Is the Chicago Go City All-Inclusive Pass Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes for a two-day Museum Campus and Navy Pier blitz: Shedd, the Field, Adler, a deck and the lakefront cruise in quick succession.
- Skip itNo if the Art Institute is your main reason to visit. It isn't on Go City's Chicago list.
- Skip itNo for one sight a day. CityPASS covers five over nine days for $144.
- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
What is The Chicago Go City All-Inclusive Pass?
The All-Inclusive Pass runs for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 consecutive days. On each one you can enter any of its 37 Chicago attractions, once each.
In Chicago the All-Inclusive suits a packed weekend: the Museum Campus, a deck and the river cruise in one or two days.
The seller advertises savings of up to 50% compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic for 1-2 very packed days.
- Attractions
- 37
- Price
- From $149 (1 day)
- Days
- 1-5 in a row
- Art Institute
- Not listed
How to get the most value out of The Chicago Go City All-Inclusive Pass
Pack the Museum Campus and the river into each pass day.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Spread the Museum Campus over two pass days | Shedd, the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium are a short walk apart. Do them on the same day. |
| Use Skydeck and 360 CHICAGO back to back | Do one at sunset on day one and the other on day two, so you aren't seeing the same skyline twice in an hour. |
| Save Navy Pier for the end of a museum day | The Ferris wheel and Flyover are near the pier entrance, so go there in the evening; the museums close earlier. |
| Take the architecture cruise at midday in summer | Late afternoon is cooler and the light is better. |
| Go up Skydeck on a cloudy day | Check the forecast; the view is the point. |
| Head to Skydeck Chicago without checking how busy it is | Check Skydeck Chicago's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Chicago sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for Skydeck Chicago, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Chicago →Who The Chicago Go City All-Inclusive Pass is for
Good fit
- Two-day visitors who want Shedd, a deck and the lakefront cruise
- Families who'll use the Navy Pier rides and Flyover
- Science fans: Griffin MSI and Adler are both on it
Skip it if
- The Art Institute (from $32) is a must
- You'd rather take five big sights over a week
- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
What the pass covers
The pass includes 37 attractions. These are the ones that drive the value.
- Shedd, the Field Museum and Adler sit together on the Museum Campus, so day one is easy to fill.
- Griffin Museum of Science and Industry is in Hyde Park, a long way south; give it its own half-day.
- The Art Institute isn't listed, so budget it separately (from $32, under-14s free).
The big sights
- Shedd AquariumIncluded
- Skydeck ChicagoIncludedFrom $32 on its own.
- 360 CHICAGOIncludedFrom $27 online on its own.
- Field MuseumIncluded
- Adler PlanetariumIncluded
- Navy Pier Ferris Wheel and ridesIncluded
- Flyover ChicagoIncluded
- Shoreline Architecture River CruiseIncluded
- Art Institute of ChicagoNot includedNot on the Go City Chicago list.
Also on the pass
- Museum of Illusions Chicago
- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
Pass vs individual tickets
At $149 for one day, Skydeck ($32) and 360 CHICAGO ($27) cover $59; add Shedd and the Field Museum and you're close. Two sights a day won't get there.
- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at your first Chicago attraction.
- Days
- Calendar days in a row, not 24-hour periods.
- Entries
- One visit per attraction.
- Refunds
- Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Chicago All-Inclusive Pass is Go City's, sold through GetYourGuide.
- Reassuring: Refunds: Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
- Watch out: No Art Institute.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Expect the Art Institute | It isn't on Go City's Chicago list. |
| Buy a long pass for a slow trip | CityPASS is cheaper over nine days. |
| Queue at Skydeck Chicago at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for Skydeck Chicago's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Chicago. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with Skydeck Chicago.
Check live crowds in Chicago →- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
Alternatives
Shedd, Skydeck and three more for $144, and it includes the Art Institute as an option. Read our verdict.
From $109 for 3 of 36.
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Chicago’s attractions are right now →
- From $149
- 37 attractions
- 1-5 days
FAQs
Is the Chicago Go City Pass worth it?
+
Yes if you'll do three or four paid sights a day, such as the Museum Campus plus a deck. For fewer, CityPASS costs less.
Does the Chicago Go City Pass include the Art Institute?
+
No. It's not on the list of 37; buy it separately (from $32).
Chicago Go City or CityPASS?
+
Go City for 1-2 busy days with Navy Pier and Griffin MSI; CityPASS for Shedd, Skydeck and three more spread over nine days.
How do the days work?
+
They're consecutive calendar days from your first visit, so start early on day one.