A Travel Price Comparison for South Carolina Columbia vs. Greenville for Attractions, Nightlife, Families, and Food

Should you visit Columbia or Greenville?

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

Should I visit Columbia 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.

Columbia

Columbia is a welcoming, suburban, and friendly city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping.

Greenville

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

Columbia and Greenville: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Columbia or Greenville?

Both Greenville and Columbia have plenty of things to do for travelers. Both provide a wide variety of sights and activities for tourists. Columbia is popular for its southern hospitality and friendly people. Greenville is popular for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Columbia different from Greenville?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Plenty of people visit the good sights and museums in both Columbia and Greenville.

Columbia offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. As the state capital, there are some decent museums around town like the Columbia Museum of Art, the South Carolina Military Museum, the South Carolina State Museum, and the U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Museum.

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.

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

There are opportunities to sample the local cuisine at decent restaurants in both Columbia and Greenville.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Columbia. Barbecue and other southern favorites are among the more local dishes, but the city is also filled with fast food joints and other major chain restaurants.

Greenville may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. 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 Columbia or Greenville Better for Nightlife?

Both Columbia and Greenville are good when it comes to partying.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Columbia. You'll find live music venues as well as low key bars and more trendy cocktail lounges.

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 Columbia or Greenville?

Both Columbia and Greenville are good shopping destinations.

Columbia offers some nice shopping areas. You'll find independent and locally owned shops along Devine Street and in the Five Points area. Also interesting are the Vista, which is a warehouse district, and Trenholm Plaza.

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.

Is Columbia or Greenville Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Columbia or Greenville.

Columbia is a family-friendly place to visit. Around town you'll find parks, playgrounds, and kid-friendly restaurants. There's a zoo in the area as well as a nice state park - Sesquicentennial State Park. There's also EdVenture Children's Museum, which is filled with hands-on exhibits.

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 Columbia or Greenville Better for Couples?

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

Most people don't think of Columbia as a couple's destination. You'll find parks to explore and some nice restaurants that make for a good date night.

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

Is Columbia or Greenville Better for Students?

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

It's common for students to visit Columbia. The University of South Carolina, and other nearby colleges all bring in a decent student population.

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

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

Both Columbia and Greenville offer decent public transit options.

Public transit is generally limited in Columbia. The COMET is the bus system through town, but you really must have your own car to enjoy the city.

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

Is Columbia or Greenville a more walkable city?

Greenville is a moderate city for its high level of walkability. However, Columbia is not a good city for its ease of walking around.

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.

Columbia is not a very walkable city. It's filled with suburban-style development and is generally very car dependent.

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

Should I spend more time in Greenville or Columbia?

How long in Columbia or Greenville?

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

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

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

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

One day in Columbia or Greenville?

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

The city of Greenville offers nightlife and shopping. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Columbia or Greenville?

With nightlife and shopping around the destination of Columbia, 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 popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Greenville, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Columbia or Greenville?

Columbia, 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.

Greenville is a popular choice for travelers. 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. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Columbia or Greenville?

Columbia 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.

Greenville is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best 3-Week Tours in United States of America, The Best Bicycle Tours in United States of America, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in United States of America.

When comparing the travel costs between Columbia and Greenville, we can see that Columbia is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in North America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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

Which is Bigger, Columbia or Greenville?

Columbia has a larger population, and is about 2 times larger than the population of Greenville. When comparing the sizes of Columbia 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.