A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Santa Monica vs. Boise for Families, Food, Nightlife, and Couples

Should you visit Santa Monica or Boise?

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

Should I visit Santa Monica or Boise? 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 Monica

Santa Monica is a lively, funfilled, and energetic town. It's also popular because of the beaches, shopping, and museums. See Santa Monica travel costs.

Boise

Boise is a welcoming, authentic, and friendly city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Boise travel costs.

Santa Monica and Boise: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Santa Monica or Boise?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Santa Monica than Boise. While Boise is larger than Santa Monica, Santa Monica has more sights and attractions for tourists. Santa Monica is more touristy than Boise and is popular for its active lifestyle and fun-filled activities. It is also home to the Santa Monica Pier. Boise is popular for its many outdoor and recreational activities.

How is Santa Monica different from Boise?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Santa Monica or Boise?

Plenty of people visit the good sights and museums in both Santa Monica and Boise.

Santa Monica offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. There's a thriving arts scene and a number of museums around town. Check out the Museum of Flying, the California Heritage Museum, or the Santa Monica History Museum.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Boise. As the state capital, there's a nice selection of local museums around town. Favorites include the Boise Art Museum, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the Idaho Black History Museum, and Discovery Center.

Is the Food Better in Santa Monica or Boise? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for its restaurants. However, Boise is lacking in options for its restaurant scene.

Santa Monica has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. You'll find a diversity of restaurants in the area, many of which make use of the town's many farmer's markets. The restaurant scene has a beachy vibe with a lot of outdoor dining opportunities. There are also a range of cuisines to choose from such as Mexican, Italian, casual, and upscale.

Boise offers some easy restaurants to choose from. While Idaho has long been associated with the potato, the locals usually think of "finger steaks" when describing local food. These are deep-friend beef strips that are as good as they sound.

Is Santa Monica or Boise Better for Nightlife?

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for its evening party scene. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for nightlife.

Santa Monica has a lively atmosphere and nightlife is popular here. There's a relaxed and laid back vibe to the nightlife scene. Many venues offer outdoor seating and live music in a casual setting. You can hang out on a patio and enjoy the California climate while you sip cold drinks and the beach town atmosphere.

Boise has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. In downtown Boise you'll find a selection of bars, lounges, and breweries. There's enough around town to keep the nightlife scene interesting.

Is Santa Monica or Boise Better for Beaches?

Santa Monica is a must-visit destination for the beach. However, Boise is not a beach destination.

Travelers come from around the world to visit the beaches in Santa Monica. Santa Monica Beach is large and lined with bike trails. It's also filled with activity and you'll find many water sports, beach volleyball, and surfing in the area. There's also the famous Santa Monica Pier, which has an amusement park aquarium, Ferris wheal, dining, and shopping.

Boise is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Santa Monica or Boise?

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for its shopping areas. Also, Boise is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Santa Monica. It's easy to pass the time shopping in Santa Monica. There are independent vendors, fashion boutiques, and art galleries. Head to Montana Avenue or Main Street for some of the best shopping.

Boise is a great destination for shopping. You'll find a mix of local boutiques, independent vendors, and suburban shopping centers where you'll find anything that you might need.

Is Santa Monica or Boise Better for Families?

Santa Monica is a must-visit destination for its kid-friendly activities. However, Boise is lacking in options for its family-friendly activities.

As it has a large number of activities for kids, Santa Monica is a very family-friendly destination. Many families spend their days hanging out on the beaches, soaking up the sun, and even trying to surf. There's a boardwalk as well as bike paths that are perfect for people watching. You should also check out the Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier, which is a thrilling amusement park.

Boise doesn't usually come to mind when thinking about kid-friendly destinations. You'll find parks, playgrounds, and the Discovery Center which will help keep kids entertained.

Is Santa Monica or Boise Better for Couples?

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for couples. However, Boise is lacking in options for romance.

Santa Monica makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Fun days on the beach, peaceful walks at sunset, and a wild nightlife scene make this the perfect couples destination for couples who enjoy activity and excitement.

Boise is not the best destination for a couple to visit. Date night activities include dining at a nice restaurants and seeing a show at the theater.

Is Santa Monica or Boise Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Monica is a popular place for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Boise is lacking in options for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Santa Monica. There's no shortage of activities in the area, whether you're into surfing, partying, or sunbathing. There's also at least one hostel that's great for budget travelers and backpackers.

Boise is not the best destination for backpackers and budget travelers due to its high prices. Backpackers rarely make their way to this town.

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

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Boise is lacking in options for its public transit.

Santa Monica offers a very effecient public transportation network. The Metro E Line connects the city to downtown Los Angeles. There's also the Big Blue Bus as well the Santa Monica Circuit, which are small electric carts that offer free rides between Wilshire Boulevard and Marine Street, and from the ocean to Fifth Street.

Public transit is generally limited in Boise. There are infrequent buses around town, but visitors usually have a car to get around town efficiently.

Is Santa Monica or Boise a more walkable city?

Santa Monica is an excellent place to visit for its ease of walking around. However, Boise is lacking in options for its walkability.

Santa Monica is a very walkable destination. The city is very walkable, particularly in the more touristy areas.

Boise is generally not very walkable. There are a couple of walkable neighborhoods but, in general, the town isn't very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Santa Monica Worth Visiting? and Is Boise Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Boise or Santa Monica?

How long in Santa Monica or Boise?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Monica than Boise 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 Monica.

One day in Santa Monica or Boise?

In Santa Monica, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this lively destination offers. It's also a great beach destination, too. Lots of people come for the beaches. This town offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

In Boise, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this authentic city offers. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. In one day, you should have a good grasp of this city.

A weekend in Santa Monica or Boise?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Santa Monica. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Boise is a fun place to experience. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. It will give you the chance to have new experiences. So, a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Santa Monica or Boise?

Santa Monica is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Santa Monica. Lots of people come for the beaches. You'll find plenty of activities on the beach. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find nightlife and shopping around the friendly destination of Boise. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

A week in Santa Monica or Boise?

You'll find food and shopping around the funfilled destination of Santa Monica. Most people come for the beaches. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. Lots of people come for the beaches. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Boise is a popular place to visit. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

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 Santa Monica and Boise, we can see that Santa Monica is more expensive. And not only is Boise much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Boise would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Boise 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 Monica would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Monica than you might in Boise.

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

Which is Bigger, Santa Monica or Boise?

Boise has a larger population, and is about 65% larger than the population of Santa Monica. When comparing the sizes of Santa Monica and Boise, 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.