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

Should you visit Phoenix 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 Phoenix 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.

Phoenix

Phoenix is a laid back, sprawling, and desert city. It's also popular because of the hiking, shopping, and museums.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Phoenix and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Phoenix or Boise?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Phoenix than Boise. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Phoenix is famous for its desert landscapes, high number of golf courses, and year round warm weather. It is also well known for Desert Botanical Garden. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Phoenix different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

You'll find a number of nice museums and attractions in both Boise and Phoenix.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Phoenix. You'll find art, science, and cultural museums around town. Favorites include the Heard Museum, the Phoenix Art Museum, S'edav Va'aki Museum, and the Arizona Science 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 Phoenix or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Phoenix is becoming an appealing option for foodies. There are many mom-and-pop shops around town that serve everything from casual meals to quality steaks. There's also a huge selection of Mexican restaurants, as well as other international options such as sushi, dim sum, and Italian.

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 Phoenix or Boise Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find nice options in both Phoenix and Boise.

If you're looking for night time activities Phoenix has a few options to choose from. The best nightlife scene is found in downtown and central Phoenix. There are bars, restaurants, and venues where you can catch a show. North Phoenix also has grown into a popular evening spot with cocktail bars and pubs.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Boise. 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 Phoenix or Boise Better for Hiking?

Phoenix is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Boise is not a hiking destination.

Phoenix is a good destination for hiking. You don't have to head far out of town for impressive hiking opportunities. You'll find trails that range from easy to challenging, and many pass through other-worldly landscapes. You'll find popular trails in Usery Mountain Regional Park, Papago Park, White Tank Mountain Regional Park, South Mountain Park and many others.

Boise is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Phoenix or Boise?

If you're looking to go shopping, Phoenix and Boise both offer plenty of nice spots.

Phoenix has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. There are plenty of shopping centers, outlets, and malls where you'll find the standard chain stores. You'll also find farmer's markets around town.

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 Phoenix or Boise Better for Families?

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

Phoenix is a family-friendly city. Kids will love the Phoenix Zoo, the Arizona Science Center, the SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium, and the Bearizona Wildlife Park. There's also a number of parks and gardens as well as a children's museum and several other interactive museums for 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 Phoenix or Boise Better for Couples?

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

Phoenix is a good city for couples to visit. There are many parks and gardens in town as well as beautiful hikes and outdoor activities that couples will enjoy. In the evening, there's theater, shows, and many romantic restaurants.

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

Phoenix and Boise both offer reasonable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Phoenix. There's a bus and light rail system, but you really need your own vehicle to get around.

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 Phoenix or Boise a more walkable city?

Phoenix and Boise are reasonable when it comes to walkability.

Phoenix is generally not a very walkable city. It's a sprawling city and the only real area that's walkable is the downtown.

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 Phoenix Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Phoenix?

How long in Phoenix or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Phoenix or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Phoenix 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 Phoenix, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

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

One day in Phoenix or Boise?

In Phoenix, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this desert 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.

In Boise, you'll find museums and nightlife. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

A weekend in Phoenix or Boise?

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

In Boise, you'll find nightlife and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Boise has to offer.

Five days in Phoenix or Boise?

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

Boise is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Phoenix or Boise?

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

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Boise. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Boise. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco, The Best 2-Week Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to United States of America.

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

Which is Bigger, Phoenix or Boise?

Phoenix has a larger population, and is about 9 times larger than the population of Boise. When comparing the sizes of Phoenix 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.