A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Chapel Hill vs. El Paso for Attractions, Nightlife, Food, and Families

Should you visit Chapel Hill or El Paso?

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

Should I visit Chapel Hill or El Paso? 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. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums. See Chapel Hill travel costs.

El Paso

El Paso is a undiscovered, laid-back, and low-key city. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife. See El Paso travel costs.

Chapel Hill and El Paso: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Chapel Hill or El Paso?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Chapel Hill than El Paso, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. 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. El Paso is well known for its Spanish missions and its outstanding Mexican food.

How is Chapel Hill different from El Paso?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between El Paso 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 El Paso?

Chapel Hill is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, El Paso is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Many visitors head to Chapel Hill specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. 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.

El Paso offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Visitors can learn about local art, culture, and history at the El Paso Museum of Art, the El Paso Museum of History, the 1st Armored Division and Fort Bliss Museum, and the Eduardo Pedregón Memorial Veterans Museum.

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

Both Chapel Hill and El Paso offer notable local cuisine and restaurants.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Chapel Hill area. 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.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around El Paso. Mexican food and barbecue are popular around town but you'll also find burgers, pizza, and other American favorites.

Is Chapel Hill or El Paso Better for Nightlife?

Chapel Hill is a very popular place for nightlife. Also, El Paso is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife and partying.

Chapel Hill has a large number of nightlife venues. 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.

El Paso has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There are a number of bars, nightclubs, and lounges around town where you can enjoy a fun night out.

Is the Shopping Better in Chapel Hill or El Paso?

Shopping is a popular activity in both El Paso and Chapel Hill.

Many visitors go to Chapel Hill to go shopping. 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.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in El Paso. There are a number of malls and outlet centers around town. One of the most well known is Bassett Place, but other options include Cielo Vista Mall and the Fountains at Farah.

Is Chapel Hill or El Paso Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Chapel Hill or El Paso.

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.

El Paso offers lots of family activities. There are adventure parks, playgrounds, outdoor centers and nature activities that families can enjoy.

Is Chapel Hill or El Paso Better for Couples?

Chapel Hill is very good for romance. However, El Paso is lacking in good options for its romantic activities.

Chapel Hill is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Most people don't think of El Paso as a couple's destination. Couples can enjoy dinner and a show or taking a romantic drive up to the overlook.

Is Chapel Hill or El Paso Better for Students?

Chapel Hill is an unbeatable place for its student-friendly activities. However, El Paso 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.

El Paso is not popular with students.

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

Chapel Hill is very good for times when you don't have a car. However, El Paso is lacking in good options for its public transit.

Chapel Hill has some public transit options. There are bus routes that operate between Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

Public transit is generally limited in El Paso. While there are some bus routes in town, you shouldn't rely on them and must have a private vehicle to efficiently visit the city.

Is Chapel Hill or El Paso a more walkable city?

Chapel Hill is very good for its walkability. However, El Paso is lacking in good options for its high level of walkability.

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

El Paso is generally not very walkable. You really need a car to get around town.

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

Should I spend more time in El Paso or Chapel Hill?

How long in Chapel Hill or El Paso?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Chapel Hill or El Paso to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Chapel Hill than El Paso 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 El Paso.

Families should spend more time in Chapel Hill than El Paso. 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 El Paso. 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 El Paso 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 El Paso?

In Chapel Hill, you'll find nightlife and food. This town offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the laid-back city of El Paso. 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 El Paso?

In Chapel Hill, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Chapel Hill has to offer.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the low-key destination of El Paso. 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 El Paso?

Chapel Hill is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

The laid-back city of El Paso offers shopping and museums. 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 El Paso?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Chapel Hill. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Chapel Hill. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting El Paso. 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, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in United States of America.

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

Which is Bigger, Chapel Hill or El Paso?

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