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

Should you visit Sacramento or Reno?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sacramento or Reno, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Sacramento

Sacramento is a undiscovered, laid back, and relaxed city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Reno

Reno is a vibrant, energetic, and growing city. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums.

Sacramento and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Sacramento or Reno?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Reno than Sacramento. While Sacramento is larger than Reno, Reno has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Reno is more popular for its nightlife, while Sacramento is known for its museums. Reno is more touristy than Sacramento and is known for its casinos and nightlife scene. It is also home to the National Automobile Museum. Sacramento is popular for its history and state capital.

How is Sacramento different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Sacramento or Reno?

Sacramento 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.

Sacramento offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. As the state capital, you'll find a number of historical and informational museums around town. You should check out the State Capital, as well as the California State Railroad Museum, the Crocker Museum of Art, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park, and the California Automobile Museum.

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 Sacramento or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both Sacramento and Reno offer good local cuisine and restaurants.

Sacramento has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. Casual restaurants with laid back atmospheres are what's most common around town. You'll also find a variety of international cuisines that include Korean and Vietnamese.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Reno area. The food scene has been growing in recent years and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants that serve hearty and filling comfort foods.

Is Sacramento or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is a very popular place for nightlife and partying. Also, Sacramento is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

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.

Sacramento has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There highest concentration of activities are found in Downtown Sacramento. You'll find bars, clubs and live music in the area. You can also head to midtown, which has performing arts and comedy shows.

Is the Shopping Better in Sacramento or Reno?

Shoppers can find a variety of good stores in both Sacramento and Reno.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Sacramento. You'll find down-to-earth vendors who have reasonable prices and a great selection. Some of the most interesting shopping is found at the Old Sacramento Waterfront or along Folsom Boulevard.

Many visitors go to Reno to go shopping. 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.

Is Sacramento or Reno Better for Families?

Sacramento and Reno are both good destinations for the whole family.

Sacramento is a family-friendly city. With the large number of families that live in the area, you'll a variety of kid-friendly activities. Options include smaller amusement parks like Funderland Amusement Park, museums like the Sacramento Children's Museum, and indoor trampoline parks. There's also Fairytale Town, which is an imagination filled playground.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Reno. 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.

Is Sacramento or Reno Better for Couples?

Reno is a nice place to visit for its romantic activities. However, Sacramento is lacking in good options for couples.

Reno makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. 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.

Sacramento is not always the best place to visit for a couple. Picnics, nice restaurants, and shows make for enjoyable date activities while you're in town.

Is Sacramento or Reno Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find decent public transit in both Sacramento and Reno.

Public transit is mostly limited in Sacramento. There's both light rail and buses around town.

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

Is Sacramento or Reno a more walkable city?

Sacramento and Reno are decent when it comes to walkability.

Sacramento is generally not a very walkable city. You'll really want a car to get around town, but Midtown is one of the more walkable areas.

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

For even more information, also check out Is Sacramento Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Sacramento?

How long in Sacramento or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Sacramento and Reno. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Reno than in Sacramento. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Sacramento, and 1-3 days is enough time in Reno.

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

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

One day in Sacramento or Reno?

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Sacramento. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

With museums and nightlife around the growing city of Reno, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Reno, one day is sufficent for most.

A weekend in Sacramento or Reno?

Sacramento 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.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Reno, 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 Sacramento or Reno?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the relaxed destination of Sacramento. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Reno, 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 Sacramento or Reno?

The undiscovered city of Sacramento offers nightlife and food. 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.

Reno 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 Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America, The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America, and The Best Photography Tours in United States of America.

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

Which is Bigger, Sacramento or Reno?

Sacramento has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Reno. When comparing the sizes of Sacramento and Reno, 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.