The City that Never Sleeps. The Big Apple. The Center of the Universe. New York City has a lot of nicknames… one of which should be “The Place Where I Spend All Of My Money”. There’s no way around it – NYC is an expensive city. So when Garrett and I visited New York for the first time, I did a price comparison of the New York CityPASS.
What is CityPASS
CityPASS is a USA based company that offers discounts in cities across North America. For a flat upfront fee, you get free admission to top tourist spots across a city; sometimes you even get opportunities to cut the line!
CityPass Pros
- CityPASS is great for people who are new to a city and haven’t seen any of the typical tourist sights. It’s essentially a list of the top places to go!
- You already have your ticket, so no need to figure out where the ticket booth is or what type of ticket you should buy. Plus, you get to skip the line!
CityPass Cons
- If used incorrectly, you can actually end up spending more with CityPASS than if you had just bought individual tickets. Be wary if you’re not sure if you’re going to make it to all of the attractions you plan to visit.
- If you’ve visited a city before, CityPASS may not be the best option for you, as it provides discounts on some of the most popular tourist sights. If you’ve already visited them, and are looking for something a bit more unique, I would not recommend CityPASS.
What Does New York CityPASS Offer?
New York CityPASS offers entrance to some of the top things you’re going to want to visit on your first trip to New York! Even better, this pass lets you customize which sights you want to visit. By default, you get admission to:
| The Empire State Building | Daytime admission AND nighttime admission to the main observation deck |
| American Museum of Natural History | General admission to the Museum and the Rose Center for Earth and Space, plus the Space Show or Giant Screen Film |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Skip-the-line admission and all exhibitions at The Met, plus same day admission to The Met Breuer and The Met Cloisters |
In addition, you get to visit The Rock or The Guggenheim, The Statue of Liberty or The Circle Line Cruise, and the 9/11 Memorial or the Sea, Air and Space Museum
| Top of the Rock Observation Deck | General admission to Top of the Rock |
| Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island | One round-trip Statue Cruises ferry ride with stops at Liberty Island (Statue location) and Ellis Island, an audio tour on each island, plus Ellis Island Immigration Museum admission |
| 9/11 Memorial & Museum | General admission |
| Guggenheim Museum | General admission to the Guggenheim’s collection, plus special exhibits |
| Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises | One regularly scheduled Landmark Cruise, Harbor Lights Cruise, or Liberty Cruise, or a ride on The Beast (available May-September) |
| Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum | General admission, including the Space Shuttle Pavilion, the submarine Growler and the film Story of Intrepid |
Is it Worth it?
The New York CityPASS costs $126 for adults. The value can range depending on which attractions you choose. Here is a breakdown of what you would pay if you were to buy each activity directly from the vendor:
| The Empire State Building | $53.00 |
| American Museum of Natural History | $28.00 |
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art | $25.00 |
| Top of the Rock Observation Deck | $39.20 |
| Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island | $25.50 |
| 9/11 Memorial & Museum | $24.00 |
| Guggenheim Museum | $25.00 |
| Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises | $31 – $40 |
| Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum | $33.00 |
So, you can see how you can get more bang for your buck, depending on which options you choose. Either way, as long as you go to all six attractions, you’re saving $54.50 – $92.20 by using CityPASS. Plus, you get the benefit of saved time: fewer lines and no time wasted buying tickets.
| Most Cost Efficient | Least Cost Efficient | ||
| Empire State Building | $53.00 | Empire State Building | $53.00 |
| Museum of Natural History | $28.00 | Museum of Natural History | $28.00 |
| The MET | $25.00 | The MET | $25.00 |
| Top of the Rock | $39.20 | Guggenheim | $25.00 |
| Circle Line Cruise | $40.00 | Statue of Liberty | $25.50 |
| Space Museum | $33.00 | 9/11 Memorial | $24.00 |
| $218.20 | $180.50 |
Is There Anything Else to Consider?
The only major caveats are the following:
- The Museum of Natural History is technically “pay what you wish” when you buy tickets at the front counter. Even if you enter for free, the CityPASS is still worth it, but it is something to consider when deciding if CityPASS is the right choice for you.
- The only real way the New York CityPASS is not worth it is when you don’t go to all of your intended attractions. If you’re planning a jam-packed vacation, and are afraid you might end up bailing on an end of day activity, you might end up spending more than you need to.
Conclusion
Based on the numbers and the time you save, I generally recommend New York CityPASS for folks visiting New York for the first time, or who plan to visit at least 5 of the attractions on the list.
Have you ever used New York CityPASS? What was your favorite attraction?
**Featured image by Sheng Li
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