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

Should you visit Greenville or Houston?

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 Greenville and Houston can help you decide which place is right for you.

Greenville

Greenville is a welcoming, hospitable, and southern city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Greenville travel costs.

Houston

Houston is a diverse, sprawling, and southern city. Visitors will also find so much to do here because it's a large city with many sights and attractions. It's also popular because of the shopping, museums, and nightlife. See Houston travel costs.

Greenville and Houston: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Greenville or Houston?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Houston than Greenville, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Houston is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for its sprawling size, its local Texas restaurants, and being the home to NASA. It is also home to The Space Center Houston. Greenville is popular for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Greenville different from Houston?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Houston 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 Houston specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. Head to Houston's Museum District to explore 19 different museums in a walkable area. A highlight of a trip to the city is a visit to the Space Center, but other popular museums include the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Houston Children's Museum.

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 Greenville or Houston? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Houston is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Greenville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Houston has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The city is famous for its Texas barbecue, Mexican food, and a wide diversity of other different ethnic foods. It's a surprisingly diverse city and this is reflected in the restaurant selection around town.

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 Greenville or Houston Better for Nightlife?

Houston is a great city for its evening party scene. Also, Greenville is not as popular, but is still a nice city for nightlife.

The nightlife in Houston has something for everybody. The nightlife is at its best on weekends when bars, dance clubs, and concert halls come to life. There are a diversity of venues around town including dance clubs, Honky Tonks, and cocktail bars. Some of the most active nightlife areas are Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, Washington Avenue, and Rice Village.

There's a variety of activities in the evening 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 Greenville or Houston Better for Music?

Houston is very good for its music scene. However, Greenville is not a live music destination.

Music lovers will find a few good venues in Houston. Popular music venues include Fitzgerald's, Walter's Downtown, and The Continental Club.

Greenville is not a live music destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Greenville or Houston?

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

Greenville has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. 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.

Houston is a great destination for shopping. There are a number of upscale malls and shopping centers that have brand names, chain stores, and the occasional local shop where you can pick up items.

Is Greenville or Houston Better for Families?

Houston is a great city for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Greenville is not as popular, but is still a nice city for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Houston. It is a large city with plenty of things that kids can enjoy including museums, theaters, a zoo, and even the Space Center. The Children's Museum of Houston is perfect for a rainy day. For science loving kids there's the Health Museum and the Museum of Natural Science. Houston also has a Six Flags nearby which the whole family can enjoy.

Greenville is a family-friendly place to visit. 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 Greenville or Houston Better for Couples?

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

Houston is a good city for couples to visit. There's a surprising diversity of restaurants around the city. There are also performing arts productions and many outdoor parks and gardens.

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 Greenville or Houston Better for Students?

Houston is very good for its student-friendly activities. However, Greenville is not known for students.

It's common for students to visit Houston. It's a large city with a number of universities and a large student population.

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

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

Greenville and Houston both offer decent public transit to get you around.

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

Public transit is generally limited in Houston. The system includes buses and a limited light rail. Houston is known as a car-centric city and you really need a car to fully experience it.

Is Greenville or Houston a more walkable city?

Greenville and Houston are decent when it comes to walkability.

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.

Houston is generally not very walkable. The most walkable neighborhood is the historic Houston Heights, but most parts of the city aren't very walkable.

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

Should I spend more time in Houston or Greenville?

How long in Greenville or Houston?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Greenville and Houston. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Houston than in Greenville. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Greenville, and 2-3 days is enough time in Houston.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Houston 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 Houston.

One day in Greenville or Houston?

In Greenville, you'll find museums and nightlife. This city offers something for everyone. This would be the perfect place to spend one day, as it has just the right amount of activities.

When visiting Houston, people usually allow for lots of time. 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.

A weekend in Greenville or Houston?

In Greenville, you'll find nightlife and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Greenville has to offer.

When visiting Houston, people usually allow for lots of time. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

Five days in Greenville or Houston?

Greenville is a great place to explore. 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.

Houston, 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.

A week in Greenville or Houston?

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

Houston 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.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to United States of America, The Best Tours for Seniors to United States of America, The Best Contiki Tours to United States of America, and The Best G Adventures Tours to United States of America.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Greenville and Houston, we can see that Houston 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 Houston would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Houston 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 Greenville Expensive? and Is Houston Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Greenville or Houston?

Houston has a larger population, and is about 40 times larger than the population of Greenville. When comparing the sizes of Greenville and Houston, 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.