Which place is cheaper, Zion National Park or Sacramento?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Sacramento or Zion National Park, 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 is a laid back, relaxed, and undiscovered city. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.
Zion National Park is a breathtaking, stunning, and world-renowned park. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Visitors also love the hiking.
Travelers will usually find more to do in Zion National Park. Although Sacramento and Zion National Park are popular destinations, Zion National Park has more sights and attractions for tourists. Zion National Park is very popular for its resorts, hiking, and impressive beauty, while Sacramento attracts visitors for its museums, food, nightlife, and shopping. Zion National Park is more touristy than Sacramento and is popular for its iconic hiking trails, dramatic canyon, and world-class rock climbing. It is also well known for Angels Landing. Sacramento is famous for its history and state capital.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Zion National Park and Sacramento. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Sacramento is well known for its museums and landmarks. However, Zion National Park is not particularly known for its historical sights.
With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Sacramento can be an interesting and educational experience. 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.
While most people don't head to Zion National Park specifically for the museums and attractions, it does offer a few options. The best museum in the area is the Zion Human History Museum.
Sacramento is a nice place to visit for its restaurant scene. However, Zion National Park is not particularly known for its local flavors and cuisine.
Sacramento offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. 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.
You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Zion National Park. Within the park there are a couple of restaurants, but it's far better to bring your own food that you can enjoy as a picnic or meal by a campfire.
Sacramento is a nice place to visit for nightlife. However, Zion National Park is not particularly known for nightlife and partying.
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.
The nightlife scene is quiet in Zion National Park Stargazing and relaxing by a campfire is how most visitors enjoy the evening hours.
Zion National Park is a decent place to visit for its luxury resorts. However, Sacramento is not a resort destination.
Not known for its high-end resorts, Zion National Park offers a few options. There's a lodge within the park and many hotel options outside of the park.
Sacramento is not a resort destination.
Zion National Park is very popular for its hiking trails. However, Sacramento is not a hiking destination.
Known for its hiking, Zion National Park draws a crowd to experience the nature and the trails. This park is known for its iconic hikes, which include Angels Landing, the Narrows, and the Emerald Pools Trail. There are hikes that range from easy to incredibly difficult, and many visits see this destination as a bucket list hiking opportunity.
Sacramento is not a hiking destination.
Sacramento is a nice place to visit for shopping. However, Zion National Park is not particularly known for its shopping opportunities.
Sacramento is a great destination for shopping. 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.
Shopping in Zion National Park can be found for those interested. There are park stores, but few other shopping opportunities in the area.
Zion National Park is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Sacramento is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.
Because of its large number of kid-friendly activities, Zion National Park is very family-friendly. One of the most kid-friendly hikes is the Watchman Trail, which starts conveniently near the Visitor Center. Other favorites include the Lower Emerald Pool Trail, the Pa'rus Trail, and the Riverside Walk.
You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Sacramento. 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.
Zion National Park is a very popular place for its romantic activities. However, Sacramento is lacking in good options for couples.
Zion National Park makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are world-class hiking trails, spectacular views, and many opportunities for a romantic moment in this well-known park. While the crowds can be intense, particularly during peak seasons, the park is large enough that you should be able to find a moment of solitude.
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.
Zion National Park is very popular for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Sacramento is lacking in good options for backpackers.
With so many budget-friendly offerings, Zion National Park is extremely popular for backpackers. This is a world-famous rock climbing, hiking, and backpacking destination. There are many opportunities for backcountry camping, but you are required to purchase a permit.
Sacramento is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. Although most backpackers skip this town for more popular destinations, there are a couple of hostels in town.
Zion National Park is a nice place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Sacramento is lacking in good options for its public transit.
Zion National Park has some public transit options. There are free shuttles that travel around the park. They operate during the most popular seasons but the service isn't available during most of the winter months.
Public transit is generally limited in Sacramento. There's both light rail and buses around town.
Sacramento is a city with a few options for its walkability. However, Zion National Park is not particularly known for its high level of walkability.
Sacramento is generally not very walkable. You'll really want a car to get around town, but Midtown is one of the more walkable areas.
Zion National Park is not a very walkable city. The park is large, and most trailheads are spread out and require a vehicle to access.
For even more information, also check out Is Sacramento Worth Visiting? and Is Zion National Park Worth Visiting?.
Both Sacramento and Zion National Park have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Zion National Park than in Sacramento. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Sacramento, and 3-7 days is enough time in Zion National Park.
Families should spend more time in Zion National Park than Sacramento. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Zion National Park, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in Zion National Park than Sacramento. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Zion National Park that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Zion National Park than Sacramento 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 Zion National Park.
Visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the relaxed destination of Sacramento. 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.
With around the stunning park of Zion National Park, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
Sacramento is a popular place to visit. Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the relaxed city of Sacramento. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Sacramento has to offer.
With around the destination of Zion National Park, there's plenty to do. Many travelers plan to spend time hiking while in the area. It offers something for everyone. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything.
Many people enjoy the food and shopping when visiting Sacramento. Anyone can find something fun to do here. 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.
Zion National Park, a popular park, is full of activities for travelers. This is a popular place to visit for five days. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. In five days, you should have a good grasp of this park. Your budget might influence how long you stay.
Sacramento is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. It offers something for everyone. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.
Zion National Park is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have one week, this park makes for a great vacation. One of the main draws to the area is the hiking. One week should give you a good understanding of everything this park has to offer. 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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Sacramento is $281, while the average daily cost in Zion National Park is $119. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Sacramento and Zion National Park in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Sacramento or Zion National Park? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Also for Sacramento, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Zion National Park and Sacramento change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
For Sacramento, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Sacramento, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few actual costs in Zion National Park for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
Also in Sacramento, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Sacramento and Zion National Park, we can see that Sacramento is more expensive. And not only is Zion National Park much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Zion National Park would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Zion National Park 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 Zion National Park.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Sacramento Expensive? and Is Zion National Park Expensive?.