A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Milwaukee vs. Reno for Nightlife, Attractions, Food, and Families

Should you visit Milwaukee or Reno?

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

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Milwaukee and Reno can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee is a undiscovered, friendly, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Milwaukee travel costs.

Reno

Reno is a vibrant, energetic, and growing city. Visitors also love the food, shopping, and museums. See Reno travel costs.

Milwaukee and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Milwaukee or Reno?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Reno than Milwaukee. While Milwaukee is larger than Reno, Reno has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Reno is more touristy than Milwaukee and is known for its casinos and nightlife scene. It is also home to the National Automobile Museum. Milwaukee is popular for its many breweries and its baseball culture.

How is Milwaukee different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Milwaukee or Reno?

Visiting museums and landmarks is a fun activity in both Milwaukee and Reno.

Milwaukee offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There are several unique museums like the Harley-Davidson Museum, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Milwaukee Public Museum. There's also the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Grohmann Museum as well as outdoor sculpture parks and other cultural and historic museums.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Reno. Museums in town range from art and history to local or quirky. The National Automobile Museum, the Nevada Museum of Art, Fleischmann Planetarium, and the Anthropology Museum are some of the favorites.

Is the Food Better in Milwaukee or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Reno is a city with good options for its restaurants. However, Milwaukee is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Reno has a delicious restaurant scene that relies on local flavors. The food scene has been growing in recent years and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants that serve hearty and filling comfort foods.

Milwaukee may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. The Midwest is known for its artery clogging comfort foods, and Milwaukee is no exception. Cheese curds, fried fish, fruit dumplings, and frozen custard are all popular.

Is Milwaukee or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is an excellent place to visit for nightlife and partying. Also, Milwaukee is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its evening party scene.

Reno has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. There's a big nightlife scene with a huge number of bars and entertainment options. There are also a growing number of breweries in town.

Milwaukee has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find a decent number of breweries around town. There are also wine bars, nightclubs, and live music venues that are worth checking out.

Is the Shopping Better in Milwaukee or Reno?

Shoppers can find a variety of good stores in both Milwaukee and Reno.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Milwaukee. You'll find the standard shopping centers and shopping malls around town, but if you want some more local vendors, check out the areas around the Historic Third Ward and The Village in Wauwatosa.

Many visitors go to Reno to go shopping. In addition to your standard suburban shopping malls and strip malls, there's the Midtown District, which has local retail shops and an eclectic and alternative vibe. The area has thrift shops, music vendors, and more.

Is Milwaukee or Reno Better for Families?

Both Milwaukee and Reno are good to visit with kids.

Milwaukee is a family-friendly city. Kids will enjoy a visit to Discovery World, which is a science center with hands-on exhibits. There's also the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Milwaukee Public Museum. Younger kids will also enjoy a stop at Betty Brinn Children's Museum.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Reno. You'll find some arcades and entertainment options for kids in some of the casinos. There's also the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, which has kid-friendly, hands-on exhibits, and the largest zoo in Nevado, the Sierra Nevada Zoological Park.

Is Milwaukee or Reno Better for Couples?

Reno is a city with good options for its romantic activities. However, Milwaukee is lacking in options for couples.

Reno makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There are outdoor parks and scenic walks like the Truckee River Walk or the Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. There's also several great museums and some interesting restaurants.

Milwaukee is not always the best place to visit for a couple. Take a walk or visit a local restaurant. There are also museums and performances that make for a nice outing.

Is Milwaukee or Reno Better for Students?

Milwaukee is a popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Reno is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Milwaukee. It's home to a number of colleges and universities, so there is a bit of a college town vibe.

Reno is not popular with students.

Is Milwaukee or Reno Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Visitors will find decent public transit in both Milwaukee and Reno.

Public transit is mostly limited in Milwaukee. There are buses that travel around town.

Public transit is generally limited in Reno. There's a public bus system with routes around town.

Is Milwaukee or Reno a more walkable city?

Milwaukee is a popular place for its ease of walking around. However, Reno is lacking in options for its walkability.

Milwaukee is a somewhat walkable city. Parts of the city are relatively compact and walkable. The most walkable neighborhoods are East Side, Riverwest, Brewers Hill, Downtown, Avenues West/Marquette, Third Ward, Walker's Point, and Bay View.

Reno is generally not very walkable. While there are some reasonably walkable neighborhoods, you really need a car to get around town.

For even more information, also check out Is Milwaukee Worth Visiting? and Is Reno Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Reno or Milwaukee?

How long in Milwaukee or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Milwaukee and Reno. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Reno than in Milwaukee. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Milwaukee, and 1-3 days is enough time in Reno.

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

One day in Milwaukee or Reno?

Visitors enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Milwaukee. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

You'll find shopping and museums around the city of Reno. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Reno has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A weekend in Milwaukee or Reno?

Milwaukee is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the growing destination of Reno. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Five days in Milwaukee or Reno?

You'll find shopping and museums around the welcoming destination of Milwaukee. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the growing city of Reno. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Milwaukee or Reno?

The welcoming city of Milwaukee offers museums and nightlife. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week 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.

Reno is a popular choice for travelers. One week 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. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America, The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Milwaukee or Reno?

Milwaukee has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Reno. When comparing the sizes of Milwaukee and Reno, 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.