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

Should you visit Saint Louis or Reno?

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 Saint Louis and Reno. 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.

Saint Louis

Saint Louis is a fascinating, under rated, and unexpected city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Reno

Reno is a growing, vibrant, and energetic city. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Saint Louis and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Saint Louis or Reno?

You'll generally find more things to do in Saint Louis than Reno. Saint Louis is bigger than Reno, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Saint Louis is better known for its museums and shopping, while Reno is more popular for its nightlife. Saint Louis is well known for its blues and live music scene, its authentic personality, and its position as the Gateway to the West. Also, Saint Louis is famous for the Gateway Arch. Reno is well known for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Saint Louis different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Saint Louis or Reno?

Saint Louis is renowned for its museums and history. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Saint Louis has many famous sights for visitors. There are a surprising number of museums around town. For art museums you should visit the Contemporary Art Museum, the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, the Saint Louis Art Museum, and the International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum. For history, the Griot Museum of Black History, the Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum, and the Lewis & Clark Museum and Boathouse are all interesting. There are also science, educational, and children's museums. And of course, there's the iconic Gateway Arch.

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 Saint Louis or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Saint Louis and Reno can be difficult as they are each notable in their own way.

Saint Louis offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. There are some local dishes that originated here. Toasted ravioli had its start in St. Louis. There's also a St. Louis style pizza. Diners, cafes, and sandwiches are all part of the food scene and be prepared for cheese, meaty, and satisfying.

Reno has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. 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 Saint Louis or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is well known for nightlife. Also, Saint Louis is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife and partying.

Reno is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Saint Louis has a few options to choose from. Visitors often hang out in the downtown area, particularly around Washington Avenue, for the nightlife scene. Live music is popular, especially the blues, and there are many local venues worth checking out.

Is the Shopping Better in Saint Louis or Reno?

Saint Louis is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Saint Louis. There are vintage stores, boutiques, and suburban strip malls around town. There are also farmer's markets and art galleries.

Reno is a great destination for 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 Saint Louis or Reno Better for Families?

Saint Louis is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Saint Louis. There's a surprising number of activities for kids around town. There's the St. Louis Zoo and the City Museum with many hands-on exhibits for kids. There's also the Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary and several farms with animals and nature. Forest Park is an impressive urban park as well.

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 Saint Louis or Reno Better for Couples?

Saint Louis and Reno both notable destinations for a couple.

Saint Louis is a nice destination for couples. Fine dining restaurants and eclectic activities make this city an often overlooked couples destination.

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.

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

Saint Louis is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Reno is lacking in options for its public transit.

The public transit in Saint Louis can get you to most places easily. There's a light rail system as well as buses that travel around town.

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

Is Saint Louis or Reno a more walkable city?

Saint Louis is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Reno is lacking in options for its walkability.

Saint Louis is a somewhat walkable city. Parts of the city are walkable, like the downtown area and the sections around the Gateway Arch.

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 Saint Louis Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Saint Louis?

How long in Saint Louis or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Saint Louis and Reno. In our opinion, Saint Louis has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Saint Louis than Reno. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Saint Louis 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 Saint Louis.

One day in Saint Louis or Reno?

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

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the energetic city of Reno. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Saint Louis or Reno?

Saint Louis is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the museums. 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.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the growing destination of Reno. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Saint Louis or Reno?

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

The vibrant city of Reno offers shopping and museums. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Saint Louis or Reno?

The unexpected city of Saint Louis 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.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Reno. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Walking Tours in United States of America, The Best Tours Under $1000 in United States of America, The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, and The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America.

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

Which is Bigger, Saint Louis or Reno?

Saint Louis has a larger population, and is about 59% larger than the population of Reno. When comparing the sizes of Saint Louis 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.