Best Options for Vacations - Small Towns Vs Big Cities

There is a constant dilemma that pops up just before we go on our travel vacation - whether to travel to a big city or a small town. While both have their own positives and negatives, it's often tough to figure out what these points actually are. To help you choose between a small town and a big city, we have taken some important things into consideration and discussed them in detail, about how they change with respective to the kind of the destination you choose.

Read on to find which is the best option for your vacation : travelling to small towns vs big cities?

First and the foremost point to consider before choosing between either of the two is to understand the change in the financials. As many of you already know, the expenses that happen in a big city is always on the high side when compared to within a town. You will be spending constantly as you will be spoiled for choices in the city. When you're that tempted, you couldn't just stop the urge in getting your wallet out in the open.  

 

Imagine looking for an accommodation in one of the big cities like London or New York and do the same in one of the fairly known smaller towns, what difference do you see? While the accommodation in the city is way costlier than that of the one in the town, it has way more amenities and the level of comfort is high too. So basically the extra amount of money that you will end up paying while in a city is for the infrastructure that you will be traveling in. 

 

For your trip to a small town, you will pay less which also comes with comparatively lesser perks whether you choose a homestay or a hotel.

So you have reached your destination and what next, you have to explore the place right? And what's the best way to explore the place than a public transport? While most of the cities have a stronger transport system connecting the major points within the city, only a handful of towns in the world has the basic transport options. 

 

On one hand, you have metro, trams, and taxis that are readily available for you to hop on and the other hand you're left with meager options to choose from. This means you have to either walk or get on the local transportation that is available which includes buses of less frequency, fewer taxis and auto rickshaws. But this also means that you will rarely be having an argument with the taxi driver regarding the amount that needs to be paid. 

As you search for the list of things to do and the famous attractions that you should be seeing when in the city and in the town, you will realize that there are so many things that are waiting to be explored in the city while there are comparatively fewer options in the town. 

 

From malls to pubs to theaters to street markets, cities are dotted with interesting places that will literally leave you confused, as of where to go and what to seek. Even riding in a subway can be quite exciting. And in the towns, it is a whole different story. You don't get a chance to be in one of the fancy pubs or go shopping in extravagant malls. But you get to experience offbeat things like hiking, wine tasting, sailing, and even more things that are totally unique and free and can only be experienced in the town. 

 

 

 

Now to the most important thing - food. While the cities have plenty of lavish restaurants to eat that come with fine dining options, towns are the place to go if you want to have a taste of the authentic food. Having a bite of the local food that is totally authentic gives you a chance to get involved with the town. This is quite impossible in the cities, given the influence of the global cuisine. But you will be presented with an option to choose between different cuisines from all around the globe and you can taste it all, right from the place you are!

 

Coming to the quality, the quality of the food that gets stacked in the supermarkets of the cities are not good and the prices are also on the higher side. But in the towns, you have immediate access to fresh produce with higher quality and lower price at the same time. They can be easily got from the vegetable market. Farm to table is more true in the towns than in the cities. 

Just imagine this situation, you are walking down the street and you are smiling at a random stranger, what will their reaction be. Do the people in the cities and those in the towns have the same expression or does it change? The answer to this is, people in the city are mostly engrossed in their phones so only a few actually keep their heads up while walking and secondly more than they acknowledge the smile they actually will end up thinking that you are weird. But the scenario is totally different in the towns, you are more than often acknowledged back with a smile that is even wider than yours and you end up having a connection immediately. 

 

The reason for this contrasting behavior is maybe because of the fact that cities are generally crowded with tourists and you are just one amongst the many other tourists visiting the place. So it is a natural reaction. On the other hand, towns are not that frequented by the tourists and so you are actually new to them, making you more of a guest than a tourist and they welcome you with both hands, given the curiosity and the excitement. 

 

Every place has a unique personality and culture that comes with its own beliefs and customs. But to get to the root of any culture and to understand the true essence of a place, you should visit the small towns than the big cities. Unspoiled and not commercialized, the towns carry the same culture that has been followed in the decades before while the culture in the cities has been hugely influenced and has traces of other foreign cultures. 

Big cities are well built, & well connected - both in terms of the transportation and the internet. If you are one of those persons, who likes to be in constant interaction with your peers and friends in the social media, then traveling to the city might be the best option for you. But if you are not a fan of social media and the internet and really want to spend some time in solitude then small towns are ideal for you. 

 

And talking about facilities, big cities have the best facilities and small towns certainly lag behind them, big time. Suppose you catch a cold or fever on your travel and you want to visit a doctor, the chances are you might be left with fewer to zero options in the town. Whereas, in the city you get the best treatment possible, helping you to recover faster and explore more. Plus you have a lot of places to visit that are generally buzzing with activity and live events. 

 

Leaving the facilities and the entertainment aside, small towns have the quietest setting possible with the freshest of air that is devoid of all the pollution and the violence. 

 

At the end of the day, it is your call if you want to visit a small town or a big city. Because both the kind of destinations have their own pros and cons. But now, with these points at your reach, I am sure, you will make a more informed decision. Among the two, which is your personal favorite option? Do let us know in the comment section below.