A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Portland, Maine vs. Reno for Nightlife, Food, Families, and Couples

Should you visit Portland, Maine or Reno?

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

Should I visit Portland, Maine or Reno? 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.

Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine is a scenic, picturesque, and seaside coastal town. With stunning beauty, Portland, Maine attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the beaches, hiking, and shopping. See Portland, Maine travel costs.

Reno

Reno is a energetic, growing, and vibrant city. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Reno travel costs.

Portland, Maine and Reno: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Portland, Maine than Reno. While Reno is larger than Portland, Maine, Portland, Maine has more sights and attractions for tourists. Portland, Maine is very popular for its beaches, hiking, and impressive beauty, while Reno attracts visitors for its museums and attractions and nightlife. Portland, Maine is famous for its seafood restaurants, scenic lighthouse, and coastal walks. It is also well known for The Portland Head Light. Reno is famous for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Portland, Maine different from Reno?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Reno is a popular place for its museums and landmarks. However, Portland, Maine does not have museums and landmarks.

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.

Portland, Maine does not have museums and landmarks.

Is the Food Better in Portland, Maine or Reno? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Picking the best cuisine and restaurants between Portland, Maine and Reno can be difficult as they are each nice in their own way.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Portland, Maine area. The town has grown into a foodie destination that takes advantage of its waterfront setting. Many restaurants make use of the fresh seafood with lobster rolls and oysters on the half shell being popular. You'll also find a lot of dishes that use haddock and whole lobsters.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Reno. The food scene has been growing in recent years and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants that serve hearty and filling comfort foods.

Is Portland, Maine or Reno Better for Nightlife?

Reno is well known for its evening party scene. Also, Portland, Maine is still popular, but not quite as popular for nightlife.

Reno is a popular destination for visitors looking to party into the night. 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.

If you're looking for night time activities Portland, Maine has a few options to choose from. The city has many microbreweries, wine bars, taverns, and pubs. You'll find many places concentrated in the Old Port, which has a charming and fun atmosphere.

Is Portland, Maine or Reno Better for Beaches?

Portland, Maine is an excellent place to visit for the beach. However, Reno is not a beach destination.

Portland, Maine is considered a top beach destination. It has many sandy and calm beaches. The water may be too cold to swim, but the beaches are perfect for flying a kite or hanging out with family.

Reno is not a beach destination.

Is Portland, Maine or Reno Better for Hiking?

Portland, Maine is a popular place for its hiking trails. However, Reno is not a hiking destination.

Portland, Maine is a good destination for hiking. In addition to bike trails, there are several good hikes in the area.

Reno is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Reno and Portland, Maine.

Many visitors go to Portland, Maine to go shopping. The town has many nice local boutiques to explore. Head downtown for the best local venues and the most interesting shopping opportunities.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Reno. 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 Portland, Maine or Reno More Beautiful?

Portland, Maine is an excellent place to visit for its scenery and beauty. However, Reno is not a destination known for its beauty.

With stunning beauty, Portland, Maine attracts visitors from all around. Set against the water's edge, the town offers many beautiful scenes and picturesque settings.

Reno is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Portland, Maine or Reno Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Portland, Maine or Reno.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Portland, Maine. It is a charming town with a number of kid-friendly museums, walks, and waterfront activities. You can visit the Portland Observatory, Bug Light Park, or grab ice cream in the Old Port. There are also children's museums such as the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine.

Reno offers lots of family activities. 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 Portland, Maine or Reno Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Portland, Maine and Reno make for a nice place to visit.

Portland, Maine is a good coastal town for couples to visit. Couples will enjoy the beautiful waterfront setting, the fine dining restaurants, and everything that the city has to offer. Head to the Old Port for romantic restaurants and a great atmosphere or catch a show at Portland Stage.

Reno is a nice destination for couples. 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.

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

Reno is a city with a few options for its public transit. However, Portland, Maine is not particularly known for times when you don't have a car.

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

Public transit is quite limited in Portland, Maine. There is a very basic bus system but you really must have a car to explore the city.

Is Portland, Maine or Reno a more walkable city?

Portland, Maine and Reno both are reasonable when exploring on foot.

Portland, Maine is generally not very walkable. Downtown is very walkable but if you want to travel to other areas you'll need a car.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Reno or Portland, Maine?

How long in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Portland, Maine and Reno. In our opinion, Portland, Maine has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Portland, Maine than Reno. In general, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Portland, Maine, and 1-3 days is enough time in Reno.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Reno than Portland, Maine 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 Reno.

One day in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Visitors enjoy the shopping and nightlife when visiting the destination of Portland, Maine. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

The growing destination of Reno offers nightlife and food. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

A weekend in Portland, Maine or Reno?

Portland, Maine is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It's also a great beach destination, too. 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.

The city of Reno offers food and shopping. 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 Portland, Maine or Reno?

You'll find food and shopping around the seaside destination of Portland, Maine. This coastal town offers something for everyone. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Reno is a great place to explore. This city offers something for everyone. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Portland, Maine or Reno?

The seaside coastal town of Portland, Maine offers shopping and nightlife. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. 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.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Reno. 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Portland, Maine and Reno, we can see that Portland, Maine 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 Portland, Maine would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Portland, Maine 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 Portland, Maine Expensive? and Is Reno Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Portland, Maine or Reno?

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