A Travel Price Comparison for United States of America Greenville vs. Carmel-by-the-Sea for Food, Couples, Attractions, and Nightlife

Should you visit Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

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 Carmel-by-the-Sea can help you decide which place is right for you.

Greenville

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

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a quaint, charming, and picturesque town. With amazing attractions and sights, it's also a fun small town not to be missed. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and beaches.

Greenville and Carmel-by-the-Sea: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Although Greenville and Carmel-by-the-Sea are popular destinations, Carmel-by-the-Sea has more sights and attractions for tourists. Carmel-by-the-Sea is very popular for its food, beaches, shopping, small town charm, and impressive beauty, while Greenville attracts visitors for its nightlife. Carmel-by-the-Sea is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for its storybook architecture, its opulent setting, and its popularity with golf enthusiasts. It is also well known for Pebble Beach Golf Course. Greenville is famous for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Greenville different from Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea?

You'll find a number of nice museums and attractions in both Carmel-by-the-Sea 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.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. The Carmel Mission is a beautiful and fascinating Spanish mission that dates back to 1770. It's also well worth visiting the nearby Pebble Beach Golf Course. There are also a few fairytale style cottages in the area with some of the most notable being the Hansel cottage, the Gretel cottage, and the Tuck Box cottage.

Is the Food Better in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Greenville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Carmel-by-the-Sea has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. For such a small town there is a huge number of bistros and local cafes. Seafood is popular, but you'll also find international restaurants and more casual eateries.

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 Carmel-by-the-Sea Better for Nightlife?

Greenville is a city with good options for its evening party scene. However, Carmel-by-the-Sea is not a good town for nightlife.

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.

Those looking for nightlife will find a few places to hang out in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It's not a late night town, but there are a couple of bars and some decent Happy Hours around town.

Is Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea Better for Beaches?

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town for the beach. However, Greenville is not a beach destination.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a very popular place to visit for its beaches. It's easy to walk to the beach from the village center. Just head down Ocean Avenue and you'll be at a beautiful beach with great scenery, surfing, and fun activities.

Greenville is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town for its shopping areas. Also, Greenville is not as popular, but is still a nice city for shopping.

Many visitors explore the shopping areas in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It's easy to walk around the heart of town and pop in the many shops and galleries. The highest concentration of shops is found around the Carmel Plaza which has upscale brands as well as local items.

Greenville is a great destination for shopping. 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 Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea Better for Families?

Greenville is a city with good options for its family-friendly activities. However, Carmel-by-the-Sea is not a good town for its kid-friendly activities.

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.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is not always a place people visit with their families. Carmel is a good place to let the kids stretch their legs. There are also some good kid-friendly walks in the area.

Is Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea Better for Couples?

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town for couples. However, Greenville is not known for romance.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town if you're traveling as a couple. It's a charming town with a beautiful coastline and plenty of cute hotels that makes for a great romantic getaway. There's wonderful shopping and many great restaurants where you can enjoy a local meal.

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 Carmel-by-the-Sea Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Greenville and Carmel-by-the-Sea both offer reasonable 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea. There are a couple of buses, but you can't really depend on them to get around.

Is Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea a more walkable city?

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a great town for its ease of walking around. However, Greenville is not known for its walkability.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a very walkable destination. The village center is very walkable so it's easy to park you car and shop or walk to the beach.

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 Carmel-by-the-Sea Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Carmel-by-the-Sea or Greenville?

How long in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

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

Families should spend more time in Greenville than Carmel-by-the-Sea. 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea than Greenville. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Carmel-by-the-Sea that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea.

One day in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

With nightlife and shopping around the destination of Greenville, there's plenty to do. One day is often enough time to do most activities. It offers something for everyone.

Carmel-by-the-Sea might be a small town, but there's plenty to do in the area. 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea, one day is sufficent for most.

A weekend in Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

With shopping and museums around the southern city of Greenville, there's plenty to do. Your budget might influence how long you stay. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here.

Even though Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small town, it has plenty of activities to choose from. 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the southern destination of Greenville. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, 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 Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Greenville is a popular choice for travelers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

Carmel-by-the-Sea 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 One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from New York City, The Best 2-Week Tours from Anchorage, and The Best 2-Week Tours from San Francisco.

When comparing the travel costs between Greenville and Carmel-by-the-Sea, we can see that Greenville 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 Greenville Expensive? and Is Carmel-by-the-Sea Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Greenville or Carmel-by-the-Sea?

Greenville has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Carmel-by-the-Sea. When comparing the sizes of Greenville and Carmel-by-the-Sea, 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.