Which place is cheaper, Mystic or Hot Springs?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Hot Springs or Mystic?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Hot Springs or Mystic? 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.
Where Should I go: Hot Springs or Mystic?
Hot Springs
Hot Springs is a popular resort city in central Arkansas. It's location in the Ouachita Mountains make it a convenient base for exploring the area's natural hot springs, from which the city gets its name. The city is also home to Hot Springs National Park, which have long been believed to have healing properties. Today many spas have popped up around the hot springs.
Mystic
Mystic is a popular tourist destination in Connecticut for its many marinas, historic buildings, aquarium, and seaport. It was historically a shipbuilding and maritime town but today it attracts crowds from many nearby states and regions. Sailing trips are a fun activity that get visitors out on the water. The town is also near Foxwoods Casino.
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.
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Hot Springs Prices
USA PricesMystic Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayHot Springs $220Mystic $248
The average daily cost (per person) in Hot Springs is $220, while the average daily cost in Mystic is $248. 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 Hot Springs and Mystic in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHot Springs $100Mystic $125
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHot Springs $200Mystic $250
Compare Hotels in Hot Springs and Mystic
Looking for a hotel in Hot Springs or Mystic? 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.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Hot Springs Hotel Prices and Mystic Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Hot Springs $47Mystic $56
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hot Springs
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Hot Springs:
- Hot Springs to Little Rock Airport LIT Departure Private Transfer: $126
Is it cheaper to fly into Hot Springs or Mystic?
Prices for flights to both Mystic and Hot Springs 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayHot Springs $90Mystic $90
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Hot Springs $30Mystic $24
Tours and Activities in Hot Springs
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Hot Springs are as follows:
- Hot Springs NP Self Guided Driving and Walking Audio Tour: $17
- Small-Group Zipline Tour in Hot Springs: $67
Tours and Activities in Mystic
For Mystic, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Mystic's Ghosts GPS Self Guided Audio Walking Tour w/EMF Reader: $7.80
- Mystic Moonlit Graveyard Ghost Tour: $30
- Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour: $30
- Ghosts of Christmas Past Downtown Walking Tour: $30
- Mystic Seaport Museum Adventure : $32
- Guided Graveyard Ghost Tour by Moonlight: $35
- Guided Ghost Tour of Downtown Mystic at Night: $35
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHot Springs $22Mystic $31
Sample the Local Flavors in Mystic
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mystic:
- Paranormal Pub Crawl: Beer Tour: $75
- Paranormal Pub Crawl: Beer Tour: $75
- Spirits of Cocktail Pub Crawl: $100
- Spirits of Cocktail Pub Crawl: $100
When comparing the travel costs between Hot Springs and Mystic, we can see that Mystic 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 Hot Springs Expensive? and Is Mystic Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Hot Springs or Mystic?
Hot Springs has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Mystic. When comparing the sizes of Hot Springs and Mystic, 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.
When is the best time to visit Hot Springs or Mystic?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Hot Springs or Mystic in the Summer?
Both Mystic and Hot Springs during the summer are popular places to visit. Also, the summer months attract visitors to Mystic because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences.
Hot Springs is a little warmer than Mystic in the summer. The daily temperature in Hot Springs averages around 83°F (28°C) in July, and Mystic fluctuates around 73°F (23°C).
In Mystic, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Hot Springs. In the summer, Hot Springs often gets more sunshine than Mystic. Hot Springs gets 364 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mystic receives 293 hours of full sun.
Hot Springs usually gets more rain in July than Mystic. Hot Springs gets 3.6 inches (92 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyHot Springs 83°F (28°C)Mystic 73°F (23°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Mystic in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Hot Springs and Mystic. Also, the shopping scene are the main draw to Mystic this time of year.
In the autumn, Hot Springs is much warmer than Mystic. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Hot Springs in October average around 64°F (18°C), and Mystic averages at about 53°F (12°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Mystic this time of the year. In Hot Springs, it's very sunny this time of the year. Hot Springs usually receives more sunshine than Mystic during autumn. Hot Springs gets 254 hours of sunny skies, while Mystic receives 211 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than Mystic. Hot Springs gets 3.7 inches (93 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberHot Springs 64°F (18°C)Mystic 53°F (12°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Mystic in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Hot Springs as well as Mystic. Also, many travelers come to Mystic for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Mystic. It's quite cold in Hot Springs in the winter. In January, Hot Springs is generally much warmer than Mystic. Daily temperatures in Hot Springs average around 40°F (4°C), and Mystic fluctuates around 28°F (-2°C).
People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Hot Springs this time of the year. In the winter, Hot Springs often gets more sunshine than Mystic. Hot Springs gets 205 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Mystic receives 170 hours of full sun.
Hot Springs usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Mystic. Hot Springs gets 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryHot Springs 40°F (4°C)Mystic 28°F (-2°C)
Should I visit Hot Springs or Mystic in the Spring?
Both Mystic and Hot Springs are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Also, many visitors come to Mystic in the spring for the beaches.
Hot Springs is much warmer than Mystic in the spring. The daily temperature in Hot Springs averages around 65°F (18°C) in April, and Mystic fluctuates around 48°F (9°C).
It's quite sunny in Mystic. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Hot Springs. Hot Springs usually receives more sunshine than Mystic during spring. Hot Springs gets 304 hours of sunny skies, while Mystic receives 225 hours of full sun in the spring.
It's quite rainy in Hot Springs. In April, Hot Springs usually receives more rain than Mystic. Hot Springs gets 5.2 inches (133 mm) of rain, while Mystic receives 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilHot Springs 65°F (18°C)Mystic 48°F (9°C)
Typical Weather for Mystic and Hot Springs
| Hot Springs | Mystic | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 40°F (4°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) | 28°F (-2°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| Feb | 45°F (7°C) | 3.6 inches (91 mm) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.5 inches (88 mm) |
| Mar | 54°F (12°C) | 4.8 inches (121 mm) | 38°F (3°C) | 4 inches (101 mm) |
| Apr | 65°F (18°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.7 inches (94 mm) |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 5.2 inches (133 mm) | 58°F (15°C) | 3.5 inches (89 mm) |
| Jun | 79°F (26°C) | 3.3 inches (85 mm) | 67°F (20°C) | 2.6 inches (67 mm) |
| Jul | 83°F (28°C) | 3.6 inches (92 mm) | 73°F (23°C) | 2.8 inches (72 mm) |
| Aug | 81°F (27°C) | 3 inches (77 mm) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.9 inches (99 mm) |
| Sep | 75°F (24°C) | 3.7 inches (95 mm) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) |
| Oct | 64°F (18°C) | 3.7 inches (93 mm) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) |
| Nov | 53°F (12°C) | 5.1 inches (130 mm) | 44°F (7°C) | 4.5 inches (115 mm) |
| Dec | 44°F (6°C) | 4.6 inches (118 mm) | 33°F (0°C) | 4.1 inches (105 mm) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.