A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Greenville vs. Santa Cruz for Nightlife, Families, Couples, and Attractions

Should you visit Greenville or Santa Cruz?

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 Santa Cruz can help you decide which place is right for you.

Greenville

Greenville is a southern, welcoming, and hospitable city. It's also known for nightlife, shopping, and museums. See Greenville travel costs.

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is a laid back, coastal, and scenic town. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Santa Cruz travel costs.

Greenville and Santa Cruz: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Santa Cruz than Greenville, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Santa Cruz is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for its dramatic coastline, fun-filled boardwalk, and beautiful beaches. Also, Santa Cruz is famous for Santa Cruz Wharf. Greenville is well known for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Greenville different from Santa Cruz?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz?

You'll find a number of notable museums and attractions in both Santa Cruz and Greenville.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Greenville. 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.

Santa Cruz is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Local museums in town include the Surfing Museum, Seymour Marine Discovery Center, and Santa Cruz Mission.

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

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

Santa Cruz is becoming an appealing option for foodies. Sampling local seafood is a top priority for many visitors. Most restaurants have a casual vibe and serve up high quality dishes in a relaxed setting. You'll find cafes, Mexican food, and Italian eateries among other options.

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 Santa Cruz Better for Nightlife?

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

The nightlife in Santa Cruz has something for everybody. You'll find a range of nighttime options around town that include live entertainment, bars, clubs, and even a casino.

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 Santa Cruz Better for Beaches?

Santa Cruz is a great town for the beach. However, Greenville is not a beach destination.

Santa Cruz is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. The beaches are beautiful and fun. Head to Main Beach for the most activity. This is where you'll find the town's boardwalk, which has a historic carousel and several classic amusement rides. For a more peaceful and scenic spot, check out Natural Bridges State Beach or Seacliff State Beach.

Greenville is not a beach destination.

Is Greenville or Santa Cruz Better for Hiking?

Santa Cruz is very good for hiking. However, Greenville is not a hiking destination.

Many people include a hike when visiting Santa Cruz. There are several great parks in the area and trails that follow along the rugged coastline or go through the impressive redwood forests.

Greenville is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

If you're looking to go shopping, Greenville and Santa Cruz both offer plenty of notable 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.

Santa Cruz is a great destination for shopping. Downtown Santa Cruz is where you'll find some of the best shopping.

Is Greenville or Santa Cruz Better for Families?

Santa Cruz is a great town 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 Santa Cruz. It's filled with beaches, parks, playgrounds, and museums that kids and adults will enjoy. Highlights for many families include visiting the boardwalk, playing around at Seacliff State Beach, entertaining the kids at Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab, and taking in the beauty at Natural Bridges State Beach.

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 Santa Cruz Better for Couples?

Santa Cruz is a great town for couples. However, Greenville is not known for romance.

Santa Cruz is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. Dining in downtown Santa Cruz, hiking through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, and relaxing on the beach at Natural Bridges State Beach all make for a romantic getaway.

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 Santa Cruz Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Santa Cruz is very good for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Greenville is not known for backpackers.

Santa Cruz is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. There's a laid back vibe that is fun to experience and there's even a hostel in town.

Greenville is not the best destination for backpackers and budget travelers due to its high prices. While there are students in the area, there is little else to bring backpackers to town.

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

Greenville and Santa Cruz both offer respectable 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 Santa Cruz. There are buses that travel around town.

Is Greenville or Santa Cruz a more walkable city?

Santa Cruz is an unbeatable place for its ease of walking around. However, Greenville is not known for its walkability.

Santa Cruz is a very easy town to get around on foot. It's considered to be one of the most walkable cities in California.

Greenville is generally not very walkable. 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 Greenville Worth Visiting? and Is Santa Cruz Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Cruz or Greenville?

How long in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Greenville or Santa Cruz to fill your time. In our opinion, Santa Cruz has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Santa Cruz than Greenville. However, 1-2 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz.

One day in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

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

With museums and nightlife around the scenic town of Santa Cruz, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. People usually spend lots of time at the beach. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Santa Cruz, one day is sufficent for most.

A weekend in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

With nightlife and shopping around the destination of Greenville, 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.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Santa Cruz, there's plenty to do. It's also a great beach destination, too. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this town.

Five days in Greenville or Santa Cruz?

Greenville, 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.

Santa Cruz, a popular town, is full of activities for travelers. It's a great spot for a beach vacation. 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 Santa Cruz?

Greenville 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.

Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz, we can see that Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Greenville or Santa Cruz?

Greenville has a larger population, and is about 2% larger than the population of Santa Cruz. When comparing the sizes of Greenville and Santa Cruz, 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.