A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Charlottesville vs. Santa Fe for Food, Old Town, Attractions, and Nightlife

Should you visit Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

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 Charlottesville and Santa Fe. 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.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a proud, traditional, and young university town. With plenty of activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. Charlottesville offers plenty of beauty for visitors. As it offers a special and quaint atmosphere, visitors come from all over to experience this destination. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and hiking. See Charlottesville travel costs.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe is a charming, artsy, and cultural historic town. Santa Fe is a beautiful place to visit, too. This destination also has one of those special and quaint feelings. Visitors also love the live music, food, and hiking. See Santa Fe travel costs.

Charlottesville and Santa Fe: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santa Fe. Although Charlottesville and Santa Fe are both popular with visitors, Santa Fe has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Santa Fe is more popular for its skiing, food, music, historical sights, and shopping, while Charlottesville is known for its nightlife, small town charm, and quaint atmosphere. Santa Fe is more touristy than Charlottesville and is known for its strong arts scene, its Pueblo-style architecture, and its unique local cuisine. It is also home to The Museum of New Mexico Complex. Charlottesville is popular for being home to the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, and serving as a gateway to Shenandoah National Park.

How is Charlottesville different from Santa Fe?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Skiing?

Santa Fe is a good destination for skiing. However, Charlottesville is not a skiing destination.

For winter sports and skiing, Santa Fe is a great destination to visit. There are a few good ski resorts not far from Santa Fe. Popular options include Taos Ski Valley, Ski Santa Fe, Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, and Sipapu Ski and Summer Resort.

Charlottesville is not a skiing destination.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Charlottesville and Santa Fe.

Charlottesville offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. A highlight of a trip to the area is a visit to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The city is also famously home to the beautiful University of Virginia, which has a manicured and beautiful campus. History buffs will also appreciate visiting the Civil War Sites that are nearby as well.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Santa Fe. Head to the Museum of New Mexico Complex, which has four museums that give a great overview of the history of the area. Also make sure you visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

Is the Food Better in Charlottesville or Santa Fe? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Fe is a great historic town for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Charlottesville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Santa Fe has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There are many local restaurants that use regional ingredients and offer great flavors. There are also cafes and bistros where you can enjoy breakfast or brunch. Local dishes include sopaipillas made with Native American fry bread, slow-cooked beans, and anything made with red and green chili peppers.

Charlottesville may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. Head to the Historic Downtown Mall to enjoy an outdoor meal at a top rated restaurant. There are also restaurants that cater specifically to students and offer affordable and quick meals.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Nightlife?

Charlottesville is very good for its evening party scene. However, Santa Fe is not known for nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Charlottesville has a few options to choose from. Charlottesville is a university town with an active nightlife. The best areas for nightlife are found around the Downtown Mall, Belmont neighborhood, the Corner, and University Ave west near the mall. Even though there are a number of activities to enjoy at night, this is still a small town and the nightlife scene reflects that.

Most people don't head to Santa Fe specifically for the nightlife scene, but you can find a few options. While most of the town quiets down at night, the city has a few areas that stay active late into the night. Live music is popular and diverse. It often includes different genres such as the blues, country, salsa or bluegrass.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Music?

Santa Fe is a good destination for its live music scene. However, Charlottesville is not a live music destination.

You don't have to look far to find a unique music venue in Santa Fe. The town has an eclectic music scene that includes a mix of the blues, country, Latin American music, and bluegrass.

Charlottesville is not a live music destination.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for its Old Town?

Santa Fe is a great historic town for its old town. Also, Charlottesville is not as popular, but is still a nice university town for its historic old town charm.

There are many historical things to see in the old town of Santa Fe. As the 2nd oldest city in the United States, the old town historic district is filled with charm. The Pueblo-style buildings are brightly colored and there are churches throughout.

Charlottesville offers a nice historic old town area. The Historic Downtown Mall is filled with restaurants and shops. It's a pedestrian only area with a lot of character and energy.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Hiking?

Hiking trails can be found around both Charlottesville and Santa Fe, and they are good.

Charlottesville offers some nice hiking trails. Just outside of town there are plenty of hiking opportunities including in and around Shenandoah National Park. Hiking is at its best during the fall season when the leaves are changing.

Santa Fe is a good destination for hiking. Because it's located right by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, there are many beautiful hikes right outside of town. Popular trails include the Picacho Peak Trail and the Nambe Lake Trail. Bandelier National also has many places to hike.

Is the Shopping Better in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe is a great historic town for its shopping opportunities. However, Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Santa Fe is well-known for its shopping. There are many unique shops and art galleries that feature local artists and craftsmen.

Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe More Beautiful?

Charlottesville and Santa Fe are somewhat similar when it comes to the good scenery.

Charlottesville is a beautiful place to visit, too. Surrounded by the Shenandoah Mountains, this is a beautiful town and home to the beautiful University of Virginia.

Santa Fe offers plenty of beauty for visitors. This cultural city has a unique beauty that is hard to find anywhere else.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Families?

Both Charlottesville and Santa Fe are good family-friendly destinations.

Charlottesville offers lots of family activities. Wandering the campus of UVA, picking fruit at Carter Mountain Orchard or exploring the downtown mall, including the Virginia Discovery Museum are all activities that everyone can enjoy. There are also great hiking trails just outside of town.

Santa Fe is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a few kids' museums in Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Children's Museum and the Meow Wolf Art Complex. Kids also enjoy the botanical gardens at Museum Hill and Bandelier National Monument just outside of the city.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Couples?

Charlottesville and Santa Fe both good destinations for a couple.

Charlottesville makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The UVA campus is beautiful to explore, as is Monticello. The Downtown Mall has many great restaurants and activities that make for a nice date night and during the day, there's also beautiful hikes nearby that are at their peak during the fall season.

Santa Fe is a good university town for couples to visit. There are many romantic inns around town, each with a lot of character. The town also has a lot of atmosphere that makes for a romantic getaway.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Students?

Charlottesville is an unbeatable place for its student-friendly activities. Also, Santa Fe is not as popular, but is still a nice historic town for students.

Students come from all over the world to visit Charlottesville. The town is home to the beautiful University of Virginia and it's a popular destination for international students as well as local students. Much of the town is focused around student life, and the city's proximity to Washington, DC means it has access to global opportunities.

Santa Fe is a good university town to visit for students. There are a few colleges and universities in town and students will appreciate the reasonable cost of living and outdoor activities nearby.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Charlottesville and Santa Fe both offer decent public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Charlottesville. There is a bus system that runs between campus, downtown, and several neighborhoods in Charlottesville.

Public transit is generally limited in Santa Fe. There is a bus system - the Santa Fe Trails Bus Service.

Is Charlottesville or Santa Fe a more walkable city?

Santa Fe is a great historic town for its high level of walkability. However, Charlottesville is not known for its ease of walking around.

Santa Fe is a very walkable historic town. The historic district is walkable and it's easy to visit most of the tourist sights in this area on foot.

Charlottesville is generally not very walkable. While the University of Virginia campus and the Downtown Mall are both very walkable, most of the town is not.

For even more information, also check out Is Charlottesville Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Fe Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Fe or Charlottesville?

How long in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

In either Charlottesville or Santa Fe, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time. Most visitors tend to spend more time in Santa Fe than Charlottesville because of the overall number of sights and activities. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Charlottesville, and 2-5 days is enough time in Santa Fe.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Fe than Charlottesville 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 Santa Fe.

One day in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Charlottesville is a small town where visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

The charming destination of Santa Fe offers live music and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

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

The historic town of Santa Fe offers food and shopping. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. 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.

Five days in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Charlottesville 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.

Santa Fe is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. This historic town offers something for everyone. It is common to spend five days here. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

A week in Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Charlottesville 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 university town offers something for everyone.

Many people enjoy the museums and skiing when visiting Santa Fe. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. 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 Adventure Tours to United States of America, The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, and The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America.

When comparing the travel costs between Charlottesville and Santa Fe, we can see that Santa Fe 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 Charlottesville Expensive? and Is Santa Fe Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Charlottesville or Santa Fe?

Santa Fe has a larger population, and is about 99% larger than the population of Charlottesville. When comparing the sizes of Charlottesville and Santa Fe, 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.