A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers San Cristobal de Las Casas vs. Cocoa Beach for Families, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

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

Should I visit San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach? 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.

San Cristobal de Las Casas

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a charming, colorful, and cultural town. It offers plenty of small town charm along with sights and activities, too. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums.

Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach is a fun-filled, relaxing, and adventurous beach town. Other reasons to visit include beaches, shopping, and museums.

San Cristobal de Las Casas and Cocoa Beach: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

Visitors will usually find more to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Cocoa Beach, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. San Cristobal de Las Casas is better known for its nightlife, historical sights, shopping, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Cocoa Beach is more popular for its resorts and beaches. San Cristobal de Las Casas is well known for its historical buildings, local markets, and traditional churches. Also, San Cristobal de Las Casas is famous for the Cathedral of San Cristobal de las Casas. Cocoa Beach is well known for its wonderful surfing waves and its proximity to the Kennedy Space Center.

How is San Cristobal de Las Casas different from Cocoa Beach?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Cocoa Beach and San Cristobal de Las Casas. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

Spend time exploring the superb sights and museums in either San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach.

San Cristobal de Las Casas offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. The town is filled with historical churches such as the main Cathedral of San Cristobal. While this is the most notable church, there are also smaller churches worth visiting like the Templo Santo Domingo, Iglesia de Guadalupe, and Iglesia de San Cristobal. For museums, make sure you check out the Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, Na Bolom, and Museo de Ambar.

Many visitors head to Cocoa Beach specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The town's proximity to the Kennedy Space Center is a big appeal for space enthusiasts. It's easy to take advantage of the great beaches and then spend a day exploring the space center. Also in town is the Florida Surf Museum.

Is the Food Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Cocoa Beach offer superb local cuisine and restaurants.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in San Cristobal de Las Casas. The cuisine is a mix of Spanish-influenced cured meats such as ham and sausage, as well as indigenous flavors like tamales and burritos. There's also a lot of great pizza around town as well as several Asian restaurants.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Cocoa Beach. Seafood is the obvious choice in this beach town. Head to Westgate Cocoa Beach Pier for some great restaurants. In addition to seafood options, you'll find steakhouses, bistros, and pizza shops.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Nightlife?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for its evening party scene. Also, Cocoa Beach is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

San Cristobal de Las Casas has a large number of nightlife venues. There's an active nightlife scene that includes everything from late night clubs to salsa lessons. Most tourists who want to party head to the pedestrian streets around the plaza. There are countless bars where you'll likely find a crowd late into the night. Some clubs have a cover charge on weekends but, in general, drinks are cheap and getting around is easy.

Cocoa Beach has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find a number of casual pubs, bars, and grills around town where you can grab a drink in a relaxed setting.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Resorts?

Cocoa Beach is a popular place for its luxury resorts. However, San Cristobal de Las Casas is not a resort destination.

Cocoa Beach has a handful of resorts to choose from. There are casual and family-friendly resorts in the area that make for a nice beach vacation.

San Cristobal de Las Casas is not a resort destination.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Beaches?

Cocoa Beach is a very popular place for its beaches. However, San Cristobal de Las Casas is not a beach destination.

Cocoa Beach is considered a top beach destination. There are long stretches of sand that are great for swimming, surfing, water sports, or just relaxing in the sun. The most popular area is around Cocoa Beach Pier. For family-friendly, head to James H. Nance Park which also has a playground. If you have a dog, Canova Beach Park is your best option.

San Cristobal de Las Casas is not a beach destination.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for its Old Town?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Cocoa Beach does not have a historic old town.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of San Cristobal de Las Casas. The town is filled with narrow pedestrian streets, colorful markets, and historic churches.

Cocoa Beach does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is very popular for its shopping areas. Also, Cocoa Beach is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many people travel to San Cristobal de Las Casas specifically to go shopping. The nearby villages are famous for their weaving, leather, pottery, and embroidery, so many visitors pick up souvenirs at the colorful markets around town. This is one of the best towns in Mexico to purchase local items, and you should definitely set aside time to explore and shop.

Cocoa Beach is a great destination for shopping. You'll find lots of great local shops as well as malls and beach stores where you can pick up everything you need.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Families?

Cocoa Beach is very popular for its kid-friendly activities. Also, San Cristobal de Las Casas is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Cocoa Beach is a very family-friendly destination. It's right by the Kennedy Space Center, which is a great excursion for kids and adults alike. There's also the Brevard Zoo, amazing beaches, and great parks where the kids can run around.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in San Cristobal de Las Casas. While kids may not appreciate the town's beauty and culture, they will have fun exploring the night market or taking a chocolate-making class. There are pedestrian streets where everyone can explore without fear of traffic and pizza restaurants that appeal to the kids as well.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Cocoa Beach make for a superb place to visit.

San Cristobal de Las Casas makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples who enjoy culture, markets, traditional cuisines, and new experiences will love their time here. It's a fun place to simply wander. You can explore the markets and then eat at a local restaurant before making your way back to your boutique hotel.

Couples visit Cocoa Beach frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. Beautiful beaches, fun outdoor activities, and great date night activities make this a wonderful couples destination.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a very popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Cocoa Beach is lacking in good options for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit San Cristobal de Las Casas. There are a number of hostels in town as well as budget-friendly hotels. Backpackers love the laid back nature of this town as well as the many markets and nature-oriented activities.

Cocoa Beach is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. While there aren't any hostels in the area, there are some affordable hotels away from the beach.

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find notable public transit in both San Cristobal de Las Casas and Cocoa Beach.

San Cristobal de Las Casas has some public transit options. Urbano buses are minibuses that connect the town to the outlying residential areas. There are also colectivos that travel to nearby villages.

You'll find some public transit in Cocoa Beach, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. You can hop on the Cocoa Beach Trolley to access many sights in the area. It's a service provided by the Space Coast Area Transit (SCAT).

Is San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach a more walkable city?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is very popular for its ease of walking around. Also, Cocoa Beach is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

It's very easy to get around on foot in San Cristobal de Las Casas. Walking is the best way to experience the town. Most of the sights can be reached on foot and there are pedestrian-only streets that let you avoid the traffic.

Cocoa Beach is somewhat walkable. For the most walkable areas stay near the town center. In general, you'll want to have a car to access most of what the area has to offer though.

For even more information, also check out Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Worth Visiting? and Is Cocoa Beach Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Cocoa Beach or San Cristobal de Las Casas?

How long in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

In either San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Cocoa Beach than San Cristobal de Las Casas because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for San Cristobal de Las Casas, and 2-5 days is enough time in Cocoa Beach.

Families should spend more time in Cocoa Beach than San Cristobal de Las Casas. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Cocoa Beach, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Cocoa Beach. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in San Cristobal de Las Casas that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in San Cristobal de Las Casas than Cocoa Beach 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 San Cristobal de Las Casas.

One day in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

San Cristobal de Las Casas is a small town with plenty to do. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Most people visit for the shopping. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

In Cocoa Beach, many people enjoy the museums and nightlife that this adventurous destination offers. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Most people come for the beaches. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

San Cristobal de Las Casas might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. This town 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.

In Cocoa Beach, many people enjoy the nightlife and food that this destination offers. Many visitors spend time at the beach while visiting the area. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. Many people spend a weekend here. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.

Five days in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

Because San Cristobal de Las Casas is a small town, it's easy to explore in a short amount of time. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. 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.

In Cocoa Beach, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this adventurous destination offers. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. This is a popular place to visit for five days.Five days is often enough time to do most activities. This beach town offers something for everyone.

A week in San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

Since San Cristobal de Las Casas is a small town, it's easily explored when your time is limited. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. Most people visit for the shopping. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the beach town of Cocoa Beach. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. It's also a great beach destination, too. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mexico City, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Playa del Carmen, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, and The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America.

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

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is San Cristobal de Las Casas Expensive? and Is Cocoa Beach Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, San Cristobal de Las Casas or Cocoa Beach?

San Cristobal de Las Casas has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Cocoa Beach. When comparing the sizes of San Cristobal de Las Casas and Cocoa Beach, 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.