A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Reno vs. Toronto for Attractions, Nightlife, Food, and Families

Should you visit Reno or Toronto?

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

Should I visit Reno or Toronto? 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.

Reno

Reno is a growing, vibrant, and energetic city. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums. See Reno travel costs.

Toronto

Toronto is a vibrant, cultural, and diverse city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Toronto travel costs.

Reno and Toronto: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Reno or Toronto?

You'll generally find more things to do in Toronto than Reno. Toronto is bigger than Reno, and it also has more attractions and activities for travelers. Toronto is more touristy than Reno and is known for its art and culture, diverse cuisine, and multi-cultural population. Also, Toronto is famous for the CN Tower. Reno is well known for its casinos and nightlife scene.

How is Reno different from Toronto?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Toronto is renowned for its museums and history. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Toronto has many famous sights for visitors. The city is filled with landmarks and museums such as the CN Tower and the Royal Ontario Museum. Ripley's Aquarium is a highlight for many visitors. It's near the CN Tower and has an underwater tunnel. The city is also filled with art galleries and cultural sights. Another must is a visit to Casa Loma and, of course, the Toronto Zoo.

Reno is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. 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 Reno or Toronto? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Toronto is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Toronto has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The food scene is as diverse as the city itself. You'll find classic Canadian favorites like peameal bacon sandwiches and beavertails, as well as almost any international cuisine you could want. Make sure you try the dim sum, roti, and street hot dogs.

Reno offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. 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 Reno or Toronto Better for Nightlife?

Toronto is renowned for its evening party scene. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Toronto is a destination that you simply have to visit at least once for nightlife. It's a diverse nightlife scene, with upscale lounges, dive bars, live music, and high energy nightclubs. Popular areas for nightlife include King Street, the Ossington Strip, College Street, and Kensington Market.

The people in Reno know how to have a good time. 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.

Is the Shopping Better in Reno or Toronto?

Toronto is renowned for its shopping areas. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many people travel to Toronto specifically to go shopping. Shopping is huge here, with plenty of options available that range from large malls to vintage stores or flea markets. Eaton Center on Yonge Street is a major shopping area. Yonge Street is also home to more than 600 retail stores.

Reno is a great destination for 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 Reno or Toronto Better for Families?

Toronto is an excellent place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Toronto. Kids will enjoy the city's many family-friendly museums like the Royal Ontario Museum or the Ontario Science Center. Younger kids will have fun playing at the Centreville Theme Park while all ages will love a day at Canada's Wonderland. Black Creek Pioneer Village is a highlight for many families as well.

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 Reno or Toronto Better for Couples?

Toronto is an excellent place to visit for couples. Also, Reno is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for romance.

Toronto makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. This city is full of energy, and couples can enjoy amazing meals, impressive shows, and romantic outings. You can picnic at a park or check out the view from CN Tower. There are also dinner cruises and live theater.

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 Reno or Toronto Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Toronto is an excellent place to visit for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Reno is lacking in options for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers and backpackers visit Toronto. There are a number of hostels around town and there's often a good crowd of backpackers.

Reno is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's not really on the backpacker circuit so you won't find any real hostels in town.

Is Reno or Toronto Better for Students?

Toronto is renowned for its student-friendly activities. However, Reno is not popular with students.

Many students frequent Toronto. The city has a good number of universities that attract students from around the globe. This is a very livable city with a lot of diversity and plenty of entertainment options.

Reno is not popular with students.

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

Toronto is renowned for times when you don't have a car. However, Reno is lacking in options for its public transit.

Toronto has a great public transit system. Union Station is the hub of the city's transportation system, which includes subways, buses and streetcars.

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

Is Reno or Toronto a more walkable city?

Toronto is an excellent place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Reno is lacking in options for its walkability.

Toronto is a very walkable destination. It's a pedestrian-friendly city that is great for exploring on foot. The waterfront area has a walkway and there are cycling trails around town as well.

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 Reno Worth Visiting? and Is Toronto Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Toronto or Reno?

How long in Reno or Toronto?

Both Reno and Toronto have a number of activities to choose from. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Toronto than in Reno. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Reno, and 3-7 days is enough time in Toronto.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Toronto than Reno 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 Toronto.

One day in Reno or Toronto?

In Reno, you'll find nightlife and food. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Toronto is a big city destination where you can fill many days. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Reno or Toronto?

In Reno, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Reno has to offer.

Toronto is a fun place to experience. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than a weekend exploring. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Reno or Toronto?

Reno is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

Toronto is a vibrant big city where you can fill many days. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend five days in the area when traveling. Five days is often enough time to do most activities.

A week in Reno or Toronto?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Reno. Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Reno. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Toronto is a diverse city where you can fill many days. Many people spend one week here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. Because of this, one week is usually enough time for a trip here.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Train & Rail Tours in United States of America, The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, The Best Northern Lights Tours in Canada, and The Best Luxury Tours to Canada.

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

Which is Bigger, Reno or Toronto?

Toronto has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Reno. When comparing the sizes of Reno and Toronto, 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.