Which place is cheaper, Boise or West Palm Beach?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Should I visit West Palm Beach or Boise? 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.
West Palm Beach is a vibrant, fun-filled, and diverse beach area. It's also popular because of the beaches, nightlife, and scuba diving and snorkeling.
Boise is a friendly, welcoming, and authentic city. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, shopping, and museums.
Visitors will generally find more to do in West Palm Beach than Boise. While Boise is larger than West Palm Beach, West Palm Beach has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. West Palm Beach is better known for its nightlife, resorts, scuba diving & snorkeling, and beaches, while Boise is more popular for its museums and shopping. West Palm Beach is more touristy than Boise and is known for its nice resorts, a lively boardwalk, great seafood, and fun watersports. Also, West Palm Beach is famous for Rosemary Square. Boise is well known for its many outdoor and recreational activities.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Boise and West Palm Beach. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
Boise is a popular place for its historical sights. However, West Palm Beach does not have museums and landmarks.
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.
West Palm Beach does not have museums and landmarks.
Both West Palm Beach and Boise offer respectable local cuisine and restaurants.
West Palm Beach offers some easy restaurants to choose from. Oceanfront restaurants usually have a great view and offer local and fresh seafood. There are also many local restaurants concentrated around Clematis Street and CityPlace districts.
You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Boise. 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.
West Palm Beach is an excellent place to visit for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.
West Palm Beach has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. With rooftop bars and clubs, oceanfront venues, and plenty of nightlife options downtown, this city rivals most places when it comes to nightlife. The nightlife scene is particularly active during spring break, when university students head to town.
Boise has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.
West Palm Beach is a must-visit destination for its luxury resorts. However, Boise is not a resort destination.
For the ultimate resort vacation, West Palm Beach is a great choice. All of the major names are present including the Hilton, Marriott, and Four Seasons.
Boise is not a resort destination.
West Palm Beach is an excellent place to visit for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Boise is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
Many visitors partake in scuba diving or snorkeing while visiting West Palm Beach. Check out Phil Foster Park in Rivera Beach. It's a man-made reef that is surprisingly clear.
Boise is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
West Palm Beach is a must-visit destination for the beach. However, Boise is not a beach destination.
Travelers come from around the world to visit the beaches in West Palm Beach. From bustling beaches with a boardwalk to quieter, more relaxing beaches surrounded by parkland, there are are number of options in the area.
Boise is not a beach destination.
Boise is a popular place for shopping. However, West Palm Beach is not a noteworthy shopping destination.
Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Boise. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.
West Palm Beach is not a noteworthy shopping destination.
West Palm Beach is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.
You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in West Palm Beach. Animal lovers will appreciate the zoos and aquariums in the area. Check out McCarthy's Wildlife Sanctuary, Manatee Lagoon, the Palm Beach Zoo, and the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium.
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.
West Palm Beach is an excellent place to visit for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.
West Palm Beach makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples will enjoy kayaking, dining out, or simply relaxing on the beach. It's fun to spend a day exploring the botanical gardens and an evening wandering around Clematis Street.
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.
West Palm Beach is a popular place for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.
West Palm Beach has some public transit options. There's a downtown trolley, a commuter trail line (connecting West Palm Beach, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale), and a bus system with about 30 lines.
Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.
West Palm Beach is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.
West Palm Beach is a somewhat walkable beach area. West Palm Beach has a surprisingly walkable area and it's possible to explore the downtown 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 West Palm Beach Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.
You'll be able to find lots of things to do in West Palm Beach or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in West Palm Beach than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for West Palm Beach, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.
Families should spend more time in West Palm Beach than Boise. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in West Palm Beach, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.
Couples should spend more time in West Palm Beach than Boise. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in West Palm Beach that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.
Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Boise than West Palm 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 Boise.
In West Palm Beach, many people enjoy the nightlife and scuba diving and snorkeling that this fun-filled destination offers. People enjoy relaxing at one of the resorts. Lots of people come for the beaches. This beach area 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 friendly destination of Boise offers shopping and museums. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in West Palm Beach. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. A weekend is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.
The city of Boise offers museums and nightlife. A weekend here is typical. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities.
West Palm Beach is a fun place to experience. In West Palm Beach, many people enjoy the nightlife and scuba diving and snorkeling that this destination offers. Lots of people come for the beaches. People often spend their time relaxing at one of the resorts. This would be the perfect place to spend five days, as it has just the right amount of activities.
Boise is a great place to explore. This city offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.
In West Palm Beach, many people enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and nightlife that this vibrant destination offers. Plenty of people spend one week in the area when traveling. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the beaches. One week is often enough time to do most activities.
Many people enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting Boise. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America, The Best Historical Tours in United States of America, and The Best 10-Day Tours in United States of America.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in West Palm Beach is $330, while the average daily cost in Boise is $146. 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 West Palm Beach and Boise in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in West Palm Beach or Boise? 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 West Palm Beach, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Boise and West Palm Beach 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 West Palm Beach, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
For Boise, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for West Palm Beach.
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Boise's activities, tours, and tickets:
For Boise, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between West Palm Beach and Boise, we can see that West Palm Beach is more expensive. And not only is Boise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boise 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 West Palm Beach would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in West Palm Beach than you might in Boise.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is West Palm Beach Expensive? and Is Boise Expensive?.
Boise has a larger population, and is about 78% larger than the population of West Palm Beach. When comparing the sizes of West Palm Beach 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.