Things to do in New York

Comparing the best NYC passes | Find the best one for you

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New York occupies a privileged place at the top of many lists of places to visit in ones lifetime. A powerhouse of a city , New York is the one of the world's major commercial, financial and cultural centers. The city is a heaven for tourists too. From some of the tallest skyscrapers to the richest museums in the world, from stunning parks and vibrant neighborhoods to the biggest center of theatre, New York has it all. The best way to explore NYC as a tourist is to go for any of the many New York City Passes. While New York has a plethora to see, choices for ways to explore to New York are plenty too. However, the most budget friendly and hassle-free method is opting for a New York City Pass that suits your itinerary.

A single card that allows you instant access to all the major attractions and museums in the city, removes the hassle of queuing up and handling foreign currency is an absolute boon while in the Big Apple. With access to almost every attraction in NYC and savings of up to 40%, these New York City Passes will help you save on money as well as time in New York City.

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New York City Passes - What Are My Options ?

You have 4 New York City Passes to choose from - The New York Explorer Pass, The New York Pass, New York City Tour Pass and Freestyle New York City Pass. Read in detail about each of these cards, the pros & cons, who should buy it, the inclusions & exclusions, freebies available, validity and more on this blog post. Click on the one you'd like to learn more about!

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New York All City Pass
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Freestyle New York Pass

Best New York City Passes Comparison

New York Explorer PassNew York Pass
NYC Explorer Pass
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New York Pass
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About
  • Access to over 70+ attractions.
  • Choose from four options - 3, 4, 5 & 7 attractions pass.
  • Potential savings of up to 50%
  • Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus New York Classic Tour
  • Tourists booklet available in English, German and Spanish
  • The pass is valid for a month from its first usage.
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  • Access to 100 + attractions.
  • Choose from six options - 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10 day passes
  • Potential savings of up to 40%
  • Comes with a downloadable guide that contains useful information including travel tips, attraction information, subway map, city map, contact information and more
  • The pass is valid from the time it is activated at the first attraction for consecutive days, and not 24-hour periods.
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Attractions

77 attractions including Empire State Building, One World Observatory, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty Ferry, Museum of Modern Art, The Met, Guggenheim Museum, Central Park Bike Rental, Yankee Stadium Tour and more.

Check out the full list of attractions below.

100+ attractions including Empire State Building Top of the Rock Observatory, Big Bus New York HOHO, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, Statue of Liberty Ferry & Ellis Island, MoMA, Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises,American Museum of Natural History and more.

Check out the full list of attractions below.

Validity

The pass is valid for a month from its first usage.

The pass is valid for consecutive days based on the type of pass purchased.

New York All City PassFreestyle New York City Pass
New York All City Pass
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Freestyle New York City Pass
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About
  • Access to the best tours and selected attractions in NYC.
  • Choose from four options - 1, 2, 3 or 5 days pass.
  • Potential savings of up to 70%
  • Tours include a live tour guide who provides useful information about each attraction.
  • The pass is valid for consecutive days from its first usage.
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  • Access to over 50 attractions.
  • Choose from four options - 3, 5 & 7 attractions pass.
  • Potential savings of up to 40%
  • 3-day Unlimited All Around Town Hop-on Hop-Off Sightseeing
  • One day Hop-on Hop-off Ferry Tickets
  • The pass is valid for 14 days from the time of redemption.
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Attractions

50 attractions including bus tours around Port Authority,Garment District,Highline,Battery Park,City Hall,Canal Street,Soho,Washington Square Park, Union Square and more.

Check out the full list of attractions below.

50 attractions including 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Empire State Building, Madame Tussauds, Top of the Rock, One World Observatory, American Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim Museum, Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and more

Check out the full list of attractions below.

Validity

The pass is valid for 6 months from the day of purchase, and after the first usage, it is valid for consecutive days.

The pass is valid for 14 days from the time of redemption.

What is New York Explorer Pass?

New York Pass

The NYC Explorer Pass allows you to choose a select number of attractions to visit from a list of 77 attractions. The pass is available in four options. Each variant lets you choose a different number of attractions – 2, 3, 4 and 7 attractions. With potential savings of upto 50% on admission prices and 77 attractions to choose from, the NYC Explorer Pass is the perfect pass for your New York holiday.

Once you buy your Explorer pass, the pass will remain valid for one year. Only after its first usage will the pass get activated. After activation, the pass will expire in 30 days. In these 30 days, you can use your pass whenever you want to visit the selected number of attractions.

NYC Explorer Pass Attractions

New York Explorer Pass - 3 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 4 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 5 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 7 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 11 Attractions : from
New York Pass
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NYC Explorer Pass - 3, 4 , 5 , 7 , 11

  • Choose from 3, 4, 5, 7 or 11 attractions from a list of 82 available attractions like Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and the Met.
  • Valid for 30 days from activation

Top Attractions For Free With NYC Explorer Pass

new york city passes
Empire State Building

FREE
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Top of the Rock Observatory

FREE
new york city passes
Statue of Liberty

FREE
new york city passes
9/11 Memorial & Museum

FREE
new york city passes
American Museum of Natural History

FREE
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Museum of Modern Art

FREE
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Metropolitan Museum of Art

FREE

Cost Benefit Analysis - NYC Explorer Pass

Cost of 7 Prime Attractions in NYC
The Ride :
$69
Hop on Hop off tour :
$59
Empire state building :
$37
City Light Sail :
$50
Top of the Rock :
$37
Central Park Bike Tour :
$45
Statue of Liberty Tour & Ellis Island :
$45
Total
$342

The 7 day NYC Explorer Pass will cost you while you will be spending $342 if you were to buy individual tickets for these attractions. This translates to savings of around $187!

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What is New York Pass?

New York Pass

With the New York Pass, the ticket to exploring NYC is quite literally in your palms. The New York Pass allows free, one-time access to over 100+ attractions in New York, including the Empire State Building and American Museum of Natural History, with the option of skipping the line at attractions like Madame Tussauds and the Museum of Modern Art! You can choose from the 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or 10-day pass as per your itinerary and experience New York at your pace.

A money and time saver, the New York Pass does not require pre-booking, so you can simply turn up with your New York Pass and enter, hassle-free! The New York Pass is valid for 12 months from the day of purchase, and after the first usage, it is valid for consecutive days not for random 24-hour periods. For instance, with the 3-day pass, if you first use your pass on a Monday, it is then valid on the following Tuesday and Wednesday. The pass expires at midnight.

New York Pass Attractions

New York Pass - 1 Day : from
New York Pass - 2 Day : from
New York Pass - 3 Day : from
New York Pass - 5 Day : from
New York Pass - 7 Day : from
New York Pass
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New York Pass - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10

  • Free, one-time access to over 100+ attractions & experiences in NYC.
  • Get a downloadable guide containing travel tips, attraction information, subway map, city map, contact information and more

Top Attractions For Free With New York Pass

new york city passes
Empire State Building

FREE
new york city passes
Top of the Rock Observatory

FREE
new york city passes
Statue of Liberty

FREE
new york city passes
9/11 Memorial & Museum

FREE
new york city passes
American Museum of Natural History

FREE
new york city passes
Museum of Modern Art

FREE
new york city passes
Metropolitan Museum of Art

FREE

Cost Benefit Analysis - New York Pass

Day 1
Hop on Hop off tour :
$59
Empire state building :
$37
Metropolitan Museum of Art :
$25
Museum of Modern Art :
$25

Day 2
The Ride :
$69
Top of the Rock :
$37
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise :
$35
Statue of Liberty Tour & Ellis Island :
$45
Total
$332

The 2 day New York Pass will cost you while you will be spending $332 if you were to buy individual tickets for these attractions. This translates to savings of around $143!

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What is the New York All City Pass?

New York Pass

If your style of exploring New York involves a double decker bus ride, then the New York All City Pass is your best bet. Hop on board the iconic red bus and enjoy the sights and streets of the Big Apple from a vantage point like no other. You can choose the duration you'd like - 24, 48, 72 and 120 hour variants and explore attractions from the carefully selected curation that comes with the New York All City Pass. The pass is valid from the time it is activated at the first attraction for consecutive days, and not 24-hour periods.

The New York All City Pass' tours include a live tour guide who usually provides useful information about each attraction. With free, one-time tours of downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn and Harlem and even bike rentals, this pass covers the length and breadth of the city.

New York All City Pass Inclusions

NYC All City Pass - 24 Hours : from
NYC All City Pass - 48 Hours : from
NYC All City Pass - 72 Hours : from
NYC All City Pass - 120 Hours : from
New York Pass
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New York All City Pass - 1, 2, 3 or 5

  • Ride in style on the iconic red double-decker buses with a live guide onboard.
  • The pass is valid for selected consecutive hours once redeemed.

Cost Benefit Analysis - New York All City Pass

Cost of 7 Prime Attractions in NYC
Downtown Bus Tour :
$39
Uptown and Harlem Tour :
$54
Brooklyn Bus Tour :
$49
Night Bus Tour :
$49
2 Hours Bike Rental (With Purchase) :
$14
Museum of NYC :
$18
Total (Without the New York All City Pass):
$223

While doing all of the above in a day is not possible, even opting for 2 of the above will translate to 40% savings! The 1 day Classic NYC All City Pass will cost you while you will be spending double the amount for even 2 activities on the list without the pass!

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What is Freestyle New York City Pass?

New York Pass

The Freestyle New York City Pass is another extremely popular pass amongst tourists visiting New York. There are 2 types of Freestyle New York Passes:

    1. Freestyle New York City Pass -

    • The Freestyle City Pass allows you to choose a select number of attractions to visit from a list of 50 attractions.
    • The pass is available in three options. Each variant lets you choose a different number of attractions – 3, 5 and 7 attractions.
    • With the pass, you get 3 days unlimited Hop-on Hop-Off sightseeing tours across 4 routes: Downtown, Uptown, Brooklyn and the Bronx. You can even add a special Night tour from Manhattan to Brooklyn to get picturesque views of the skyline lit up.
    • Once you buy your Freestyle pass, the pass will remain valid for one year. Only after its first usage will the pass get activated. After activation, the pass will expire in 14 days. In these 14 days, you can use your pass whenever you want to visit the selected number of attractions. The Hop on Hop off Pass is valid for 72 consecutive hours from the time you redeem the vouchers at one of the NYC Visitor Center locations.

    2. Freestyle New York Cruise Pass -

    • The Freestyle Cruise Pass is ideal for first-time short term visitors who want to explore the city without a strict itinerary.
    • It gives you unlimited Hop-on Hop-Off ferry access for one day along with a choice of entry to 1 or 3 New York City attractions. Get a chance to choose from over 40 New York attractions, including the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in your one-day pass.
    • Traverse through the Big Apple from a unique vantage point over New York's waterways and get a chance to see the gorgeous New York City skyline with exquisite views of the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, South Street Seaport and more iconic landmarks.
    • The Freestyle Cruise Pass is available in 2 variants. Each variant lets you enter a different number of attractions, either 1 or 3 attraction combo.Each variant comes with unlimited Hop-on, Hop-off ferry services.
    • Your Hop-On Hop-Off ferry tour is valid for 14 days from the time of purchase, and after the first usage, it is valid for 24 hours.

Freestyle New York City Pass Attractions

New York All City Pass
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Freestyle Attraction Pass

  • Choose from 3, 5 or 7 attractions/activity tickets from a list of 40 available attractions.
  • 3-day, unlimited, all around town Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing doubledecker bus across 4 routes

Freestyle New York Cruise Pass Inclusions

New York All City Pass
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FreeStyle Cruise Pass

  • Free, one-time entry to one or three New York City attractions
  • Unlimited one-day Hop-on, Hop-off Ferry
  • Valid for 14 days from the time of purchase, and after first usage, it is valid for 24 hours.

Cost Benefit Analysis - Freestyle New York Pass

Cost of 5 attractions + 3 day Hop on Hop Off in NYC
Ground Zero Museum Workshop: 100 Images & Artifacts Tour :
$35
Empire State Building Observatory :
$37
The TOUR :
$35
American Museum of Natural History :
$22
One World Observatory :
$37
3 days Hop on Hop Off :
$144
Total (Without the Freestyle New York Pass):
$310

The Freestyle New York City Pass costs while you will be spending $310 if you were to explore NYC without the pass. The 40% Savings is definitely worth purchasing the pass!

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What Convenience Factors do the New York City Passes bring?

1. Huge savings
These passes can help you save anywhere between 30-50% on the cost of tickets as opposed to buying a separate ticket for each attraction. These savings mean you can increase your budget for souvenirs, shopping or other experiences.

2. Convenience
The travel pass provides you instant access entry to all attractions without having to queue up to purchase tickets. The pass will help you skip these lines, providing you with more time to spend in actual sightseeing.

3. Save time
The priority access feature of these passes allow you to save time on purchasing individual tickets for each attraction. With only one pre-purchased card in hand, you can wander in to any attraction of your choice and not worry about standing in line and buying tickets.

4. Choice and flexibility
The pass offers an array of attractions and monuments to see, the entry fee of which is included in the pass. This allows you to choose your pace of visiting the attractions. The pass is also flexible and does not have any limitations on entry or timing.

5. Ideal for traveling with kids
Traveling with kids can be made a whole lot easier by making the trip more comfortable for them. A pass allows you to plan better and cut waiting in lines for hours, making sure your kids don’t get cranky!

Handy Tips for using New York City Passes

• Plan Plan Plan - With tons of attractions to choose from in the city, it is best that you plan the attractions for which you'll be using the pass. Make sure that you use the pass in the most optimum manner to ensure highest savings.

• Prioritize - Prioritize attractions with higher entrance fees, it is the easiest way to save money and recover your costs.

• Check the timings - Do ensure that you have checked the timings of the attractions that you would like to visit. It would be quite a downer to visit an attraction only to know that it is closed.

• Use the money saving techniques - Use the hop-on-hop-off feature of the passes to get around the city. The advantages of it are two fold - free transportation as well as guided sightseeing.

• Know the free days - Certain museums have free entries on some days. Visit these museums on the free days to increase your savings. Try to avoid start using the pass on these days.

More New York Guides

Looking for more detailed New York Guides? Here are a few that will help you plan your NYC vacay!

Best Museums in New York City
Best Museums in NYC
Best Museums in New York City
Best Food Tours in NYC
Best Museums in New York City
Best Walking Tours in NYC
Best Museums in New York City
New York City Attractions
Sachin Kumar

Having lived and worked in Bangalore and Singapore before moving to Dubai, Sachin is one of the many expatriates who've come together over the years to knit the fabric of Dubai’s global culture. An avid urban explorer and photographer, he has spent countless hours uncovering hidden gems in these cities - eating in ramshackled establishments that only the cab drivers frequent, discovering underground markets, exploring abandoned buildings and staying with families that may or may not like him.

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