Is the New York Go City Explorer Pass Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes for a week-long New York stay with 3-6 big-ticket sights, such as Edge one evening, MoMA on a rainy afternoon and the 9/11 Museum another morning.
- Skip itNo if you'll cram the Empire State, the ferry and two museums into each day. The New York Go City Pass suits that pace.
- Skip itNo if all five of your sights are on CityPASS's list. $149 for 5 is hard to beat with picks.
- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
What is The New York Go City Explorer Pass?
The New York Go City Explorer Pass is bought by number of sights, not days. Each scan, whether at Edge, MoMA or the Intrepid, uses one pick, and you have 30 days from the first to use the rest.
In New York the Explorer suits longer stays: pick a handful of the big $40-50 sights and spread them over a month.
The seller advertises savings of up to 50% compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic when every pick is a $40-50 attraction.
- Picks
- From 2 (the $89 pass)
- Price
- From $89
- Window
- 30 days
- MoMA
- On the list
How to get the most value out of The New York Go City Explorer Pass
Use every slot on a big-ticket sight; Central Park, the High Line and Brooklyn Bridge are free anyway.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Spend a pick on a $25 ferry ticket | Use picks on the $42-49 decks and the $33-36 9/11 Museum. The Staten Island Ferry passes the Statue for free. |
| Use two picks on two decks | Edge, Top of the Rock and the Empire State views are similar. One deck, then a museum. |
| Pick two observation decks | One deck is enough. Use the other slot on the 9/11 Museum or the ferry. |
| Save the Statue of Liberty for your last day | Ferry slots sell out in busy months. Book it early in your 30 days. |
| Head to the Statue of Liberty ferry without checking how busy it is | Check the Statue of Liberty ferry's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another New York sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for the Statue of Liberty ferry, 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 New York →Who The New York Go City Explorer Pass is for
Good fit
- Slow trips of a week or more
- Sights that CityPASS doesn't have, like MoMA
- You'd rather do one big sight a day
Skip it if
- Your days are packed with 3-4 paid sights
- Your five picks are all CityPASS classics
- Your plan is one deck and free sights
- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
What the pass covers
Your picks come from Go City's New York list, which is longer than CityPASS's 10. These are the picks worth the most.
- MoMA is on the Explorer list but not on CityPASS, a reason to choose the Explorer over CityPASS.
- No pass includes SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.
The big sights
- EdgeBook a slotFrom about $49 on its own.
- Empire State BuildingBook a slotFrom $46 on its own.
- Top of the RockBook a slot
- 9/11 Memorial & MuseumIncludedAbout $33-36 on its own.
- MoMAIncluded$30 on its own.
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island ferryBook a slotAbout $25.50-26: a low-value pick.
- SUMMIT One VanderbiltNot included
- One World ObservatoryBook a slotFrom $39 on its own.
- MoMAIncluded$30 on its own, and on the Explorer list.
- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
Pass vs individual tickets
Picks are only as valuable as the tickets you'd have bought: Edge (about $49) is worth almost twice the ferry ($25.50-26). Three high-value picks like Edge, the Empire State and the 9/11 Museum come to about $128-131.
What three big sights cost
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Empire State Building (86th floor) | From $46 |
| Edge | From about $49 |
| 9/11 Museum | About $33-36 |
| Total separately | About $128-131 |
| Explorer Pass | From $89 (check the 3-attraction price) |
- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
Fine print
- Activation
- Starts at your first attraction visit.
- Time to use
- 30 days from your first visit.
- Refunds
- Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The New York Go City Explorer Pass is Go City's, sold through GetYourGuide.
- Reassuring: Refunds: Full refund within 90 days of purchase if not activated.
- Watch out: No SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Buy more picks than your trip needs | With 30 days, buy only the sights you're sure about. |
| Use a slot on a museum with pay-what-you-wish times | Check museum free evenings before picking them. |
| Queue at the Statue of Liberty ferry at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for the Statue of Liberty ferry's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in New York. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with the Statue of Liberty ferry.
Check live crowds in New York →- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy New York’s attractions are right now →
- From $89
- MoMA and decks on the list
- 30 days to use it
FAQs
New York Go City Explorer Pass or CityPASS?
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CityPASS is a fixed choice of 5 from 10 big sights over 9 days. The Explorer lets you pick from a longer list with 30 days to use it. Price your exact picks on both.
Is the New York Explorer Pass worth it?
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With high-value picks like Edge, the Empire State and the 9/11 Museum (about $128-131 separately), usually. With the $25.50-26 ferry as a pick, less so.
Does the New York Explorer Pass include MoMA?
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Yes, MoMA ($30 on its own) is on the list.
How long is the New York Explorer Pass valid?
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30 days from your first attraction.
Does it include SUMMIT One Vanderbilt?
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No. No New York pass does.
How long is the New York Go City Explorer Pass valid?
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30 days from your first visit.