A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Raleigh vs. Santa Barbara for Couples, Attractions, Food, and Families

Should you visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

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

Should I visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Raleigh

Raleigh is a suburban-style, friendly, and southern city. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and food.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a pristine, affluent, and scenic coastal town. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. The famous beauty of this place is one of the main draws. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. Other popular activities here include beaches, hiking, and shopping.

Raleigh and Santa Barbara: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Santa Barbara than Raleigh. While Raleigh is larger than Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Santa Barbara is more touristy than Raleigh and is known for its historic missions, pristine beaches, world-class surfing, and scenic hikes that are full of coastal views. It is also well known for The Old Mission Santa Barbara. Raleigh is famous for its many museums and being the home to North Carolina State University.

How is Raleigh different from Santa Barbara?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Raleigh is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Santa Barbara offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The city is famous for its missions, with Mission Santa Barbara being the most iconic. Also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center.

Raleigh is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. As the state capital, there are a number of free museums in the area. There are also some kid-friendly options and other activities that are affiliated with the colleges and universities. Popular options include the NC Museum of Natural Sciences (free), the NC Museum of History (free), the NC Museum of Art (free), and Marbles Kids Museum.

Is the Food Better in Raleigh or Santa Barbara? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Barbara is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Raleigh is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Dining out in Santa Barbara is an experience not to be missed. The city is best known for its fine dining, particularly if you enjoy seafood. The scallops, oysters, clam chowder, and sea urchin (when available) are all world class. Head for a waterfront setting for the best views and some of the freshest seafood.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Raleigh. In addition to the standard chain restaurants, you'll find a number of local eateries with great southern dishes. Try some southern classics like barbecue, pimento cheese, and fried chicken and waffles. There are also good international options including Nepalese, Laotian, and Ethiopian flavors.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Nightlife?

Party-goers will find similar levels of energy in Raleigh and Santa Barbara.

Raleigh has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. Head to downtown Raleigh or the areas around NC State University for some of the best nightlife. Trivia nights and happy hours are popular and you'll find breweries popping up in many places.

If you're looking for night time activities Santa Barbara has a few options to choose from. For the best nightlife in the city, head downtown to State Street. This is where you'll find the most active bars and biggest crowds. There's a large student population in town, so you'll find much of the nightlife scene is focused on the younger population.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Resorts?

Santa Barbara is well known for its resorts. However, Raleigh is not a resort destination.

Santa Barbara is known as a popular and fun resort destination. Many people enjoy the luxurious vacation rentals around Santa Barbara, but there are also a number of high end resorts including the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, and Hotel Californian.

Raleigh is not a resort destination.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santa Barbara is a coastal town with a few options for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Raleigh is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Santa Barbara has a few snorkeling spots. Snorkeling areas not far from town include Refugio State Beach and Tajiguas. You'll see a few fish, beautiful rocks, and anemones that are unique and impressive.

Raleigh is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Beaches?

Santa Barbara is very popular for the beach. However, Raleigh is not a beach destination.

Travelers come from around the world to visit the beaches in Santa Barbara. The city is famous for its pristine, sandy beaches. Whether you want to enjoy world class surfing or enjoy a gentle ocean setting, Santa Barbara has many options.

Raleigh is not a beach destination.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for its Old Town?

Santa Barbara is a popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Raleigh does not have a historic old town.

Santa Barbara offers a nice historic old town area. The city's downtown "Old Town" is a high end, pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Raleigh does not have a historic old town.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Hiking?

Santa Barbara is very popular for its hiking experiences. However, Raleigh is not a hiking destination.

People visit Santa Barbara specifically for its hiking, as the natural beauty is well-known. Just outside of town are countless hiking opportunities that offer spectacular ocean views. Popular hikes include Inspiration Point, San Ysidro Trail, and Cold Spring East Fork.

Raleigh is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is very popular for its shopping areas. However, Raleigh is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Santa Barbara is a world class destination for shoppers. The city is famous as a high end shopping destination. Head to State Street for a palm tree lined street with local boutiques.

Raleigh is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Families?

Santa Barbara is well known for its family-friendly activities. Also, Raleigh is still popular, but not quite as popular for its kid-friendly activities.

Santa Barbara is known to be a very family-friendly place to visit. The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

Raleigh offers lots of family activities. For such a small city, Raleigh has a number of unique kid-friendly activities like the popular Pullen Park and Marbles Kids' Museum. Pullen Park has small rides and a playground that are perfect for young kids. There's also the NC Museum of Natural History which is free and fun to explore with kids.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Couples?

Santa Barbara is very popular for couples. However, Raleigh is not particularly known for romance.

Santa Barbara makes for a terrific place to visit as a couple. The town is a stunningly beautiful destination with beautiful beaches, excellent shopping, and nice resorts that make for a great honeymoon or romantic trip.

Raleigh is not the best destination for a couple to visit. While it's often overlooked by couples who want a weekend away, there are a number of museums and some nice restaurants to explore.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Students?

Raleigh and Santa Barbara are high quality places to visit for students.

Raleigh is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. The city has a diverse student population with many nearby universities and colleges.

Santa Barbara is very popular with students. With a major university right in town, there's plenty of student life that international students or locals can enjoy.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Barbara is a popular place for its public transit. However, Raleigh is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Santa Barbara, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. Transit options include buses, trolleys and water taxis.

Public transit is quite limited in Raleigh. The city's public transportation options are limited to a few bus lines that are mostly used by students.

Is Raleigh or Santa Barbara a more walkable city?

Santa Barbara is well known for its ease of walking around. However, Raleigh is not particularly known for its walkability.

Santa Barbara is a very walkable destination. The downtown area is very pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot.

Raleigh is generally not a very walkable city. The city is somewhat walkable in the downtown area, but everywhere else you'll need a car.

For even more information, also check out Is Raleigh Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Barbara Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Barbara or Raleigh?

How long in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Raleigh and Santa Barbara. In our opinion, Santa Barbara has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Santa Barbara than Raleigh. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Raleigh 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 Santa Barbara.

One day in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the suburban-style destination of Raleigh. Your budget might influence how long you stay. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

In Santa Barbara, you'll find nightlife and food. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This coastal town offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Raleigh. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

In Santa Barbara, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santa Barbara has to offer.

Five days in Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the suburban-style destination of Raleigh. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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.

Santa Barbara is a great place to explore. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. 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 Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the city of Raleigh. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Barbara. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Santa Barbara. It's also a relaxing resort destination. 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Raleigh has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Santa Barbara. When comparing the sizes of Raleigh and Santa Barbara, 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.

When is the best time to visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Raleigh and Santa Barbara. The summer months attract visitors to Raleigh because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Santa Barbara this time of year.

Raleigh is a little warmer than Santa Barbara in the summer. The daily temperature in Raleigh averages around 79°F (26°C) in July, and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 65°F (19°C).

Raleigh gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Raleigh usually receives more rain than Santa Barbara. Raleigh gets 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0 inches (1 mm) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Raleigh as well as Santa Barbara. The city's sights and attractions are the main draw to Raleigh this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Santa Barbara for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.

In the autumn, Raleigh is around the same temperature as Santa Barbara. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Raleigh in October average around 61°F (16°C), and Santa Barbara averages at about 62°F (17°C).

Raleigh usually gets more rain in October than Santa Barbara. Raleigh gets 2.8 inches (71 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 0.5 inches (13 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara in the Winter?

Both Santa Barbara and Raleigh are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Raleigh for the museums and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Santa Barbara in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Raleigh. In January, Raleigh is generally much colder than Santa Barbara. Daily temperatures in Raleigh average around 40°F (5°C), and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 52°F (11°C).

In January, Raleigh usually receives around the same amount of rain as Santa Barbara. Raleigh gets 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Raleigh or Santa Barbara in the Spring?

Both Santa Barbara and Raleigh during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Raleigh in the spring for the activities around the city. Also, most visitors come to Santa Barbara for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty during these months.

Raleigh is a little warmer than Santa Barbara in the spring. The daily temperature in Raleigh averages around 60°F (16°C) in April, and Santa Barbara fluctuates around 57°F (14°C).

Raleigh usually gets more rain in April than Santa Barbara. Raleigh gets 3.1 inches (78 mm) of rain, while Santa Barbara receives 1.1 inches (27 mm) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Santa Barbara and Raleigh