A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Sarasota vs. Providence for Families, Attractions, Food, and Nightlife

Should you visit Sarasota or Providence?

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 Sarasota and Providence. 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.

Sarasota

Sarasota is a entertaining, underrated, and relaxing city. It's also popular because of the food, beaches, and shopping. See Sarasota travel costs.

Providence

Providence is a fascinating, active, and friendly city. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food. See Providence travel costs.

Sarasota and Providence: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Sarasota or Providence?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Sarasota than Providence. While Providence is larger than Sarasota, Sarasota has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Sarasota is more popular for its museums and attractions, resorts, and beaches, while Providence is known for its food. Sarasota is more touristy than Providence and is known for its sandy beaches and its fun activities. It is also home to the John and Mable Ringling Museum. Providence is popular for its outdoor parks, historic atmosphere, and college town vibe.

How is Sarasota different from Providence?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Sarasota or Providence?

Sarasota is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Providence is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its sights and museums.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Sarasota. There are some decent museums in town such as the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum, and the Ca' da'Zan. Another highlight is the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

Providence is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. There are several historical museums around town as well as art museums, zoos, a planetarium and natural history museum, and even a children's museum.

Is the Food Better in Sarasota or Providence? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Providence is great for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Sarasota is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Providence has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The food scene around town has grown and diversified in recent years. You'll find a mix of international and local options and for such a small city, it really has a lot to offer.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Sarasota area. You'll find plenty of seafood around town, but there are also international restaurants and quirky local joints.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Nightlife?

The vibe at night is good in both Sarasota and Providence.

If you're looking for night time activities Sarasota has a few options to choose from. You'll find beach clubs, live entertainment such as drum circles, and plenty of bars around town. There are also evening cruises and late night parties.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Providence. Comedy clubs, bars, and clubs keep the energy high during the evening hours. It's not hard to find something to do, particularly on weekend nights.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Resorts?

Sarasota is a good destination for its luxury resorts. However, Providence is not a resort destination.

Sarasota has a few great resort options. You'll find beachfront resorts with pools and nice views.

Providence is not a resort destination.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Beaches?

Sarasota is a good destination for the beach. However, Providence is not a beach destination.

Sarasota offers a nice beach destination. There's no shortage of beaches in the area where you can spend a relaxing day playing the water and lounging in the sun. Siesta Key, Sarasota Gay Beach, Crescent Beach, and Coquina Beach are some of the favorites.

Providence is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Sarasota or Providence?

If you're looking to go shopping, Sarasota and Providence both offer plenty of good spots.

Shopping is a popular activity when visiting Sarasota. Upscale shopping can be found at St. Armand's Circle. There's also Sarasota Square Mall and the Mall at University Town Center. If you want to pick up some local items you can check out Sarasota Farmers Market.

Many visitors go to Providence to go shopping. Malls, shopping centers, and boutiques all offer a range of shopping experiences around town.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Families?

Sarasota is an unbeatable place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Providence is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its family-friendly activities.

With a huge array of activities for kids, Sarasota is very family-friendly. There's a huge number of hands on activities for kids and families in the area. Many families enjoy a visit to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. There are also botanical gardens, science museums, and outdoor adventure centers. Animal lovers will appreciate a visit to Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary. The city also has many performing arts and entertainment options for kids. And make sure you check out the museum dedicated to the Ringling Brothers Circus.

Providence is a family-friendly place to visit. There are opportunities for kids to interact with animals at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, as well as plenty of places for kids to run around like Rocky Point Park or Goddard Memorial State Park. There's also the Providence Children's Museum, go carting, and entertainment centers.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Couples?

Sarasota and Providence both good destinations for a couple.

Sarasota makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. A night out at St. Armands Circle is a fun way to spend the evening. There are also sunset cruises, nice restaurants, comedy clubs, and more.

Providence is a good city for couples to visit. You can see a show at the Providence Performing Arts Center or visit some of the city's historic buildings and museums. There are also parks and coastal walks as well as many great restaurants.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Students?

Providence is great for its student-friendly activities. However, Sarasota is not popular with students.

Many students visit Providence. There's a college town vibe to this small city because it's home to Brown University, which is a member of the Ivy League.

Sarasota is not popular with students.

Is Sarasota or Providence Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Providence is a good destination for times when you don't have a car. However, Sarasota is not a good destination for its public transit.

While Providence offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There are RIPTA buses that travel around town.

Public transit is generally limited in Sarasota. There's a bus system around town but most visitors depend on their own car for transportation.

Is Sarasota or Providence a more walkable city?

Providence is great for its high level of walkability. However, Sarasota is not a good destination for its ease of walking around.

Providence is a very walkable city. It's a walkable city and it's relatively easy to explore on foot.

Sarasota is generally not very walkable. While the downtown has some walkable parts, you'll need a car to access most things around town.

For even more information, also check out Is Sarasota Worth Visiting? and Is Providence Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Providence or Sarasota?

How long in Sarasota or Providence?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Sarasota and Providence. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Sarasota than in Providence. Usually, 2-5 days is a good amount of time for Sarasota, and 2-3 days is enough time in Providence.

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Providence than Sarasota 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 Providence.

One day in Sarasota or Providence?

With museums and nightlife around the underrated city of Sarasota, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

The city of Providence offers food and shopping. 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.

A weekend in Sarasota or Providence?

With nightlife and food around the destination of Sarasota, there's plenty to do. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

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

Five days in Sarasota or Providence?

Sarasota, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. This is a popular place to visit for five days. In five days, you should have a good grasp of this city. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Providence 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.

A week in Sarasota or Providence?

Sarasota is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Providence is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Sarasota or Providence?

Providence has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Sarasota. When comparing the sizes of Sarasota and Providence, 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 Sarasota or Providence?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Sarasota or Providence in the Summer?

Both Providence and Sarasota are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. The summer months attract visitors to Sarasota because of the beaches and the family-friendly experiences. Also, the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Providence this time of year.

In the summer, Sarasota is a little warmer than Providence. Typically, the summer temperatures in Sarasota in July average around 82°F (28°C), and Providence averages at about 73°F (23°C).

It's quite sunny in Providence. The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Sarasota. Sarasota usually receives less sunshine than Providence during summer. Sarasota gets 265 hours of sunny skies, while Providence receives 293 hours of full sun in the summer.

It's quite rainy in Sarasota. In July, Sarasota usually receives more rain than Providence. Sarasota gets 8.4 inches (214 mm) of rain, while Providence receives 2.8 inches (72 mm) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Sarasota or Providence in the Autumn?

Both Providence and Sarasota during the autumn are popular places to visit. The shopping scene are the main draw to Sarasota this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Providence for the shopping scene.

In October, Sarasota is generally much warmer than Providence. Daily temperatures in Sarasota average around 76°F (24°C), and Providence fluctuates around 53°F (12°C).

In Providence, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Sarasota. In the autumn, Sarasota often gets more sunshine than Providence. Sarasota gets 234 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Providence receives 211 hours of full sun.

Sarasota usually gets less rain in October than Providence. Sarasota gets 2.6 inches (65 mm) of rain, while Providence receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain this time of the year. Also, June to November in Sarasota is the hurricane season.

Should I visit Sarasota or Providence in the Winter?

The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Sarasota and Providence. Many travelers come to Sarasota for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Providence in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Providence can get quite cold in the winter. Sarasota is much warmer than Providence in the winter. The daily temperature in Sarasota averages around 59°F (15°C) in January, and Providence fluctuates around 28°F (-2°C).

In Sarasota, it's very sunny this time of the year. Sarasota usually receives more sunshine than Providence during winter. Sarasota gets 200 hours of sunny skies, while Providence receives 170 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Sarasota usually receives less rain than Providence. Sarasota gets 2.3 inches (59 mm) of rain, while Providence receives 3.5 inches (89 mm) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Sarasota or Providence in the Spring?

The spring brings many poeple to Sarasota as well as Providence. Many visitors come to Sarasota in the spring for the beaches.

In the spring, Sarasota is much warmer than Providence. Typically, the spring temperatures in Sarasota in April average around 73°F (23°C), and Providence averages at about 48°F (9°C).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Providence. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Sarasota this time of the year. In the spring, Sarasota often gets more sunshine than Providence. Sarasota gets 299 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Providence receives 225 hours of full sun.

Sarasota usually gets less rain in April than Providence. Sarasota gets 2.1 inches (53 mm) of rain, while Providence receives 3.7 inches (94 mm) of rain this time of the year. Also, the hurricane season in Sarasota is June to November.

Typical Weather for Providence and Sarasota