More about: New York CityPASS®
The New York CityPASS® is a sightseeing card to make organising your trip to New York City easier and more convenient, and a way to get discounted admission to the city's top attractions.
New York CityPASS® Tourist Card
Pay only for the number of attractions you want to visit.
If you have already chosen the museums, skyscrapers or attractions you want to visit (you can choose up to five), get this card and pay only for the number of places you want to visit to save time and money.
When you book the New York CityPASS® from £118, you pay for the number of attractions you want to visit. The pass includes 2 fixed attractions and 3 attractions of your choice, for a total of five attractions, which you can visit in up to 9 days from first use.
When you purchase a New York CityPASS®, you will receive individual tickets for each attraction to be presented at each site's box office. You can choose to receive these tickets on paper or have them emailed to you, print them out, or carry them on your mobile phone and scan them at the entrance to each attraction. Once you use the pass for the first time, you have 9 days to use your sightseeing pass before it expires.
Why I like this option: You'll be pleased to know that compared to buying individual tickets to each attraction, you can save up to €72 with this pass, as well as skip the line to buy a ticket at each site you visit.
What's included with the New York CityPASS® sightseeing pass
Empire State Building tickets with audio guide
The Empire State Building is one of the iconic landmarks of the New York skyline, with iconic architecture and design that will transport you back to the 1930's. However, the Empire State's main attraction is the view from the Empire State Observatory, undoubtedly one of the most impressive ways to see the city. Put this visit at the top of your list of things to see in the Big Apple!
- Ticketprice if purchased outside the pass: about 35 Euros.
- How the pass works: Skip the line to buy your tickets and go straight to the security checkpoint, where you can show your pass and they will let you through. Please note that the NY CityPASS® includes two entrances at different times to the Empire State Building.
- About the attraction: Open from 8:00 to 2:00, and a typical visit lasts 2 hours.
Natural History Museum tickets
This museum is one of the perfect New York attractions to visit with the whole family. Its permanent exhibition is dedicated to the history of Planet Earth, with interesting spaces dedicated to marine life, fossils and meteorites.
9/11 Memorial and 9/11 Museum Tickets (optional)
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum tell the story of the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. This is a very sensitive visit that will give you a very intimate view of what happened during the attacks. While this experience is not for everyone, it will give you a context about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers that you may not otherwise get, changing your perspective on New York City.
- Price when buying tickets to the museum outside the pass: from 24 Euros.
- How the pass works: Skip the ticket line, go directly to the security checkpoint and present your CityPASS® card for direct access to the 9/11 Museum.
- About the attraction: Open from 9:00am to 8:00pm and until 9:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Most people take a 2-hour tour.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (optional)
This museum is an engineering fan's fantasy, offering the unique opportunity to see inside the Intrepid aircraft carrier, whose deck features a variety of aircraft and helicopters from various eras; the Growler submarine, which can be explored in its entirety; and the Concorde supersonic jet.
Tickets to the Top of the Rock (optional)
The Top of the Rock (the name given to the observatory of the Comcast Building in Rockefeller Plaza) offers the best views of New York from a skyscraper - this is where all those wonderful postcard photos of the Empire State have been taken. If you're passionate about photography, you'll be amazed by the photos you can take of this icon of New York architecture, especially if you climb to the Top of the Rock at sunset or on a foggy morning.
Guggenheim Museum (optional)
Every Guggenheim Museum in the world is famous for being a blast inside and out, and the New York Guggenheim is no exception. Its collection of modern art features works by artists such as Van Gogh, Gaugin, Picasso and Malevich among others, and its gift shop is the perfect place to pick up a souvenir of the city.
Ferry to the Statue of Liberty (optional)
The Statue of Liberty represents New York City like no other city monument in the world. Seeing it up close is breathtaking, and almost even more impressive are the views of Manhattan from Liberty Island. To visit, you'll need to take a ferry from Battery Park and with the New York CityPASS® you don't have to worry about the ticket, because it's included.
It also includes the ferry to Ellis Island, where you can visit the Immigration Museum and explore an exhibition about the times when New York became a place of welcome for immigrants from all over the world in search of a better future.
- Price if you buy tickets outside the pass: from 24 Euros.
- How the pass works: You don't need to buy a ticket, so head straight to the security checkpoint and wait for the ferry to arrive.
- About the attraction: You can go to the Statue of Liberty from 9.30am to 5.25pm. The typical visit lasts around 4 to 5 hours.
Before you buy the New York CityPASS® Card
Too much information! I know: choosing your New York City Pass is not easy. In case you're not quite sure, here's the rundown to help you make your decision. The New York CityPASS® is for you if you:
- You're going to be in New York for a week
- You want to see the most "typical" New York City sights
- You have little time to plan your trip
- You like to explore a new city at your own pace
- You have a tight budget for your trip
Recommendations
Keep in mind that the New York CityPASS® Tourist Card lasts 9 days from your first use, so you don't need to do it all in your first two or three days in New York. The best use of your pass is to spread out your visits and use it at least two or three times a day.
If you're travelling with children in New York, you can get a New York CityPASS® for them at a 40% savings over the adult pass for children ages 6-17 years old. Children over 17 pay the adult pass and children under 6 are generally free at many New York City attractions.
Other passes available
In case the New York CityPASS® isn't quite what you're looking for, keep in mind that there are three other types of New York City Passes available so there may be another one that better fits the trip you're planning.