a great time to visit.

Boise is not a live music destination.

Is New Orleans or Boise Better for its Old Town?

New Orleans is an excellent place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Boise does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting New Orleans. The French Quarter is filled with old architecture and beautiful historic landmarks.

Boise does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in New Orleans or Boise?

Boise is a city with good options for shopping. However, New Orleans is lacking in options for its shopping opportunities.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Boise. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

If you're looking to go shopping, New Orleans has some nice offerings. New Orleans shopping is mostly centered around shopping malls and chain stores.

Is New Orleans or Boise Better for Families?

Neither New Orleans nor Boise are considered to be the most family-friendly destination.

New Orleans is not always a place people visit with their families. While there are some family-friendly activities in New Orleans like a zoo and several great parks, the city is more known for its parties and nightlife scene. Particularly during certain seasons, most people choose to visit New Orleans without kids.

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 New Orleans or Boise Better for Couples?

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

New Orleans is a good city for couples to visit. Couples who enjoy a lively evening, fun festivals, and exploring absolutely amazing restaurants will enjoy a visit to New Orleans. It has a festive and unique atmosphere any time of the year. There are also nice hotels and beautiful parks.

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 New Orleans or Boise Better for Students?

New Orleans is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit New Orleans. Students head to New Orleans to enjoy spring break and Mardi Gras.

Boise is not popular with students.

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

Visitors will find respectable public transit in both New Orleans and Boise.

Public transit is mostly limited in New Orleans. The city has streetcar lines and bus lines that you can use, but you'll want to have a car if you want to venture outside of these main areas.

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 New Orleans or Boise a more walkable city?

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

New Orleans is a somewhat walkable city. If you stick to the French Quarter and downtown areas, most things are walkable in New Orleans.

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 New Orleans Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or New Orleans?

How long in New Orleans or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in New Orleans or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in New Orleans than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for New Orleans, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in New Orleans 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 New Orleans.

One day in New Orleans or Boise?

In New Orleans, many people enjoy the nightlife and live music that this fun-filled destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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 welcoming 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 New Orleans or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in New Orleans. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. 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 authentic 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 New Orleans or Boise?

New Orleans is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the food and nightlife when visiting the destination of New Orleans. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

The friendly 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 New Orleans or Boise?

You'll find nightlife and live music around the festive destination of New Orleans. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. 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 Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.

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

Which is Bigger, New Orleans or Boise?

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