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

Should you visit Greenville or Pasadena?

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 Pasadena 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.

Pasadena

Pasadena is a quaint, charming, and picturesque city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Greenville and Pasadena: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Greenville or Pasadena?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Pasadena than Greenville. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Pasadena is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for being the home of the Tournament of Roses and the Rose Bowl. It is also well known for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Greenville is famous for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Greenville different from Pasadena?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Pasadena 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 Pasadena specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. There's a good number of museums around town that include kids' museums, art museums, and local museums. Popular museums include the USC Pacific Asia Museum, the Norton Simon Museum, and the Pasadena Museum of History. Many people also enjoy touring the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

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 Pasadena? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

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

Pasadena has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. Local restaurants feature southern California cuisine as well as international flavors. Dishes often use local ingredients that are fresh and seasonal. Restaurants range from casual to fine dining and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming.

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 Pasadena Better for Nightlife?

Pasadena 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 Pasadena has something for everybody. Much of the nightlife scene is concentrated around Old Pasadena. You'll find clubs, bars, and lounges that begin the evening with Happy Hours and then become more party-focused as the evening progresses.

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 the Shopping Better in Greenville or Pasadena?

Pasadena is a great city 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 Pasadena. Old Pasadena is where you'll find some of the best shopping. It's filled with a charming atmosphere and interesting boutiques.

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 Pasadena Better for Families?

You'll find nice kid-friendly activities in either Greenville or Pasadena.

Greenville offers lots of family activities. 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.

Pasadena is a family-friendly place to visit. There are a number of kid-friendly museums around town including Kidspace Children's Museum. There are also nature centers, playgrounds, and plenty of family-friendly restaurants.

Is Greenville or Pasadena Better for Couples?

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

Pasadena is a good city for couples to visit. It's a charming town with a bit of a European vibe and plenty of outdoor activities. Fine dining and interesting shopping make this a nice weekend destination.

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 Pasadena Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Pasadena is very good for times when you don't have a car. However, Greenville is not known for its public transit.

While Pasadena offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Buses and light rail offer local transit and connect the city to nearby Los Angeles.

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

Is Greenville or Pasadena a more walkable city?

Pasadena is very good for its ease of walking around. However, Greenville is not known for its walkability.

Pasadena is a somewhat walkable city. Most people head to Old Pasadena, which is the most concentrated and walkable part of the city.

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 Pasadena Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Pasadena or Greenville?

How long in Greenville or Pasadena?

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

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

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

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

One day in Greenville or Pasadena?

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.

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

A weekend in Greenville or Pasadena?

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.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Pasadena, 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.

Five days in Greenville or Pasadena?

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.

Pasadena, 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 Pasadena?

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.

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

Which is Bigger, Greenville or Pasadena?

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