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

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Should you visit New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

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 Virginia Beach 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 festive, vibrant, and energetic city. This destination also has one of those special and quaint feelings. Visitors also love the live music, food, and nightlife.

Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach is a relaxing, bustling, and fun-filled coastal city. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include nightlife and beaches.

How is New Orleans different from Virginia Beach?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach better for Food?

For a nice culinary experience, head to New Orleans, which is well known for it's local dishes.

Many restaurants in New Orleans have been singled out for their culinary prowess. It's the birthplace of bananas foster and popular for it's gumbo, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya, and red beans and rice.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Virginia Beach. Seafood is plentiful around town. Make sure you try the She Crab Soup, soft shell crabs, and oysters.


Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach better for Nightlife?

The nightlife vibe is much better in New Orleans than Virginia Beach.

People head to New Orleans just to party. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Virginia Beach has a few options to choose from. Popular places to hang out at night include Omega Bar, Peabody's Nightclub, and Sky Bar.

Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach better for Families?

Virginia Beach is considered to a better choice for families.

Virginia Beach is a very family-friendly destination. This is a popular family-friendly beach with a nice boardwalk, a fun waterpark, aquarium, and nice beaches.

For families, New Orleans is not always the best place to visit. 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.

Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach better for Couples?

Both New Orleans and Virginia Beach are good destinations for a couple's getaway.

New Orleans is a nice destination for couples. Couples who enjoy a lively evening, fun festivals, and exploring absolutely amazing restaurants will enjoy a visit to New Orleans.

Virginia Beach makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples will enjoy a nice escape to the beaches and boardwalk around Virginia Beach.

Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach better for Public Transit?

Visitors will find public transit in both New Orleans and Virginia Beach.

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 quite limited in Virginia Beach.


Is New Orleans or Virginia Beach a more walkable city?

New Orleans and Virginia Beach are similar when it comes to walkability.

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

Virginia Beach is generally not a very walkable city. Most people prefer to have a car but do note that parking can be a nightmare, particularly during the summer season.

New Orleans and Virginia Beach: Pros and Cons

New Orleans
Pros
  • Popular for food and cuisine
  • Good nightlife
  • Good for couples and romance
Cons
  • Less family-friendly
Virginia Beach
Pros
  • Family-friendly
  • Good for couples and romance
Cons
  • Less popular for food
  • Less popular for nightlife


Should I spend more time in Virginia Beach or New Orleans?

How long in New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

Both New Orleans and Virginia Beach have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Virginia Beach than New Orleans.

The ideal length of time for a trip to New Orleans is 2-3 days, and the ideal length of time for a trip to Virginia Beach is 5-7 days.


  • How many days in New Orleans or Virginia Beach? Ideal Length of Stay
    New Orleans 2-3 
    Virginia Beach 5-7

One day in New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

In New Orleans, you'll find nightlife and live music. Visiting the old town is also a must. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife when visiting the bustling coastal city of Virginia Beach. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire area has lots to do.

A weekend in New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

New Orleans is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife when visiting the relaxing destination of Virginia Beach. This coastal city offers something for everyone. Since there is so much to do in the area, a weekend is probably not enough for all of it.

Five days in New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in New Orleans. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife when visiting the bustling coastal city of Virginia Beach. Many people spend five days here.If you enjoy all that's offered here, then five days is just the right amount of time to spend here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.


A week in New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and live music when visiting the city of New Orleans. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Your budget might influence how long you stay. 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.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife when visiting the destination of Virginia Beach. Anyone can find something fun to do here. This is a popular place to visit for one week. In one week, you should have a good grasp of this coastal city.

Which city is cheaper, Virginia Beach or New Orleans?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in New Orleans is $191, while the average daily cost in Virginia Beach is $104. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for New Orleans and Virginia Beach in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    New Orleans $100
    Virginia Beach $60
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    New Orleans $200
    Virginia Beach $120

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    New Orleans $41
    Virginia Beach $31
Typical Local Transportation prices in New Orleans

Some typical examples of transportation costs in New Orleans are as follows:


  • Taxi Ride
    $10

Hired Cars and Shuttles in New Orleans

Also for New Orleans, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfer: New Orleans Airport (MSY) to New Orleans: $622
  • LimoBus New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $400
  • 28 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $267
  • New Orleans Round Trip Airport Transfer: $256
  • Private Roundtrip Transfer: MSY to Hotel or Cruise Port by Executive Sprinter: $250
  • 25 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $237
  • 20 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $227
  • Private Transfer from Port Of New of New Orleans Cruise: $210
  • 14 Passenger New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $203
  • 11 Passenger Executive Van: New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $197
  • Handicap New Orleans Airport or Hotel Transfer: $139
  • One-Way Private New Orleans Arrival or Departure Transfer: $135

Typical Local Transportation prices in Virginia Beach

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Virginia Beach:


  • Beach Parking
    $10

Is it cheaper to fly into New Orleans or Virginia Beach?

Prices for flights to both Virginia Beach and New Orleans change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    New Orleans $36
    Virginia Beach $25

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in New Orleans

For New Orleans, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • New Orleans Cooking Class: $34
  • New Orleans Lunch & Lesson: Cajun & Creole Cooking Class: $35
  • French Quarter Food Tour: $42
  • New Orleans Food Tour: $44
  • Steamboat Natchez Evening Jazz Cruise with Dinner Option: $50
  • Paddlewheeler Creole Queen Jazz Cruise with Optional Dinner: $52
  • Dinner at Tujague's Restaurant in New Orleans: $68
  • New Orleans French Quarter Food Tour: $69
  • French Quarter Food Tour: $75
  • New Orleans' Lower Garden Food Tour: $75
  • French Quarter Food Tour: $75
  • Lower Garden District Food Tour: $75

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    New Orleans $44
    Virginia Beach $17
Typical Entertainment prices in New Orleans

Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for New Orleans's activities, tours, and tickets:


  • Zoo & Aquarium Tickets (2)
    $75
  • Riverboat Cruise
    $70
  • French Quarter City Tour
    $100

Tours and Activities in New Orleans

For New Orleans, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Nights in French Quarter Hotel, City Tour and Attraction Pass: $565
  • 2-Hour French Quarter and Cemetery Tour: $20
  • 5 in 1 New Orleans Cemetery Tour: $20
  • 8-in-1 Combo Haunted Walking Tour in New Orleans: $27
  • A Locals' Drink Dat! Cocktail Tour: $120
  • A Locals' French Quarter Tour: $120
  • A Taste of Jazz, Bars & Drinks Private Tour: $108
  • A Walk in the Park: City Park New Orleans Audio Tour: $5.34
  • Adults Only - Ghost, True Crime, Voodoo, & Vampire Tour: $17
  • Adults Only Ghost, Voodoo, and Vampire Walking Tour: $27
  • American Adventure: Uptown Bike Tour in New Orleans: $50
  • Antique car chauffeured tour of New Orleans and/or transportation service: $60

Tours and Activities in Virginia Beach

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Virginia Beach.

  • All-Inclusive, Autumn Weekend Tour for GROUPS of 10-16: $5,901
  • RIDE ALONG GREEK GODS & AQUATISM *Certified Tours*: $75
  • Small Group Dolphin Kayak Eco-Tour: $62
  • Sunset Dolphin Kayak Tours: $62
  • Sunset Stand Up Paddleboard Tour of Linkhorn Bay: $41
  • Tour of Virginia Beach (half day), for GROUPS of 10-16: $499
  • Tour of Virginia Beach, for GROUPS of 10-16: $831
  • Haunted Walking Ghost Tour: $22
  • Wetland Zip Tour: $61

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    New Orleans $48
    Virginia Beach $8.51

Sample the Local Flavors in New Orleans

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in New Orleans:

  • New Orleans Bar Hunt: New Orleans Ballin' Bar Crawl: $12
  • Big Easy Ghost and Vampire Pub Crawl: $20
  • Haunted Pub Crawl in New Orleans: $22
  • New Orleans Haunted Pub Crawl: $25
  • Haunted New Orleans Ghost and Pub Walking Tour: $27
  • NOLA Distillery Tour: $28
  • Pub Crawl & Historical Chronicles Walking Tour: $30
  • Haunted Pub Tour: $35
  • Frenchmen Street Live Music Pub Crawl: $48
  • Frenchmen Street VIP Live Music Pub Crawl: $49

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between New Orleans and Virginia Beach, we can see that New Orleans is more expensive. And not only is Virginia Beach much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Virginia Beach would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach.

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New Orleans vs. Virginia Beach Travel Comparison

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