A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Santa Barbara vs. Halifax for Couples, Attractions, Food, and Families

Should you visit Santa Barbara or Halifax?

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

Should I visit Santa Barbara or Halifax? 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.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a affluent, scenic, and stunning coastal town. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. Santa Barbara is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. This is a quaint and attractive place to visit, too. Other reasons to visit include hiking, shopping, and museums. See Santa Barbara travel costs.

Halifax

Halifax is a friendly, cultural, and historical city. Other popular activities here include nightlife, food, and shopping. See Halifax travel costs.

Santa Barbara and Halifax: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Santa Barbara than Halifax. While Halifax is larger than Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara has more sights and attractions for tourists. Santa Barbara is more touristy than Halifax and is popular for its historic missions, pristine beaches, world-class surfing, and scenic hikes that are full of coastal views. Also, Santa Barbara is famous for The Old Mission Santa Barbara. Halifax is well known for its maritime past.

How is Santa Barbara different from Halifax?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its museums and history. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With a variety of museums, monuments, and historical sights, a trip to Santa Barbara can be an interesting and educational experience. The city is famous for its missions, with Mission Santa Barbara being the most iconic. Also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center.

Halifax offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. You should head to Pier 21, where you'll find the Canadian Museum of Immigration. The Discovery Center is a great spot for kids, as is the Natural History Museum. Finally, check out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

Is the Food Better in Santa Barbara or Halifax? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

The food selection at local restaurants is excellent in Santa Barbara. The city is best known for its fine dining, particularly if you enjoy seafood. The scallops, oysters, clam chowder, and sea urchin (when available) are all world class. Head for a waterfront setting for the best views and some of the freshest seafood.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Halifax. You'll find lobster rolls and other seafood around town, but also make sure you try the Halifax donair, which is a shaved beef sandwich wrap that can be found a many pizza restaurants.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Nightlife?

Both Santa Barbara and Halifax are notable when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Santa Barbara. For the best nightlife in the city, head downtown to State Street. This is where you'll find the most active bars and biggest crowds. There's a large student population in town, so you'll find much of the nightlife scene is focused on the younger population.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Halifax. There's a laid back atmosphere to the nightlife scene. There are casual bars and pubs where you can meet the locals and a few nightclubs where there's a relaxed but fun atmosphere.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Resorts?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its luxury resorts. However, Halifax is not a resort destination.

Santa Barbara is a popular resort destination that attracts visitors from everywhere. Many people enjoy the luxurious vacation rentals around Santa Barbara, but there are also a number of high end resorts including the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, and Hotel Californian.

Halifax is not a resort destination.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santa Barbara is a decent place to visit for the nearby scuba diving and snorkeling. However, Halifax is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

It's possible to go snorkeling in Santa Barbara. Snorkeling areas not far from town include Refugio State Beach and Tajiguas. You'll see a few fish, beautiful rocks, and anemones that are unique and impressive.

Halifax is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Beaches?

Santa Barbara is renowned for its beaches. However, Halifax is not a beach destination.

The beaches in Santa Barbara are among the best in the world. The city is famous for its pristine, sandy beaches. Whether you want to enjoy world class surfing or enjoy a gentle ocean setting, Santa Barbara has many options.

Halifax is not a beach destination.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for its Old Town?

Santa Barbara is a nice place to visit for its historic old town. However, Halifax does not have a historic old town.

Santa Barbara is a good destination for visiting its old town. The city's downtown "Old Town" is a high end, pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Halifax does not have a historic old town.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Hiking?

Santa Barbara is renowned for its hiking trails. However, Halifax is not a hiking destination.

Known for its hiking, Santa Barbara draws a crowd to experience the nature and the trails. Just outside of town are countless hiking opportunities that offer spectacular ocean views. Popular hikes include Inspiration Point, San Ysidro Trail, and Cold Spring East Fork.

Halifax is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Santa Barbara is renowned for shopping. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its shopping opportunities.

People travel from around the world to go shopping in Santa Barbara. The city is famous as a high end shopping destination. Head to State Street for a palm tree lined street with local boutiques.

Halifax offers some nice shopping areas. You'll find a mix of boutiques, artisan shops, large malls, and shopping centers.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax More Beautiful?

Santa Barbara is renowned for its scenery and beauty. However, Halifax is not a destination known for its beauty.

Santa Barbara is considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. The city is beautifully situated right by the ocean and offers stunning views and and an amazing setting. It is also filled with opulent houses and grand estates, giving it an air of grandeur.

Halifax is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Families?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

Santa Barbara is a very family-friendly destination. The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Halifax. There are a handful of kid-friendly museums like the Museum of Natural History. Kids will also appreciate a visit to the Discovery Center or stretching their legs at Point Pleasant Park. History lovers should go see the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Couples?

Santa Barbara is renowned for romance. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Santa Barbara has so much to offer for a romantic couple's vacation. The town is a stunningly beautiful destination with beautiful beaches, excellent shopping, and nice resorts that make for a great honeymoon or romantic trip.

Halifax makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples can wander down the waterfront or take a stroll through Point Pleasant Park. The city also has number of romantic restaurants and hotels.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Halifax is a popular place for backpackers. However, Santa Barbara is not a good coastal town for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Halifax. There's actually a decent number of hostels around town for backpackers and budget travelers.

Santa Barbara is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. The city isn't really known as a budget friendly destination, but there are a couple of hostels in the area. There's also a large student population with a fun nightlife scene.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Students?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Halifax is not popular with students.

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town to visit as a student. With a major university right in town, there's plenty of student life that international students or locals can enjoy.

Halifax is not popular with students.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Santa Barbara and Halifax offer notable public transit options.

Santa Barbara has a few public transit options. Transit options include buses, trolleys and water taxis.

Halifax has some public transit options. There are buses around town as well as a ferry to Dartmouth.

Is Santa Barbara or Halifax a more walkable city?

Santa Barbara is a very popular place for its walkability. Also, Halifax is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

Santa Barbara is very walkable. The downtown area is very pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot.

Halifax is a somewhat walkable place. It's a compact town that's relatively easy to explore on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Barbara Worth Visiting? and Is Halifax Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Halifax or Santa Barbara?

How long in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Santa Barbara and Halifax. In our opinion, Santa Barbara has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Santa Barbara than Halifax. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Barbara than Halifax 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 Santa Barbara.

One day in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

In Santa Barbara, you'll find nightlife and food. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. This coastal town offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the friendly destination of Halifax. Your budget might influence how long you stay. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

In Santa Barbara, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Santa Barbara has to offer.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Halifax. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Five days in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Santa Barbara is a great place to explore. You can also relax and pamper yourself at one of the resorts. 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.

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the historical destination of Halifax. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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.

A week in Santa Barbara or Halifax?

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

You'll find food and shopping around the city of Halifax. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

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 G Adventures Tours to Canada, and The Best 3-Day Tours from Vancouver.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Santa Barbara or Halifax?

Halifax has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Santa Barbara. When comparing the sizes of Santa Barbara and Halifax, 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 Santa Barbara or Halifax?

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 Santa Barbara or Halifax in the Summer?

Both Halifax and Santa Barbara during the summer are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Santa Barbara for the beaches, snorkeling, the hiking, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences. Also, many visitors come to Halifax in the summer for the family-friendly experiences.

In the summer, Santa Barbara is around the same temperature as Halifax. Typically, the summer temperatures in Santa Barbara in July average around 65°F (19°C), and Halifax averages at about 18°C (64°F).

Santa Barbara usually gets less rain in July than Halifax. Santa Barbara gets 0 inches (1 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 99 mm (3.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santa Barbara or Halifax in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Santa Barbara and Halifax. Many visitors come to Santa Barbara in the autumn for the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Also, most visitors come to Halifax for the shopping scene during these months.

In October, Santa Barbara is generally much warmer than Halifax. Daily temperatures in Santa Barbara average around 62°F (17°C), and Halifax fluctuates around 10°C (49°F).

Halifax receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Santa Barbara usually receives less rain than Halifax. Santa Barbara gets 0.5 inches (13 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 121 mm (4.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Santa Barbara or Halifax in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Santa Barbara as well as Halifax. Most visitors come to Santa Barbara for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months. Also, the winter months attract visitors to Halifax because of the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

The weather in Halifax can be very cold. Santa Barbara is much warmer than Halifax in the winter. The daily temperature in Santa Barbara averages around 52°F (11°C) in January, and Halifax fluctuates around -4°C (24°F).

It's quite rainy in Halifax. Santa Barbara usually gets less rain in January than Halifax. Santa Barbara gets 3.2 inches (82 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 129 mm (5.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Santa Barbara or Halifax in the Spring?

Both Halifax and Santa Barbara are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. The spring months attract visitors to Santa Barbara because of the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.

It's quite cold in Halifax in the spring. In the spring, Santa Barbara is much warmer than Halifax. Typically, the spring temperatures in Santa Barbara in April average around 57°F (14°C), and Halifax averages at about 4°C (39°F).

It rains a lot this time of the year in Halifax. In April, Santa Barbara usually receives less rain than Halifax. Santa Barbara gets 1.1 inches (27 mm) of rain, while Halifax receives 110 mm (4.3 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Halifax and Santa Barbara