A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Mystic vs. Edmonton for Attractions, Families, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Mystic or Edmonton?

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 Mystic and Edmonton. 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.

Mystic

Mystic is a charming, quaint, and laid back town. It's also known for shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Mystic travel costs.

Edmonton

Edmonton is a cultural, authentic, and friendly city. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, shopping, and museums. See Edmonton travel costs.

Mystic and Edmonton: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Mystic or Edmonton?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Mystic. Although Mystic and Edmonton are both popular with visitors, Mystic has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Mystic is more touristy than Edmonton and is popular for its New England charm and local character. It is also home to the Mystic Seaport Museum. Edmonton is popular for its many festivals and lively personality.

How is Mystic different from Edmonton?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Mystic or Edmonton?

Spend time exploring the high quality sights and museums in either Mystic or Edmonton.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Mystic. There's a decent selection of museums around town with some of the favorites being the Mystic Seaport Museum, the Mystic Museum of Art, the Denison Homestead Museum, and the Old Lighthouse Museum, The Mystic Aquarium is also a popular destination.

Edmonton offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. You'll find a number of good museums around town such as the Royal Alberta Museum, Muttart Conservatory, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Is the Food Better in Mystic or Edmonton? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Mystic is very good for its local cuisine and restaurants. However, Edmonton is not a good city for its restaurants.

Mystic offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. As a coastal town, you'll find no shortage of seafood at many restaurants. Popular dishes include oysters, shrimp, or fish. There are also many casual restaurants that serve comfort food for classic American favorites like mac and cheese, pasta, or burgers.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Edmonton. You'll find a mix of casual cafes, international eateries, and more upscale dining options.

Is Mystic or Edmonton Better for Nightlife?

Both Mystic and Edmonton have good vibes after the sun sets.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Mystic. Head downtown for the most interesting bars and breweries. You can sip wine or enjoy a cocktail at a laid back pub with friends or family.

Edmonton has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. There's a mix of nightclubs, bars, and breweries around town. Head to Jasper Avenue for the high end clubs or check out a live show at one of the active theaters around town.

Is Mystic or Edmonton Better for Beaches?

Mystic is a well-known place for its beaches. However, Edmonton is not a beach destination.

Mystic is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. The beaches are accessible from town and offer a laid back setting that's not overly developed. Families will like Ocean Beach Park but Williams Beach Park is one of the easiest beaches to access. If you're willing to drive a bit out of town, you should check out Misquamicut State Beach.

Edmonton is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Mystic or Edmonton?

Shoppers can find a variety of high quality stores in both Mystic and Edmonton.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Mystic. Head downtown for scenic shopping streets with boutiques, artisan craft shops, and jewelry stores.

Edmonton is a popular shopping destination with plenty of stores. The city is home to the West Edmonton Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in Canada, and among the largest in the world. The mall includes hundreds of shops, restaurants, a hotel, ice rink, movie theaters, an aquarium, and Galaxyland, which is one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world. The mall is divided into themed sections that represent iconic places from around the world such as Europa Boulevard and Bourbon Street.

Is Mystic or Edmonton Better for Families?

Mystic is a well-known place for its family-friendly activities. Also, Edmonton is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for its kid-friendly activities.

Mystic is a very family-friendly place to visit. Animal lovers will enjoy wandering around the many trails at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center or visiting the famous Mystic Aquarium. You can also visit the shops around Olde Mistick Village or dine at one of the many kid-friendly restaurants.

Edmonton is a family-friendly town. Many families live in town so if you're visiting for a few days you'll find plenty to do with kids. Most of the activities are concentrated in the downtown areas and along the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. The whole family will enjoy a visit to Telus World of Science. There's also the Edmonton Valley Zoo, the Alberta Aviation Museum, and Galaxyland, as well as many other activities.

Is Mystic or Edmonton Better for Couples?

Mystic and Edmonton both good destinations for a couple.

Mystic is a nice destination for couples. Check out Mystic Seaport or drive down the coastline and visit the lighthouses. You'll also find breweries around town as well as many fun or romantic restaurants.

Edmonton makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. There's a good theater scene, so you can enjoy dinner and a show. There are also quaint cafes, mellow breweries, and plenty of cultural activities like art museums.

Is Mystic or Edmonton Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Edmonton is a good destination for times when you don't have a car. However, Mystic is lacking in options for its public transit.

Edmonton has some public transit options. The city has both bus and light rail systems.

Public transit is limited or non-existant in Mystic. There is a bus but it has limited stops and only runs on weekdays.

Is Mystic or Edmonton a more walkable city?

Edmonton is a good destination for its walkability. However, Mystic is lacking in options for its high level of walkability.

Edmonton is somewhat walkable. There are parts of the city that are very walkable.

Mystic is generally not very walkable. While parts of town are very walkable, you'll need a car if you want to see the sights that are a bit further away.

For even more information, also check out Is Mystic Worth Visiting? and Is Edmonton Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Edmonton or Mystic?

How long in Mystic or Edmonton?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Mystic or Edmonton to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Mystic than Edmonton because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Mystic, and 1-2 days is enough time in Edmonton.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Edmonton than Mystic 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 Edmonton.

One day in Mystic or Edmonton?

The town of Mystic offers food and shopping. Most people come for the beaches. 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.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Edmonton. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Mystic or Edmonton?

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

Edmonton is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Mystic or Edmonton?

Mystic 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Edmonton. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Mystic or Edmonton?

Mystic is a great place to explore. It's also a great beach destination, too. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the authentic destination of Edmonton. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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 in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to Canada, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Canada.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Mystic or Edmonton?

Edmonton has a larger population, and is about 140 times larger than the population of Mystic. When comparing the sizes of Mystic and Edmonton, 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.