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

Should you visit Pasadena or Boise?

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 Pasadena and Boise. 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.

Pasadena

Pasadena is a quaint, charming, and picturesque city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Pasadena and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Pasadena or Boise?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Pasadena. Although Pasadena and Boise are popular destinations, Pasadena has more sights and attractions for tourists. Pasadena is famous for being the home of the Tournament of Roses and the Rose Bowl. It is also well known for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Pasadena different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Pasadena 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.

Pasadena offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There's a good number of museums around town that include kids' museums, art museums, and local museums. Popular museums include the USC Pacific Asia Museum, the Norton Simon Museum, and the Pasadena Museum of History. Many people also enjoy touring the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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 Pasadena or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Pasadena is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Pasadena has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Local restaurants feature southern California cuisine as well as international flavors. Dishes often use local ingredients that are fresh and seasonal. Restaurants range from casual to fine dining and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.

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 Pasadena or Boise Better for Nightlife?

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

Pasadena has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. Much of the nightlife scene is concentrated around Old Pasadena. You'll find clubs, bars, and lounges that begin the evening with Happy Hours and then become more party-focused as the evening progresses.

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 Pasadena or Boise?

Pasadena is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Pasadena. Old Pasadena is where you'll find some of the best shopping. It's filled with a charming atmosphere and interesting boutiques.

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 Pasadena or Boise Better for Families?

Pasadena is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

Pasadena is a family-friendly city. There are a number of kid-friendly museums around town including Kidspace Children's Museum. There are also nature centers, playgrounds, and plenty of family-friendly restaurants.

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 Pasadena or Boise Better for Couples?

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

Pasadena is a good city for couples to visit. It's a charming town with a bit of a European vibe and plenty of outdoor activities. Fine dining and interesting shopping make this a nice weekend destination.

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

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

Pasadena has some public transit options. Buses and light rail offer local transit and connect the city to nearby Los Angeles.

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 Pasadena or Boise a more walkable city?

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

Pasadena is a somewhat walkable city. Most people head to Old Pasadena, which is the most concentrated and walkable part of the city.

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 Pasadena Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Pasadena?

How long in Pasadena or Boise?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Pasadena 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 Pasadena.

One day in Pasadena or Boise?

In Pasadena, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this quaint destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

The city of Boise offers nightlife and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Pasadena or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Pasadena. 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.

Boise is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Boise, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Pasadena or Boise?

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

Boise is a popular choice for travelers. Five days 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Pasadena or Boise?

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

Boise is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America, and The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Pasadena or Boise?

Boise has a larger population, and is about 1% larger than the population of Pasadena. When comparing the sizes of Pasadena 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.