Is San Francisco CityPASS Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes if four of its eight fit your plans, say a Blue & Gold Fleet cruise under the Golden Gate, the California Academy of Sciences, the Exploratorium and SFMOMA.
- Skip itNo if Alcatraz is the point of your trip. It isn't one of the eight; book it with Alcatraz City Cruises weeks ahead.
- Skip itNo for one or two museums. At $89.95 you need four visits to come out ahead.
- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
What is San Francisco CityPASS?
San Francisco CityPASS is a booklet of four admissions: you choose them from eight museums, a zoo and a bay cruise, and use them within nine days of the first one.
In San Francisco it bundles the bay cruise with the big Golden Gate Park museums, nine days to fit them in.
The seller advertises savings of up to 45% compared with buying each ticket separately. Realistic for most visitors who'd do four of the eight.
- Attractions
- 4 of 8
- Price
- $89.95 adult, $69.95 child
- Time to use
- 9 days
- Alcatraz
- Not included
How to get the most value out of San Francisco CityPASS
The California Academy of Sciences and the de Young sit side by side in Golden Gate Park, so two picks make one easy day.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Spread the Golden Gate Park picks over two days | The California Academy of Sciences and the de Young face each other across the park's Music Concourse. Do them on one day. |
| Pick the de Young and Legion of Honor on different days | That option gives same-day entry to both, so plan them together; Lincoln Park and Lands End sit next to the Legion. |
| Leave the Exploratorium to a weekend | Pier 15 fills with families at weekends; book a weekday slot instead. |
| Take the bay cruise in the afternoon | Fog and wind build later. Morning cruises are calmer and clearer. |
| Do the Exploratorium on a weekend | It's busiest at weekends; weekdays or Thursday evenings are quieter. |
| Head to the California Academy of Sciences without checking how busy it is | Check the California Academy of Sciences's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another San Francisco sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for the California Academy of Sciences, 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 San Francisco →Who San Francisco CityPASS is for
Good fit
- Museum-minded visitors staying 3-9 days
- Families: child tickets $69.95 for ages 4-11
- Anyone who wants a Golden Gate cruise without a separate booking
Skip it if
- Your list is Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf: only one of those costs money
- You'll only visit one or two of the eight
- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
What the pass covers
Pick 4 of these 8, one visit each. Two of the eight need a reservation.
- Three of the eight are in Golden Gate Park or next to it: the Academy of Sciences, the de Young and the Legion of Honor.
- The bay cruise is a sightseeing loop, not a ferry to Alcatraz: landing on the island is a separate ticket.
The big sights
- Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruiseBook a slotSightseeing cruise; doesn't land on Alcatraz.
- California Academy of SciencesIncluded
- ExploratoriumBook a slot
- Aquarium of the BayIncluded
- San Francisco Zoo & GardensIncluded
- SFMOMAIncluded
- Walt Disney Family MuseumIncluded
- de Young + Legion of HonorIncludedSame-day entry to both.
- Legion of HonorIncludedWith the de Young option.
- AlcatrazNot includedNot on any pass.
Reserve the Blue & Gold Fleet cruise and the Exploratorium before you go; the other six take the ticket at the door.
- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
Pass vs individual tickets
CityPASS puts the regular price of its four priciest picks at $164.95, against $89.95. If four of the eight are on your list anyway, it wins; with three, check each gate price first.
CityPASS's own comparison
| Ticket | Adult price |
|---|---|
| Four priciest picks at box-office prices | $164.95 |
| San Francisco CityPASS | $89.95 + $2 fee |
| Child (4-11) CityPASS | $69.95 (regular $124.95) |
- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
Fine print
- Validity
- 9 days from your first visit; start within a year of purchase.
- Reservations
- The bay cruise and Exploratorium need them.
- Fee
- $2 processing fee per ticket.
- Refunds
- CityPASS gives a full refund on unused tickets within 365 days of purchase. Once you've visited any attraction it can't be refunded, and tickets bought through a reseller are refunded by that reseller.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: San Francisco CityPASS is CityPASS's own product, sold through GetYourGuide.
- Reassuring: Refunds: CityPASS gives a full refund on unused tickets within 365 days of purchase. Once you've visited any attraction it can't be refunded, and tickets bought through a reseller are refunded by that reseller.
- Watch out: No Alcatraz.
- Watch out: The cruise and Exploratorium need reservations.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Wait to book Alcatraz until you arrive | It isn't on the pass and sells out weeks ahead. |
| Pick both the zoo and the aquarium on a short trip | Pick the ones you'll really do in nine days. |
| Queue at the California Academy of Sciences at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for the California Academy of Sciences's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in San Francisco. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with the California Academy of Sciences.
Check live crowds in San Francisco →- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy San Francisco’s attractions are right now →
- $89.95 adult
- Pick 4 of 8
- 9 days to use it
FAQs
Does San Francisco CityPASS include Alcatraz?
+
No. No San Francisco pass includes an Alcatraz landing; book it separately, well ahead.
Is San Francisco CityPASS worth it?
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Yes if four of its eight attractions are on your list; CityPASS compares $89.95 with $164.95 for the priciest four.
How long is San Francisco CityPASS valid?
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Nine days from your first visit or reservation, and you have a year from purchase to start.
Which San Francisco CityPASS attractions need a reservation?
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The Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise and the Exploratorium.
Can I visit the de Young and Legion of Honor on one ticket?
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Yes, that option gives same-day entry to both museums.