New York City is known for several things to experience and various monuments to see.
NYC is expensive and every museum or attractions cost anywhere between $18 to $35. If you visit two to three places in a day, it can cost you $75+ straightaway. Exploring the free sights is equally exciting and fun but if you want to check out every nook and corner of the city, you need to think of a better way to travel.
First and foremost, the pass is for those who are keen on exploring the top attractions, taking the guided tour or using the hop-on-hop-off bus.
If you have already been to the attractions and are not interested in visiting them again, the pass is not for you. It is an ideal solution for a first-time visitor who wants to explore everything possible in the time they have.
The New York Pass can help you see the best of the city. However, is the pass a good deal or is it a waste of your money?
The answer depends on how you like to travel. There are some people who managed to save a lot of money with the pass while many others think it is too restrictive.
Here is my New York Pass Review.
Table of Contents
Basics of the New York Pass
The pass will give you entry to more than 100 attractions which means everything you would want to see will be covered by the pass-including the Top of the Rock, Empire State Building, New museum, MoMA, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn museum of Art, 9/11 Memorial, Guggenheim and MET. It also includes the hop-on-hop-off bus tour, walking tours and bike rentals.
Top attractions covered by the pass
- Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $37
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $18
- Empire State Building Observation Deck: $34
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET): $25
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $25 (Free Friday evening, 4:00–9:00 p.m)
- American Natural History Museum: $25
- Guggenheim: $25
- 9/11 Memorial: $24
- Whitney Museum of American Art: $25
- Brooklyn Museum of Art: $16
- New Museum: $18
- Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum: $24
- Hop-on-hop-off bus tour (one day): $53
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $41
- Various Tours and Walking Tours: Most tours included in the pass are valued around $30-$50.
Cost of the Pass
| Adults above 13 | Child | |
| 1 Day New York Pass | $134.00 | $99.00 |
| 2 Day New York Pass | $200.00 | $160.00 |
| 3 Day New York Pass | $276.00 | $201.00 |
| 4 Day New York Pass | $304.00 | $227.00 |
| 5 Day New York Pass | $344.00 | $247.00 |
| 7 Day New York Pass | $384.00 | $262.00 |
| 10 Day New York Pass | $490.00 | $299.00 |
You should buy the pass if you are:
Visiting NYC for the first time
If you are visiting New York for the first time and want to make the most of this beautiful city, buying the pass is a great idea. It will allow you to explore the most important attractions and will help you save money while you do it. It is also a time saver for the first time visitor who is all about exploring the main attractions in NYC.
You want to see a lot of sights
The truth about the card is that you have better value as you use it. Hence, if you want to do only sightseeing, this pass is a no-brainer. You can easily save hundreds of dollars by visiting a couple of sites in a day.
You enjoy guided tours
For many travelers, the best thing about the New York sightseeing pass is the inclusion of more than 40 guided tours. This is something unique and is not included on other sightseeing passes across the world. Local guides can be an excellent way to explore different sites and a good tour will give access to loads of information.
The guided tours are an experience in itself and a must-do in New York. Remember to reserve your place in the tour in advance because the best tours fill up very quickly.
You want to skip the lines
Travelers understand the importance of time and the last thing you want is to spend thousands on a trip to New York, then waste time waiting in the line. With the pass, you will be able to skip the lines at various attractions in New York and you will enjoy a fast track entry. You can avoid the ticket lines by simply showing the pass at the entrance. It will save hours of sightseeing time which is invaluable.
Helps save money
This pass is a perfect way to save money on sightseeing. If you visit just a few sites in a day, you will be able to save hundreds of dollars on the trip. If you are here for an extended stay and buy a 10-day pass, you will get more bang for your buck. Even if you skip a couple of days, you will still save money.
Hop-on-Hop-off tour
It is convenient to explore the massive city of New York by taking a bus tour. It will allow you to cover a lot of ground quickly. With New York City pass attractions, you enjoy access to the bus hop-on-hop-off tour that will take you Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown during the day. You will drive by the best sites in New York while listening to stories about the history of the city. You can ride the bus for the tour or hop off at the attraction that you want to explore.
The pass is NOT a good deal if:
You are on a tight budget
Travelers with a super tight budget might not find the pass ideal. There are many free things to do in New York and if you are not keen on spending a lot of money in sight seeing, this pass is not for you.
You are in NYC for a long period of time
You need to remember that after the pass is activated, it is valid for the following days only. So in a 3-day pass, you cannot take a single day off from visiting the attractions to get the right value from your card. But with 5, 7 or 10 day passes, it is possible to take a day off and yet get the money’s worth.
You need a few days off
If you are in New York for a longer stay and do not want a chock-a-block schedule of visiting the attractions, this pass is not for you. Once you purchase the pass, it is valid for consecutive days and you cannot have a day of unless it is a 7 or 10 day pass.
Want to see only a few paid attractions
Those who are not interested in a lot of attractions will not find value in the pass. The only way to find value for money is to use it frequently and if you plan to visit only one or two spots, avoid it.
Cost per day
If you take a one-day pass for $134, you can cover 4 top attractions including the hop-on-hop-off bus tour, Top of the Rock, Museum of Modern Art, and Empire State Building Observation Deck.
The total cost of these 5 attractions is $156. So for a one-day pass, you can get the money’s worth by hitting the expensive attractions. The bus tour will allow you to take in a lot of sights if you are a first time visitor. You will have to pack your day with multiple activities to make the most of the pass. Otherwise, you may have to visit the less expensive attractions to break even.
The pass gives access to several attractions per day and you can get the money’s worth. Longer passes can add additional value and allow you to enjoy the city at your convenience.
The four-day pass will cost $76 a day and you can easily cover the price by visiting 3 attractions or guided tours in the day. Further, the 10-day pass will cost you $49 a day and even if you enjoy a couple of attractions daily, you will find your money’s worth. Additionally, you can purchase the pass when there are promotional offers. The extra savings will reduce the price of the pass even more and will help save more money.
Additional benefits of the pass
Special offers and discounts
The New York City Pass will provide free entry to more than 100 of New York’s best attractions and you also get special discounts and offers for all the activities in the city like Broadway shows, shopping and more.
Mobile Ticket on the App
You can have the pass on your phone and use it as a ticket. All you have to do is download the New York Pass app and when you reach the attraction, simply scan it. The app will give information about the attractions and will build an itinerary which will sync with the calendar. You can also use the features offline.
Complete access to different sights
Using the Pass, it is possible to visit as many included attractions as you want.
Free Guidebook
You will receive a free New York City guidebook with New York tourist Pass. It has descriptions, hours of operations, addresses and additional information for the attractions. It also has a map that help plan the day and explore the city.
Where The Pass Needs Improvement
The main drawback of the pass is that somebody visiting the city for more than ten days would want to spend a few days doing tourists things and it can eat away the value of the pass. Another drawback is that there is no option for public transportation on the card. It is easy to get around in NYC in a bus or subway and adding this option to the pass could complete its offerings.
Is the Pass worth it?
I think the pass is absolutely worth it. I think it is the best sightseeing pass you can invest in. You enjoy free entry to more than hundreds of NYC’s popular attractions and it will save you money while you do it. It becomes a great deal if you want to do the major attractions in NYC. If you compare the fees charged at each attraction, you will notice that the pass is worth the money.
Additionally, there is a fast track entry, guided tours that you will love and the quick and convenient bus tour. If you want to enjoy sightseeing in New York, the Pass should certainly be your choice. Conversely, if you are only keen on the museums and do not want to pack the schedule, you are better off buying separate tickets.
If this is your first trip to the Big Apple or you are traveling with family, this Pass is a great choice for you. Considering the amount of time and money it saves, the Pass is the first thing you should purchase when you land. The pass is easy to purchase. You can buy it from the official website and choose the duration you want to buy. If you purchase the pass online, you will benefit from the online discounts or offers.
You can instantly download the pass on the New York Pass App and if you need a physical pass, they deliver worldwide. It gives free access to the top NYC attractions and you can activate the pass anytime within one year from the date of purchase. Once you download the pass, you must download the free guide book which is a part of the purchase and it will help plan the itinerary well.
Make the most of your visit to New York City with the New York Pass. Save time, money and explore the top attractions conveniently and at your own pace.
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