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

Should you visit Greenville or Santa Barbara?

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 Barbara 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.

Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara is a stunning, wealthy, and opulent coastal town. Because this is such a big city, visitors will find many sights and attractions around town. Many visitors also come because of it's amazing beauty. As this is a very quaint destination, you'll find it has a special atmosphere. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and food.

Greenville and Santa Barbara: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Santa Barbara than Greenville. It is bigger and it has more sights, attractions, and activities for travelers. Santa Barbara is more touristy than Greenville and is popular for its historic missions, pristine beaches, world-class surfing, and scenic hikes that are full of coastal views. It is also well known for The Old Mission Santa Barbara. Greenville is famous for its outdoor spaces and its growing arts scene.

How is Greenville different from Santa Barbara?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town 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 Santa Barbara specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. The city is famous for its missions, with Mission Santa Barbara being the most iconic. Also visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center.

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 Santa Barbara? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Greenville is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Santa Barbara has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The city is best known for its fine dining, particularly if you enjoy seafood. The scallops, oysters, clam chowder, and sea urchin (when available) are all world class. Head for a waterfront setting for the best views and some of the freshest seafood.

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 Barbara Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find nice options in both Greenville and Santa Barbara.

If you're looking for night time activities Greenville has a few options to choose from. 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.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Santa Barbara. For the best nightlife in the city, head downtown to State Street. This is where you'll find the most active bars and biggest crowds. There's a large student population in town, so you'll find much of the nightlife scene is focused on the younger population.

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara Better for Resorts?

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town for its luxury resorts. However, Greenville is not a resort destination.

Vacationers can choose from a number of terrific resorts in Santa Barbara. Many people enjoy the luxurious vacation rentals around Santa Barbara, but there are also a number of high end resorts including the Rosewood Miramar Beach Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, and Hotel Californian.

Greenville is not a resort destination.

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara Better for Scuba Diving and Snorkeling?

Santa Barbara is adequate for snorkeling and scuba diving. However, Greenville is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

There are few places where you can go snorkeling in Santa Barbara. Snorkeling areas not far from town include Refugio State Beach and Tajiguas. You'll see a few fish, beautiful rocks, and anemones that are unique and impressive.

Greenville is not a scuba or snorkeling destination.

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara Better for Beaches?

Santa Barbara is an unbeatable place for the beach. However, Greenville is not a beach destination.

With world-famous beaches, Santa Barbara is a very popular vacation destination. The city is famous for its pristine, sandy beaches. Whether you want to enjoy world class surfing or enjoy a gentle ocean setting, Santa Barbara has many options.

Greenville is not a beach destination.

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara Better for its Old Town?

Santa Barbara is very good for its historic old town charm. However, Greenville does not have a historic old town.

Santa Barbara has an old town worth visiting. The city's downtown "Old Town" is a high end, pedestrian-friendly area with plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.

Greenville does not have a historic old town.

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara Better for Hiking?

Santa Barbara is an unbeatable place for hiking. However, Greenville is not a hiking destination.

Many people visit Santa Barbara specifically for its hiking. Just outside of town are countless hiking opportunities that offer spectacular ocean views. Popular hikes include Inspiration Point, San Ysidro Trail, and Cold Spring East Fork.

Greenville is not a hiking destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara is an unbeatable place for its shopping areas. Also, Greenville is not as popular, but is still a nice city for shopping.

Many people travel to Santa Barbara specifically to go shopping. The city is famous as a high end shopping destination. Head to State Street for a palm tree lined street with local 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 Santa Barbara Better for Families?

Santa Barbara is a great coastal 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 Barbara. The city has some nice family-friendly activities including a zoo, some cool museums, and even whale watching. There are also many beautiful beaches where everyone can run around and play, as well as parks and other outdoor settings. For animal-lovers, there are wildlife centers and sea life opportunities.

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 Barbara Better for Couples?

Santa Barbara is an unbeatable place for couples. However, Greenville is not known for romance.

For those traveling as a couple, Santa Barbara has plenty to offer. The town is a stunningly beautiful destination with beautiful beaches, excellent shopping, and nice resorts that make for a great honeymoon or romantic trip.

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 Barbara Better for Students?

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town for its student-friendly activities. However, Greenville is not known for students.

Santa Barbara is very popular with students. With a major university right in town, there's plenty of student life that international students or locals can enjoy.

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

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

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

While Santa Barbara offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. Transit options include buses, trolleys and water taxis.

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

Is Greenville or Santa Barbara a more walkable city?

Santa Barbara is a great coastal town for its ease of walking around. However, Greenville is not known for its walkability.

Santa Barbara is a very walkable destination. The downtown area is very pedestrian-friendly and best explored on foot.

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 Barbara Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Santa Barbara or Greenville?

How long in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

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

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

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

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

One day in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the hospitable 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.

With museums and nightlife around the stunning coastal town of Santa Barbara, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Make sure you spend some time hiking while you're in the area. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

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.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Santa Barbara, there's plenty to do. Travelers enjoy the resorts in the area as well. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this coastal town.

Five days in Greenville or Santa Barbara?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the southern 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.

Santa Barbara, a popular coastal town, is full of activities for travelers. Hiking can easily take up a good amount of your time here, too. 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 Barbara?

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.

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

Which is Bigger, Greenville or Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara has a larger population, and is about 56% larger than the population of Greenville. When comparing the sizes of Greenville and Santa Barbara, 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.