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

Should you visit Winston-Salem or Greenville?

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

Should I visit Winston-Salem or Greenville? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem is a friendly, under-rated, and welcoming city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food. See Winston-Salem travel costs.

Greenville

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

Winston-Salem and Greenville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Winston-Salem than Greenville. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Winston-Salem is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for it's southern character and quaint college campuses. It is also well known for Old Salem. Greenville is famous for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Winston-Salem different from Greenville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

For an educational experience, head to a museum or a notable sight in either Winston-Salem or Greenville.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Winston-Salem. Old Salem has a nice concentration of museums and gardens. Outside of the old town you'll find several art museums like the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts and the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Winston-Salem is becoming an appealing option for foodies. North Carolina barbecue is popular around town. The city is also the birthplace of Krispy Kreme donuts and during the holiday season you should sample the local Moravian Cookies.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville Better for Nightlife?

Evening events are nice in both Winston-Salem and Greenville.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Winston-Salem. Local breweries are popping up around town. You'll also find active nightlife venues near the colleges and universities.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville Better for its Old Town?

Winston-Salem is very good for its historic old town charm. However, Greenville does not have a historic old town.

Winston-Salem has an old town worth visiting. Nearby Old Salem is filled with historic museums, gardens, and restaurants. A ticket is required for most of the venues, but the atmosphere and architecture are charming.

Greenville does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

Both Winston-Salem and Greenville are nice shopping destinations.

Many visitors go to Winston-Salem to go shopping. You'll find a mix of larger shopping malls, retail outlets, and shopping centers around town.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Winston-Salem or Greenville.

Winston-Salem is a family-friendly place to visit. There are interactive museums like the Kaleideum science museums. There are also outdoor parks and playgrounds, kid-friendly restaurants, and a children's theater.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville Better for Couples?

Most people don't think of either Winston-Salem or Greenville as a couple's destination.

Winston-Salem is not always the best place to visit for a couple. There are restaurants and movie theaters that make for a nice date night. There are also parks and walks that will get you outdoors.

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 Winston-Salem or Greenville Better for Students?

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

It's common for students to visit Winston-Salem. Wake Forest University as well as colleges such as Salem College give parts of the city a collegiate vibe.

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

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

Both Winston-Salem and Greenville offer reasonable public transit options.

Public transit is generally limited in Winston-Salem. There are bus routes, but they are limited in their frequency and convenience, making a car essential for most visitors.

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

Is Winston-Salem or Greenville a more walkable city?

Winston-Salem and Greenville both are reasonable when exploring on foot.

Winston-Salem is generally not very walkable. The downtown area is the most pedestrian-friendly part of town, but most of the city requires a car.

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 Winston-Salem Worth Visiting? and Is Greenville Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Greenville or Winston-Salem?

How long in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

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

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem.

One day in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

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

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the welcoming destination of Greenville. Your budget might influence how long you stay. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then one day is just the right amount of time to spend here.

A weekend in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

With nightlife and food around the destination of Winston-Salem, 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Greenville. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. A weekend is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Five days in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

Winston-Salem, 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.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the hospitable destination of Greenville. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. 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.

A week in Winston-Salem or Greenville?

Winston-Salem 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.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the city of Greenville. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

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

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

Which is Bigger, Winston-Salem or Greenville?

Winston-Salem has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Greenville. When comparing the sizes of Winston-Salem 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.