A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Santa Fe vs. Boise for Food, Attractions, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Santa Fe or Boise?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santa Fe and Boise can help you decide which place is right for you.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a cultural, historic, and charming historic town. 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 museums, skiing, and live music.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Santa Fe and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Fe or Boise?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Santa Fe than Boise. While Boise is larger than Santa Fe, Santa Fe has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Santa Fe is very popular for its skiing, food, music, historical sights, hiking, shopping, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere, while Boise attracts visitors for its nightlife. Santa Fe is more touristy than Boise and is known for its strong arts scene, its Pueblo-style architecture, and its unique local cuisine. It is also well known for The Museum of New Mexico Complex. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Santa Fe different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Skiing?

Santa Fe is a popular place for skiing and snowboarding. However, Boise is not a skiing destination.

Head to Santa Fe for some great skiing and other winter activities. There are a few good ski resorts not far from Santa Fe. Popular options include Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort.

Boise is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Fe or Boise?

You'll find a number of nice museums and attractions in both Boise and Santa Fe.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santa Fe. Head to the Museum of New Mexico Complex, which has four museums that give a great overview of the history of the area. Also make sure you visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

Boise is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. As the state capital, there's a nice selection of local museums around town. Favorites include the Boise Art Museum, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, and Discovery Center.

Is the Food Better in Santa Fe or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Fe is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Santa Fe has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. There are many local restaurants that use regional ingredients and offer great flavors. There are also cafes and bistros where you can enjoy breakfast or brunch. Local dishes include sopaipillas made with Native American fry bread, slow-cooked beans, and anything made with red and green chili peppers.

Boise offers some easy restaurants to choose from. While Idaho has long been associated with the potato, the locals usually think of "finger steaks" when describing local food. These are deep-friend beef strips that are as good as they sound.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Boise is very good for its evening party scene. However, Santa Fe is not known for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Boise has a few options to choose from. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Most people don't head to Santa Fe specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. While most of the town quiets down at night, the city has a few areas that stay active late into the night. Live music is popular and diverse. It often includes different genres such as the blues, country, salsa or bluegrass.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Music?

Santa Fe is a popular place for its music scene. However, Boise is not a live music destination.

The music scene in Santa Fe is active and vibrant. The town has an eclectic music scene that includes a mix of the blues, country, Latin American music, and bluegrass.

Boise is not a live music destination.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for its Old Town?

Santa Fe is an excellent place to visit for its historic old town charm. However, Boise does not have a historic old town.

Many visitors explore the old town while visiting Santa Fe. As the 2nd oldest city in the United States, the old town historic district is filled with charm. The Pueblo-style buildings are brightly colored and there are churches throughout.

Boise does not have a historic old town.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Hiking?

Santa Fe is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Boise is not a hiking destination.

Santa Fe is a good destination for hiking. Because it's located right by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, there are many beautiful hikes right outside of town. Popular trails include the Picacho Peak Trail and the Nambe Lake Trail. Bandelier National also has many places to hike.

Boise is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Fe or Boise?

Santa Fe is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Santa Fe. There are many unique shops and art galleries that feature local artists and craftsmen.

Boise is a great destination for shopping. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Families?

Santa Fe is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

Santa Fe is a family-friendly historic town. There are a few kids' museums in Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Children's Museum and the Meow Wolf Art Complex. Kids also enjoy the botanical gardens at Museum Hill and Bandelier National Monument just outside of the city.

Boise doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. You'll find parks, playgrounds, and the Discovery Center which will help keep kids entertained.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Couples?

Santa Fe is a popular place for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Santa Fe is a good historic town for couples to visit. There are many romantic inns around town, each with a lot of character. The town also has a lot of atmosphere that makes for a romantic getaway.

Boise is not the best destination for a couple to visit. Date night activities include dining at a nice restaurants and seeing a show at the theater.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Students?

Santa Fe is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Santa Fe. There are a few colleges and universities in town and students will appreciate the reasonable cost of living and outdoor activities nearby.

Boise is not popular with students.

Is Santa Fe or Boise Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Santa Fe and Boise both offer reasonable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Santa Fe. There is a bus system - the Santa Fe Trails Bus Service.

Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Santa Fe or Boise a more walkable city?

Santa Fe is an excellent place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Santa Fe is a very walkable destination. The historic district is walkable and it's easy to visit most of the tourist sights in this area on foot.

Boise is generally not very walkable. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but, in general, the town isn't very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Fe Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Santa Fe?

How long in Santa Fe or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Santa Fe or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Santa Fe than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-5 days is a good amount of time for Santa Fe, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Fe than Boise 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 Santa Fe.

One day in Santa Fe or Boise?

In Santa Fe, many people enjoy the live music and food that this historic destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This historic town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

The city of Boise offers nightlife and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Santa Fe or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Fe. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Boise is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Boise, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Santa Fe or Boise?

Santa Fe is a fun place to experience. In Santa Fe, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this destination offers. Visiting the old town is also a must. This would be the perfect place to spend five days, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Boise is a popular choice for travelers. 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Santa Fe or Boise?

You'll find museums and skiing around the historic destination of Santa Fe. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Boise is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

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

When comparing the travel costs between Santa Fe and Boise, we can see that Santa Fe is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santa Fe Expensive? and Is Boise Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Santa Fe or Boise?

Boise has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Santa Fe. When comparing the sizes of Santa Fe and Boise, 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.