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

Should you visit Durham or Greenville?

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

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Durham and Greenville can help you decide which place is right for you.

Durham

Durham is a diverse, student-filled, and sports oriented city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Durham travel costs.

Greenville

Greenville is a hospitable, southern, and welcoming city. Other popular activities here include museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Greenville travel costs.

Durham and Greenville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Durham or Greenville?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Durham than Greenville. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Durham is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for its college town vibe as well as being the home of the famous Blue Devil basketball team. It is also well known for the Duke University Chapel. Greenville is famous for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Durham different from Greenville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Durham or Greenville?

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

Many visitors head to Durham specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Duke University is one of the most popular destinations in town. There are several museums on campus as well as the famous Duke Chapel. Elsewhere in Durham there's the Durham Museum of Life and Science.

Greenville is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Museums focus on art, history, and science. Notable museums in town include the Greenville County Museum of Art, the Upcountry History Museum, and the Sigal Music Museum.

Is the Food Better in Durham or Greenville? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Durham is very good for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Greenville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Durham is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Barbecue is a favorite around town. You'll also find plenty of restaurants that cater to the student population, particularly along Nineth Street near Duke's campus.

Greenville offers some easy restaurants to choose from. The food scene is growing and the farm-to-table movement is apparent here, but the city is still often overlooked by foodies in the area.

Is Durham or Greenville Better for Nightlife?

Both Durham and Greenville are nice when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Durham. The younger population tends to hang out near campus and along Nineth Street. If you're looking for something less student oriented, head to downtown Durham.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Greenville. Bars, breweries, and low key clubs are what drive the city's nightlife scene. There are both piano bars and live music venues that often lean towards the local country classics.

Is the Shopping Better in Durham or Greenville?

Both Durham and Greenville are nice shopping destinations.

Many visitors go to Durham to go shopping. The Streets of Southpoint is the best mall in the area. Other shopping areas include Brightleaf Square and Nineth Street.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Greenville. You'll find upscale shopping in the city's downtown and sprawling shopping malls in other neighborhoods. There are plenty of name brand stores where you can pick up the latest style.

Is Durham or Greenville Better for Families?

You'll find nice kid-friendly activities in either Durham or Greenville.

Durham is a family-friendly place to visit. A highlight for kids is a visit to the Durham Museum of Life and Science. It has both an indoor and an outdoor section and brings science to life for families. There's also an impressive playground and climbing area. Other activities in town include the Notasium and Eno River State Park. If you plan ahead you could also organize a trip to the Duke Lemur Center.

Greenville is a family-friendly city. There are many local families in town, so you'll find all kinds of kid-friendly activities to enjoy. Paris Mountain State Park is a popular place where everyone can run around. Falls Park on the Reedy River also has walking trails and is in the city's historic district. There's also a children's theater and plenty of playgrounds around town.

Is Durham or Greenville Better for Couples?

Durham is very good for couples. However, Greenville is not known for romance.

Durham is a good city for couples to visit. Have a picnic at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens or spend the day hiking at Eno River State Park. In the evening there's a wonderful selection of restaurants around town. Then you can check out a show at the Durham Performing Arts Center or see a Durham Bulls game.

Greenville is not the best destination for a couple to visit. You can take the free trolley down Main Street and then enjoy a meal at one of the local restaurants.

Is Durham or Greenville Better for Students?

Durham is a great city for its student-friendly activities. However, Greenville is not known for students.

Durham is very popular with students. Duke University has a stunning campus with a world class garden. There's also nearby Nineth Street, which has shops, restaurants, and bars that are geared toward the student population.

Greenville is a decent spot for students. Furman University has a pretty campus and is a nice place to visit.

Is Durham or Greenville Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Both Durham and Greenville offer reasonable public transit options.

Public transit is generally limited in Durham. There are buses around town, but you really need a car to explore the area.

Public transit is mostly limited in Greenville. There are free trolleys that make their way around the downtown neighborhoods.

Is Durham or Greenville a more walkable city?

Durham and Greenville both are reasonable when exploring on foot.

Durham is generally not very walkable. Downtown Durham and a few areas near Duke University are the most walkable areas.

Greenville is generally not a very walkable city. The downtown area is surprisingly walkable, but like most cities in the area, you need a car to make the most of your visit.

For even more information, also check out Is Durham Worth Visiting? and Is Greenville Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Greenville or Durham?

How long in Durham or Greenville?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Durham than Greenville 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 Durham.

One day in Durham or Greenville?

With museums and nightlife around the sports oriented city of Durham, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Durham, one day is sufficent for most.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Greenville. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

A weekend in Durham or Greenville?

With nightlife and food around the destination of Durham, 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.

Greenville is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Durham or Greenville?

Durham, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Greenville. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Durham or Greenville?

Durham 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.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the welcoming destination of Greenville. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in United States of America, The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in United States of America, The Best Cultural Tours in United States of America, and The Best Photography Tours in United States of America.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Durham or Greenville?

Durham has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Greenville. When comparing the sizes of Durham and Greenville, 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.