The Best New York Pass to Save Money on Attractions!

Being one of the greatest cities in the world, it is no wonder that you’re looking for the best New York Pass so that you can see as much of this incredible city as possible!

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveller, there’s always something new and exciting to explore in NYC. From stunning observatories, historical landmarks, food to drool over and so much more, you will never be bored in the city.

But with so many iconic landmarks, world-class museums, and vibrant neighbourhoods to discover, navigating the city can be a bit overwhelming (and pricey!).

This is where the All-Inclusive New York City Pass comes into play – a traveller’s best friend for conquering the city without breaking the bank.

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into the benefits of the Go City Pass, how to use it, and whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash. We’ll also share our experience of using the passes and whether we saved money using it as well. You’ll see so many mixed reviews online that we knew we had to share our honest opinion and experience of using these passes around the city (especially as NYC was the first time we had used one too!).

Pros & Cons of the New York Pass

Purchasing a New York Pass may not be for everyone and just because it was something that we found saved us money in New York City doesn’t mean you will feel that it is the best choice for you! That is why we needed to create this Go City New York Pass review so we can share our experience with using these passes for the first time and why it is our top choice for saving money when exploring!

In our opinion, the pros of purchasing a New York Pass far outweigh the cons but a lot of this will depend on how long you’re planning to stay in the city for and what activities you’d like to do.

Pros:

2. Convenience: Skip the lines at many attractions—more time for fun, less time for waiting. We found that this was an absolute bonus when we went to go visit The Edge observation deck and there were queues out of the door. Included with the pass was a skip-the-line entrance so whilst we still had to queue somewhat, it cut our waiting time down by over half.

3. Flexibility: Choose from a 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10-day pass, depending on your travel plans. If you’re planning to spend 4-5 days in the city then we would recommend purchasing a pass for 2 or 3 days and then using the remainder of your time to explore the free attractions such as wandering around central park and factoring in a rest day too. It gets exhausting after doing all this exploring!

4. Ease of Use: The pass is digital, so no need to worry about losing paper tickets. We’ve all been there and it’s easily done if you’ve been travelling to multiple destinations too. With the pass, you can download the app and this is all stored in your phone even if you have multiple passes.

5. Exclusive Perks: Some attractions offer special perks like behind-the-scenes tours or discounts at gift shops. Everything about this pass is catered to help people see more and do more for less and small perks like this really helps you along the way!

Cons:

1. Time Pressure: The all-inclusive pass is activated on the first use and runs consecutively, so you need to make the most of every day. This can be difficult if you are not feeling well one of the days or you need to take some time to rest. This is why we recommend not purchasing the pass for the number of days that you’re staying in NYC because it can be exhausting after a while. Try to keep 2-3 days completely free and not having the pass so that you can take advantage of the free sights that NYC has to offer or even give yourself a rest day!

2. Not Always Best for Short Trips: If you’re only in NYC for a day or two, you might not get full value from the pass. You will find that if you’re in NYC for between 4-7 days, this is when you will really get the most out of the pass.

3. Attraction Overload: With so many options, it can be hard to decide what to see—travel FOMO is real! However, the app makes it much easier to narrow down your options and decide what is a bucket list adventure for you! If you’re still uncertain then you can always take a look at our 4-day NYC itinerary to help plan your trip!

For us, no matter what the cons of using the pass are, the pros of purchasing the All-Inclusive Pass far outweigh the cons. If you’re an avid traveller and want to make the most of your time in NYC then don’t waste any time and purchase your pass here!

How to Use the New York Pass

Using the Go City All-Inclusive New York City Pass is as easy as pie (New York-style pizza, of course). Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Purchase Your Pass: Buy your pass here and choose the duration that fits your trip. You’ll receive a digital pass via email as a back-up and it will give you all the information you need to know for using your pass.

2. Download the App: The Go City app is your best friend. Download it to keep your pass handy and access up-to-date information about attractions, tips for visiting different attractions and advise on any activities that need booking in advance.

5. Show and Go: At each attraction, simply show your digital pass for entry. It’s that simple!

New York City Pass Comparison

When it comes to the Go City passes, you have two main options: the Explorer Pass and the All-Inclusive Pass. Below we’ve created a quick New York City Pass comparison so that you can decide which one is right for you. Here’s a breakdown of how they differ:

Explorer Pass:

– Choose Your Attractions: Select 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 10 attractions from a list of over 90. You will be surprised at how quickly this can add up which is why we tend to use the all-inclusive pass when we’re away.

– Validity: The pass is valid for 60 days from the first activation, giving you plenty of time to explore at a leisurely pace.

– Best For: Travelers with a specific list of must-see attractions and those who prefer a more relaxed sightseeing schedule.

All-Inclusive Pass:

– Unlimited Attractions: Access to all 100+ attractions included for the duration of your pass. You will have plenty of things to choose from and maybe even some activities that you otherwise wouldn’t have thought of doing.

– Validity: The pass is valid for the number of consecutive days you choose (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, or 10 days).

– Best For: Travelers who want to see as much as possible in a short amount of time and are ready to hit the ground running.

New York Pass Prices

Pricing for the Go City All-Inclusive New York City Pass varies based on the number of days you select. You will find that they are often on sale so the best place to purchase your tickets is from the official New York City Pass website here. However, below we’ve included a general idea of the cost (prices may vary) so that you can decide whether these passes are worthwhile for you.

Pro tip: Keep an eye out for special promotions and discounts, which can make these passes even more affordable.

Attractions Included with the Pass

The Go City All-Inclusive New York City Pass unlocks the doors to over 100 attractions. With so many choices, it can be difficult to know where to start so we’ve added some of the main highlights for visiting NYC for the first time. Here are some highlights:

1. Empire State Building: Enjoy stunning views from this infamous 86th-floor observatory and feel like you’ve just stepped out of the movies.

2. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: Take a ferry ride to these iconic landmarks and explore the islands whilst taking in the sights of NYC from afar.

3. Top of the Rock Observation Deck: Get a bird’s-eye view of the city from Rockefeller Centre. This is an incredible observation deck to visit especially during the festive season as you will be able to see the city lit up with Christmas lights.

4. American Museum of Natural History: Explore fascinating exhibits, including the famous dinosaur skeletons. This is a great place for any families travelling to NYC looking for exciting activities for the kids.

5. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Discover art from around the world at this renowned museum. Another reason to visit this museum is that it is also a famous sight for plenty of movies and tv shows too!

6. Central Park Bike Tour: A trip to NYC is not complete without a visit to Central Park. With this incredible activity, pedal through New York’s urban oasis with a guided bike tour.

7. Madame Tussauds New York: Pose with lifelike wax figures of celebrities and historical figures. Admittedly, this was an activity that we didn’t expect to enjoy but as a couple exploring in NYC, we had such a laugh posing with the different figurines together.

8. Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises: See the skyline from the water with a variety of cruise options. This is a great way to see a different side to the city and relax whilst you’re doing it!

9. 9/11 Memorial & Museum: Pay your respects and learn about the events of September 11, 2001. In our opinion, this is an activity that you cannot miss whilst you’re visiting New York City.

10. Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows: Enjoy a night of theatre with discounts on tickets. We were lucky enough to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in our own private box whilst we were in NYC and it was one of the best bucket list experiences we could have imagined!

What Attractions Are Included?

It may not be easy to make a decision between the Go City Explorer Pass and the Go City All-Inclusive Pass. Below we’ve included a helpful table that shows some of the main attractions that can be accessed with both passes and attractions that are included with only the explorer pass and only the all-inclusive pass. This is not a comprehensive list but it will give you an idea of what pass you may prefer!

Is the New York Pass Worth It? (Our Experience)

In our opinion, the All-Inclusive New York City Pass is worth every penny—if you use it right. In order to make the most of using the pass, planning is essential!

During our trip, we opted for the 3-day pass and made it our mission to see as much as possible. The first day we arrived into New York, we spent the evening enjoying one of the best New Year’s Eve parties in NYC.

Below, we’ve given you a short itinerary of the activities that we done during the 3 days we used the passes so that you can see how much value these passes can be.

Day 1: We kicked off with a visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral and enjoyed the audio tour included. We got to learn more about the Cathedral and the importance to NYC residents.

Of course, we then had to take a trip to the Empire State Building. Pro Tip: Check the weather before you book the Empire State Building. We can laugh about it now but all we got to see was pure fog!

We took a visit to the Museum of Sex which was actually the biggest laugh for us and a complete surprise. We were worried it was going to be a little boring but with plenty of fun activities and mini-games, we couldn’t stop laughing!

Cost of Activities Individually

St. Patrick’s Cathedral Audio Tour – $25 per person

Empire State Building – $51.17 per person

Museum of Sex – $44.64 per person

If we had purchased these attractions individually then we would have spent $120.81 per person. Already by visiting 3 attractions, you can see that the pass is worth the money and you will end up saving money by purchasing the passes instead of doing everything individually.

After this, we headed back towards Times Square appreciating the views along the way. Honestly, this is where we will advise you that planning in advance is absolutely key to make the most of these passes as we could have done so much more if we had organised our plans so that we weren’t going to one area of Manhattan and then another the other side of Manhattan.

We were going to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway that evening but we had some spare time so we decided to go to Madame Tussauds.

In fairness, Madame Tussauds is not something that we would have usually gone to do but in reality we actually had the best time and really enjoyed our experience.

Cost of Activities Individually

Top of the Rock – $59.88 per person

The Edge – $50.08 per person

Madame Tussauds – $47.89 per person

The total for our second day using the pass came to $157.85 so even though we’d visited the same number of attractions, this day would have been really expensive for us if we hadn’t purchased the all-inclusive passes.

For day 1 and day 2 of using the passes, our total for the attractions if we had purchased admission individually would have come to $278.66.

We also got off at Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty in all her glory. Again, we could have arranged to go to Ellis and Liberty island but as it was quite busy, we decided against it due to being on a bit of a time crunch!

The hop-on hop-off bus was one of the best decisions we made because we got to see so much of the city all at once. As we say, if we had been a bit smarter, we could have squeezed so much more in.

For this final day a lot of the things we wanted to do was to see the Brooklyn 99 Building and Brooklyn Bridge and explore around these areas!

Cost of Activities Individually

Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour – $80 per person

By the end of our trip, we calculated that we had saved over $85 each compared to buying individual tickets. If we had purchased individual tickets, we would have spent approximately $358.66 on all these attractions.

Even though these passes are an expensive up-front cost, the amount of money you save and things you get to do is the reason why we feel that this is one of the best ways to explore NYC on a budget. Plus, the convenience of skipping lines and having a digital pass made our sightseeing experience smooth and enjoyable.

As we say, this was the first time we were using passes like these and we were not as organised with using them or knew these tips we’ve given you to make the most of them. With the time we had we could have done at least another 3-4 activities which we mentioned in this itinerary and that would have meant we would have saved approximately $250. This is just to give you an insight into how worthwhile the passes are if they are used properly!

Alternative NYC Sightseeing Passes

While the All-Inclusive Pass is fantastic, it’s not the only game in town. Here are a few alternative passes to consider:

1. New York CityPASS: Includes admission to six major attractions over nine days. The funny thing is, we have a blog post about the 7 main tourist attractions in New York City! However, this pass is great for people that are visiting NYC for a short period of time and want to do the main attractions!

2. Sightseeing Pass: Offers both a Flex Pass (choose attractions) and an Unlimited Pass (all-inclusive). This is quite similar to the New York Pass as well but the prices are slightly different and there doesn’t seem to be as many attractions especially when it comes to observation decks.

Each pass has its own unique benefits, so be sure to compare them based on your travel style and must-see attractions. We’ve created below a list of the different attractions included with each pass so that you can make your own mind up!

Make the Most of Your Time in NYC

Whether you’re marvelling at the skyline from the Empire State Building, delving into history at Ellis Island, or soaking up art at the Met, the All-Inclusive Pass ensures you experience the best of New York without the stress. So, grab your pass, put on your walking shoes, and get ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple!

Happy travels, and may your New York adventure be as dazzling as the city itself!