A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Chapel Hill vs. Edmonton for Attractions, Nightlife, Food, and Families

Should you visit Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

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

Should I visit Chapel Hill or Edmonton? 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.

Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill is a collegiate, southern, and student-oriented town. It's also known for nightlife, food, and shopping. See Chapel Hill travel costs.

Edmonton

Edmonton is a friendly, cultural, and authentic city. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Edmonton travel costs.

Chapel Hill and Edmonton: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Chapel Hill than Edmonton, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Chapel Hill is better known for its food and nightlife, while Edmonton is more popular for its shopping. Chapel Hill is well known for being the home of the oldest public university in the United States. Also, Chapel Hill is famous for the University of North Carolina. Edmonton is well known for its many festivals and lively personality.

How is Chapel Hill different from Edmonton?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Chapel Hill or Edmonton.

Chapel Hill offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Many of the museums are affiliated with UNC. A highlight of many trips is a visit to the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. Hours can vary, so check the schedule ahead of time. Also worth visiting are the Ackland Art Museum and the Carolina Basketball Museum.

Many visitors head to Edmonton specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. You'll find a number of good museums around town such as the Royal Alberta Museum, Muttart Conservatory, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Is the Food Better in Chapel Hill or Edmonton? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Chapel Hill is very good for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Edmonton is not a good city for its restaurants.

Chapel Hill offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. Students often eat on Franklin Street, which has a diverse mix of casual and slightly nicer restaurants. You'll find Indian food, Mediterranean, Italian, and Greek. The city also has excellent barbecue and other southern favorites.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Edmonton. You'll find a mix of casual cafes, international eateries, and more upscale dining options.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton Better for Nightlife?

Chapel Hill is a well-known place for nightlife. Also, Edmonton is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for nightlife and partying.

Chapel Hill offers plenty to do in the evening. Most of the nightlife is centered around the student population. Franklin Street has a number of bars where students hang out. There are also parties hosted by fraternities and sororities. Things are quieter during the summer months when students are mostly gone.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Edmonton. There's a mix of nightclubs, bars, and breweries around town. Head to Jasper Avenue for the high end clubs or check out a live show at one of the active theaters around town.

Is the Shopping Better in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

Edmonton is well known for its shopping areas. Also, Chapel Hill is still popular, but not quite as popular for shopping.

Browsing through shops is a popular activity in Edmonton. The city is home to the West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in Canada, and among the largest in the world. The mall includes hundreds of shops, restaurants, a hotel, ice rink, movie theaters, an aquarium, and Galaxyland, which is one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world. The mall is divided into themed sections that represent iconic places from around the world such as Europa Boulevard and Bourbon Street.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Chapel Hill. There are a mix of local shops, larger shopping centers, and suburban malls. There are also weekly farmer's markets that are fun to check out.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Chapel Hill or Edmonton.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Chapel Hill. You can wander around the UNC campus or visit one of the museums affiliated with the school. This includes a planetarium that has regular shows and movies (The Morehead Planetarium and Science Center). There are also science exhibits geared specifically towards kids.

Edmonton offers lots of family activities. Many families live in town so if you're visiting for a few days you'll find plenty to do with kids. Most of the activities are concentrated in the downtown areas and along the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. The whole family will enjoy a visit to Telus World of Science. There's also the Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and Galaxyland, as well as many other activities.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Chapel Hill and Edmonton make for a notable place to visit.

Chapel Hill is a good town for couples to visit. There's an eclectic mix of restaurants on Franklin Street. Couples will also enjoy exploring the campus at UNC, visiting the botanical garden, or checking out one of the town's museums.

Edmonton is a nice destination for couples. There's a good theater scene, so you can enjoy dinner and a show. There are also quaint cafes, mellow breweries, and plenty of cultural activities like art museums.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton Better for Students?

Chapel Hill is an unbeatable place for students. However, Edmonton is not popular with students.

Students come from all over the world to visit Chapel Hill. It's a quintessential college town. UNC has a nice campus and Franklin Street is the main spot for restaurants and shopping. Most of the students live near or on campus, but once you head further out things get more suburban.

Edmonton is not popular with students.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Chapel Hill and Edmonton.

You'll find some public transit in Chapel Hill, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There are bus routes that operate between Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

While Edmonton offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has both bus and light rail systems.

Is Chapel Hill or Edmonton a more walkable city?

Chapel Hill and Edmonton both are notable when exploring on foot.

Chapel Hill is a somewhat walkable town. The area around UNC is the most walkable part of town. Elsewhere things are very suburban and you'll need a car.

Edmonton is somewhat walkable. There are parts of the city that are very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Chapel Hill Worth Visiting? and Is Edmonton Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Edmonton or Chapel Hill?

How long in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Chapel Hill or Edmonton to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Chapel Hill than Edmonton because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Chapel Hill, and 1-2 days is enough time in Edmonton.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Chapel Hill than Edmonton 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 Chapel Hill.

One day in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

The town of Chapel Hill offers food and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting the authentic city of Edmonton. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

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

Visitors enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the friendly destination of Edmonton. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

Chapel Hill 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.

The friendly city of Edmonton offers museums and nightlife. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

Chapel Hill 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 town offers something for everyone.

Many people enjoy the nightlife and shopping when visiting Edmonton. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada.

When comparing the travel costs between Chapel Hill and Edmonton, we can see that Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill Expensive? and Is Edmonton Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Chapel Hill or Edmonton?

Edmonton has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Chapel Hill. When comparing the sizes of Chapel Hill and Edmonton, 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.