A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Guadalajara vs. Charlottesville for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Old Town

Should you visit Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

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

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Guadalajara or Charlottesville, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Guadalajara

Guadalajara is a historical, vibrant, and cultural city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food. See Guadalajara travel costs.

Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a traditional, young, and collegiate 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.

Guadalajara and Charlottesville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Guadalajara. Although Guadalajara and Charlottesville are both popular with visitors, Guadalajara has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Guadalajara is more popular for its museums and attractions, food, nightlife, historical sights, shopping, and big city activities, while Charlottesville is known for its hiking, small town charm, impressive beauty, and quaint atmosphere. Guadalajara is more touristy than Charlottesville and is known for its mariachi music, tequila, and many festivals. It is also home to the Guadalajara Cathedral. 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 Guadalajara different from Charlottesville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Guadalajara is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Charlottesville is not as popular, but is still a nice university town for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Guadalajara. It's a city that's filled with culture and history, with many impressive landmarks such as the Guadalajara Cathedral. Also make sure you visit the Instituto Cultural de Cabañas, Expiatory Temple, the Government Palace, and the Regional Museum of Guadalajara.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Charlottesville. 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.

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

Guadalajara is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Charlottesville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Guadalajara has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The cuisine uses some key ingredients such as corn tortillas, chilis, and beans. You'll find a lot of street food which includes tacos and tortas as well as restaurant dishes like birria (meat stew), pozole (hominy soup), and fish ceviche.

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 Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Nightlife?

Guadalajara is a great city for nightlife and partying. Also, Charlottesville is not as popular, but is still a nice university town for its evening party scene.

The nightlife in Guadalajara has something for everybody. The city comes to life at night. You'll find vibrant dance clubs, live music, and traditional bars. The craft beer scene has also grown in recent years. The most active areas are around Chapultepec Avenue and Zapopan.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Charlottesville. 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.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for its Old Town?

Guadalajara is a great city 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 Guadalajara. The city center is filled with Spanish colonial architecture. With a walking tour you will find baroque, neoclassical, renaissance, and Gothic style buildings that highlight the city's long running past and rich history.

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 Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Hiking?

Charlottesville is a nice place to visit for hiking. However, Guadalajara is not a hiking destination.

Charlottesville has hiking trails worth exploring. 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.

Guadalajara is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Guadalajara is a great city for its shopping opportunities. However, Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Guadalajara is well-known for its shopping. One of the best shopping streets is Avenida Juarez. A must-see stop is also the large indoor market of Mercado Libertad. You'll also find shopping centers and retail outlets around town.

Charlottesville is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville More Beautiful?

Charlottesville is a nice place to visit for its scenery and beauty. However, Guadalajara is not a destination known for its beauty.

Charlottesville offers plenty of beauty for visitors. Surrounded by the Shenandoah Mountains, this is a beautiful town and home to the beautiful University of Virginia.

Guadalajara is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Families?

Charlottesville is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Guadalajara is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

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.

Guadalajara is not the most family-friendly destination. While it's not the most popular destination for families, those who visit will enjoy exploring the nature parks or amusement parks.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Couples?

Guadalajara and Charlottesville are both good to visit as a couple.

Guadalajara is a good city for couples to visit. It's filled with nice architecture, a vibrant nightlife scene, and great urban parks, making it a nice and romantic destination for couples.

Charlottesville is a nice destination for couples. 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.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Guadalajara is a great city for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Charlottesville is not known for backpackers.

Many backpackers visit Guadalajara. There are plenty of hostels and cheap hotels around town.

Charlottesville is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. There is camping an hiking in the area that is a good option for backpackers.

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville Better for Students?

Charlottesville is an amazing university town to visit for its student-friendly activities. However, Guadalajara is not popular with students.

Charlottesville is a great destination for students. 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.

Guadalajara is not popular with students.

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

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

Public transit is mostly limited in Guadalajara. There's a bus system as well as a metro system with two lines, which are primarily used by commuters.

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

Is Guadalajara or Charlottesville a more walkable city?

Guadalajara is a great city for its high level of walkability. However, Charlottesville is not known for its ease of walking around.

Guadalajara is a very walkable city. The city center is pedestrian-friendly. This is also where you'll find most of the sights.

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 Guadalajara Worth Visiting? and Is Charlottesville Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Charlottesville or Guadalajara?

How long in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Guadalajara and Charlottesville. In our opinion, Guadalajara has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Guadalajara than Charlottesville. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

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

One day in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

The cultural destination of Guadalajara offers nightlife 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.

Charlottesville is a small town with plenty to do. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

The city of Guadalajara 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.

Charlottesville might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. This university town 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 Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Guadalajara is a great place to explore. Visiting the old town is also a must. This city offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

Because Charlottesville is a small town, it's easy to explore in a short amount of time. 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 Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Guadalajara. 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.

Since Charlottesville is a small town, it's easily explored when your time is limited. 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 2-Week Tours from Cancun, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Mexico, The Best Adventure Tours to United States of America, and The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Guadalajara or Charlottesville?

Guadalajara has a larger population, and is about 50 times larger than the population of Charlottesville. When comparing the sizes of Guadalajara and Charlottesville, 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.