San Francisco city Pass

San Francisco CityPASS, Go City, Explorer, Sightseeing: Which One Should You Choose?

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If you plan to spend a few days of vacation in San Francisco you will probably want to enjoy the main attractions of this fascinating city. As soon as you start doing your research, you will soon realize that there are so many activities and things to do that there is not enough time or money to do everything.

Whether you’re in town for a short or long visit (from just one day to over a week), it might be helpful to know that there are San Francisco passes that give you discounted access (and let you skip lines at ticket offices) to the main activities and attractions in San Francisco.

There are 4 main passes: San Francisco CityPASS, Go City Card, Explorer Pass and Sightseeing (Flex and Day). Let’s see what each one offers and determine the differences among them and when it is convenient to get them.

Please note: Pass features may vary over time (e.g. number and type of attractions, as well as the amount of savings). Please check the official websites of the passes, indicated in the article, for any changes.

Passes, Covid and refunds: how do they work?

Recent events have introduced changes in the way the various companies issue refunds. Let’s see what procedures have been adopted to meet the needs of tourists in organizing their own vacation.

  • San Francisco CityPASS: you can ask for a free refund up to 365 days from the date of purchase.
  • Go City San Francisco (All Inclusive and Explorer): both passes can be redeemed free of charge within 90 days of purchase.
  • Sightseeing Pass Flex and Day: in order to get a refund on these passes you will need to purchase a special insurance whose price will be equivalent to 4% of the cost of the pass. With this insurance you will have 2 years to request a refund.

This does not apply if you decide to buy the passes on sites like Viator. In this case, the refund policies of the respective sites will be applied, which may differ from those just mentioned.

San Francisco CityPASS

San Francisco City passFor around $76, this pass guarantees access to 4 attractions in San Francisco, which saves you 50% of what you would pay if you were to purchase the tickets at the non-discounted price. The pass is valid for 9 consecutive days (from the first use) and allows you to skip the lines at the ticket offices.

Attractions included in this Pass:

  • Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise: A picturesque trip on the San Francisco Bay while admiring the famous Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. Alternatively, you can circumnavigate the bay on the fastest RocketBoat speedboat. 
  • California Academy of Sciences: A fascinating natural history museum that includes an aquarium, a planetarium, and a rainforest. CityPASS includes general admission, access to a special exhibition, and the possibility to take advantage of some extra features.
  • Choose from one of these attractions:
    • San Francisco Bay Aquarium: This aquarium is dedicated to the animals that are native to the bay and has transparent underwater tunnels and interactive tanks. For an additional $10, you can also go on the behind-the-scenes tour.
    • Exploratorium: A museum dedicated to making incredible scientific discoveries. In addition to exhibitions, you can also enjoy amazing views of the bay.
    • San Francisco Zoo & Gardens: a zoo featuring more than 2,000 species of animals.
    • The Walt Disney Family Museum: dedicated to the creator of the most famous characters in animated films.

When is the CityPASS to San Francisco convenient?

If you want to visit at least 3 of these attractions, then the San Francisco CityPASS is convenient. It has great extra features that you can access at a discounted price and do not underestimate the possibility of enjoying the attractions and activities over a period of 9 days.

How to buy the San Francisco CityPASS

You can buy this pass directly on the San Francisco CityPASS official website or on Viator. The price on both websites is about the same, but on Viator, you can find special offers.

GoCity San Francisco – All-Inclusive Pass

GoCity San Francisco All Inclusive PassThe Go San Francisco Card (also known as All-Inclusive) is a very different type of pass, with more flexibility and a greater number of attractions available (26). You can select a pass for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days (obviously, the price changes according to the number of days), and the pass includes a free pocket guide of the city and gives you access to further discounts and special offers.

Attractions included in the Go San Francisco Card:

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus San Francisco: Classic 1-Day Tour
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
  • Madame Tussauds
  • Bike rental for 24 hours by Blazing Saddles
  • USS Pampanito
  • The San Francisco Dungeon
  • Escape from the Rock – Blue & Gold Fleet
  • De Young Museum
  • The Contemporary Jewish Museum
  • GoCar San Francisco Tour (rental for 30 minutes)
  • Exploratorium
  • Aquarium of the Bay
  • Oracle Park Tour
  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
  • The Beat Museum
  • Asian Art Museum
  • Angel Island (Crociera Roundtrip) – Blue & Gold Fleet
  • U.S.S. HORNET Museum
  • California Historical Society
  • K1 Speed Indoor Karting
  • San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
  • The Walt Disney Family Museum
  • Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
  • LEGOLAND Discovery Center
  • Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour by ExperienceFirst
  • Tiled Steps Urban Hiking Tour

Please note: The attractions included in the pass may vary over time. Always check the updated list of tours and attractions on the official website.

Convenience and prices of the Go San Francisco Card

One of the main advantages is the flexibility offered by the pass since it allows you to buy this pass to San Francisco based on the number of days you intend to use to visit certain attractions (saving up to 60%). Here are the prices:

  • 1 day: 67$
  • 2 days: 94$
  • 3 days: 119$
  • 5 days: 156$

You can buy your pass directly on the Go San Francisco Card official website.

GoCity San Francisco Explorer Pass

GoCity San Diego Explorer Pass

This pass is more like the San Francisco CityPASS than the Go San Francisco All Inclusive. It allows access to 2, 3, 4, or 5 discounted attractions (which can be chosen from a list of 26 possible tourist activities), includes a pocket city guide, and provides access to additional discounts and offers.

Activities included:

There are 2, 3, 4, or 5 things to do that you can select from the following list of 26 activities. Here are some of those available:

  • Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus 1-Day Classic Tour
  • Aquarium of the Bay
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • Exploratorium
  • Escape from the Rock
  • Madame Tussauds
  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
  • San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
  • All-Day Comfort Bike Rental by Blazing Saddles
  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
  • The Walt Disney Family Museum
  • LEGOLAND Discovery Center
  • GoCar 1 Hour Tour
  • Subpar Miniature Golf
  • The Escape Game San Francisco
  • K1 Speed Indoor Karting
  • Golden Gate Bridge Bike Tour by Unlimited Biking
  • Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour by ExperienceFirst
  • Angel Island with Roundtrip Ferry
  • Tiled Steps Urban Hiking Tour
  • de Young Museum and Legion of Honor
  • USS Pampanito
  • The Contemporary Jewish Museum
  • Asian Art Museum
  • U.S.S. HORNET Museum
  • Oracle Park Tour

Please note: The attractions included in the Explorer Pass may vary over time. I recommend that you always consult the complete list of tours and attractions on the official website.

Convenience and prices of the San Francisco Explorer Pass

The price makes the pass an attractive choice, especially if you consider that you will have 30 days to visit the chosen attractions (starting from the first entry). You can save more than 59% on the total number of entrances or tours.

Prices:

  • 2 attractions: 58$
  • 3 attractions: 62$
  • 4 attractions: 79$
  • 5 attractions: 94$

You can purchase the Explorer Pass directly on the official website.

Sightseeing Flex Pass San Francisco

Sightseeing Flex Pass San Francisco The San Francisco Sightseeing Flex Pass has been made available as an alternative to the passes presented so far, and most importantly, it is on equal footing with the Explorer Pass.

How it works and how much you save

The way that the Sightseeing Flex Pass works is very simple. You select 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 attractions from a list of over 25 attractions (+ options). You have 60 days (from the first use) to visit the attractions and you can save more than 59% on the total cost of admission! The price of the pass ranges from $64 to $129 per person.

Compared to the Explorer Pass, the prices are a bit higher, but the savings are also higher!

Some of the attractions included are:

  • 1 day hop-on hop-off bus tour by Citysightseeing SF
  • Madame Tussauds
  • At&t park tour
  • Aquarium of the bay
  • De Young Museum
  • Asian Art Museum
  • Night Tour by Citysightseeing SF
  • Legion of honor
  • Go lorries – One way airport shuttle
  • Bay City Bike – golden gate park guided bike tour
  • Bay City Bike – 2 hour comfort bike rental
  • Gocar 1 hour tour 7d Experience
  • Ride & Maze combo
  • San Francisco Dungeon
  • Radical SF – Wild sf walking tours the castro & mission
  • Burger Bar – $30 toward lunch or dinner
  • USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museu

The pass can be purchased on Viator or directly from the official website, where you can also find more detailed information about the individual attractions. Please note: The list of tours and activities may vary over time, so always consult this website!

Sightseeing DAY Pass

In addition to the Sightseeing Flex Pass, just like in New York, there is also a version of the Sightseeing Pass similar to the Go San Francisco Card, i.e. based on the number of days and not on the number of attractions. Here are the main features of the so-called Sightseeing DAY Pass:

  • There are 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 day passes. Please note: They are consecutive days!
  • The percentage of savings is identical to the Sightseeing Flex Pass: Over 59%
  • There is no maximum number of attractions: You can visit as many as you want during the days that your pass is valid.
  • The list of attractions is the same as the Sightseeing Flex Pass: Check it out at this link.
  • The price ranges from $74 to $169.

You can buy the Sightseeing DAY Pass from the official website, but make sure not to select the Sightseeing Flex Pass!

Cumulative Package: Alcatraz+Walking Tour+Bus Tour

In addition to tourist passes, there is also a cumulative package that includes numerous attractions and tours around the city. The offer can be activated for 48 or 72 hours and offers the following:

  • Panoramic tour of Alcatraz Island
  • 3 Walking tours
  • Hop-on and hop-off bus
  • Night tour
  • Sausalito tour
  • Bike Rent (1 hour)

Find all the information about the package on this website.

Build Your Own Pass

No more available!

san francisco city cardsThe Build Your Own Pass will give you complete freedom to choose from more than 35 attractions (i.e. more than the previous passes), and you can choose to enter only and exclusively the things you actually want to visit and that way you can avoid wasting time and money. It is ideal for those who have little time available and want to limit themselves to a few attractions. The discount that you will accumulate will be around 20%.

Convenience and prices of the San Francisco Build Your Own Pass

The advantage is that this pass gives you complete freedom to choose the attractions, but you will not get more than a 20% discount. The final price will be determined by the attractions selected and the number of attractions.

You can buy the Build Your Own Pass directly on the official website.

What about you? Which pass do you prefer?


Our Tip:
Looking for accommodations for your trip from California to other parts of the Southwest? Read our guide that contains reviews of hotels and strategic tips for finding accommodations near major attractions: Where to Stay: Our Tips for the SouthWest Area

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

lorenzo puliti
lorenzo puliti

I am fascinated by the wonders of the world I never tire of going in search of them.

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