Which city is cheaper, Sun Valley or Vail?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit Vail or Sun Valley? 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.
Vail is one of the premier ski resort areas in the United States. Located in central Colorado, Vail is not far from Denver and situated in the heart of the Rockies. Here you'll find a quaint mountain town designed around tourism, especially for the winter, although plenty of visitors come in the warmer months, too.
High-end hotels, condos, and other accommodation options are surrounded by shops and restaurants that are all somewhat expensive compared to other costs in the United States. Because of this, Vail is definitely not considered an "affordable" travel option for many. However, good deals can be found if you look around and do some research.
Sun Valley is a beautiful resort city in the Wood River Valley area of Idaho, most famous for becoming a snowy wonderland every winter. The area was actually named the 2nd best ski resort by Ski Magazine and was a favorite place of escape for Ernest Hemingway. Whether you visit in winter or summer, you're always met with beautiful scenery that's perfect for exploring. The best time of year for winter activities is December-March, while June-August is best for hiking and exploring the area.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Vail is $233, while the average daily cost in Sun Valley is $147. 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 city. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Vail and Sun Valley in more detail.
Also for Vail, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Sun Valley and Vail 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.
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Vail.
Also in Vail, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Vail and Sun Valley, we can see that Vail is more expensive. And not only is Sun Valley much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Sun Valley would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Sun Valley 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 Vail would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Vail than you might in Sun Valley.
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