A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Providence vs. Salt Lake City for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Providence or Salt Lake City?

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 Providence and Salt Lake City. 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.

Providence

Providence is a active, friendly, and fascinating city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City is a notable, religious, and architectural city. It's also popular because of the scuba diving and snorkeling, hiking, and shopping.

Providence and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Providence or Salt Lake City?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Salt Lake City. Although Providence and Salt Lake City are about the same size, Salt Lake City has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Salt Lake City is very popular for its museums, scuba diving & snorkeling, and hiking, while Providence attracts visitors for its food and nightlife. Salt Lake City is more touristy than Providence and is known for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population. It is also well known for Temple Square. Providence is famous for its outdoor parks, historic atmosphere, and college town vibe.

How is Providence different from Salt Lake City?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Providence or Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Providence is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Salt Lake City. Many of the fascinating sights around town are influenced by the city's Mormon culture. Temple Square is a highlight for most visitors. It spans 35 acres and is beautifully landscaped with several fountains. There are also four main churches - The Temple, the Tabernacle, the Temple Annex, and Assembly Hall. The city also has several museums such as the Natural History Museum and the historic Liberty Park.

Providence is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. There are several historical museums around town as well as art museums, zoos, a planetarium and natural history museum, and even a children's museum.

Is the Food Better in Providence or Salt Lake City? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Providence is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Salt Lake City is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Providence has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The food scene around town has grown and diversified in recent years. You'll find a mix of international and local options and for such a small city, it really has a lot to offer.

Salt Lake City offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. In recent years the food scene has really improved and you'll find a variety of restaurants that serve everything from upscale dishes to more casual fare.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Providence is very good for its evening party scene. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for nightlife.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Providence. Comedy clubs, bars, and clubs keep the energy high during the evening hours. It's not hard to find something to do, particularly on weekend nights.

Salt Lake City is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. Known for its large Mormon population, nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Salt Lake City. While it will likely never be a party city, there are a growing number of entertainment options around town.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Salt Lake City is a good destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Providence is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Grab a mask and fins and explore the underwater scenery in Salt Lake City. There are a number of good ski resorts nearby, making this a good base or starting point for a ski vacation.

Providence is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Salt Lake City is a good destination for hiking. However, Providence is not a hiking destination.

Salt Lake City offers some nice hiking trails. The city offers easy access to many diverse trails, so if you're a nature enthusiasts, you'll appreciate this destination.

Providence is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Providence or Salt Lake City?

If you're looking to go shopping, Providence and Salt Lake City both offer plenty of nice spots.

Providence has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Malls, shopping centers, and boutiques all offer a range of shopping experiences around town.

Salt Lake City is a great destination for shopping. The city has sprawling outlet malls as well as local stores and craft shops. City Creek Center is a favorite shopping destination, but there are also several large shopping malls that are worth visiting.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

Both Providence and Salt Lake City are nice family-friendly destinations.

Providence offers lots of family activities. There are opportunities for kids to interact with animals at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, as well as plenty of places for kids to run around like Rocky Point Park or Goddard Memorial State Park. There's also the Providence Children's Museum, go carting, and entertainment centers.

Salt Lake City is a family-friendly place to visit. There are museums that kids will enjoy like the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Leonardo Museum. There are also fun-filled activities like a visit to Lagoon Amusement Park. You can learn about history at This Is the Place Heritage Park or learn about the undersea world at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

Providence and Salt Lake City both nice destinations for a couple.

Providence is a good city for couples to visit. You can see a show at the Providence Performing Arts Center or visit some of the city's historic buildings and museums. There are also parks and coastal walks as well as many great restaurants.

Salt Lake City is a nice destination for couples. The city is filled with beautiful gardens like Red Butte Garden. There are also nice restaurants and romantic hotels that will make this a nice place for a couple's getaway.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Students?

Providence is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

Providence is very popular with students. There's a college town vibe to this small city because it's home to Brown University, which is a member of the Ivy League.

Salt Lake City is not popular with students.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Providence and Salt Lake City both offer nice public transit to get you around.

While Providence offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are RIPTA buses that travel around town.

Salt Lake City has a few public transit options. There's a surprisingly good public transit system that includes light rail, buses, and commuter trains, but if you want to get out of town you'll need to have a car.

Is Providence or Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Providence is a very popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for its walkability.

Providence is a very walkable destination. It's a walkable city and it's relatively easy to explore on foot.

Salt Lake City is generally not very walkable. While some neighborhoods are walkable, like Temple Square, most visitors prefer to have a car.

For even more information, also check out Is Providence Worth Visiting? and Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Salt Lake City or Providence?

How long in Providence or Salt Lake City?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Providence and Salt Lake City. In our opinion, Providence has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Providence than Salt Lake City. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Providence than Salt Lake City 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 Providence.

One day in Providence or Salt Lake City?

In Providence, you'll find museums and nightlife. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

With museums and food around the architectural city of Salt Lake City, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Providence or Salt Lake City?

Providence is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.

With food and scuba diving and snorkeling around the destination of Salt Lake City, there's plenty to do. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

Five days in Providence or Salt Lake City?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Providence. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Salt Lake City, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

A week in Providence or Salt Lake City?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the city of Providence. 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.

Salt Lake City is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America, and The Best Walking Tours in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Providence or Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City has a larger population, and is about 0% larger than the population of Providence. When comparing the sizes of Providence and Salt Lake City, 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.