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

Should you visit Reno or Salt Lake City?

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

Should I visit Reno or Salt Lake City? 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.

Reno

Reno is a energetic, growing, and vibrant 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 hiking, shopping, and museums.

Reno and Salt Lake City: Pros and Cons

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

Travelers will usually find more to do in Salt Lake City. Although Reno and Salt Lake City are popular destinations, Salt Lake City has more sights and attractions for tourists. Salt Lake City is very popular for its museums, scuba diving & snorkeling, and hiking, while Reno attracts visitors for its nightlife. Salt Lake City is more touristy than Reno and is known for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population. It is also well known for Temple Square. Reno is famous for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Reno 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 Reno. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

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

Salt Lake City is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Salt Lake City offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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.

Reno is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Museums in town range from art and history to local or quirky. The National Automobile Museum, the Nevada Museum of Art, Fleischmann Planetarium, and the Anthropology Museum are some of the favorites.

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

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at nice restaurants in both Reno and Salt Lake City.

Reno is becoming an appealing option for foodies. The food scene has been growing in recent years and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants that serve hearty and filling comfort foods.

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 Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Nightlife?

Reno is a very popular place for its evening party scene. However, Salt Lake City is lacking in good options for nightlife.

Reno has a large number of nightlife venues. There's a big nightlife scene with a huge number of bars and entertainment options. There are also a growing number of breweries in town.

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 Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Reno is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Salt Lake City has a few good snorkeling spots. There are a number of good ski resorts nearby, making this a good base or starting point for a ski vacation.

Reno is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Hiking?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Reno is not a hiking destination.

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

Reno is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Reno or Salt Lake City?

Shoppers can find a variety of nice stores in both Reno and Salt Lake City.

Reno has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. In addition to your standard suburban shopping malls and strip malls, there's the Midtown District, which has local retail shops and an eclectic and alternative vibe. The area has thrift shops, music vendors, and more.

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 Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Reno or Salt Lake City.

Reno is a family-friendly city. You'll find some arcades and entertainment options for kids in some of the casinos. There's also the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, which has kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits, and the largest zoo in Nevado, the Sierra Nevada Zoological Park.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Salt Lake City. 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 Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Reno and Salt Lake City make for a nice place to visit.

Reno is a good city for couples to visit. There are outdoor parks and scenic walks like the Truckee River Walk or the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. There's also several great museums and some interesting 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 Reno or Salt Lake City Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Salt Lake City is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Reno is lacking in options for its public transit.

Salt Lake City has some 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.

Public transit is generally limited in Reno. There's a public bus system with routes around town.

Is Reno or Salt Lake City a more walkable city?

Reno and Salt Lake City are reasonable when it comes to walkability.

Reno is generally not a very walkable city. While there are some reasonably walkable neighborhoods, you really need a car to get around town.

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 Reno Worth Visiting? and Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting?.

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

How long in Reno or Salt Lake City?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Reno and Salt Lake City. In our opinion, Salt Lake City has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Salt Lake City than Reno. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Reno, and 2-3 days is enough time in Salt Lake City.

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

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

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

One day in Reno or Salt Lake City?

In Reno, you'll find museums and nightlife. So, one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Visitors enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping when visiting the destination of Salt Lake City. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Reno or Salt Lake City?

Reno 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.

Salt Lake City is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Reno or Salt Lake City?

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

You'll find museums and food around the notable destination of Salt Lake City. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Reno or Salt Lake City?

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

The architectural city of Salt Lake City offers food and scuba diving and snorkeling. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. 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.

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

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

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

Which is Bigger, Reno or Salt Lake City?

Reno has a larger population, and is about 14% larger than the population of Salt Lake City. When comparing the sizes of Reno 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.