Which place is cheaper, Salt Lake City or Williamsburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Williamsburg and Salt Lake City. 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 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.
Salt Lake City is a notable, religious, and architectural city. Other popular activities here include scuba diving and snorkeling, hiking, and shopping.
Travelers will usually find more to do in Williamsburg. Although Williamsburg and Salt Lake City are popular destinations, Williamsburg has more sights and attractions for tourists. Williamsburg is very popular for its food, historical sights, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Salt Lake City attracts visitors for its scuba diving & snorkeling and hiking. Williamsburg is famous for its historic and colonial charm, its award winning amusement parks, and its historical reenactments. It is also well known for Colonial Williamsburg. Salt Lake City is famous for its religious landmarks and its large Mormon population.
Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Salt Lake City and Williamsburg. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.
For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Williamsburg or Salt Lake City.
Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Williamsburg. 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.
Salt Lake City offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Many of the fascinating sights around town are influenced by the city's Mormon culture. Temple Square is a highlight for most visitors. It spans 35 acres and is beautifully landscaped with several fountains. There are also four main churches - The Temple, the Tabernacle, the Temple Annex, and Assembly Hall. The city also has several museums such as the Natural History Museum and the historic Liberty Park.
Williamsburg is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Salt Lake City is not quite as popular, but is fairly good 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.
Salt Lake City offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. In recent years the food scene has really improved and you'll find a variety of restaurants that serve everything from upscale dishes to more casual fare.
It's hard to distinguish whether Williamsburg or Salt Lake City has a better nightlife scene.
Williamsburg is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. 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.
Salt Lake City doesn't have the most active nightlife scene. Known for its large Mormon population, nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Salt Lake City. While it will likely never be a party city, there are a growing number of entertainment options around town.
Salt Lake City is a good destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Williamsburg is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
Grab a mask and fins and explore the underwater scenery in Salt Lake City. There are a number of good ski resorts nearby, making this a good base or starting point for a ski vacation.
Williamsburg is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.
Williamsburg is a world-class destination for its historic old town charm. However, Salt Lake City does not have a historic old town.
The historic old town of Williamsburg is revered around the world. 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.
Salt Lake City does not have a historic old town.
Salt Lake City is a good destination for its hiking experiences. However, Williamsburg is not a hiking destination.
Salt Lake City offers some nice hiking trails. The city offers easy access to many diverse trails, so if you're a nature enthusiasts, you'll appreciate this destination.
Williamsburg is not a hiking destination.
Williamsburg is a very popular place for its shopping areas. Also, Salt Lake City 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.
Salt Lake City is a great destination for shopping. The city has sprawling outlet malls as well as local stores and craft shops. City Creek Center is a favorite shopping destination, but there are also several large shopping malls that are worth visiting.
Williamsburg is a world-class destination for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Salt Lake City is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.
Williamsburg is one of the most popular family destinations. 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.
You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Salt Lake City. There are museums that kids will enjoy like the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Leonardo Museum. There are also fun-filled activities like a visit to Lagoon Amusement Park. You can learn about history at This Is the Place Heritage Park or learn about the undersea world at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
Williamsburg is a very popular place for couples. Also, Salt Lake City is not quite as popular, but is fairly good 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.
Salt Lake City is a nice destination for couples. The city is filled with beautiful gardens like Red Butte Garden. There are also nice restaurants and romantic hotels that will make this a nice place for a couple's getaway.
Williamsburg is a world-class destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Salt Lake City is not popular with students.
Students come from all over the world to visit 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.
Salt Lake City is not popular with students.
Salt Lake City is a good destination for its public transit. However, Williamsburg is a town with minimal options for times when you don't have a car.
You'll find some public transit in Salt Lake City, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There's a surprisingly good public transit system that includes light rail, buses, and commuter trains, but if you want to get out of town you'll need to have a car.
Public transit is mostly 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.
Williamsburg and Salt Lake City 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.
Salt Lake City is generally not a very walkable town. While some neighborhoods are walkable, like Temple Square, most visitors prefer to have a car.
For even more information, also check out Is Williamsburg Worth Visiting? and Is Salt Lake City Worth Visiting?.
Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Williamsburg and Salt Lake City. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Williamsburg than in Salt Lake City. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Williamsburg, and 2-3 days is enough time in Salt Lake City.
Families should spend more time in Williamsburg than Salt Lake City. 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 Salt Lake City. 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 Salt Lake City 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.
In Williamsburg, you'll find food and shopping. Visiting the old town is also a must. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.
In Salt Lake City, many people enjoy the scuba diving and snorkeling and shopping that this religious city offers. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.
Williamsburg is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Because of this, a weekend is usually enough time for a trip here.
Salt Lake City 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.
It's hard to know how much time to spend in Williamsburg. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. It offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.
You'll find museums and food around the religious destination of Salt Lake City. 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.
Travelers enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the town of Williamsburg. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Your budget might influence how long you stay. One week 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.
Salt Lake City 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.
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Williamsburg is $112, while the average daily cost in Salt Lake City is $246. 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 Williamsburg and Salt Lake City in more detail.
Looking for a hotel in Williamsburg or Salt Lake City? 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 Salt Lake City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
Prices for flights to both Salt Lake City and Williamsburg 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 food and dining related activities in Williamsburg.
Here are a few actual costs in Williamsburg for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
For Salt Lake City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Williamsburg:
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Williamsburg and Salt Lake City, we can see that Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City Expensive?.
Salt Lake City has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Williamsburg. When comparing the sizes of Williamsburg and Salt Lake City, 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.