A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Williamsburg vs. Boise for Families, Attractions, Food, and Couples

Should you visit Williamsburg or Boise?

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 Williamsburg and Boise. 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.

Williamsburg

Williamsburg is a charming, quaint, and well-preserved town. It offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and shopping.

Boise

Boise is a authentic, friendly, and welcoming city. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Williamsburg and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Williamsburg or Boise?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Williamsburg. Although Williamsburg and Boise are popular destinations, Williamsburg has more sights and attractions for tourists. Williamsburg is very popular for its museums, food, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Boise attracts visitors for its nightlife. Williamsburg is more touristy than Boise and is popular for its historic and colonial charm, its award winning amusement parks, and its historical reenactments. It is also well known for Colonial Williamsburg. Boise is famous for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Williamsburg different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Williamsburg or Boise?

Williamsburg is an excellent place to visit for its museums and history. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Williamsburg offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Colonial Williamsburg is like a living museum with reenactments and historic buildings that date back to the colonial days. In addition to the historic area, there are folk art museums and other historic sights in the area.

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 Williamsburg or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Williamsburg has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Head to Historic Williamsburg if you want to try some colonial classics. There are historic taverns that maintain their old world charm and serve dishes such as peanut soup and stewed beef. Around town you'll also find casual restaurants with pizza, macaroni and cheese, and burgers.

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 Williamsburg or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Boise is a good destination for its evening party scene. However, Williamsburg is a town with minimal options for nightlife.

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.

Williamsburg doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. Despite its student population, there isn't much of a nightlife scene in town. There are restaurants where you can enjoy fine wine or cocktails, but nightclubs and bars are limited.

Is Williamsburg or Boise Better for its Old Town?

Williamsburg is a must-visit destination for its historic old town charm. However, Boise does not have a historic old town.

The rich history of Williamsburg can be explored in its historical center. Colonial Williamsburg is an impressively maintained area with museums, shops, and taverns. There are live reenactments of historic events as well as blacksmiths, wig shops, and carriage rides. You can wander around without a ticket, but for access to many parts of the historic area you'll need to purchase a pass.

Boise does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Williamsburg or Boise?

Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg. Charming shops both in the historic area and just outside sell unique items that reflect the city's past. There are souvenirs, food items, cookbooks, and home decor to choose from.

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 Williamsburg or Boise Better for Families?

Williamsburg is a must-visit destination for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Williamsburg is a very family-friendly destination. Older kids will appreciate the history in the area. For kids of all ages there are a number of amusement parks and water parks such as Great Wolf Lodge, Busch Gardens, and the award winning Water Country USA.

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 Williamsburg or Boise Better for Couples?

Williamsburg is an excellent place to visit for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Williamsburg makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Historic Williamsburg is filled with inns and charming restaurants that make this a beautiful destination for couples. There are quaint restaurants that serve colonial food and interesting southern shops with unique trinkets. You can also wander around the campus of William and Mary College.

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 Williamsburg or Boise Better for Students?

Williamsburg is a must-visit destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Boise is not popular with students.

Many students frequent Williamsburg. The College of William and Mary has a beautiful campus and students enjoy the charming atmosphere with colonial architecture around town. There are also good restaurants and a great collegiate vibe.

Boise is not popular with students.

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

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Williamsburg and Boise.

Public transit is generally limited in Williamsburg. There are buses around town, and they offer access to Historic Williamsburg, but for most places you'll need to have your own car.

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

Is Williamsburg or Boise a more walkable city?

Williamsburg and Boise both are reasonable when exploring on foot.

Williamsburg is generally not very walkable. Historic Williamsburg and the neighborhoods around the College of William and Mary are all walkable, but if you plan to visit the amusement parks then you'll absolutely need a car.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Boise or Williamsburg?

How long in Williamsburg or Boise?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Williamsburg or Boise to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Williamsburg than Boise because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Williamsburg, and 1-2 days is enough time in Boise.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Williamsburg 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 Williamsburg.

One day in Williamsburg or Boise?

In Williamsburg, many people enjoy the food and shopping that this quaint destination offers. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. This 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.

In Boise, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this authentic city offers. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. In one day, you should have a good grasp of this city.

A weekend in Williamsburg or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Williamsburg. 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 fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It will give you the chance to have new experiences. So, a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Williamsburg or Boise?

Williamsburg is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the museums and food when visiting the destination of Williamsburg. Visiting the old town is also a must. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find nightlife and shopping around the welcoming destination of Boise. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

A week in Williamsburg or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the historic destination of Williamsburg. 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 popular place to visit. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Photography Tours in United States of America, The Best Camping Tours in United States of America, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in United States of America, and The Best Polar Tours & Cruises in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Williamsburg or Boise?

Boise has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Williamsburg. When comparing the sizes of Williamsburg 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.