This was our first time flying BA’s new Airbus A350, and given the mixed reputation BA’s been building online lately, we were more than a little curious to see which side of the fence we’d land on. Spoiler alert: it was a bit of a rollercoaster, but it ended on a surprisingly high note.

Booking British Airways Club World

Let’s be honest — British Airways has been getting a bit of a kicking recently. Delays, cancellations, dated cabins, poor service — the internet hasn’t been kind. And while we’ve never been BA’s biggest fans, we thought it was time to give them another chance and judge their Club World Business Class product for ourselves.

We’d racked up enough Avios points and qualified for a 2-for-1 Companion Voucher through our British Airways Amex Card, giving us the perfect excuse to book a long-haul Business Class flight to Las Vegas.

That’s where the fun started.

The BA website is, to put it kindly, not great. Clunky searches, endless crashes, and an overall user experience that feels like it’s straight out of 2006. Things got even more frustrating when we tried to book an open-jaw flight (flying into Vegas and out from LA). The website simply wouldn’t let us use our voucher or points combo, forcing us to pick up the phone — a terrifying concept for our generation.

To the agent’s credit, while she initially claimed the flights didn’t exist, she did go above and beyond to fix things. After a complicated back-and-forth — part online, part over the phone — the whole booking came through perfectly. Full credit to her.

Still, it shouldn’t have been that hard. BA gets low marks for their online systems but high praise for the human on the other end of the line.

Cost: £475 in taxes and fees + 90,000 Avios points (for two people from Manchester to Las Vegas). Honestly, that’s excellent value for Business Class.

Seat Selection Frustrations

Here’s a real head-scratcher: BA charges for seat selection even in Business Class.

To pre-select our seats for the outward leg would have cost around £150 per person, with another £100 each for the return. For a premium cabin product, that’s a poor look. We know other airlines do this, but not all, and in particular not Virgin Atlantic, at least at the time of writing!

Luckily, we’re not overly picky — the Club Suite setup means you get plenty of privacy wherever you sit, so we decided to wait for the free seat selection window at online check-in (24 hours before departure).

Check-In Challenges

Our check-in experience continued the trend — clunky and confusing. The online system crashed multiple times, forcing us to check in at the airport instead.

At Manchester, check-in didn’t open until two hours before the flight, leaving little time to enjoy the lounge. The process itself was slow, with repeated ESTA checks and verification issues, but we eventually made it through.

We also flew Club Europe down to London Heathrow — that experience (and the Manchester lounge) is covered in another video, but let’s just say it was… mixed.

Lounges at Heathrow

By the time we reached Heathrow, our patience with BA was wearing thin. Thankfully, things started to look up.

We spent some time in the BA Business Class Lounge in Terminal 5B, which turned out to be a real highlight. Calm, spacious, with a good range of food and drink — even if we weren’t particularly hungry after already being fed twice that day.

It’s not the flashiest lounge in the world, but it was the first point in the day where we actually started to relax and look forward to the flight.

Boarding and First Impressions

Boarding in London was smooth and well-organised — a pleasant surprise after the chaos in Manchester. We boarded early, settled into our Club Suite, and were offered a glass of Champagne before take-off.

The crew took the time to introduce themselves and take both our meal and drink orders for later in the flight — a really nice personal touch.

Inside the Airbus A350 and Club World Cabin

The Airbus A350 is one of BA’s newer aircraft, and it’s instantly noticeable. The cabin feels fresh, modern, and calm, with larger windows and better pressurisation that makes for a smoother ride.

There’s no First Class cabin on the A350, so Business Class dominates the front half of the plane with 56 Club Suites spread across two cabins. We ended up in seats 6K and 7K on the right-hand side — comfortable window seats with excellent views. Couples might prefer the middle seats (E and F), but we’re window seat people through and through.

The New Club Suite

This is where BA really shines.

Their old Club World seats were outdated, awkward, and lacking privacy. But the new Club Suite is a complete turnaround — and honestly, one of the best Business Class seats we’ve tried so far.

Each suite has a closing door for privacy, direct aisle access, and a fully flat bed that doesn’t feel cramped. There’s loads of storage space, a logical seat control panel (which actually makes sense!), and stylish finishes that feel more “premium car interior” than airplane.

We especially liked that BA has gone for fabric over leather — more comfortable and less slippery.

You also get a White Company amenity kit, a comfortable pillow and blanket, and decent headphones. The only thing missing? Pyjamas. But for a daytime flight, that’s fair enough.

In-Flight Dining and Drinks

After take-off, service began with a drinks round. Unfortunately, this part was… slow. Painfully slow. We waited almost an hour for our first drink — hardly ideal when you’ve been looking forward to that post-takeoff G&T.

Once things got moving though, the meal service was excellent.

Starters:

• Smoked salmon and prawn (fresh and full of flavour)
• Buffalo mozzarella (Kate’s choice and one of the best airline starters she’s ever had)

Mains:

• Lamb (tender but could’ve used a touch of pink)
• Cod (tasty but slightly overcooked — a plane kitchen reality)

Dessert:

• Chocolate, orange, and walnut cake (rich and indulgent)
• Cheese plate (simple but perfectly executed)

Generous wine pours flowed throughout the meal, with refills readily offered. Nothing overly adventurous, but solid and satisfying.

As the flight went on, the drinks menu continued to impress. We particularly enjoyed the Speedbird IPA (a fun Brewdog x BA collab) and the Singleton whisky. Wine was available throughout the flight, including the fashionable Whispering Angel Rose.

In-Flight Entertainment (IFE)

We were pleasantly surprised by BA’s in-flight entertainment. The movie library was huge — packed with new releases, classics, and plenty of Disney content to get us in the mood for the Disneyland leg of our trip.

The screen was large, bright, and crystal clear, and the system itself was easy to use. The only downsides:

• The music selection was disappointing (we switched to Spotify downloads instead).
• The touchscreen was slightly too far away when reclined — first world problem, we know — but there’s a handy remote control tucked into the armrest to solve that.

Life Onboard and Facilities

Once dinner was done, the cabin lights were dimmed and passengers encouraged to sleep. While we understand the logic, we always find it a little odd when the crew dictates lighting — some of us enjoy watching the clouds!

We missed the social spaces offered on Virgin’s Upper Class — BA doesn’t really have anywhere to stretch your legs or grab a chat away from your seat. There’s a small galley area with snacks and self-serve wine, but it’s not quite the same vibe.

The toilets were clean and functional throughout, if a little uninspired.

When we finally converted our seat into a fully flat bed, it was genuinely comfortable — supportive but not coffin-like, private but not claustrophobic. We both managed a solid nap before the second meal service began.

Second Meal and Arrival into Las Vegas

For the pre-landing meal, we were offered another full three-course service — but after a long day of eating, drinking, and airport-hopping, we kept it simple and went for the chicken pie, which was actually delicious if a bit heavy before landing.

An afternoon tea option might have been more fitting, but still, we couldn’t complain about the quality.

As we descended into Las Vegas, the clouds cleared just in time for stunning sunset views over Lake Mead and the Strip. After a smooth landing and an easy pass through customs, we were ready to hit the hotel and start our Wild West adventure.

Overall Verdict — British Airways Club World A350

We’ll admit it — we went into this expecting to dislike it. BA’s reputation has taken a serious hit in recent years, and early experiences with their website and check-in didn’t inspire confidence.

But once we were actually on board, the experience turned around completely.

The new Club Suite is fantastic — private, comfortable, and one of the best-designed Business Class seats in the sky. The food was solid, the drinks plentiful, and the crew professional and friendly throughout.

Sure, the website is clunky, seat selection fees are cheeky, and the lack of social space is a downside, but overall? We were impressed.

If you can guarantee you’re flying on an aircraft with the new Club Suite, British Airways Club World is absolutely worth considering.

Next time, we’ll probably skip the Manchester connection and fly direct from Heathrow — but BA’s A350 Business Class? We’d happily do it again.

Coming Up Next

We’ve got loads more travel content from this trip, including:

• The best of Las Vegas beyond the casinos
• A full Disneyland 70th Anniversary guide
• Our journey through the Wild West’s national parks
• More airline reviews, including BA Club Europe and World Traveller

Make sure to subscribe and follow along at YourUSACityGuide.com for more travel tips, reviews, and adventures across the States.

The real challenge isn’t finding what to do — it’s deciding how much you can fit in (and how to afford it all). That’s where attraction passes come in. The Go City All-Inclusive Pass Las Vegas promises a smart way to explore more for less. For one fixed price, you can access dozens of top Las Vegas attractions, tours, and activities — plus a premium experience on the longer passes. It’s designed to help travellers save money while packing more fun into their Vegas itinerary.

But does it really deliver on those savings? Is it the best sightseeing pass for Las Vegas visitors? In this Go City Las Vegas Pass review, we’ll dive into what’s included, how it works, and — most importantly — whether the Go City Pass is actually worth it for your Vegas trip.

We take a detailed look at the pass. We look at the attractions, which are worth your time, how much you could save, how best to use the pass, who it suits, and if the pass is worth your money! The truth is there is no one right answer, the pass suits some travelers and not others. Vegas offers so many different kinds of experiences, some people love the pass while others would rather just hit the casinos.

We do find most people can use a pass in one way or another and there are loads of different options for passes so you can find one to suit your needs, so read on to see if the Go City Las Vegas pass is right for you or if a different pass might suit you better, or if you just don’t need a pass at all!

Go City Las Vegas Pass Review

• Product: Go Las Vegas Pass – All Inclusive
• Price: $135- $306
• Price Child: $125 – $281 (Child 3-12yrs)
• Where to Buy: GoCity.com
• Number Of Attractions: 39+ Top Attractions + 1 Premium
• Time Limit: 2-5 days unlimited (Consecutive Days)
• Expiry: 90 Days Refund (No Quibble) – 2 Year Expiry for First Use
• Rating: – 4.7/5

Attractions Included – 56 + 1 Premium Attraction Per Pass (3,4, and 5-day Passes only)

Premium Attractions:

• Strip Highlights Night Flight on Papillon Helicopters! – $124
• Mad Apple by Cirque Du Soleil- $88
• KA by Cirque du Soleil – $102
• Ultimate Gourmet Dine-Around: A Self-Guided Downtown Foodie Adventure! – $125
• National Parks Choice of Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon Full-Day Tour – $169

Unlimited All-Inclusive Attractions:

• High Roller Observation Wheel – Daytime Ticket – $35.80
• The Mob Museum – $34.95
• Neon Museum – $35.00
• Skypod at the Strat – Open – $26.95
• Madame Tussauds – $36.99
• Big Bus Tour -$53.00
• Real Bodies Exhibit – $32
• Fly Linq Zipline – $47.50
• Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas – $30
• and Many more…

Check Our Promo Code to save even more!!!

Check out our Promo Code Page to see if you could save EVEN more when purchasing a Go Las Vegas Pass. Click here to check out our available discount codes. Or click the Reveal button below to UNLOCK our BEST current Code!

Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go Las Vegas Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page

What is the Go City Las Vegas Pass?

The Go City Las Vegas Pass is an All-Inclusive attraction pass offering you the chance to experience as many of the available attractions as you can manage from the available list within a certain timescale. 2,3,4 or 5 consecutive days.

The Las Vegas version of the Go Pass also has the added benefit of allowing you to visit any one of 8 “premium” attractions per card when you buy a 3-day, 4-day, or 5-day card. These premium attractions are all really high-quality attractions; however, we feel some are better quality and value than the others and it’s obviously a shame you only get one of these. We will have an in-depth look at the best and worst attractions later on.

What is the Las Vegas Explorer Pass?

Another option, instead of the All-inclusive option, is the Explorer pass. In short, you purchase a number of attractions, as opposed to days, and visit them at your leisure over a 30-day period. Perfect for those who just want to see a few attractions at their own pace rather than tearing around the city doing everything. Read our full review here.

How much does the Go City Las Vegas Pass Cost?

Each pass is a fairly significant outlay; however, the price per day drops the more days you buy. This relieves a bit of the pressure to try and cram too much into each day.

The only exception is the 2-day pass, where the price per day is less than a 3-day pass. However, this is because the 2 Day pass does not include Premium Attractions.

• 2 Day Pass – Adult – $135* ($67 per day) Child – $125 – *$121 with our Code
• 3 Day Pass – Adult – $236* ($78 per day) Child – $221 – *$242 with our Code
• 4 Day Pass – Adult – $291* ($72 per day) Child – $276 – *$261 with our Code
• 5 Day Pass – Adult – $306* ($61 per day) Child – $281 – *$275 with our Code

We do regularly get discount codes made available to use so check our Promo Code Page to see if we have any available right now for you to save EVEN more money!

How Long is the Pass Valid for and Can You Cancel?

Covid-19 has injected a huge amount of uncertainty and fear into Travel. We feel Go City has done the best it can to remedy this situation as much as possible!

The Go City Passes used to be valid for a single year after purchase. However, due to the uncertainty surrounding the Pandemic, people really didn’t know when they were going to be able to re-book their trips. To help with this Go City has extended its validity period to 2 years from the date of purchase.

This only really helped out with people who had already bought a Pass but had their trips postponed. People who were yet to buy obviously held off and we think you were right to do so. A pass is only really something you buy when you know you are going somewhere. However, if you have a trip coming up and are considering a Pass, it may be causing you concern that things may flair up again and you need to postpone, so having the 2-year validity date helps ease those fears!

They have also increased the Cancellation period up to 90 days. This means if you buy less than three months before your trip and something changes and you cannot travel you can get a quibble-free refund, no questions asked. They really have done everything possible to keep the Pass relevant and workable for people Visiting the City.

How does it Work?

The Las Vegas GO pass is a digital pass. It is emailed to you after ordering and you then either use the pass directly from your phone (See Image right) or you can print it out and use it that way. Either way, it is a QR Barcode that is scanned at the attractions allowing you entry to the attractions.

The Pass is activated on the first day you use it and then you have the number of days you purchased to enjoy as many attractions as you like from the list. These are consecutive Calendar days, not 24-hour periods. So make sure you activate it early on your first day or you will lose that portion of the day prior to activating.

As some of the attractions require pre-booking it’s important to read the details of how to book your attractions before visiting to ensure you get to do the activities you choose. We have handily marked any that require pre-booking.

Is the Go City Las Vegas Pass Right for Me?

Vegas is a very diverse city and many very different people visit for many different reasons. A large number simply come to party, drink, and gamble. And that is fine, but it’s unlikely these people are going to get much value out of an Attraction Pass.

However, as you are reading this, and have got this far, this is probably not you. You are probably interested in visiting attractions and making good use of your time while in Vegas. So an attraction Pass may be the right choice for you.

The Las Vegas GO Pass is by nature designed to be used a lot. It is fairly steep on the price front and as such you need to visit a lot of attractions to get the value from it. If you are just considering taking in a few attractions at a more leisurely pace may be the Explorer pass would be more suited? Here you select a number of attractions you wish to visit and then have 30 days to visit those attractions at your leisure.

The 2-day pass offers pretty good value and you can easily cram enough into two days to make it well worth the outlay. The 3,4 and 5-Day Pass are really only great value if one of the 4 Premium Attractions is very attractive to you. Basically, take a look below at our descriptions of the 5 Premium attractions, and if one Jumps out at you then you are probably going to find great value in the Go Pass. The Premium attractions cover nearly 50% of the value of the Pass!

Other Passes?

There are several passes available for Las Vegas and some may suit you more than the Las Vegas Go Pass:

Las Vegas Attraction Pass Comparison

The Las Vegas Pass Review – Discontinued

The Las Vegas Sightseeing Pass Review

The Las Vegas Explorer Pass Review

The Go Las Vegas Build Your Own Pass – Discontinued

I’m not sure a Pass Sounds Right for Me!

We know the pass is not for everyone, and while we do believe for most people, if the attractions are appealing a pass is a great idea, for some, they just don’t like the feeling of being tied to something. So while the Passes are not for everyone, most people do like saving money!

Vegas is a city where everything can be gotten cheaper, where getting a deal is all part of the experience. There are loads of ways to visit attractions for less while visiting Vegas. We feel the attraction passes offer some of the best savings, but there are other options. Read of full guide on Saving Money in Las Vegas.

How do We Test?

We make sure we try the Passes and the Attractions in person. We visit the destinations, try out the passes, and see exactly how they work and what is both good and bad about the passes AND the attractions. We travel in a way we expect other people to travel as well. In Vegas, we spend time by the pool, time in the casinos, time eating incredible food, and time visiting attractions. We try and find some time to sleep but that is fairly optional!

If you want to see exactly how the Las Vegas Go Card can be used for an AWESOME trip check out our latest Live Blog entry where we hit Vegas Hard, Pass in hand! We got fantastic value out of the Pass but it didn’t stop us from hitting the pools, Casino’s shops, and a ton of other things not covered on the pass. The Pass simply enhanced the experience, exactly what a pass is supposed to do! See more, Pay Less!

How are things Post Covid? Well, we have that covered too, we headed back to Vegas in March 2022 to check out the Pass and see how the City is recovering from the Pandemic. Spoiler, it’s recovering really really well!

Attractions

The pass is ALL about attractions, if the attractions do not appeal there is really no point in getting the pass. While we often find some of the least appealing attractions for us, end up being our favorites, if the roster of things to do doesn’t get you going, you should probably skip the pass.

With this in mind let’s take a look at the best of the line-up so you can see if the pass is worth it for you. If by the end of this, you are super excited about all the things you can see and do with the pass, we promise you are going to have an awesome time using it!

Premium Attractions:

When Buying a 3-Day, 4-Day, or 5-Day Pass You are able to choose one Premium attraction from the following but Remember it’s ONE premium Attraction per PASS.

Full-Day Grand Canyon National Park Tour – $169

One of the most popular attractions for Visitors to Vegas is a trip to the Grand Canyon. However, most people end up at the West Rim. This is much closer to Vegas and has a very touristy feel. However, the actual canyon at this viewing spot is poor in relation to the fantastic South Rim.

With the Las Vegas GO Pass, you get the opportunity to travel to the South Rim and see the absolute best of the canyon. Here you will see it at its widest and deepest, and most spectacular. Many leave the west rim a little underwhelmed, as the canyon is not what they had imagined from all the photos and films they have seen. That is because all those were shot at the South Rim. This part of the Canyon really will take your breath away!

Read more about West Rim vs South Rim here

So why do most go to the West Rim? Well, the South Rim is an awfully long way. This trip has a 5-hour coach journey each way! This makes for an awfully long day. While this is broken up with stops, it’s still going to be a grueling trek by the end. We wish we could say it will be fine but 10+ hours on a coach is going to be tough for anyone! Is it worth it? Oh yes, it’s worth it, but only if the Grand Canyon is really high on your list and then only if you can afford a FULL day out of your trip to see it. If you are not 100% determined to see the Grand Canyon in all its glory, then this isn’t for you. There are also other options to see the south rim that are not as grueling, such as an overnight stop close to the Canyon or a flight out to it. Or if you just want a taster the West Rim is still a very impressive place.

These Coach tours are not our favorite so we tend to suggest seeing the canyon a different way and choosing one of the other Premium Attractions. But if seeing the Canyon is a lifetime dream, and a coach trip is your only option, this is a very high-value item, and $119 is 60+% of the 3 Day pass price!

There is also now an option to visit Bryce Canyon, another amazing National Park, and the Journey is not quite as long as the Grand Canyon, so there is more time in the park and less on the bus! This also gives you the bonus of visiting Zion Canyon as well, 2 for 1 and both utterly stunning!

Las Vegas Helicopter Tour – Night Flight ($154) Pre-Book

A really fantastic option for an experience of a lifetime. Seeing Vegas at night from the Air is an unforgettable experience. The strip is an awesome sight at night, but from the air, it takes on a whole new level of spectacular. You will have seen Ariel footage in films, and with this option, you get to fulfill that vision as you fly low, taking all the incredible visual delights the City has to offer.

The obvious downside is that if you have a severe fear of flying or even heights, then you are going to want to give this a wide berth. But for everyone else, this could be the experience of a lifetime! And unlike the South Rim Tour, it’s not going to take a full day of your trip (and your Pass!)

We love this option and feel it is easily the highest-rated and most popular choice of premium attraction. There really is nothing better than soaring over Vegas at night! Check out our video below!

Cirque Du Soleil – KA ($102)

Our favorite Cirque Show and really welcome addition to the Pass. KA is a mind-blowing show with a heavy oriental and martial arts theme. The Entire Set moves and shifts on a huge hydraulic platform as the Stars journey through an epic lifetime adventure of Love, Betrayal war, and triumph.

It really is spectacular and something everyone visiting Vegas should see. Incredible stunts, costumes, music, and drama.

Cirque Du Soleil – MAD APPLE ($88)

This is Cirque’s newest show, and it’s very fitting that they have located it in New York, New York Casino, as the show is entirely centered around the Big Apple. So expect all the highlights of America’s brashest City.

Incredible Circus feats and dance acts all set to an Iconic New York York-inspired score, it’s one of Cirque’s best shows to date and well worth getting to see. However, it’s at the cheaper end of the premium attractions, so has adds less value to he pass than the others.

Ultimate Gourmet Dine-Around: A Self-Guided Downtown Foodie Adventure! ($125)

This is a new attraction on the Pass, and we are going to be honest, we have not managed to check this one out yet. But it is intriguing, and we have been hearing the buzz about these tours for a while.

For $125, we are not sure these are going to be amazing value, but on the pass, it might be worth a shot. You basically get to visit 3 restaurants, each providing 3 dishes (appetizer size) for you to try. That’s $13 a dish, so if these are all higher-end dining experiences, that’s pretty good, but honestly, we can usually find a restaurant ourselves, so not sure if we need a tour. And remember, this is downtown, so it’s not going to be the fancy, glitzy strip establishments. From reviews and reports, you can expect:

• Carson Kitchen – Gourmet Burgers
• 7th & Carson – Modern American
• Eureka! – Eureka! Discover American Craft

But these can and do change. As we said, we are intrigued, but with SO much food on offer, we are not sure we would spend 2-3 hours downtown just eating!

Standard Attractions:

With all the passes you can visit as many of the following attractions within the set number of days you have purchased. The List of available attractions is far larger than we could ever feature in this post, but these are a selection of our favorites and that we feel are the best value.

High Roller Observation Wheel – Daytime Ticket – Open ($35.80)

The High Roller is really a fantastic attraction and something everyone should do in Vegas. The Highlight of the HighRoller for us is the Open Bar; unfortunately, this is no longer an option due to Social Distancing, but the View from one of the world’s tallest observation wheels is still incredible. Read more about the Wheel here. The Day Price is included in the Pass, but you can pay the difference and upgrade to the nighttime experience, which is quite a bit better.

The Mob Museum – Open ($34.95)

A great little museum featuring the history of organized crime in the USA. Vegas was a big mob city back in the Day. It’s the perfect place for a museum of this type. Not your usual heavy museum. One of Las Vegas’s Best Museums.

The Stratosphere Observation Deck – Open ($26.95)

We love the Stratosphere observation deck and consider it one of Vegas’s must-do activities, so having it on a pass really helps. Unfortunately, none of the rides are included on the pass, but still the skip the line entry is a nice plus, and you can pay extra for the rides when up there, should you be so brave!

The View from up top is quite unlike any other in Vegas and gives a great perspective down the strip, but also out over the vast Las Vegas valley with the stunning Spring Mountains rearing up in the distance!

Currently, you can also get 50% off the Skyjump when using the pass, just in case you want to throw yourself off the top!

Madame Tussaud’s – Open – $36.99

While we enjoy a good Madame Tussauds, the truth is a lot of them are not exactly that good, mentioning no names (<Cough> New <Cough> York <Cough>). The Vegas Location however, is actually one of our favorites! While London is our hands-down winner and the original, the Vegas edition really hits the right note of the City. It’s fun, young, and full of hangover references. It is super touristy, but if you are just looking for a fun break from drinking or gambling, it really is a hoot, with a ton of awesome Selfie opportunities.

Read more…

Big Bus Tour – Open -$62

Get out and see Vegas from the open-top deck of the Big Bus Tours! These tours are very touristy, but if this is your first time in Vegas it is a great way to check out the strip. It is a Hop On Hop Off Bus, but the truth is they do not work very well as transport; they are fairly infrequent and a slow means of getting around. Treat them more like a tour, but definitely hop on and off a couple of times and they are a great way to get to grips with the layout of Vegas.

The view from the open-air top deck is pretty awesome, but be prepared to sock it in as the bus will spend a lot of time in traffic! The bottom line, if you need to get somewhere fast, don’t use the Big Bus HOHO, but if you are just sightseeing it’s great!

Real Bodies Exhibit – Open ($39.95)

Certainly, this exhibit only appeals to a certain type of person, but if that is you, this exhibit is incredibly fascinating. We really do recommend this to anyone with a curious mind and a strong stomach. Remember, these are REAL bodies of deceased people!

It is a very strange sensation looking directly into the eyes of a real deceased person, but it is also fascinating and hugely informative. We headed to the Exhibit hosted at the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino (previously known as Bally’s)

Hoover Dam Tour – Pre-Book – Open ($65)

While probably not on your list if you chose the South Rim Grand Canyon tour, as you will have stopped here on that excursion. If you chose one of the others or are on a two-day card, then this is a great option. The Hoover Dam is a must-see in Vegas and it’s well worth visiting. The only issue is it’s a 5-6 hour trip, which, while well worth it, will limit the number of other attractions you could visit that day.

Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas ($30)

We love getting up high, and the Eiffel Tower gives yet another opportunity to get up high and see the city from another angle. The Experience is more than just an observation deck though, as you are taken through a history of France before riding the glass elevator to the top.

More info here on the Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck

Area 15 –  Illuminarium Experiences ($29)

Area 15 is a new sprawling attraction that has recently opened in Vegas. Filled with wild and varied interactive and technological attractions and art installations and experiences. One of these is the very impressive Illuminarium. Essentially this is a large projections screen, like a cinema, only the projections are all around you allowing you to feel like you are entering the actual space.

There are various experiences included, such as Space, an Africa Safari, or even taking a drink in Tokoyo! It’s a really cool and unique experience.

There are many different experiences at Area 15, but for now, only the Illuminarium is included.

Vegas Rockstar Club Tour – Pre-Book – ($99.00)

A fantastic night on the tiles. After pre-drinks, you are chauffeured around in a party bus to some of the best nightclubs in the world, let alone Vegas. This really is one for the party animals, and it’s sure to be a wild night. Great if you don’t really know where you want to go as you will visit a few different clubs. Also, you will likely be in a group so if you are alone or a couple or a small group, you should hopefully pick up a few new friends! This includes booze on the Party bus but not in the clubs. Club drinks are really pricey, so make sure you pre-load and take advantage of the party bus!

We checked out this tour on our last trip to Vegas here…it got pretty messy, as the party bus host definitely was not short with the measures!

The lineup is changeable, but we have seen Voodoo Lounge, Fondation Room, On The Record, and AZILO Ultra Lounge all appear on the tour.

Rockstar Pool Party Tour – Pre-Book – $89.00

A chance to check out some of the hottest pool parties in town. This can be as wild or as chilled as you like. It’s a great way to have a good look at some of the pools outside of your hotel. While you are transported around checking out the parties. You can either party hard or if last night was rough spend time chilling in the sun.

These two rockstar tours are horrendously over-priced, and many guests do not feel they get great value from them; however, when used on the Pass they are a total bargain, the tours feel practically free and you get a good amount of free drinks and access to some of the best Pool Parties and Clubs in town!

Is the Las Vegas Pass Good Value?

If you take at face value, all the “gate” prices listed, then the Pass is clearly exceptional value. You can potentially save an absolute fortune. However, the “Gate” Price can be misleading as we explain below. First here is a quick breakdown of easily achievable savings using a 3-day Pass:

Day 1 – Tourist Traps!

Using the Bus to get to and from Downtown and the Stratosphere.

• Hop-on Hop-Off Bus Tour ($65)
• Madame Tussauds ($37)
• The Stratosphere ($27)
• Mob Museum ($35)
• The Big Apple Roller Coaster ($25)

Total – $189

Day 2 – Explore

• Flyover Las Vegas ($32)
• Area 15 – Illuminarium ($39)
• Night Club Tour ($99)

Total – $170

Day 1 – Flying High

• High Roller Observation Wheel ($36)
• Fly Linq ($25)
• Eiffel Tower Experience ($31)
• Las Vegas Strip Helicopter Tour ($124) – Premium

Total – $216

Breakdown

• Total Cost: $ 575
• Cost of Pass: $ 279
• Total Saving: $ 296!!! over 55% Saving!

Of Course, these are incredible figures. However, in Vegas, nothing needs to cost what it’s meant to. There are always savings to be had and costs to be cut. So really, you could easily save at least part of that saving without purchasing a pass. But that would mean quite a bit of work hunting around and searching out all the best deals. With a Las Vegas GO Pass, it’s really very simple to achieve very large savings with minimal effort.

The above Itinerary would lead to an utterly fantastic trip and is completely achievable. All for $279.

Alternatively, take a look at our Live Blog and see how we used the Las Vegas Go Pass very recently to have an awesome time in Vegas!

AND you could possibly save EVEN more with our Promo Code page, which could snag you even more discounts! Currently, we have a 10% Code, making the 3-Day Pass only $250, another $29 saving, enough for an extra drink or two by the pool!

AND REMEMBER ALL THESE SAVINGS ARE PER PERSON!

Check Our Promo Code to save even more!!!

Check out our Promo Code Page to see if you could save EVEN more when purchasing a Go Las Vegas Pass. Click here to check out our available discount codes. Or click the Reveal button below to unlock our BEST current Code!

Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go Las Vegas Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page

It is not all about cost either. It’s very clear there are large savings to be made but the additional benefits of using a pass all help add hidden value to the GO pass.

Planning

Knowing what attractions you would like to visit helps greatly in planning what you will do and where you will go. It’s amazing how many people rock up in Las Vegas with no real idea of what to do. Having the pass gives you a real plan of action and something to base your planning around.

Budgeting

The fact the pass is one simple fee really helps with budgeting. it can be very hard to know how much you will spend on any trip but especially so in Vegas where everyone seems to be trying to get money out of you in one way or another. Having your entire attraction budget nailed down to one fixed price is quite a reassuring thing.

Less Hassle

As we mentioned you could save part of the total savings by hunting around and getting as many deals as possible. after all, Vegas is the home of the cut-price and coupon savings. Almost any price can be lowered by one saving or another. But that’s quite a chore. You would also have multiple tickets and coupons etc. With the Go pass, it’s one quick online purchase and you have all your tickets in one place as a hand QR Barcode ready to scan.

Well, almost it should be noted that some attractions require pre-booking. You can’t expect to just show up the morning of your south rim tour and just hop on. these things need to be planned. But it greatly reduces the workload. Just remember to read all the Detail about each attraction you wish to visit!

Inspiration

A pass can really help you understand what is on offer and available while in Vegas. Simply looking at the list of attractions can easily give you ideas for attractions that you really didn’t know existed. While of course, you don’t need to purchase a pass to use it for inspiration, you can just look at it online and use that as your guide. We still think it’s worth mentioning.

On their own maybe the following is not enough to recommend a Go Pass but when you consider the savings as well as the advantages it’s a pretty fantastic deal In our opinion.

See More, Pay Less

In Reality, the pass does not actually save people THAT much money. Our Suggested Itinerary above is not something someone without a Pass would ever really consider. However having the pass really does let you get out and see the BEST of the City, while only paying a limited amount of money. It can really be the Holy Grail of paying less and seeing more! On trips, before we found the pass we penny-pinched and really did very little but wandered around the City.

With the Pass we hit everything! There is no longer a cost element to consider and you simply throw yourself headfirst into the experience. For this reason, we love the Pass!

What We don’t like!

We also query quite a few of the listed prices for some attractions. These are the worst-case prices and in a lot of cases in Vegas, they could be had for a lot less. But the pass still represents good value if you get use out of it.

It’s a shame that the pass has to be used on consecutive days. The option to have pool days/days where you don’t use the pass is a real bonus on some passes. But all Vegas passes work this way apart from the Explorer pass.

It is also worth noting that a number of different shows are included on the pass. One limitation of this is you may only visit one show per day of the Pass. For us, this is not a big deal as we tend to just do the whole dinner and a show thing and don’t really want to plan too many shows in. But if you are planning on using the pass to see as many shows as possible this can be a bit of an issue for some people.

As ever with all-inclusive Attraction passes you need to be careful not to chase the pass. Trying to cram in just too much in an attempt to get maximum value! We find it best to really just focus on the Attraction you really like the sound of, if you are not sure just give it a miss and head off and do something you really want to.

Check Our Promo Code to save even more!!!

Check out our Promo Code Page to see if you could save EVEN more when Purchasing a Go Las Vegas Pass. Click here to check out our available discount codes. or Click the Reveal button Below to Unlock our BEST current Code!

Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go Las Vegas Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page

Conclusion.

We really like the Go City Las Vegas Pass and think it offers really good value and ease of use to the right traveler. The Premium attractions are a great selling point of the pass assuming they are something that interests you. If not stick to a 2-day or look elsewhere. But for a fairly significant outlay, the pass enables you to greatly maximize your trip potential. There are plenty of really good high-value attractions, way more than anyone could visit in 5 days, so you will never be short of things to do.

The value of the pass cannot really be doubted even if some of the headline prices are a little above what you would pay if you shop around. You would be hard-pressed to get the sort of savings the pass offers, but we think Super savvy buyers may be able to get close, but that’s a lot of legwork.

It is hard to ignore the fact the Pass really has, on our previous trips, really opened up the City. We tried things and visited places we never bothered to when all we saw was the entry fees and some of these have been our favorite things to do. So many times we considered whether we should do A, B, or C? High Roller, Stratosphere, or the Eiffel Tower? With the pass, we did all three!

For anyone wanting a super busy action-packed break in Vegas that they are sure to remember. One where they will get to see and do everything, The Go Las Vegas Pass is pretty hard to beat!

Have Your Say?

Let us know if you have used the Las Vegas Go Pass. Did you find it useful and good value? Which Premium Attraction did you go for? Let us know if you have any questions about the attractions listed or how they work. Or if you have any comments or questions at all just leave us a comment below and we will get back to you.

You May Also Like:

• Las Vegas Explorer Pass
• Las Vegas Attractions
• The Las Vegas Pass (Formely Power Pass)
• Las Vegas Pass Comparison

If you’ve ever tried choosing a hotel in Las Vegas, you’ll know how overwhelming it can be. There are so many big names, bold themes, and over-the-top experiences — but what if you’re looking for something a little more relaxed?

Welcome to Park MGM, the Strip’s first smoke-free hotel and casino, and one of our new favorite stays in Vegas. This was our base for our most recent trip, and after checking into nearly every major resort in town over the years, we were excited to see how Park MGM stacks up. Spoiler: we were impressed — though it’s not without a few quirks.

Booking & Perks

We booked our stay through our travel partner Fora, and honestly, it was a great decision. Not only did we get a cheaper rate than Booking.com or Expedia, but we also enjoyed some seriously nice perks — early check-in, late checkout, and even a $100 food and beverage credit.

Even better, after we booked, the price actually dropped. Fora rebooked us at the lower rate automatically, which saved us even more.

If you’d like similar deals and extras on Las Vegas hotels, you can check out our travel site at USA Travel Advisors — we can help you lock in exclusive rates and perks at Park MGM and many other Vegas resorts.

Arrival & Check-In

We arrived late after flying in on British Airways’ Club World Suite (full review coming soon!), so our early check-in perk went unused. Still, check-in was smooth and efficient. There was no queue at all around 10 PM, and even at busier times during our stay, the front desk staff handled crowds well.

We weren’t offered a direct upgrade, but we did get a high-floor room with a pool and CityCenter view, along with a full explanation of our included perks. A solid start to the stay.

Room Review: Park MGM King Strip View

Our Standard King Room (upgraded to a Strip View) was modern, comfortable, and well-designed — if not particularly large.

At around 400 sq. ft., it’s a bit smaller than newer Vegas rooms, but the recessed bed area makes it feel more spacious. The design and decor are sleek and contemporary, with stylish artwork, dark tones, and a boutique vibe. Everything felt fresh and recently renovated.

We especially liked the bathroom, with its deep red tiles and high-end finishes. It was spotless, smelled clean, and had a sense of understated luxury.

There’s no traditional desk, but the small dining table doubles as a workspace. The minibar is minimalist — just a few snacks and waters — but honestly, we prefer that over the overpriced, motion-activated ones you find elsewhere on the Strip.

The bed was excellent: plush linens, great pillows, and perfect after a long night out in Sin City.

The only downside? The view. Even on a higher floor, the windows are small, and the outlook isn’t exactly iconic Vegas. But overall, the room struck a nice balance between comfort and value.

What We Loved About Park MGM

1. The Smoke-Free Casino

This is the standout feature — and one of the main reasons we booked. Walking through a Vegas casino and not smelling smoke is a revelation.

The air feels clean and fresh, and your clothes don’t reek after a few hours on the floor. While we know not everyone will love a smoke-free casino, for us, it made the experience so much more enjoyable.

2. The Location

Park MGM sits in a prime central spot on the Strip, right next to New York-New York and Aria. You’re close to most of Vegas’s top attractions without being swallowed by one of those mega-complexes that take 15 minutes just to exit.

Unlike Aria, which is set back in CityCenter, Park MGM opens directly onto the Strip — super convenient.

3. Compact and Easy to Navigate

One of the biggest frustrations in Vegas hotels is how long it takes to get from your room to the street. Park MGM is refreshingly compact. You can be out on Las Vegas Boulevard in under five minutes — no need for a map or hiking boots.

4. Great Dining Options

More on this below, but Park MGM punches well above its weight when it comes to food.

What We Didn’t Love

Park MGM isn’t perfect, and we did have a few nitpicks.

The biggest drawback is that it lacks that over-the-top Vegas wow factor. There’s no jaw-dropping theme, no dancing fountains, no wild decor. It feels more like a modern city hotel than a flashy resort — which can be a good or bad thing depending on what you’re looking for.

The views are also underwhelming, and the rooms, while stylish, still reflect the hotel’s older bones in their layout.

That said, compared to similar mid-range resorts, Park MGM feels far more polished and fresh. It’s a hidden gem rather than a showstopper — and we’re perfectly fine with that.

Food & Drink at Park MGM

This is where Park MGM shines.

Right at the entrance, you’ll find Eataly, a bustling Italian marketplace with multiple food counters serving everything from pizza and pasta to gelato and Aperol Spritzes. It’s casual, lively, and the perfect spot for a quick bite or a lazy lunch.

Then there’s Best Friend, Roy Choi’s Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant, which is an absolute must-try. If you’ve seen the movie Chef, you’ll know Roy Choi was the inspiration — and you can even grab one of his famous Cubanos at the nearby Chef Truck.

We also loved La La Noodle for quick, tasty Asian comfort food, and The Crack Shack for its crispy chicken sandwiches right on the Strip. Even the poolside nachos were excellent (and huge).

For fine dining, Bavette’s Steakhouse and NoMad Library are both on-site and highly rated, though we didn’t get to sample them this trip.

Pool & Amenities

Park MGM Pool

We weren’t expecting much from the pool area, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

It’s split into several smaller pools surrounded by greenery, offering both sun and shade. The vibe is relaxed, not party-heavy, and there are plenty of free loungers. Reserved daybeds and cabanas are available too and priced fairly by Vegas standards.

It’s not the most glamorous pool on the Strip, but it’s comfortable, stylish, and perfect for a mid-morning dip before heading out.

Entertainment & Things to Do

Park MGM doesn’t have a huge lineup of in-house attractions, but its location more than makes up for it.

Dolby Live, the on-site concert venue, regularly hosts big-name acts and residencies, and the On The Record nightclub keeps the nightlife energy alive. Beyond that, you’re steps from T-Mobile Arena, The Cosmopolitan, and all the action of the Strip.

Final Thoughts: Is Park MGM Worth It?

Absolutely.

We found Park MGM to be one of the best-value 4-star hotels on the Strip. It’s clean, calm, and refreshingly smoke-free, with great dining and an unbeatable location. It’s ideal for repeat visitors who’ve done the glitz and just want a comfortable, convenient base to explore from.

If it’s your first Vegas trip and you’re chasing that “wow” factor, you might prefer something flashier like the Bellagio or Venetian. But for a relaxed, modern Vegas stay that doesn’t break the bank, Park MGM is a winner.

We paid around $930 for four nights, even during the busy Electric Daisy Carnival weekend — a real steal when neighbouring resorts were charging nearly double.

It may not scream Vegas extravagance, but that’s part of its charm. Park MGM is a calm oasis in the chaos of the Strip — and we’d happily stay again.

Have you stayed at Park MGM or another favourite Vegas hotel? Let us know in the comments — and don’t forget to check out our upcoming Las Vegas reviews on Your USA City Guide.

About the Author

Your USA City Guide is created by a team of passionate travellers exploring America’s most iconic destinations. From road trips and city escapes to hotel reviews and hidden gems, we share real experiences to help you travel smarter, better, and with confidence.

Follow our adventures across the States on YouTube and Instagram, and check out more guides at yourusacityguide.com.

In our Go City Oahu Pass review, we dive into how this pass works, who it benefits most, and which attractions offer the best value. We’ll break down the potential savings on a realistic itinerary, not just by choosing the most expensive activities.

We’ll also explore other perks of the pass, such as convenience and flexibility, and any possible downsides. By the end, you’ll have a clear answer: is the Go City Oahu Pass a great deal for your trip, or are you better off exploring on your own?

We tested the pass firsthand in Oahu, providing insights from our real experience. This way, you’ll get an honest look at whether it’s worth your money—or just another tourist expense. So read on, and let’s see if the Go City Oahu Pass is the right fit for you!

• Product: GO City Oahu Pass – All-Inclusive (previously known as the Go Oahu Card/Pass)
• Price: $99- $376
• Price Child: $89 – $326 (Child 3-12yrs)
• Where to Buy: GoCity.com
• Number Of Attractions: 44+ Top Attractions + 1 Premium from all over the Island
• Time Limit: 1,2,3,5 or 7 days unlimited over a 2-week period
• Expiry – 2 Years plus 90 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Rating: 4.7/5 Stars

What attractions are included in the Go Oahu Pass?

44 + 1 Premium Attraction Per Pass (3,5 and 7-day Passes only)

Premium Attractions: Choice of 1 per Pass (3,4,5 and 7-day Passes only)

• Moana Splash Luau @ Sea Life Park – $169
• Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park – $185.75

Unlimited All-Inclusive Attractions:

• Makani Catamaran Sail – $138 ($20 Upgrade to Sunset)
• Waikiki Turtle Canyon Cruise and Snorkeling – $125 – Explorer Only
• Circle Island Tour: Hidden Gems, Byodo-In Temple & Turtle Spotting –$154
• Polynesian Cultural Center – $98
• Snorkel Rental –$27
• Pacific Aviation Museum –$26
• Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum –$22
• Battleship Missouri –$35
• Waimea Valley – $26
• SUP and Kayak Rental – $75
• Kualoa Ranch Tours –$54
• and Many more…

What is the GO City Oahu Pass?

The GO City Oahu Pass is an attraction pass from Go City allowing the user to visit as many attractions as they like from the list available on a given number of days. On top of this If you purchase a 3,5, or 7 days pass you can also choose one of 6 Premium attractions per Pass.

How does the Go City Oahu Pass Work?

The GO City Oahu Pass is a digital pass (not a Card). It is emailed to you after ordering and you then either use the pass directly from your phone or you can print it out and use it that way. Either way, it is a QR Barcode that is scanned at the attractions allowing you entry to the attractions.

This is a great system that is so simple to use. All the Passes can be stored on the same phone and you just open up the App (No Data Needed) and scan the pass. There is also an included guide and Map so finding the Attractions and planning your day is simple.

The Pass is activated on the first day you use it and you then have that calendar day to visit as many attractions as you please. It is important to remember it is a calendar day, not a 24-hour period. So if you activate it late afternoon It will only be active until midnight that day. Multi-day passes can be used ANY day afterward for a two-week period.

This is a Great Feature of the Pass. Most Passes run for Consecutive days and once Activated the clock is ticking! But With the Go Oahu Pass, The Days are NON-Consecutive.

So if you are in Oahu for a 2-week trip, and purchase a 7-day Pass, for example, you have your entire two weeks to space out the attraction days.

On vacations to Hawaii, people are unlikely to want to spend the entire trip running around doing activities. Some days will be Beach days where you simply kick back with a Mai Tai or time spent chilling out by the pool or exploring downtown Waikiki. With the GO Oahu pass, you are not losing a day of your pass by doing this. The pass is simply activated the first time you use it each day.

How Much Does the Go City Oahu Pass Cost?

• 2-Day Pass – Adult $ 184 ($92 per day) – Child $139
• 3-Day Pass* – Adult $ 234 ($78 per day) – Child $199
• 4-Day Pass* – Adult $ 299 ($75 per day) – Child $259
• 5-Day Pass* – Adult $ 329 ($66 per day) – Child $289
• 7-Day Pass* – Adult $ 374 ($53 per day) – Child $324

*Includes 1 Premium Attraction

Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go Oahu Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page

We like to focus on the Per Day Cost.

As you can see the Price Per Day decreases as the number of days increases. Making the Pass better value in theory. In reality, you will start to exhaust the more costly and expensive attractions as you use the pass. This means you will normally see a similar percentage saving overall whatever length of pass you choose. Of course, the potential is there for greater savings on the longer passes

With the average attraction price being $50-55, and some being worth over $100, even topping out at $188, it becomes very quickly clear how much it is possible to save even with the 3-day Pass and the highest per-day price, you only need to visit 2+ attractions per day to make significant savings! – You can see here how much we saved on our recent trip!

And as you can see with a 7-day pass visiting just one attraction can make the pass worthwhile. And when you factor in the Non-Consecutive nature of the Pass, you can still have a really relaxing trip, see a whole bunch and save a ton of money.

The Go City Oahu Pass in Action

Sometimes these sorts of Passes can look really good on paper, but when you actually try and use them they do not work out so well. We make sure our product tests are as reliable as possible and head to the destinations in person to try out the Passes. We have used passes for years but we now run our LIVE BLOG where you can follow along with our trips (and look back) and see us use the Passes in person. Our recent trip to Ohau went great and we used the pass to great effect, saving money and seeing more. And this was on top of a really hectic schedule with loads of other things to do as well. in the end we saved over $353…incredible

The Pass works really seamlessly in Oahu, and at every attraction, we visited the pass was welcomed and caused absolutely zero fuss or issue. It is worth noting that with the majority of higher-priced attractions booking was essential, however, these were the sort of attractions that you would expect to book as they were tours or events and it’s perfectly usual to pre-book, such as a Luau or Catamaran Cruise.

We have some Tips below on how to get the best out of the Pass

Is the Go Oahu Pass Right for me?

Attraction Passes do not suit everyone. We all have our own habits and ways of traveling. The Go Oahu Pass can suit a wide range of travelers though. Due to its feature of non-consecutive days, most travelers can benefit from using the pass in some way. Even if it’s just to use the add-ons for Pearl Habour. although in that case, you may be better off with the Passport to Pearl Habour.

Obviously, anyone with no intention of seeing or doing any attractions while in Oahu would not benefit from a pass, If all you plan to do is sit on a beach, or by the pool, and sip cocktails there is no point in buying a pass (And there is nothing wrong with this!) If however, you plan on mixing a few attraction days in with your relaxation, then the Oahu GO Pass is perfect. Likewise, if you like your trips all singing and all dancing a GO Pass is a fantastic way of getting the max out of your trip without breaking the bank.

Really Oahu is a stunning Island and it does really pay to get out and see it. Waikiki is OK, but it’s not a patch on the beauty of the rest of the island! The Go Oahu Pass can really help you plan and organize this in a BIG way, breaking you free from the confines of Honolulu!

The Go City Oahu pass Also suits people who will not have a car as a lot of the tours and trips include hotel pick-up from Honolulu, although not all of them, do so check if your desired attractions do before basing your decision on that. If they don’t then it is normally available for a fee, which you would have to pay with or without a pass.

The Tours included on the pass are great for those not planning on driving as you really can get out and see the wilder side of Oahu, something that is hard without your own transport! We tend to do this via Self Guided tours but if that is not an option the tours really are a great way to see the Island. There is SO much more to Oahu than Waikiki!

But the pass really works even better for self-drivers and explorers as it naturally leads you to other parts of the Island and to places you may not have visited without the Pass. It can take you to the North Shore surf breaks, the wild and rugged eastern coastline, the central valleys, the lost worlds of the Kualoa Valley, and even out onto the open ocean.

When Deciding if a pass is a good option for you the main point to consider is do you REALLY want to do the attractions on the list, there is so much to see and do on Oahu are the options on the Pass really the things you and your family want to do? You can take a look at our Oahu Must See list to see the best the Island has to offer. Then have a look below as we take a look at what the PASS has to offer to see if it fits with your wish list.

But the Pass also offers the chance to try things that you maybe would not otherwise. We use Passes in every city we travel to and there are ALWAYS attractions we know we would have skipped without a Pass, that we absolutely LOVE. Take the North Shore Fishing, SUP Yoga, all things you might not think of trying, but do so due to the Pass, these could be Vacation Highlights and you could possibly have never experienced them without the PASS!

Go Oahu Pass Attractions

Premium Attractions:

When Buying a 3-Day, 5-Day, or 7-Day Pass You are able to choose one Premium attraction from the following but Remember it’s ONE premium Attraction per PASS which makes choosing the right Premium attraction very important. And as they keep adding new premium attractions to the pass it’s getting harder and harder to choose!

Your premium attraction will need to be booked after purchasing your pass. Check the details for how to book your chosen attraction. Normally only a reservation Phone number is given to book with. This can be an issue for visitors from outside the US. But you can normally find a reservations Email address that should be able to help you with your reservation, No Guarantees though, but we have never received a no!

Moana Splash Luau  ($169) – Booking Required

NEW LOCATION

Visiting a Luau is high up on most people’s Must-Do Lists when Visiting Hawaii. However, these are far from cheap affairs run into several hundred dollars per Person and seem to have skyrocketed since Covid. So having a Luau included on the Pass is a real bonus!

The Moana Luau is Now located at the Aloha Tower in Downtown Honolulu. Included on the Pass is the Upgraded Splash Package offering 2 Drinks per Person and Upgraded seating.

The Luau itself is a pretty good one, we rate it pretty highly on our Best Luaus in Oahu list. It has all the standard highlights of a great luau, The Buffet is good quality Luau food with an intricate and lively show. The Cultural presentations beforehand are fun and the setting is quite unique, oceanside and right under the Icinic Aloha Tower.

The new location is not quite as scenic as the old Sea Life Park Location, but it’s still very special and is far more convenient for most people. You can add on transportation from most Waikiki Hotels, or just jump in an Uber or Taxi/ With two free drinks and a full bar, we don’t advise driving!

The new location is a little smaller than before, so ensure there is availability on your desired dates before committing to a Pass. Check Availability here. The old Location was right next to the Sea Life Park and offered free entry to that as well, this is no longer the case, but entry to the park IS included on the Pass anyway.

We visited the Moana Luau on our last trip and had a great time (although this was the old location).

Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park ($185.75) – Booking Required

To be honest, we were a little disappointed when the Ka Moana Luau moved from the Sea Life Park to the new location, and a little disappointed that we lost the option of the Sea Life Luau from the Pass. So we were really happy to see it back! You now have a choice of two Luau’s, both quite different.

The main advantage of the Ka Moana is its convenient location, but every other advantage in our opinion, goes to the Aloha Kai Luau, and this would be our pick for your Premium Attraction if you were wanting to choose a Luau.

The location of the Aloha Kai is really stunning. You are overlooking the Ocean, under a dramatic Cliff line, surrounded by palm trees and greenery. It’s a beautiful setting as the sun sets, turning the sky into a stunning range of colors, as per usual with Oahu’s amazing sunset.

You get the Silver Package, which comes with two drinks, good seats, and a real Flower Lei(you only get a shell lei at Ka Moama). The Buffet is good, if not exactly fine dining, and offers a good range of traditional and familiar foods, but could use a little more choice, especially in the traditional range.

There are plenty of fun activities before the Buffet, with Palm Weaving and amazing Coconut Tree climbing demonstrations. You also get a 5-day Unlimited General Admission pass to Sea Life Park* and discounts at the gift shop.

We also found the show to be one of the better performances. Bright, Vibrant, and excellently performed, the Host performers had a real passion and energy about them. The fire dancers were also particularly good, with regional and state champions on display!

We love the fact that by choosing a luau, you are picking an evening activity, meaning you can spend the day doing other things on the pass to maximize the value! Both Luau are amazing value and really help you get the most out of your trip.

Note – The listed price of $185.75 is the standard price (including booking fees), but if you are organized, you can get the Luau for $148.10 at present. So we will use this figure for our calculations later.

*Entry to the Sea Life Park is included on the pass anyway, but this perk is still valuable as it’s independent of the pass, so you can visit the park on a day when you are NOT using the pass. The visit is valid for 5 days on either side of your booked Luau!

Sunset Dinner Sail on Makani Catamaran ($149) – Booking Required

If you are looking for a spot of romance when in Oahu, it doesn’t get much more romantic than a dinner cruise on a catamaran at sunset on one of the most beautiful ocean coastlines in the world. Some dinner cruises can be overcrowded cattle markets where any hint of romance is lost. The Makani Catamaran is a smaller vessel that is not too overcrowded, even when full. The dinner is an Island-style Buffet Menu. Not the most Gourmet offering, but perfectly delicious and fitting with the cruise.

With Drinks included, the stresses of daily life seriously melt away as you cruise slowly past Diamond Head with Waikiki lights sparkling in the background.

UPDATE! – This is no longer a Premium Attraction, but you can still do the cruise by booking this as a Standard Attraction and upgrading to the Sunset Option. This will not count as a Premium Attractions and offers amazing Value!!!

Standard Attractions:

With all the passes you can visit as many of the following attractions within the set number of days you have purchased. The List of available attractions is far larger than we could ever feature in this post but these are a selection of our favorites and that we feel are the best value.

Makani Catamaran Sail – $138 – Booking Required

Drinks are not included here though, but there is a cash bar! This is really good during Whale Season as the chances of a sighting are pretty high!

We recently took this cruise and had such a good time. This was combined with a Pearl Harbour visit as well to male a really amazing day of activities.

Upgrade to Sunset

Note – The Makani Daytime Cruise is included on the list of Standard Attractions and You can now upgrade this for $20 to the Sunset Cruise. That way you basically get TWO Premium Attractions which is a crazy good deal. It also gives you another evening activity so you have more time in the day to do other things!

Waikiki Turtle Canyon Cruise and Snorkeling – $125 – Booking Required

Note – This attraction has recently been removed from the All Inclusive Pass. Now only available on the Explorer pass, which is a bit of a shame as this was incredible Value.

Turtle Canyon is a large reef that sits just off the coast right in front of the Waikiki Shoreline. This reef is home to a large number of everyone’s Hawaii favorite Hawaii Residents, Green Sea Turtles (Honu). While there is never a guarantee with nature, the chances of seeing turtles here are about as good as you could imagine, it’s about as close to 100% as possible.

The Go Tours Hawaii Waikiki Turtle Canyon Cruise takes on a short boat ride put to the canyon where you get plenty of time to hit the water and share the ocean with the magical creatures. The boats can get a bit crowded and the water will be filled with other snorkellers but the water here is really clear and there is a huge abundance of life including the Turtles that call the reef home.

This is a New attraction to the Pass and we have not been out to the canyon with them but we have been out to the (underwater) canyon before and it’s an amazing experience. Swimming with the beautiful Honu is something you will never forget.

Hidden gems, Byodo-In Temple & turtle spotting ($154) – Booking Required

Note – Like the Snorkelling Cruise above – This attraction used to be a Premium, but is now a Standard attraction and offers amazing value and gets you out to really see the island!

This Island tour provided by Go Hawaii Tours is a great chance to get out and see some of the less well-known sights of the island, as well as some more popular tourist attractions. The Tour guides work really hard to make sure you have a fantastic tour and get to see some Real Hawaii that most tourists miss. Turtle Spotting is included on the tour and is one of most people’s desired sightings when visiting Hawaii. It is pretty unlikely the tour won’t find your turtles as thanks to conservation efforts turtles are now abundant on the Islands, as long as you know where to look.

We are usually self-drivers so have not taken this tour but really, we have been to every stop listed on the tour and it’s an incredible Itinerary.

A great tour for people who are not driving as the tour offers pick-ups from your hotel so you can get out of Honolulu and see the island. You really MUST get out of Waikiki at some point, regardless of purchasing the pass or taking this tour. There is just so much more to this magical island, and this tour takes all the stress out of finding that magic and navigating Honolulu’s pretty dier road network!

Polynesian Cultural Center – $98

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a must-see in our opinion and as one of the most visited attractions on the island, most people seem to agree. The pass allows you to visit the Center even if you don’t take up the option of the Luau Feast and Show. It’s a big place with so much to see so get there at noon at the latest to get the best of the Center.

Read Our Full Review Here

Pearl Harbor Add-Ons – up to $90.99

A visit to Pearl Harbor is on most people’s lists and we really feel it is the number one must-not-miss sight in all of Hawaii. But Such an important attraction is rightfully FREE to all. No pass is needed to Visit Pearl Harbor or the USS Arizona Memorial. However, there are a number of exhibits and museums there that do require a fee to visit.

• USS Battleship Missouri ($35)
• Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum – USS Bowfin($22)
• Pacific Aviation Museum ($26)
• USS Arizona Narrated Tour($7.99)
• Total ($90.99)

One Day Go Oahu Pass – $84 – $6.99 saving (even more with our Promo Code)

Passport to Pearl Harbor – $89.99 – $0.99 saving

All of the Above is included on the Go Oahu Pass, meaning your trip to Pearl Harbor will be incredibly memorable. While you could just purchase a one-day pass just for the Pearl Harbor add-ons and save a few $$$ that way, we actually recommend the Passport to Pearl Habour instead. This also includes a timed ticket to the Arizona Memorial.

However, if you plan on doing other attractions as well as all four Pearl Harbor attractions, then the pass is way better value, essentially any other attractions you fit in are FREE. Also, this option works well if you only want to visit a couple of the Pearl Habor sites. The Arizona and Missouri are real MUST-SEE’s but the others are a little more…optional. You can then use your pass to see other attractions in the area, or even back at Waikiki.

Of course, with any Multi-Day Pass, you save on your Peal Harbor trip and can then enjoy all the other attractions on other Pass days.

It is important to remember that you are advised to book a timed ticket to the Arizona memorial as early as possible (tickets go on sale 2 months in advance) to secure your place. These tickets are very popular and sell out fast. They are free apart from a $1.50 booking fee and can be booked here.

We have more detailed info on Pearl Harbour trips here

Kualoa Ranch Tours – $54.50 Each – Booking Required

The Kualoa Ranch is a very popular location in Oahu. The Ranch offers many tours of popular areas contained within its 4000 acres of land. 5 different tours are included on the Oahu Go Pass. Unfortunately, these are limited to one Tour per day. This is a bit of a shame as you will need to travel multiple times to the ranch (40-50 min drive from Honolulu) to experience multiple tours. A big drawback but it’s clearly imposed on the Go Pass by the ranch itself. And as long as you are aware of this restriction you can deal with it and maybe combine stops at the ranch with other excursions if there are multiple tours you really want to do.

The available tours are as follows:

Taste of Kualoa Farm Trolley Tour – This Tour takes you on a tour around the lush tropical gardens, and farm of the Ranch where you can sample and taste the fruits grown here in a traditional way. Before heading out into an ancient Hawaiian fishpond to learn how the Hawaiians manipulated Nature to feed their culture while remaining in balance. A fantastic tour to learn more about the Hawaiian culture and way of life.

Ocean Voyage Adventure – Take a ride on Kualoa Ranch’s own Catamaran. Head out over Kāneohe Bay to experience the calm shallow waters of Hawaii’s largest shallow-water Reef. The views out over the Mountains and the Islets are seriously stunning and the whole voyage is deeply relaxing.

Secret Beach Tour – One look at Waikiki Beach and the crowds that frequent it will have you yearning for a little bit of seclusion. The Secret Beach tour gives you just that. A private beach* for just you and your fellow tour guests. And it’s one incredible beach with stunning views of the coast and Chinaman’s Hat Island.

Malama Experience – A Eco adventure looking at sustainable and traditional farming methods used in both current and ancient times. This is a hands-on tour where you actually get your hands dirty and involved in the actual farming of the Ranch.

While this remote Picture perfect beach is a relaxation paradise some people get pretty bored doing nothing, even in paradise. Children and significant others complaining they are bored can really ruin your sun-kissed relaxation! Fortunately, the Secret Beach Tour offers a multitude of included activities to keep them occupied. Send them off Kayaking, Canoeing, Paddleboarding, or playing Volleyball while you kick back with a book under a palm tree. Utter Bliss.

*No Beach in Hawaii is private and the Secret Beach is no exception, it is however very hard to access publically so the only beachgoers most days are ranch visitors.

More Information on the Kualoa Ranch Tours can be found here. 

UPGRADE TO MOVIE SITES TOUR FOR $15!!!

If you choose the Secret Beach Tour or the Kualoa Farm Tour You now have the option to upgrade to the Movie Sites or Jungle Expedition Tours! Both these tours are brilliant and well worth the upgrade fee. Remember though they will replace the tour you booked and are not in addition to them.

Movie Sights Tour – Easily our favorite Tour at the Ranch. The Kualoa Ranch is known as the Backlot of Hawaii, as this is the Hollywood go-to filming location any time a remote, jungle setting is required. Hundreds of movies have been shot here. Pearl Harbor, Mike, and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, 50 First Dates, Mighty Joe Young, Windtalkers, Lost, and of course the New Jumanji Films. The Tour takes you around many of the filming locations for these films and showcases the breathtaking natural beauty of the Valley. It’s like a Hollywood tour, in Paradise!

But no one really cares about any of that. You do this tour for one reason and for one reason ONLY. This is Jurassic Park! Many Iconic scenes from the franchise have been shot here including the “they’re flocking this way” scene, and yes the T-Rex tree is still there! The T-Rex and Gallimimus are sadly missing, however.

Read more here when we took the Movie Sites Tour

Jungle Expedition – The Jungle Expedition is similar and takes you around a lot of the movie sights but also deeper into the lush and remote jungle habitat. You ride rugged Jungle Trucks and this can access areas the Movie Tour buses just can’t get to.

Second Tour Discount – Alternatively, if you want to do a second tour, then the pass offers you a 15% discount on any other activity. This works out at around $46 for your second tour, or just come back on another day and it will be included on the pass once more.

It is definitely advisable to book these tours beforehand as they can be incredibly popular, turning up at the ranch hoping to get on your desired tour is a risky game liable to disappointment, especially at busy times. Call (808) 237-7321 to make a reservation. For visitors from outside the US not wanting to rack up international phone calls you can try emailing Kualoa Ranch (reservation@kualoa.com) or wait until you are at your hotel and use the phone there most hotels offer free (included) Local phone calls.  Remember to mention you are using an Oahu Go Pass.

Waimea Valley – $27

Not the most valuable attraction, but it’s one not to be missed out on. If you spend any time in the Waimea Area, it’s definitely worth checking out the Waimea Vally. A beautiful natural valley that showcases Hawaiian culture and traditional farming.

It’s a beautiful location and you can take a self-guided tour of the botanical gardens and Hawaiian archaeological sites.

Ocean Sports and Outdoor Activities

There are several different options for outdoor and ocean activities included on the Pass. Some are based up at the north shore while others are back in Waikiki. The Hawaiian lifestyle is all about the Ocean and outdoor living so it’s really important to get out and experience this way of life!

• Snorkel Rental on the North Shore -$27 – North Shore – Explorer Pass Only
• Three-Hour Kayak Rental – $75 – North Shore
• Stand Up Paddle Board Three-Hour Rental – $75 – North Shore
• Hawaiian Lei Making on Sunset Beach – $75 – North Shore
• Guided Hike on the North Shore – $90 – North Shore
• Fire Dance Workshop – $50 – North Shore

1. Diamond Head: Shuttle & Self-Guided Hike – $44 – Waikiki
2. Waikiki Surfboard Rental – $35 – Waikiki
3. Morning Yoga Under the Palms – $21 – Waikiki
4. Hawaiian Style Rentals: Moped, Bike, or E-Bike Rentals – $28 – Waikiki – Explorer Pass Only

North Shore Fishing – $99 – Booking Required

We did not get around to trying out this tour but it certainly appeals to us. We have done plenty of Fishing in Hawaii but never had too much success, so getting a full guided tour and expert advice on how to actually catch something would be priceless. All gear and bait are included so you don’t need to lug heavy fishing gear in your luggage.

We definitely plan on trying this out on our next trip.

These are just our favorite Picks, there are loads of other attractions, just take a look and see what interests you the most. Often we find the Attractions we were not so sure about end up being our favorites!

Shaka Guide: Driving and Walking Audio Tours – $29.99

These Mobile Audio guides are very popular and it’s great to see them added to the Pass. They are not something we use ourselves as we consider ourselves our own guge, but for those looking for a cheap and convenient way of exploring the City without doing a tour, these are a great option.

The downside is these could use almost a full day and you may not get to use other attractions. However, as you will be out exploring then they may well allow you to combine them with other remote attractions the North Shore Kualoa Ranch and such like.

Go Oahu Pass Strategy – Hints and Tips

With Attractions spaced across the Island, it can be hard to get the best out of the pass. it is very important to ensure you plan your itinerary to get the most value out of your pass. With attractions all over the island without proper planning, you could find yourself covering many miles and wasting time traveling between attractions.

When Planning our days we base it on our priority attractions and then try and find other things we want to do near that attraction. For instance, when planning the below itinerary we used a trip based in Waikiki. We decided Day-one would be the Kauloa Ranch Movie Sites tour. So we looked at what was nearby and realized the trip there and back would take us past Hanauma Bay.

So we planned to pick up Snorkel Gear before leaving Waikiki so we could visit the bay After the tour, before heading back to Waikiki to get changed before an evening at the Ka Moana Luau.

Same with the Pearl Habour Add-ons. We knew we would be on the leeward side, so decided to head to Wet And wild Afterwards, as a great way to cool down and refresh as pearl harbor can be a hot tiring experience and one that is pretty intense, so this would be the perfect antidote. You could also try SUP, or Kayaking at Waialua Bay, both included on the Pass.

Hopefully, you get the point. Pick what you want to do most then see what can be added on to make that day better. The more days you have the less you need to do each day to get the best value from your pass.

Is The Go City Oahu Pass Good Value?

It would be very easy to go through the list of attractions pick out the most expensive, add them up, and see the cost is way higher than the Pass price, but that’s not how you will use the pass, and would not answer the question of is it a good value. Instead, we picked an example itinerary that is both appealing and realistic in terms of time, Based on using a 3-day Pass.

Day 1:

• Diamond Head / Hanauma Bay Explore Beaches and Hikes on the Windward Coast.
• Taste of Kualoa Farm – $54.50 (Recommend Movie Sites Upgrade)
• Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park – $148

Total –$202

With the 3-Day pass costing $235 (less with our Promo code), you have already Nearly Broken Even! Anything from here on is basically FREE! although we have used our Premium Attraction! We have also shown how we are not ONLY targeting attractions and visiting other top Oahu Attractions.

*You will need a booking for Hanauma Bay, and it can be hard to actually get in, but you could use the Snorkelling Gear at another location – Best Snorkelling Sites Oahu

Day 2:

• Pearl Habour – USS Arizona Memorial (N\A)
• USS Battleship Missouri ($35)
• Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum – USS Bowfin($22)
• USS Arizona Narrated Tour($9.99)
• Makani Catamaran Sail ($137)

Total – $204

Head to Peal Harbor bright and early and take in one of the most historical sites on the planet. Then head back to Waikiki for an amazing Cruise along the Waikiki shoreline. We have only included two Museums on the Pearl Harbor Tour as time may be tight. But you can upgrade the Cruise ($20) to the Sunset Cruise and have more time at Pearl Harbor.

Day 3:

• Waimea Valley – $26
• Three-Hour Kayak/SUP Rental – $75
• Polynesian Cultural Centre $87

Total – $ 188

An Amazing Day out to the North Shore where you can visit the Stunning Waimea Valley, and enjoy a Kayak Experience at Haleiwa Beach (or you could try out Stand Up Paddle Boarding/SUP). Then in the afternoon head to the Polynesian Cultural Center for an incredible insight into Hawaiin and Polynesian Culture, one of the Island’s must-do attractions.

• Full Price $594+
• Pass Price $234
• Saving $360+

That’s a saving of over 60% Saving over paying full price on the gate. The above itinerary would be quite hectic on some Activity days but would allow plenty of time for down days on the beach. And by choosing the Aloha Kai Luau you have that 5-day pass to Sea Life Park that can be used on NON-Pass days.

Adding extra days to the Pass is a fairly modest outlay and would allow you to experience even more while reducing the busyness of the schedule somewhat. Remember the more days you pay for, the less the cost per day would be.

Upgrade to 5 days and add on just the Circle Island Tour ($154) and the shoreline Fishing Experience on the North Shore ($99) for a staggering saving of:

• Full Price $847+
• 5-Day Pass Price $329
• Saving $518+

That is a staggering saving and would lead to an unforgettable trip to the Island! And remember these prices are per person! For a couple, double everything, for a family of 4 you could be saving upwards of $1500, think what else that money could buy. We think the reality is most families would not spend nearly $2500 on activities and attractions on their trip, so what the pass is really getting you is MORE of the island for less of an outlay.

Still, We would say plan for around half your vacation time to be covered by the pass so a 7-day trip is best with a 3-day Pass and a 2-week stay for a 7-day Pass. The 5-Day Pass is the sweet spot for longer trips to allow you to see everything but in a relaxed manner with LOADS of downtime! Those Mai-Tais won’t drink themselves!

So as you can see from a pure value perspective the pass is simply incredible value! And with the Code below you can save even more! We normally have codes for an EXTRA 10% off the purchase price…see below VVV

Finally here is what we did the last time we visited the Island

Check Our Promo code page to see if you could save even more!!! 

With our 10% off code, you can save even more! The above Itinary would still cost the same but with the pass being only $235.80 you are now saving over $400 with that Itinary!

Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go Oahu Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page

Advantages of the Go City Oahu Pass

On Top of the Above savings, there are a few material advantages to having a Pass in Oahu. These advantages probably don’t add up to enough to really make the pass worthwhile on their own, and may even be offset by the negatives, however when combined with the above financial benefits it can make the Oahu Go Pass a very attractive proposition.

Planning

A pass can add real structure to your trip planning. Instead of simply arriving at the destination with very little idea of what to see and do The pass lets you structure a plan for your trip. Having a Go Pass and knowing which days, you want to do which attractions, gives you the structure to build the rest of your itinerary around. If you have a Busy activity day one day, then you know to plan a relaxed beach day the day after! Hitting the Luau, you know not to plan early morning activities for the day after.

Budgeting

The price of attractions, along with everything else can really add up. Especially in a world of easy plastic transactions. Those credit card bills when you get home can really jolt the heart! At least with a Go Oahu Pass, you know upfront, how much you will be spending on Attractions. So along with the savings, you can rest assured any large bills will be down to your overindulgence on Mai Tais.

You can purchase the passes ahead of time also making it easier to spread the costs. We find budgeting, one of the passes strongest appeals, along with the substantial savings.

The Extension of both the validity period to two years and the 90-day Money Back Guarantee really helps in these uncertain times!

Inspiration

A lot of people don’t always know what is available when they visit a new location or what prices they should be paying. They rely on Overpriced hotel or tour operator tours to offer trips and excursions. A pass can show what is available and what is important to you. Simply reading this article may have alerted you to things you may want to do that you were previously unaware of.

There are loads more on the Pass, like the Moana Chocolate Factory Tour, The Waimea Valley, and a North Shore Fishing Tour, all things you may just never have thought of that may end up being your favorite! The two included Luaus are also two of the best on the island so you are not sacrificing quality just to save money.

Flexibility

The Nature of the pass allows for a lot of flexibility in your planning. While it’s important to plan days quite precisely to get the most of them as per our strategy section, it’s less important which days you actually do the attractions on. This means there is some flexibility on what days you do which attractions, based on the weather or how you feel. While a lot of attractions do require prior booking Such as tours and Cruises along with ALL the Premium attractions, some are just turn up and enjoy.

Overall

We find using a Pass really does Open up the Island. It allows users the rare possibility of genuinely paying less to do more. We have spent many a vacation sitting by a pool wondering what to do, but with the pass, you really do get out there and see more of the island. And So many people miss out on the wonders of Oahu that lie just outside of Waikiki and you really must get out and see the Island Properly!

Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch and the pass naturally has a few drawbacks.

What We don’t like about the Go Oahu Pass!

Transport – As we have pointed out some attractions really require you to have a car. You can get to all the attractions by public transport, but some journeys would be long and complex and a very poor way to spend your Trip. We would prefer to see a lot more options for hotel pick-up. But even those that do can often charge for the service which can end up adding substantial amounts to the Cost. While some of the tours are great for getting you out and seeing the Island if you don’t drive, others really mean you need your own car.

Kualoa Ranch – The one Kualoa Ranch Tour per day is unfortunate. But this is clearly enforced by the ranch to try and get you to spend more while there. If you could do everything people would probably take advantage. We also find it a shame you have to pay an upgrade for the Movie Sites and Jungle Expedition.

Hidden Extras – Some of the attractions cannot be fully experienced without further spending. For Example, the Sea Life Park has many extras that you may wish to pay for such as the dolphin, reef, and Sealion encounters. Most are inclusive but there are some hidden extras, Parking, etc… This can be fairly disheartening after already paying for the Pass, but most of these would still be the case if you were visiting without a PASS!

Most activities that offer drinks only give you one or 2 whereas we would much prefer open bars. This is, however, a problem with the attractions themselves, not the pass.

Chasing the Pass – As with all passes, one big downside can be the temptation to try and cram in too much, in an effort to get the most value. We call this chasing the pass. it is important to plan sensibly and only aim to do attractions you really want to do and not try and cram in attractions you don’t really want to just because it’s “on the pass”.

It’s better to skip something you are not sure about to do something you really want to do. Even if that’s not included on the Pass, even if that’s just sitting on the beach. Don’t let chasing Value on the Pass stop you from enjoying your trip.

Of course, Do try things. Some of the attractions may only arise your intrigue, but we have found these are often the most memorable attractions and lead you to new places off the beaten track.

Geography – This one is not really the pass’s fault, they didn’t build the Island, But it is something you need to be aware of. The attractions are spread all over the island and some are not in really very convenient locations. Careful planning is needed to get the best out of the Pass.

Complex Booking – Passes are supposed to make things easier but really the Go Oahu Pass is quite fiddly to use in reality. For many locations in the world, these passes work great, you just turn up scan your pass and you are in. With the Oahu Pass, so many attractions require pre-booking, which makes the process pretty complicated.

The flip side is these bookings would be needed regardless so it’s not making things worse, but it is just all a bit fiddly and takes some of the spontaneity out of the trip with such careful planning needed. You also need to make sure you understand what is required for each attraction you want to visit in case you turn up without the required booking and are turned away!

Conclusion – Is the Go City Oahu Pass Worth It?

We really feel for a lot of people traveling to Oahu the Go Oahu Pass offers not only exceptional value but also a fantastic way of adding real structure to your trip to get the most out of your time on the island. Apart from a few Niche activities, there is very little we would want to do on Oahu that isn’t included.

The non-consecutive nature of the pass fits perfectly with the type of trips most people have on Oahu. We all want down days where the focus is on rest and relaxation and other days where exploration and activities are the order of the day.

The downsides are quite few and far between and really are outweighed by the positives, not to mention the large cost savings. The money saved really can go a long way towards other things…such as more Mai Tais!

The overall Promise of seeing more for less is a bit of a holy grail in travel and can seem a bit too good to be true. But if you are aware of the limitations and quirks then the pass really does fulfill this promise. for $2-300 per person, you are getting a whole heap of fun and excitement. The included attractions really are some of the Island Highlights and will make the trip one to remember.

If you have dreamed of visiting the Island and are finally making it a reality the Pass can be the perfect way to add the required sparkle to your dream.

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Have Your Say?

Let us know if you have had experience either with the Go Oahu Pass or any of the included attractions. What were your favorite attractions? Did you feel you got good value from the pass? Let us know if you bought a pass after reading this. Or if you just have any questions about the pass or Oahu in general, just drop us a comment below, We would love to hear from you.

You May Also Like:

• Things to Do in Oahu
• Best Luau’s in Oahu
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• Visiting Oahu on a Budget

With this in mind, we bring you our thoughts on The Old Lahaina Laua, one of the oldest and most revered Luaus on the Island. But with new and high-end premium Luau’s popping up all the time does the Old Lahaina Luau still cut it? With all the Recent Price hikes, is it still good value and what exactly can you expect for your money at this premium Luau presentation that focuses primarily on Authenticity over commercial trappings of the Hotel Luaus? Find out everything you need to know here in our Old Lahaina Luau Review.

• Event: Oceanside Luau Feast and Show
• Location: Lahaina, West Maui – Oceanfront
• Cost: $220 – Adult – $134 Child (3-12yrs)
• Drinks: Open Bar
• Included: Flower Leu
• Best for: Most Authentic Luau in Maui

• Premium Options: None

Is It Worth Attending a Luau

For us, no trip to Hawaii is complete without a trip to a Luau. Yes, we know they are incredibly touristy and have more to do with commercialization than tradition, but they are just fun and part of the more modern Hawaiian traditions.

Prices have really shot up since the pandemic and they now really represent a huge outlay and a significant chink in your trip budget. But they still offer one of the best ways to spend an evening in Maui. Dinner, a show, an open bar, and exposure to some Hawaiian culture, even if it is a little caricatured.

The fact that these events are now so expensive, means there is even less room for error in finding the best Laua on the island. So we have put together some detailed reviews of the island’s best Luaus, and top of that bunch is the legendary Old Lahaina Luau…

What is the Old Lahaina Luau

The Old Lahaina Luau is one of the oldest Luau operating in Maui. Its focus is on authenticity and a welcoming friendly vibe. The Luau does not strive to emulate or match its rivals and instead treads its own path, daring to be different with the aim that Authentic is better.

You get everything you expect with a Laua on Maui, a fantastic feast, bottomless drinks, stunning grounds, Hawaiian activities, and a vibrant and exciting show. But they do most things a little differently and the result is a very special Luau we think most people should strongly consider.

History of the Old Lahaina Luau

The Old Lahaina Luau has been running in one shape or form since 1986 and has always focused on a culturally sensitive approach and has tried to avoid the tacky trappings of most Hawaiian Luau Presentations.

The Luau was situated on the oceanfront at 505 Front Street, which was the location of the Feast at Lele (Sister Luau). It received critical acclaim and many repeat visitors and its success saw it move to larger grounds on the other side of Lahaina.

A New Era of the Luau was ushered in after the COVID shutdowns as the Luau moved from a Buffet Feat to Table service with a greater focus on presentation and quality.

The latest Chapter has been scorched into this Luau’s history with the horrific fires that destroyed the majority of Kahain Town, the Luau somehow survived, but surrounded by affected areas this dark chapter of Mauis history will always leave a mark on the Luau.

Is the Old Lahaina Luau the Best Luau on Maui?

The word best comes with lots of judgment and opinion and other is never really a definitive answer to what the “best” anything is. But as far as Luau’s on Maui, it really is hard to make a case for any rival luau being better. Some may do certain things better, but as an overall package, none of them can beat the Old Lahaina Luau.

This does not mean the others are poor (some of them are), or that they offer bad experiences, it’s just the Old Lahaina Luau is just so good it’s hard to compete. The setting, excellent drinks, fantastic food, wonderful hosts, and intricate and spectacular show, all just add up to the most complete package.

We love the authenticity of the Luau. The efforts the team goes to, in order to stay as authentic and real to the Hawaiian Culture are really admirable, They even do things, and omit things that are detrimental to their success, simply as the alternative would not be authentic. Old Lahaina Luau suffered structural damage from the Lahaina Fires in August 2023 and was closed for a considerable time. We really do love the Old Lahaina Luau and it has made us so happy to hear that they will be re-opening on February 18th you can now book on their website! After everything their staff and families have been through, we are rooting for Old Lahaina Luau and wish them the best in their re-opening.

We need some full disclosure here. We are not in any way affiliated* with the Old Lahaina Luau and have full editorial control over this article, and all the other Luau Reviews (and every other single article and review on our site, we are 100% independent). We thought that it important to get across early as, well we kind of love the Old Lahaina Luau, and maybe our opinion could be considered “hard-sell”, but really we just have experienced so many Luaus on multiple Hawaiian Islands and not really any of them compete (Ok maybe the PCC on Oahu). If we sound overly enthusiastic about the Luau it really is just our honest opinion!

*We may receive some small commissions if you book through some of our affiliate links, but this would be the case for any of the Rival Luaus. We have no particular incentive to encourage you to book the Old Lahaina Luau, other than giving you the best possible advice as we see it.

What Makes The Old Lahaina Luau Different?

The big thing that makes the Old Lahaina Luau different is Authenticity. They really strive in every way to make things as authentic as possible. The grounds, the Cultural activities, the feast, the Imu Oven, and even the show are all as authentic as possible. The reality is they are still a long way from an authentic Luau of the Hawaiian Chief Era, things have changed so completely since then that an attempt to be 100% authentic would be pretty intolerable for our Western tastes (you can forget the open bar Mai Tais!), but the Old Lahaina Luau still applies a lot of cultural sensitivity to its presentation, while still accommodating western tastes.

The big ticket difference from almost every Luau we have attended is the omission of Fire Knife Dancers, why…because they are Samoan.

No Fire Knife Dancers

Tourists in Hawaii, us included, love the Fire Knife Dance. As darkness falls there is little more impressive than watching a tattooed warrior spinning and twirling their Fire Knife Staff is mesmerizing and intoxicating. But this is a Samoan tradition. So it has no place in an authentic Hawaiian Luau. Of course, the Old Lahaina Luau could just grin and bear it and allow a little inaccuracy in for the benefit of the guests, but no, and we admire their resistance, to keep things real.

The same applies to the Show in general. The dance is all Hawaiian and doe not introduce other Polynesian dancers as most other luaus do. There is no Mauri “Haka” or Fijian “Meke” here, it’s pure Hawaiin.

The show is also vastly different from the other Luaus on the island in that it is a real show, with a story, telling the myths and legends of how the islands were inhabited. More on this later.

The Old Lahaina Luau has a real Imu oven, in which they roast the Puaʻa Kālua underground and offer you the chance to witness the unearthing. The grounds in general are really fantastic. More than any other they feel self-contained. Most other Luaus are situated on busy ocean paths, so there are always people wandering past, but the Old Lahaina feels far more secluded. It feels like it’s just the Luau with no outsiders looking in.

The grounds are beautifully manicured too, with lush tropical plants, and a natural stage with a stunning ocean backdrop, The seating is also very unique with the tables surrounding the stage and the whole show interacting with the crowd as the performers move through and around the guests. There is also the option of traditional seating which we look at more later.

Overall the whole feel of the Luau is more real, warm, and friendly. We really feel the workers appreciate the adherence and sensitivity to the culture and enjoy introducing the guests to this. They have real pride in the presentation and this really comes across in all elements.

What is included with The Old Lahaina Luau

• Flower Lei on Arrival
• 5 Course Traditional Luau Dinner
• Open Bar
• Cultural Activities
• IMU Presentation
• After Dinner Show
• Makena “Gift”
• Lots of Aloha!

The Old Lahaina Luau really pulls out all the stops. It’s an all-inclusive affair and the lack of upgrades and options means everyone is getting the whole package. The flower Lei’s are stunning, and the Cultural Activities fun, engaging, and a little educational.

Booking Options

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There are just two booking options with the Old Lahaina. The Traditional Seating and the Table and Chairs Seating. There is no price difference and other than where you sit there is no difference in service. Both options get a Flower Lei on arrival and a full open bar.

Traditional Seating

The traditional seats are low-level tables, around knee height, with the diners seated on cushions on the floor. Thus how Hawaiian Royalty used to dine and it’s a funs and different way of experiencing the feast. The Traditional seating is also nearest to the stage for when the show starts.

Currently, you can only book traditional seating for groups of 4 so bear that in mind.

Tables and Chairs

The Standard Table and Chairs options are pretty much as you would expect. The tables are slightly raised above the traditional seating so you still get a fantastic view of the stage.

All tables are 8 to a table so if you are a smaller group or couple you will be seated with other guests. But that is all part of the Luau and we love making new friends. The Open Bar certainly helps assist with this.

Really both options are great and the fact there is no difference in price makes it a tricky choice…

Traditional Seating or Tables and Chairs?

We love the fact that there is no price difference between the two different seating options. The Traditional Seating gets you right at the front of the show, however, there is a price to pay for this, it is just not monetary.

We love the traditional seating, but it can be very uncomfortable. We are fairly young, flexible, and have no real health issues, yet we still found sitting, essentially on the ground, for such a long period pretty hard work. There were a lot of position changes, creaky backs, and general numbness and discomfort. This was not helped by the soaring temperatures of the Hawaiian evening.

For anyone with a bad back, joint issues, or general inflexibility, the Traditional seating options are a really poor idea. As this type of seating was traditional in Hawaii, the ancestors we just used to sitting like this, but in our Western culture we have grown accustomed to chairs, and sitting on the floor is no longer very common. This really can make for an uncomfortable evening.

If you are in two minds, we say go for the table and chairs. You still get a great view, you will be nice and comfortable and overall just enjoy t more. If you are a sprightly young thing or used to sitting on the floor for long periods of time, then go for the Traditional, we tend to, even though we find it a bit uncomfortable, just as we love the experience.

Experience

The experience starts as you arrive at the purpose-built Luau grounds on the Outskirts of Lahaina. There is parking available, but with the open bar, we do not drive in! Upon arrival, you will be greeted with a flower lei, offered a welcome drink, and taken to your seats.

We love the grounds, not just because they are so beautifully planted with lush tropical foliage, but because they are really isolated. Like most Luau’s the Old Lahaina Luau is oceanfront, but unlike most, there is no real public access along the front. While it is open to the public, the is just no reason for anyone to want to walk along this piece of oceanfront. It doesn’t go anywhere and is in a really de-populated part of the town. There is just no one down there and as such the Laua has this little corner of paradise to itself!

Along the front, there are various crafts and activities you can partake in or purchase one of the hand-crafted keepsakes. On the cultural activities front, there is far more going on at here than at any other Luau. They want to help promote the Hawaiian culture and readily showcase as much as they can.

After exploring the grounds and taking in the culture, you will be invited to witness the IMU* ceremony. At most Luaus the IMU pig is simply brought out, and presented to the crowd, raising serious questions as to whether it was cooked in a real Imu at all. There is no doubt here as you will be able to witness the unearthing of the pig as the chefs peel off the taro leaves and dig out the pig from under the baking soil.

The Pig is then taken off and prepared for dinner.

The Dinner is currently a Table Service meal. In the past when we visited, the Feast was served Buffet Style, but Covid restrictions have seen the Luau change to a Table Service model. The food is largely the same only it’s pre-plated for you. You might not get quite as much as before, but the portions are huge and most people leave stuffed, especially if you try everything!

We are unsure if the Laua will stick with this model permanently or revert back to a Buffet as Covid fades into a memory.

After dinner, the Show kicks off. We really like the separation of Dinner and the Show, as at some Luau’s they are mixed together with the show happening between courses. This detracts from either the food or the Show as you only have so much attention. Here you get your feast, and then can sit back and really appreciate the show.

While all this is happening, two other things are going on. The Open bar is pumping out the drinks and the sun is dipping down into the Pacific Ocean and delivering one of Maui’s stunning sunsets.

After the Show, you receive your gift and can leave the grounds. Be warned, it gets a little hectic in the carpark, so we find it best not to rush and just head out after the initial rush, or just wander into Lahaina for a last drink, a 5-minute stroll.

Let’s look a bit closer at the Meal, Show, and Bar offerings.

*Underground oven

Luau Feast

The feast is a five-course menu and is served on individual plates with some items served Family Style. It’s all high quality and really delicious but it is more home-style than some of the more gastronomic Luaus, but honestly, it’s not a huge gap.

First Course

The first course is less of a course and more of a selection of nibbles. This is handy as there is quite a long period between the gates opening and the meal getting started properly. So having some stuff to snack on is great.

The Haupia and Kulolo are certainly an acquired taste but you should at least give them a try, a bit like blancmange but made with coconut, these are usually served as dessert, but these are less sweet than other versions.

Traditional Course

The Hawaiian course is served family style and offers the chance to try all the authentic Luau foods that Hawaii is famous for. Here you get the Pua’a Kalua, the Pork roasted in the underground Imu. Salty, lightly Smokey, tender and so delicious!

The LauLau does not look like much but the slow steaming makes the pork really tender. Ahi Poke is one of our favorite things to eat in the world and this version is very authentic and basically the recipe we most try to emulate! If you have not got around to trying Poke (just head to Safeway) then this is your opportunity. Yes, it’s raw, but it SOO good.

LomiLomi Salmon is another must-try Luau food and we rarely get this anywhere other than Luaus. It’s not quite as delicious as the Poke, but still a favorite.

The Poi here is disgusting, but it’s disgusting anywhere. If you have always secretly wanted to eat purple wallpaper paste, today is your lucky day! Again, you have to try it, just so you can say it’s awful

Bread Course

Main Course

The main course veers away from the traditional a little and more towards catering to Western tastes. This course will be individually plated for each guest. You get a scoop of purple sweet potato mash, some veggies that come more oven-roasted than Stir-Fried, and then 3 meat dishes. The meats all have a large-scale catering feel about them.

The Steak is not the best steak, it’s flat iron and cooked slowly, don’t expect a nice seared steak. But as a dish, it’s still pretty nice and the truffle oil really lifts it. The Fish will change based on the season but is often Mahi Mahi, and tends to be oven-roasted in a variety of flavors. The Chicken, again, has a mass catering feel about it, cooked in a large tray, covered in sauce. The sauce is pretty amazing though!

Overall this is the most disappointing course. It doe not feel that authentic and goes towards appeasing western tastes and just filling people up. These courses were always available on the Buffet but you could avoid them by loading your plate with the more authentic foods.

It’s still an enjoyable course, we just prefer the more traditional foods. So really we hope they ever to the buffet at some point in the future.

Dessert

Ok, the dessert is a bit of an oddity. Everything the Luau does is an attempt to be as authentic as possible. However, for the dessert course, they let that go. Apart from some ingredients, there is nothing remotely authentic about this dessert. Other Luaus do this course far more authentically serving Haupia or Lilikoi Tarts.

Oddly enough, they are all pretty awful, we never enjoy Luau Desserts.

The Hawaiians were just not really dessert people it seems.

Dietary Requirements

The Luau is happy to accommodate vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten Free diners, but requires over 24 hours’ notice. All servers are very clear on asking guests about allergens before dining and will provide guidance if this is the case.

Fussy eaters may struggle a little. This is a traditional feast and there is little contrition made for Western diets. The main course is fairly familiar to most people, but the starter and Hawaiian course may prove challenging to those unfamiliar with experimenting with their diet.

Anyone who likes to try new things will have no issue, it’s not a fussy menu, and loads of flavors and textures will be familiar, it’s just not burger and fries.

Luau Show

For us, the show is where the Luau really shines. This is far more a Full production show than any other on the island. It tells the story of the arrival of the islands and their myths and legends as the kings and their gods took over paradise.

The story follows along with the development of the Hula dance and starts off with the voyages setting out from Polynesia, following the golden plover as they make their way across the ocean. It moves on to tales of Gods and Kings, as hula was used in ancient times to tell the stories of the past, and this tradition is kept alive.

Hula evolved greatly over time right up until the tourist invasion of the last 50 or so years, and the story ends with modern-day hula and how the dance is enjoyed on the islands today.

The show is so much more engaging than most, which simply put the performers on stage and shows you the various dances, often including non-Hawaiian dance. Here the story develops and the music and chanting are vivid and visceral.

As the Seating arrangement circles the stage the show is not confined to the small state area and takes place in and around the crow as well. Performers rush through the aisles chanting and shrieking as they go. It’s very immersive and involving.

The Stage lighting is very vivid and as the sun dips the colors of the costumes and set really pop. The movement and choreography are frankly mesmerizing and the whole show is just a few notches above anything else we have experienced on the island.

On our first visit our server, who was also a performer, was very humble about the show, telling us not to expect too much, and that it’s not like Cirque Du Soleil. While it might not be that level, it is still so much better than the humble performer let on. It’s vibrant dynamic, even visceral at times, with the intense shrieks and hollas coming from all around.

We don’t want to spoil too much about the show, it’s one to relax into, with your bellies full, and just enjoy the spectacle.

What Drinks are included at the Old Lahaina Luau

Like most Maui Luaus the Old Lahaina Luau offers an open bar. The bar is a walk-up affair and we find the queues to be really short and the service super fast. Unfortunately, this is largely because the drinks are mainly pre-mixed.

This is great as the drinks flow out of the bar really fast, but not so good in terms of quality. The Mai Tais were good, and we worked through the rest of the menu, with varying success, there are a lot of syrups and vivid colors used. These remind us of 70-80’s style cocktails, rather than the modern hand-crafted drinks we seek out now. Honestly, it kind of fits in with the vibe and it’s not like they are bad, we certainly had no issues getting through a good selection, better than many we have received in restaurants at $15 a pop, it’s just an area we think could be improved upon.

Beer is provided by Maui Brewing Company, which is more than fine with us. and the wine was of decent quality, from Josh Cellars, and had a good selection, 2 Whites, two Reds, and a Rose, but no bubbles, unfortunately. There is also a good range of spirits, all premium brands, and the accompanying mixers.

Overall Is The Old Lahaina Luau Worth it?

Covid has seen a huge lift in the prices of Luau’s and The Old Lahaina is no exception here. The recent price hike has seen it bust right through the $200 barrier, and that is a big chink of cash, especially for a family.

However, it’s still a long way from being the most expensive Luau on the island, that honor goes to Feast at Mokapu over in south Maui, and infact most South Maui Luau’s top Old Lahaina in price, making it seem pretty good value, when you consider, in our opinion, it is easily the best Luau on the island.

Also while the price has raised significantly, so has everything else. A 3-course meal, with 4-5 drinks in a higher-end West Maui restaurant is easily going to top 140-160 pp, maybe more, and with the Old Lahaina Luau, you are getting the best show on the island, one of the finest settings, a flower lei, and a whole lot more thrown in.

If you are planning on attending a Luau, even the most bargain basement Luaus are still a big outlay and the difference between a cheap Luau and the best on the island is pretty small really, and definitely worth the extra.

We can’t really imagine coming to Maui and not attending a Laua, and if you are going to Visit a Luau, it might as well be the best.

Why would you not Choose Old Lahaina Luau?

We honestly can’t think of many reasons why you would not choose Old Lahaina but there is a few possible reasons you may choose to go elsewhere. Over 2 million people visit Maui every year and they can’t all visit the Old Lahaina Luau

No – Luau

You may have just chosen not to do a Luau at all, we get this, you don’t have to visit a luau to get the real Hawaii experience, we like to, but we know everyone is different. Maybe the menu is not appealing to you, maybe you don’t care for shows, maybe it is all just too commercial, not cool enough, you prefer more natural sights, or maybe the huge outlay could be spent better for you. There are a ton of reasons why a Luau isn’t right for your trip, and we don’t want to sway you too hard.

There are hundreds of things to do on Maui, so if a Luau isn’t jumping right out at you as a MUST-DO the large outlay may well not be worth it.

Based in South Maui

Honestly, this is the biggest reason. And we 100% get it. This is a West Maui Luau and the trek over the Lahaina from Kehei or Waliea is a pain in the proverbial. However good Old Lahaina Luau is, a 45-1hr drive from South Maui is a tough ask, especially when there are great Luaus on your doorstep.

We almost always stay part of our trip in West Maui so it has never been a decision for us, but it really is a tough ask, especially when you consider you will need a designated driver or head over in a taxi, vastly reducing and cost advantage over visiting one of South Maui’s more expensive Luaus.

Too Expensive

While we get it, the Old Lahaina Luau is very costly, we don’t think it’s that much more than the competition that it does justify that extra cost. However, if the budget just doesn’t stretch that far there are several cheaper options that still give a good Luau Experience.

Fire Knife Dancer

W do here people say they just really want to see the Fire Knife Dancers and skip Old Lahaina for that reason? We would rather have the incredible and authentic experience the Old Lahaina Luau offers any day over Fire Knife Dancers, but if these are just something you want to see and YouTube is not scratching the itch, then maybe this is not the one for you.

Repeat Visitors

Repeat visitors to Maui often skip Luau’s as they have already done several. We fall into this category but keep going, but mainly due to keeping our site updated, and currently, we might well not bother every trip otherwise (we certainly would not d 2-3 as we do now).

Also, you may have already done the Old Lahaina Luau and want to try out somewhere different!

Too Slow

We warned you at the beginning of the article that the Old Lahaina Luau is a sell-out every night, that it can be booked out months in advance, and you may have gotten to this article too late. It may be gone for the dates you want to visit. I so you have a couple of options, either join the waitlist, just keep checking for cancellations, or both.

Overall, if you want to visit a Luau, if you can justify the outlay, are in west Maui, or are willing to travel, you prefer authenticity and quality over a fire knife dancer, and want to get the best experience possible, the Old Lahaina is the number one choice.

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Other Luaus

Feast at Lele – $193 pp – West Maui- CLOSED DUE TO LAHAINA FIRES

This is the Sister Luau to the Old Lahaina and operates out of the original Luau grounds at 505 Front Street, which has had a recent redevelopment. It’s a very different Luau and focuses on the gastronomy of Polynesia. Here you get an in-depth look at several Polynesian cultures and their foods and dances. It’s a really great evening and a fantastic feast. You also get fire dancers!

Royal Lahaina Luau – Myths of Maui – $160 – West Maui

This is West Maui’s most budget Luau. The location is less picturesque, the food a little cheaper, the drinks less premium, and the show a little less polished. But it’s still a great night out and can save a family hundreds of $dollars!

Te Au Moana Luau – $240 pp – South Maui

This is our favorite alternative in South Maui. The Te Au Moana has a lot in coming with the Feast at Mokapu, including Tahiti production shows. It’s ocean-side and has the ocean as a backdrop. The meal is currently served as a 3-course table service meal, although it is served Family Style. This used to be a Buffet and remains to be seen if they return to this or stay in a table service format.

The Luau is a little cheaper and has a few extras such as a flower lei. But it’s a big luau with a lot of people attending and not quite as picturesque. It’s a good choice if you just can’t run to the Feast at Mokapu.

Feast at Mokapu – $280 pp – South Maui

This is Maui’s most expensive Luau, and possibly the world! It is very prestigious, very luxurious, and sits on absolutely stunning grounds. It is the only one to really give Old Lahaina Luau a run for its money, but it still falls short in a few ways. However it’s still a great night out and if you are looking for a South Maui luau it is hard to beat, it just comes at a cost!

Check out our full Maui Luau Guide for more details of every Luau Available on the Island.

Have your Say

Have you been to the Old Lahaina Luau? How did you find it? Was it good value? Did you like the feast? How was the show? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments, we would love to hear about your experience. Got any questions, again just fire away in the comments.

You May Also Like

• Best Luau’s in Maui
• Feast at Lele Luau
• What to eat in Maui
• Best things to do in Maui

Most of America’s Aquariums are not really worth the hassle of traveling to just for the Aquarium itself, but more a place to visit when in the City or Area. However, some of the best aquariums on our list really are so incredible they are worth the trip to Just for the facility itself. A Couple we even think are worth the trip from the UK. These are attractions to base a whole trip around, and we have done. Either way, if you are just looking for some amazing ocean exhibits or seeking out the absolute best in marine aquascapes our list will show you all the 10 best Aquariums in the USA.

10 – SeaWorld – Orlando

• Orlando, Florida
• $89.99 Adult – $89.99 Child
• Water Volume – 15,000,000 Gallons +

We Start with a contentious one. We are not even sure SeaWorld counts as an Aquarium as it is a theme park and aquatic entertainment center all one. However, there are definitely good Aquarium elements in the park. We are judging the Park based on those elements only, and these only just get it a place on the list, especially with the $85.99 entry fee, which is not too bad for the actual waterpark but for an aquarium, it’s pretty steep!

But you should not look at it that way you are paying for the theme park and getting the aquarium elements free. These are often undersold as the headline rides and Big Marine Mammals take center stage but there are a large number of aquaria present as well. Large Shark Tanks, Manta Rays, Antarctic Penguins, Giant Sea Turtles, Dolphin Nursery, Stingray touch tank, and many smaller displays that are easily lost amongst all the glitz and glamour. If you took all of the extras away, you really would still have a world-class aquarium on your hands.

Of Course on top of these are the Marine Mammals, Dolphins, Sea Lions, Beluga Whales, Walrus, and Seals. And of course, there are the spectacular Orca on display. We are still not sure where we stand on the remaining Orca in Captivity (Read More Here) But it’s hard to argue they are incredible to see.

We could make a case for all three USA SeaWorlds to be on this list, as aquariums, they are equally matched and very similar. Orlando certainly is the better theme park with San Diego being noted for its history and legacy, with San Antonio being a great day out as well. But we naturally didn’t want to fill the list just with SeaWorld Parks…So although this entry is for Orlando, count it as all three!

Another mention should go to Discovery Cove by Sea World in Orlando. Not an Aquarium as such but a marine park where guests can snorkel and swim with the marine life in the enclosures. It’s sort of like a swimming pool filled with fish or a manmade beach with a reef. Often rated as the best attraction in Orlando!

9 – Newport Aquarium

• Newport, Kentucky
• $39.99 Adult – $31.99 Child
• Water Volume – 1,000,000 Gallons

From now on we focus on proper aquariums and judge solely on exhibits, not rides and shows. First up is the Newport Aquarium in Newport Kentucky. This family-friendly aquarium features a large number of sharks from smaller Cat Sharks to the fearsome Sand Tiger shark and Blacktip Reef Shark. There is even a rope bridge that inches over the tank that lets you test your bravery as you traverse the open-top shark-infested tank.

The Aquarium is very proud of its Shark Rays and they are the only Aquarium in the country to feature these odd creatures and are heavily involved in the breeding and conservation of the sharks.

There are plenty of small and very interesting exhibits featuring Giant Pacific Octopus, Japanese Spider Crabs, Sea Dragons, Arapimne, Stingrays, and Guitar Fish. Alligator Alley features a host of crocodilian residents such as Alligators (including Albino), Caiman, and Crocodiles, however, the crowd favorite Mighty Mike a 14ft monster Gator returned home to Florida after being loaned to the Aquarium.

The Dangerous Creatures Exhibit was one of our favorites and features all sorts of nasty beasts such as Snakes, Electric Eels, Gil Monsters, Phirana Stonefish, and more.

There is a lot going on in quite a small and compact aquarium and it is well worthy of a place on our list.

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8 – The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

• New Orleans, Louisiana
• $29.95 Adult – $24.95 Child
• Water Volume – 1,000,000 Gallons +

Down on the Bank of the Mighty Mississippi is the Audubon Aquarium of The Americas. We love this New Orleans icon as the exhibits and displays are significantly different from most aquariums and it’s a refreshing experience.

The Huge Gulf of Mexico tank is an open ocean exhibit based around a deepwater oil rig. The tank has a variety of fish we don’t often see such as large alligator gar and Tarpon along with the more usual Sharks and Rays.

The Caribbean Reef is a large and spectacular display featuring a tunnel walkthrough. The Amazon Exhibit has Macaws, Anacondas, Phirana, and Freshwater Stingrays. There are also penguins and Sea Otters on Display.

The Mississippi River exhibit features the creatures found in this mighty waterway and while we assumed it would just be tanks filled with polluted muddy water, the variety of life that has survived the human colonization of the river is quite surprising! Catfish, Paddlefish, Sturgeon, and even an Albino Alligator are all on display.

This Aquarium is Included on the Go New Orleans Pass

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7 – New England Aquarium

• Boston, Massachusetts
• $39.00 Adult – $30.00 Child
• Water Volume – 500,000 Gallons +

The New England Aquarium in Boston is a fairly compact facility mostly centered around its 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank. The Aquarium has been a feature of Boston’s restored waterfront for many decades and is much loved by the passionate Bostonites. The Iconic architecture of the aquarium leads to a multi-story exhibition space centered around the monster tank. Open at the top and with a spiral walkway linking the 4 levels

The Giant Ocean Tank features a replica Caribbean Coral reef, populated with Green Sea Turtles, Moray Eels, Baracuda, Bonnethead Sharks, Sand Tiger Sharks Stingrays, and a plethora of reef-dwelling fish. The Unique cylindrical design is very appealing and helps provide a real focus to the aquarium.

Other displays feature, Sea lions, Goliath Grouper, Sea Dragons, Sharks, and rays. There is an Amazon Exhibit with Phirana, Arapaima, and Electric eels and the giant Indo-Pacific Coral Reef tanks filled with stunning coral and small but vibrant reef fish including Nemo and Dories.

Finally, during the months of April – October you can take a cruise out to the Stellwagon bank to see the area’s abundant Whale population, such as Humpbacks, Finback Minke, and Pilot Whales.

It is worth mentioning a little confusion with the New England Aquarium. Even a Google image search will bring up images of a huge open ocean tank and massive display windows, none of which can be found at the Boston site. Most of this confusion comes from the Movie Ted where Mark Wahburg takes the animated bear to break some bad news, we believe these scenes were shot here however they definitely used some Hollywood magic to make the exhibits seem much larger and more impressive than they are. We love the New England Aquarium but you will not find the sort of experience depicted in this Aquarium. For that, you need our number one Choice!

Available on the Boston CityPASS and the Boston Go City Pass

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6 – National Aquarium

• Baltimore
• $39.95 Adult – $29.95 Child
• Water Volume – 2,200,000 Gallons +

The National Aquarium sounds very grand and official, signifying the figurehead of aquariums in the USA, however, the actual facility is far less grand than you would imagine. It is still a very good aquarium however and its locations down on the waterfront, amongst the museum ships and Submarines, make this one of the top attractions in all of Maryland.

Taking over piers 3 and 4 of the old harbor the building is modern and grand and the exhibits are well put together featuring some wonderful creatures. The Main Building on Pier 3, is set on many levels and has a more diverse set of attractions than most. The upper levels are taken over by tropical rainforests, tamarins, and sloths climb through the branches while birds sing and Poison Arrow frogs croak. They even have pink Bin Chickens!

Blacktip Reef features several sharks including Black-tips and Zebra Sharks along with Calypso a huge 500lb Rescued Sea Turtle. It’s a beautiful exhibit. The Mountains to Maryland features Local wildlife such as Crabs Frogs and turtles, along with grouper and flounders from the bay. Bonnet Sharks, Moray Eels, and Pufferfish join the thousands of fish that populate the Atlantic Reff exhibit.

A Second Sark Tank houses the Aquariums Big Guys. Feel what it is like to be circled by sharks as Nurse Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Sandbar Sharks, Rays, and Sawfish swim around the ring-shaped tank.

Most of the Aquariums 2.2 Million Gallons are taken up by the Oceanaroium over on Pier 4, connected by a Walkway. Here you will find the Aquarium’s 6 Dolphins. However, interestingly their days at the aquarium are numbered. As the aquarium dolphins are all captive-bred and a return to the wild would be a death sentence, The National Aquarium is setting up a Marine Sanctuary for them, an ocean pen 100 times the size of their current enclosure. This exciting development is a first for the USA and could lead to a solution as to what to do with the country’s remaining marine mammals that are still in captivity but can never be released into the wild.

What the aquarium will do with this huge aquarium real estate has been unannounced! We also visited Iceland recently to see how they are tackling the Marine Mammal Situation.

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5 – Maui Ocean Center

• Maui, Hawaii
• $44.95 Adult – $28.95 Child (Big Discounts for Hawaii Residents)
• Water Volume – 750,000 Gallons +

When visiting Hawaii you are constantly reminded of the stunning beauty and diversity of the Pacific Ocean’s Wonders. Water surrounds everything in Hawaii and is a constant invitation to explore what is under the waves. While there are many ways of exploring Hawaii’s Diverse and wonderful marine world, Snorkelling, Diving, submarine, or even just waiting for it to haul out on land, It is sometimes nice to witness it in a more relaxed setting. The Maui Ocean Centre provides just that.

The Ocean Centre puts a lot of effort into showcasing its new Humpback Whale exhibit, to the point it sounds as if they actually house Humpbacks at the facility…They don’t, thankfully, although during Whale Season you can see them from the Aquarium’s outdoor deck, looking out over Maalaea Bay. The Humpback exhibit is a multi-sensory learning center that gives you huge amounts of information and understanding about Hawaii’s largest tourists. There is even a 4K 3-D Theatre that allows you to “swim” with the Whales.

The living exhibits are also pretty special. The Open Ocean Shark tank is filled with several species of sharks and rays along with many Hawaiian reef fish. The Turtle Lagoon lets to get up close and personal with some of Hawaii’s most prized natives the Honu. The Living Reef is a stunning recreation of a Hawaiian reef and features Coral grown by the institute to help restore the reefs that have been so badly damaged by Tourism and Climate change.

The Institute does a lot of research and conservation in the Hawaiian waters and for this reason alone it is worthwhile to support them but be assured of a wonderful time at the institute in return for your support.

If you are on Oahu also check out the Waikiki Aquarium or the Sealife Park, while not quite as stunning as the Maui Ocean Center they are both fun and exciting locations to see Hawaii’s marine life up close.

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4 – Aquarium of the Pacific

• Long Beach, California
• $36.95 Adult – $26.95 Child
• Water Volume – 1,000,000 Gallons +

The Aquarium of the Pacific gets the award for the most underrated Aquarium in the States. Hidden away in Long Beach the Facility gets far less spotlight than some of the other aquariums in both California and across the States but it actually shocked us how good and complete an experience it was. Focussing mainly on the Pacific Ocean, the exhibits feel very relevant to the location, as you look out over the Long Beach harbor and out to the vast Pacific Ocean.

There are no Stand-out exhibits, but while what was there was fairly standard is all really healthy with full-grown, happy, and healthy inhabitants. The Tropical Pacific reef display is their showpiece tank. Featuring Sharks, Rays, Turtles, and a host of vibrant tropical reef fish and living coral. It is a beautiful display and rivals anything we have seen in other aquariums.

The Main Shark tank is surprisingly outside and while the tank is small and fairly unassuming there are some big sharks in here not least the jumbo Sand Tiger Shark that cruises around with its multitude of intimidating teeth poking out of its mouth.

The Northern Pacific focuses on the Coldwater inhabitants of this region, the Giant Pacific Octopus, Spider Crabs, Jellyfish, and a display of arctic birds such as Puffins and auks. The colorful Baja and Southern California Exhibit showcases the regional marine life such as Kelp Forest ecosystems found up and down the coast.

Overall we were mightily impressed with the aquarium, we did not expect too much from our visit and were really bowled over by the quality we found on display. Well worth the trip to include this as part of your Los Angeles Adventures.

Included on the Go Los Angeles Pass, save money on your Los Angeles Attractions

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3 – The Shedd Aquarium

• Chicago
• $39.95 Adult – $29.95 Child
• Water Volume – 6,000,000 Gallons +

Housed in the Historical Landmark building in Chicago’s Museum campus down by the Lake Michigan Shoreline the Shedd Museum is anything but an attraction in a Shedd! One of America’s most visited aquariums and one of the largest in terms of water volume this incredible facility houses some unique and wonderful exhibits.

The vast majority of display space is given over to the Oceanarium, over 3 million Gallons house the Facility’s biggest creatures. Here Beluga Whales, Dolphins and SeaLions, Penguins, and Sea Otters can play and put on shows. The Wild Reef is the Aquarium’s Shark tank, featuring Sandbar and blacktips amongst others. The tank also houses a huge array of reef fish and other species such as Sawfish, Turtles, and rays.

The Waters of the World is the oldest exhibit and features many varied creatures from all types of water, including Lake Michigan. The Newly added Amazon Rising showcases life from the tropical watershed of the Amazon. The Caribbean Reef holds another living reef complete with sharks, Rays, Turtles, and a bucket load of reef fish.

It is a stunning facility and being right in the heart of a major city is quite unexpected. From the outside, despite the stunning classical architecture it’s hard to believe the building houses such a vast array of stunning marine and aquatic life!

Included on the Go Chicago Pass, save money on your Chicago Attractions

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2 – Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Monterey, California
• $65 Adult – $45-50 Child/Youth
• Water Volume – 2,200,000 Gallons +

Really, we wish this could have been number 1. There is a very special place in our hearts for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and we adore the location, the exhibits, and all the fantastic work the aquarium does for the conservation in the surrounding area, one of our favorite coastal regions in the world.

However being objective it does not quite live up to the Number 1 Spot as you will see, it is Streets ahead of any other aquarium on the list though. The Stars of the show are the super cute Sea Otters. These are all rescue animals and have been part of the Aquarium’s successful campaign to reintroduce the furry critter back to the coasts of California. This incredible success is one of the reasons we adore the Non-Profit Aquarium.

On top of the Otters and the unbelievably beautiful setting, The Aquarium is packed with amazing Exhibits. The vast open ocean tank is over a million gallons and is filled with schooling baitfish, just like the sardines that school in the bay and bring in the Giant Whales. The Sardines are accompanied by a host of pelagic open ocean creatures, Turtles, Giant Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, Hammerhead Sharks, Sandbar Sharks, and Mahi Mahi, Stingrays, and more. It is a wonderful display.

The Kelp Forest tank shows what life is like under the surface of the bays Kelp-forests and having dived the forests the day before I can say it is most accurate. The Living Reef allows you to actually find Dory after all the Aquarium is the spiritual home of the Ocean Institute featured in the Disney Sequel, Finding Dory!

The Deep Exhibit is one of our favorites, the dark underground bunker hosting a myriad of rare and elusive creatures such as the Pacific Octopus, Humbolt Squid, and the Prehistoric Nautilus, We never dreamed of seeing these living fossils alive until we arrived here.

The Aquarium is a place of wonder and amazement. We adore it, along with the beautiful town where it resides. If you are heading down the PCH…which you should, do not miss out on Monterey Bay, its stunning wildlife, and its incredible Aquarium!

We love this aquarium so much that we have a full review here.

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1 – Georgia Aquarium

• Atlanta, Georgia
• $39.95
• Water Volume – 11,000,000 Gallons +

As we said we love the Monterey Aquarium and actually wanted to “not like” the Georgia Aquarium, It is however utterly jaw-dropping. The 6 Million gallons (that’s nearly 10 Olympic Swimming pools!) Ocean Explorer Tank is like no other in the States and is nearly on par with Sea Worlds Orca Enclosures. One of the largest display tanks in the entire world this stunning ocean enclosure houses the majestic Whale Sharks, The only aquarium in the USA, in fact anywhere outside of Asia, to display these awesome creatures.

The Behemoth Tank also houses another of our favorites, Manta Rays along with Sharks, Turtles, Stingrays, Schools of Trevally, Sawfish, Wobbegongs, and a whole host of varied tropical and reef fish. Multiple viewing windows allow different perspectives but the Giant tunnel and enormous theatre window, one of the world’s, largest really take your breath away.

On top of this, there are another 4 Million Gallons of exhibits, nearly as much as its nearest rival, The Shedd, in Chicago, has in total! The Coldwater Quest has Beluga Whales, Sea Otters, Spider Crabs, Penguins, and a whole host of Coldwater Species. The Tropical Diver Exhibit is a living coral reef exhibit. There is a dolphin display tank, The River Scout, featuring American Species, Alligators, Pirahna, and otters. and many more.

All in all, it is a breathtaking facility and without the “main” attraction as good as any other Aquarium in the States. But with the Ocean Explorer tank, it really is next-level…and then some! It is the ONLY aquarium we would recommend going to just for the aquarium. All the others, are worth seeing if you are in the area, and Monterey Bay is just SO beautiful you must visit the town the aquarium is part of that, but the Georgia Aquarium is worth the trip JUST for the Aquarium, sure there is plenty to see in Atlanta, but once you have seen the Georgia Aquarium, all other aquariums just do not compare.

Read more here

Available as part of the Atlanta CityPASS

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Have Your Say

Have you visited any of the Aquariums on our list? Maybe your favorite didn’t make it or maybe you had a poor experience at one of the above locations. Let us know in the comments below and if you had a great time then we would love to hear from you as well. Basically, anything you have to say just fire away in the comments.

You May Also Like:

• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Aquarium of the Bay
• Georgia Aquarium
• Sea World San Diego review

Finding the Aquarium from Finding Dory

Ok, First up, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is not in Morro Bay. But it is the Inspiration for the Marine Life Institute featured in Finding Dory. As its Name Suggests, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is in the heart of Monterey, one of our favorite towns in California. The Aquarium is touted as one of the best in the country and as we just LOVE aquariums, we needed a little excuse to head to Monterey to check it out in our Monterey Bay Aquarium Review. This trip was just the latest of several trips we made to the Jewel over the years

While the Real Aquarium lacks the Whale Shark (Destiny) and the Beluga Whale (Bailey), Most of the other exhibits are real and actually in a few cases, far more spectacular than the Films. In fact, even the Marine Life Institute lacks Destiny and Bailey after they escaped to the wall-less Ocean at the end! But enough of the Disney stuff, let’s take a look at the REAL aquarium.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Location – Monterey, California
• Entry Fee – Adult: $49.95
• Entry Fee – Chile: $29.95
• Entry Fee – Senior/Student: $39.95
• Opening Hours – 10 Am – 5 Pm
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Right in the heart of Monterey, the Aquarium is one of the biggest draws in town. Set right on the coast the outdoor viewing areas showcase the Bay’s incredible and diverse marine life while the huge indoor exhibits house a very impressive array of sea creatures from around the world.

The Aquarium houses over 35,000 creatures from 550 different species in over 2.3 million Gallons of Sea Water that are taken directly from the Bay. It is a genuine world-class aquarium and is on just about any list of top aquariums in the world It is only pipped to the best Aquarium in America by the stunning Georgia Aquarium, and even then probably only due to their Whale sharks.

Monterey Bay

The most stunning thing about the Aquarium is its actual location. There is no need to visit the aquarium at all! The Bay itself is a true wonder of the world. Absolutely teeming with marine life. And not the sort of life you expect. We are talking about Giant Whales, Rare Sea Otters, Seals, Sea Lions, and a million sea birds. It is probably the most alive place we have been.

This is due to the Monterey Submarine Canyon. This giant undersea rift funnels nutrients up from the deep Pacific drawing in a huge array of sea creatures.

Take a look at our recent Whale Watching trip out of Moss Landing, just a few miles down the road.

Destruction

It all could have been very different, as this abundance of life drew in the worst of all predators. Humans. We plundered the oceans and all but exhausted the vast stocks of sardines that supported the Marine Ecosystems. Without the Sardines the rest left or starved. And to make things worse we hunted whatever remained to almost extinction.

However, Today Monterey Bay is a good news story. It’s a shining example of what we can do when we try and protect an Ecosystem. after the introduction of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the entire bay has hugely recovered and today plays host to feeding Humpback Whales in astonishing numbers. Herds of gigantic blue whales feast in the water of Monterey during the summer and the stunning kelp forests support a variety of Marine Mammals including the previously almost-extinct Giant Sea Otters. Along with a huge array of undersea critters that are less obvious from the surface.

With all this one offer for free is it really worth visiting the aquarium…

We think so, pretty resoundingly too. We are guessing if the thought of seeing all this marine life is appealing to you, then you are likely the type who loves nature in all its forms. The Monterey Bay Aquarium while showcasing the best the bay has to offer also has some pretty staggering displays that you can’t witness from the pier at Fisherman’s Wharf.

We see it entirely as complementary to the wonder of the bay, rather than in competition. So let’s take a look at what you can expect from this world-class aquarium.

Exhibits:

With over 200 Exhibits ranging from small single tanks to a staggering 1.2 million Gallon Open Ocean Tank with its 90ft window, the Aquarium has a host of staggering exhibits filled with enchanting and incredible creatures of all kinds.

We love that most of the Exhibits are found directly in the waters surrounding the Aquarium. The Bay has such a diverse range of ecosystems, from kelp forests, sandy and rocky shorelines, access to the open ocean, and huge pelagic species and even plunging to the depth of the abyssal plane in the Submarine Canyon. it’s all on the Aqaurium doorstep and it’s showcased here in the stunning facility.

Ok, there are a few exhibits that are not found locally, there are no Dory’s or Nemo’s in the bay, but you have to give the audience what they want, and younger audiences really only want to find Nemo! And they will definitely be able to do this.

Kelp Forest – Monterey’s Most Iconic Habitat

The coastline all around Monterey is littered with some incredible and pristine kelp forests. These incredible plants support a huge array of life that is unique, varied, and beautiful in its own way. So we find the Kelp Forest exhibit very fitting.

The day before we visited I had just dived the actual Kelp forests at San Carlos Beach Park. While the real forests were even more spectacular, it was still a very accurate representation of what I saw out in the ocean. The main difference is the size and abundance of the fish. Out in the real world, things were a little more sparse and petite.

Monterey Bay Aquarium was the first in the world to have a Living kelp forest on display and to this day it’s one of their most spectacular exhibits.

Here you will see Leopard sharks, Kelp Bass, rockfish, kelp fish, California Sheep Heads, and the amazing Giant Sea Bass, all cruising around the swaying towers of giant kelp.

Open Sea – Entering the Pelagic Zones

This is the Big Tomolae. This humongous tank, 1.2 million gallons, holds over half of the aquarium’s seawater. It has the largest viewing window at over 90ft of reinforced glass it was the largest viewing window in the world in its time.

Inside the tank are some truly epic inhabitants of the open ocean. Scalloped hammerheads, Giant Tuna, and stunning Mahi-Mahi cruise the tank chasing shoals of Anchovy and Sardines. While Green Sea Turtles, Palegic Rays, and Monster Ocean Sunfish bumble around doing their thing.

It is a really mesmerizing view where you can get lost in the endless movement of these majestic ocean giants as they make their way around the exhibit. This is one tank we really have to heave ourselves away from, as we can spend hours hypnotized by the swirling mass of sardines and the giant predators just picking them off.

There are also some great exhibits before you get to the Open Sea’s Tanks, such as the amazing Jellyfish Display or shoaling Makerel and Anchovies. Take your time and don’t just rush to the main event, no matter how tempting.

Sea Otters – Monterey’s Cutest

The Sea Otter exhibit is everyone’s favorite. These cuddly critters known for their “Cuddle Parties” can be impossibly cute. They are energetic and playful in their exhibit and are wonderfully tame and interactive come feeding time.

Sea Otters in California, which numbered nearly 16,000 were hunted to presumed extinction for their fur. By pure chance, a tiny population of around 50 had survived in a remote corner of the Big Sur coastline. Breeding from this population has helped them rebound to almost safe numbers. But they still face multiple threats and despite appearances are not out of the woods yet.

It’s reassuring to know these Mammals are all rescue animals and not ones taken from the wild. The Aquarium does a lot for the recovery of the otters in the wild and now partly due to these efforts the nearly extinct critters have rebounded massively and can be seen all around the bay in quite spectacular numbers. It really is great to see. But the Exhibit gives rescued animals a home when they may not have survived in the wild and lets you see them up close…really up close.

It is also clear the great lengths the Aquarium goes to in order to keep the Otters entertained and engaged and how they promote natural behavior such as foraging by littering the display with toys and games for them. They clearly love their otters even more than we do!

These are the only Mammals on exhibit in the Aquarium, with no room or space for larger mammals or Cetaceans (Dolphins/Orca/Whales). We love this as we know many people have a problem with supporting institutes that hold Marine Mammals in captivity. So nature lovers really can visit here with a clean conscience. The Aquarium is cruelty-free. And remember all of the otters housed here would almost certainly not made it if they were left in the wild!

Life On The Bay – Outdoor Viewing Decks

The Aquarium is built right on the coast and is built in a U shape around a natural bay. Surrounding this are a series of outdoor viewing decks where you can witness the natural beauty and abundance of life in the Bay Area.

On a good day, you can see anything from whales, dolphins, sea lions, sea otters, and a huge array of sea birds all living naturally in the bay. The giant floor-to-ceiling windows that lead out to the decks are there to blur the lines between Aquarium and Nature. It’s a great design that makes the whole place bright airy and wonderful.

This is one of the things that makes the Aquarium so special as the whole facility is woven into the very nature of the Bay. You really can see all the habitats visible from the decks actually inside the aquarium. It really helps build the connections between nature and yourself.

Monterey Bay Habitats

This area is designed to mimic the natural and manmade area around the piers, pilings, and moorings along the town’s coastline and the creatures that live among them.

This is another large habitat exhibit that is bright and filled with some impressive large species. Seven Gill Sharks, Big Skate, Californian Halibut, and white Sturgeon cruise around while the 200lb Giant Sea Bass sits amongst the Pilings.

A great Exhibit that will really make you think next time you are walking the Pier at Fisherman’s Wharf!

Giant Pacific Octopus – Tentacles

Tucked away in a dark corner of the Aquarium is another Disney favorite from Finding Dory. Hank the Giant Pacific Octopus. These Stunning Cephalopods are fairly nocturnal so spend a lot of the time in a ball hiding, but when they do come out to play they are seriously stunning.

Make sure you find time to hint out Hank the master of disguise…

Mission to the Deep

The Deep Sea Exhibit is one of our favorites.

It may not feel like the deepest reaches of the ocean are very local to Monterey, however, the plunging depths of the marine canyon mean many of the crazy, alien creatures of the deep can be found right off the coast of the Aquarium. With the Monterey Submarine Canyon dropping down to over 2.5 miles and linking up with the vast Abyssal plain of the Pacific Ocean.

Fluorescent Jellies, Ghostly giant Spider crabs feeding on Whale Carcases along with Hag Fish and Elephant Fish and Crazy looking critters such as the basket star.

There is even a Touch pool with Giant Isopods brought up from the depths, living fossils of giant underwater Woodlice

It is a seriously impressive exhibit, one of the aquarium’s newest, and a really unique addition. It’s just a shame they no longer have Nautilis on display like the previous time we visited.

Jellyfish

Jellyfish are not very popular in the ocean critter world. Their tendency to sting and their natural un-cuddliness mean they are universally hated. Look at them in the right way however and they are quite beautiful.

The Aquarium has several exhibits showcasing the un-noticed beauty of these ancient and simple creatures. Their colors and beauty can really come to life as they float around in the gentle currents of their exhibits. With no fear of being stung, they can be mesmerizingly peaceful. From the bouncy sea nettles to stunning Lionsmain Jellies, tiny killer Box Jellies, and even a selection of stunning Bio-luminescent deep sea Jellyfish.

There are a lot of Squishies on display here.

Coral Reefs – Finding Nemo and Dory

So far we have focused on a lot of local and cold water exhibits, but we know you want to find Nemo…

The Monterey Bay Aquarium really focuses on the Life in and around Monterey, and this means there is very little in the way of Coral Reef. However, most younger visitors only REALLY want to see Dory and Nemo, Thanks Disney, so the Aqaurium balks slightly here and does allow a couple of beautiful reef tanks to be on display, you have to give the audience what they want after all.

These tanks are filled with colorful fish, stunning Corals, and of course Dory and Nemo, or Regal Tangs and Clownfish to the more scientifically inclined,

Penguins

The Penguin Exhibit is a really fun and action-packed area of the Aquarium. The Playful and energetic little birds really do have an awful lot of energy and just seem to spend the whole time playing, in and out of the water.

Seeing the contrast between the graceful underwater gliding and the awkward wobble on land is great. We really love these little guys and it’s clear from the excitement all around this exhibit just how popular they are.

Obviously these are not local to the Aquarium but are a great addition.

Rocky and Sandy Shores – Touch Pools, Interaction, and Aviaries

Another of the Monterey Bay habitats are the shallow tides pools and sandy shores that surround much of the bay. This is home to numerous creatures and the exhibits showcase these as a series of touch pools and even a walk in Aivary with a display of plovers, turnstones, and Oystercatchers.

The shallow pools are filled with a variety of Bat Rays, Guitarfish, crabs, and starfish many of which can be touched in the touch pools.

Kids love a good touch pool. These shallow pools allow you to get up close and personal with a variety of sea creatures found in the shallows and tide pools around the coastline. The Monterey Bay Aquarium takes things further with its Bat Ray touch pools where you can get hands-on with large rays and other larger sea animals.

The regular crab’s anemones and starfish are also available but the Ray pool is a bit different.

Overall

We had an utterly fantastic stay in Monterey, and the aquarium was right up there as one of the highlights. Sure it didn’t quite beat seeing 20+ Blue Whales surrounding our boat, but it’s still a wonderful experience. The Pacific Coast Highway is the quintessential US Road Trip and we implore anyone embarking it to make a stop at Monterey. And while here, it really is a crime to avoid the Aquarium.

There really are few aquariums worldwide that rival Monterey Bay and the fact it is a non-profit organization that does so much to help the natural surroundings of the Bay make it an absolute MUST-see attraction.

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Have Your Say

Let us know what you think of the aquarium. Were you as enthralled and in love as us? Or did you come away feeling short-changed? We struggle to see why you would not love it but we all have different opinions. Let us know in the comments below. And fire away if you have any questions relating to the Aquarium.

You May Also Like

• Best Aquariums in the USA
• Georgia Aquarium
• Sea World San Diego
• Aquarium of the Pacific

We headed to Salem on our Recent trip to the East Coast, to hunt out our favorite spots from the film. Salem is the perfect spooky Halloween location and hinting out some great Filming locations is the perfect addition to your Halloween plans in the City. Here are the 10 Hocus Pocus Filming locations in Salem that you can visit today.

1. House of Seven Gables

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• 115 Derby Street, Salem, MA 01970
• Visit The House Of Seven Gables | Salem MA Historic Homes & Tours (7gables.org)

The House of Seven Gables is a restored 1668 home that inspired Disney Imagineers when building the Sanderson Sister’s House. Yes, unfortunately, the exact Sanderson Witch Museum from the Hocus Pocus movie was built especially for the movie on a Disney soundstage and it no longer exists. However, the film Set Director herself credits the House of Seven Gables as THE inspiration for the Sanderson Sisters’ home. If it’s good enough for the Disney Imagineers then it’s good enough for us! This house is practically now known as the Sanderson Sister’s House location in Salem so it is a must-visit.

Of course, the inspiration was taken from the exterior of the House of Seven Gables only, but the grounds and mansion are open daily for visits if you wish to learn more about the history of the house, outside of its film connections.

2. Max and Dani Dennison’s House

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• 4 Ocean Ave, Salem, MA 01970

Any scenes that were filmed as the inside of Max and Dan’s house were filmed in a sound studio (considering the mess the Sanderson Sisters make when they come to get Dani, it is easy to understand that a homeowner did not want Disney Studios wrecking their home)

However, the house used as the exterior of the Dennison House is located at 4 Ocean Ave Salem. The white house with its turret is easily recognisable from the street as is the corner of Ocean and Shore Ave. The current residents do not mind Hocus Pocus fans admiring their house from a distance but please respect their privacy when visiting and keep in mind that the filming location is private property. Take all the photos and selfies you want but be respectful and keep your distance.

3. Pioneer Village AKA Salem Village

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• 98 West Ave, Salem, MA 01970
• www.pioneervillagesalem.org

The scenes at Thackery Binx’s village were filmed at the historical site Pioneer Village. This recreation of a 16th-century village is a living history of a colonial village and looks just how Thackery’s village would have looked way back when. The Pioneer Village is open at weekends from 12th June- 29th October only so if you really want to visit this filming location, you will need to plan your trip to Salem within those dates accordingly.

4. Governor’s Faire House AKA Binx’s House

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• Pioneer Village, 98 West Ave, Salem, MA 01970
• www.pioneervillagesalem.org

Binx and Emily’s House in the opening scene of Hocus Pocus is also located within Pioneer Village in Salem. Look out for the Governor’s Faire House which is the building used as Binx and Emily’s house. Make sure you check it out during your visit to Pioneer Village.

5. Old Burial Hill Cemetery

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• Marblehead, MA 01945

Not far into the film, we see Max’s new neighborhood kids give him a ‘not-so-friendly- welcome’ to Salem in a cemetery. This scene was filmed in nearby town Marblehead, at the Old Burial Cemetery. Although this little town is not in Salem, it is one of the oldest New England Cemeteries and was part of Salem until granted independence in the 1640s. There is a memorial to Marblehead’s resident who was killed in the Salem Witch trials, cementing its connection with Salem.

It’s worth mentioning at this point that it was just the day cemetery scene that was filmed at the Old Burial Hill Cemetery. The graveyard scenes for Billy Butcherson’s grave were not filmed on location in Salem. Unfortunately, the night cemetery scenes were filmed at Stage 2, a very famous Walt Disney Soundstage that has also been used to film Mary Poppins and Pirates of the Caribbean.

6. Allison’s House

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• Ropes Mansion, Peabody Essex Museum, 318 Essex St, Salem, 01970
• https://www.pem.org/visit/historic-houses/pem-walks/ropes-mansion

The exterior of Allison’s House is located at a building within the Peabody Essex Museum. The Ropes mansion within the museum’s grounds is instantly recognizable from the film as Max and Dani approach the house while trick or treating. The filming location for the interior scenes is not the actual insides of the Ropes Mansion, which was filmed elsewhere in California. The mansion is registered as a National Historic Place and is open for tours 5 days a week. The grounds and gardens behind the house are open all year round free of charge, making them worth a visit.

If you visit during Halloween, the house really embraces its Haunted Heritage and decorates itself really nicely for the Season, but it gets even better once the sun goes down as the house is lit up in demonic red light, really adding to its spooky credentials.

7. Jacob Bailey High School

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• 56 S Washington Square, Salem, MA 01970

The filming location for the High School in Hocus Pocus was actually an old Elementary School which closed down a year earlier. The Phillips Elementary School closed down in 1992, leaving a perfect empty space for a filming location. The building is still there on South Washington Street opposite Salem Common. You can not go into the building but you can take pictures of the highly recognisable exterior.

8. Halloween Party

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA 01970

The Halloween Party scenes are probably the best scenes of the whole Hocus Pocus film, especially Bette Midler’s rendition of ‘I Put a Spell on You’ where she bewitches the whole town including Max and Dani’s parents. The outside shots for this iconic scene were filmed at the Old Town Hall on Derby Square. The inside scenes of the party were filmed in California but the exterior of the building features towards the end of the film when Max and Dani go looking for their Parents.

The Old Town Hall is a National Historic Site and the oldest municipal building in Salem. The Town Hall is nowadays used for public events including re-enactments of the Salem Witch trials- definitely worth a look!

9. Ocean Avenue/ Shore Avenue

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• 2 Ocean Avenue, Salem, MA 01970

If you stand opposite 2 Ocean Ave, you are actually stood at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Shore Avenue. With the sea out in front of you and 4 Ocean drive to your left, Shore Avenue begins on your right. This corner is used in the scene where the children are walking, following the sound of Sarah Sanderson’s singing. You will also see this filming location from an aerial view as Sarah flies over it to approach the Dennison House. Again, if you visit this filming location please remember that all the houses are residential and therefore private property. Please keep this in mind and be respectful when visiting.

10. The Town Park

• VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
• Salem Common, N Washington Square, Salem, MA 01970

Near the beginning of the film, Max heads to the Town Park after school where he bumps into Allison. Here, Allison hands him the note back containing his phone number. The Town Park filming location is Salem Common, at Washington Square. The High School building used for filming is also here, when watching the scene, if you look closely, you can see the High School building in the back behind them. In real life, if you face South Washington Square, you can see the High School from the Town Park just like in the movie.

Other Key Filming Locations

If you love Hocus Pocus as much as we do, you may be wondering about a few key scenes that are not mentioned here in this article. Unfortunately, not all scenes for Hocus Pocus were filmed in Salem.

The Bus Scene where Sarah Sanderson runs over Binx the cat is filmed on the Warner Brothers Ranch in California on Blondie Street. The big house she drives past was also used as the Griswold’s family home in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. More recently, it was used as Wanda’s House in Marvel’s WandaVision- another witchy’ connection!

The Trick or Treat Scenes with Dani and Max were also filmed at Warner Brothers Ranch in California. When the Sanderson Sisters roam the streets, they find the ‘Devil’s’ House (a poor unsuspecting homeowner and his wife). This house is actually located on Friends Street on the Warner Brothers Ranch.

The Fountain

After the Sanderson Sisters have been lured into the oven, Max, Allison, Dani, and Binx are seen celebrating in the Town’s central Park. This again, was filmed back in the 90’s at the Warner Brothers Ranch including the large fountain behind them that is also the fountain from the Friends credits. Now, the fountain has been moved to the Warner Brothers Tour circuit, so if you are ever in California and visit the Warner Brothers Tour, you may be able to see it!

Have Your Say

Did you enjoy this article about the Hocus Pocus Filming Locations? Have you visited Salem yourself and found some locations we have missed? Let us know if we have in the comments box below. Perhaps you are planning your Salem 2023 trip and are researching the filming locations to visit yourself; if so, we hope you have found this article useful. If you have any questions regarding the locations of Hocus Pocus please ask us by writing them in the comments box below.

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Back on the Road on our Biggest Trip Yet

Pre Amble

It had been a long gap between our last trip and this one. With the hangover from COVID-19 travel restrictions behind us, we were more “caught up” and traveling at a more normal rate. With just 1-2 BIG trips a year. in 2023 we had done 2 huge adventures. With our May trip all over the West Coast and then our Halloween madness trip on the East Coast in October/November our travel adventures had been pretty hectic. So we were slowing down a little in 2024 with just one small trip planned.

Well as we were only hitting the road once this year, we needed to make sure it was a worthwhile trip, with lots of content opportunities and heaps of experiences to share with you guys to keep you all entertained for a whole year. So our short trip turned into an absolute beast. From June 18th right up until July 10th a whole month off exploring our favorite spots in the USA along we a few new experiences.

This was also a BIG year for us. On June 22nd we would celebrate our 10th Wedding anniversary. So we need to make this one epic for that reason too. It was our Honeymoon trip to Maui that had pretty much started off our incredible Blogging adventures and we could only think of one place in the world to celebrate that momentous occasion. So we were heading back to Maui to Relive our Honemyoom memories, catch up on old haunts, and then hit out at a few new spots we were yet to visit in the Hawaiian Islands. We had a week in West Maui at Napili Shores, 5 days in Wailea to take in a little luxury, and then a week on the Stunning Garden Island of Kuaui, and finally a trip to the Big Island.

Stunning Scenery, amazing Beaches, Incredible Wildlife, crystals Blue Oceans, and jaw-dropping experiences all in the Amazing Hawaiian Islands…But first, we had a little visit to California to take in, again heading back to one of our all-time favorite places Monterey California, and the Pacific Coast Highway. However, we had a bit of a journey to get there first.

T-Minus 1Day

We start out the day before as we head down to London Heathrow for our flight out to the States. We normally fly out of here as the flights are just better scheduled and often a lot cheaper. We had managed to get a really cheap deal on Premium for this flight. Forgoing our recent dalliance with Upper-Class we would be traveling a bit more like mortals this trip, but still not in economy so would have some level of comfort. Important for our 11-hour legs right across the Atlantic and the Continent over to the West Coast.

We made the 4ish hur drive down the M1 from around midday arriving at the Airport area around 4pm. We had booked a parking space on a driveway via the YourParkingSpace.com app as we were finding Airport parking for a whole month to be pretty costly. This option was only coming in at around £130 for the month, a bargain compared to the £3-400 our usual providers were offering. We then booked into the Renaissance Hotel which offered a fantastic Runway View Room where we could relax and get ready for tomorrow. We bagged a free upgrade to the Executive Lounge as they were unable to honor the free room upgrade we got without Gold Status at Marriot.

This got us some free snacks and several free drinks to help keep the cost of this part of the trip nice and low. We planned on this being as frugal a trip as possible as we had some mighty expenses coming up as we were paying for a whole month in one of the most expensive places in the world, Hawaii.

The Centurion Lounge London Heathrow.

The morning after we awoke nice and early, around 7 am for our 11:45 flight to San Francisco. We were all ready and prepared so simply grabbed our stuff and headed on over to the Airport. A £12ish Uber taking us the 10-15 mins over to T3 Virigns home Terminal.

Here we found Check-in had become a bit of a faff as they have replaced people with automated machines. These are really clunky, and we are not professional check-in agents so it takes us a while to input everything, all the while the agents are still sitting at the desks waiting for us to drop the bag, it really feels awkward and an unnecessary step in the process. We will remember to Chick in line from now on as it is much easier, it’s just the last few flights we have been upper so had not experienced these new terminals yet.

Another step in these transatlantic carriers becoming just another Budget Airline!

Anyway, Security seemed a bit of a mess, but the queues seemed to actually be worse outside the main hall, and once through we pretty much just got straight through with no issues. A quick look around duty-free and then we headed to the Centurion Lounge.

We get lounge Access through Our Amex Platinum Card Holder Status and were really pleased to have this as the main terminal area was total chaos. Heading into the lounge all that simply melted away.

We really like the LHR Centurion. It’s not the biggest of lounges but there are varied seating options and great food and drink on offer. There is no natural light so it’s a touch dark and dingy, but the vibrant modern decor is quirky and their styling really nice with lots of varied seating options.

We got a nice quiet corner rin the cozier section of the lounge and waited for the flight in style. Starting off with some Bubbly we then tried out the breakfast. This was a Buffet Style, but it was really high quality for a Buffet, and the food itself was still fresh and hot. They also had some amazing French toast that came with some divine Maple syrup that had wonderful smoky notes and was some of the best French toast we have had.

We then worked our way through the drinks menu happily sampling a few of their excellent cocktails, until after a while we approached the boarding time of our flight and headed out to the gate.

Virgin Atlantic Premium London Heathrow to San Francisco

As we had Premium Boarding we simply strolled straight onto the flight and we settled into our large comfy seats. This was one of Virgin’s older 787 Aircraft, but these are still really modern and the seats are super comfy, with some of the newer aircraft offering more ergonomic seats, these are still plush and offer a huge amount of legroom in a nice 2-4-2 layout.

We got a Welcome glass of Champagne and then just waited for takeoff, which was prompt and on time.

Once in the air, we got our one and only drinks service! This was a little weak for an 11-hour flight, however whenever we asked for drinks they were happy to provide us one, but they really are locking down how many drinks are offered.

After our drinks, the Main Meal service was offered. We had pre-ordered our meals and got a choice of Pork Chilli, Breaded Chicken, Or Truffle Mac and Cheese. Kate is obsessed with Truffle, and I wanted one last spicey meal before a month of Bland and Baige food in the States, so we had the mac and cheese and the Chilli/ The Chilli was ok but a little overcooked and obviously a little on the bland side as is per usual with Airline food, But Kates Mac And Cheese was really nice with lots of earthy notes form the Mushrooms and Truffle.

This came with a really light and fresh Cous Cous Starter, a decent little Cheese Board, and a sharp and refreshing Lemon Posset for dessert. The food is not going to win any awards, but it was all perfectly edible and came on real plates with proper cutlery and is several steps above the overcooked ready meals served in Economy.

The Main meal came with a choice of drinks but the Wine on board is still being served from cans which is our least favorite way of providing wine…

There was then a Coffee Service, which we tactfully requested another Bar-drink instead, and then the whole plane transformed into Night Mode. We found this really odd. This is a day flight leaving at 11:45 and landing at 14:15 in the afternoon. However, it was being treated as a Night Flight. The Window Shades were plunged into darkness, all lights off, and the Cabin Crew doing Minimal Service.

This always seems to be the case on San Francisco Flights, but not other USA and West Coast destinations, Some Vegas Flights turn into all-out Party Buses! Most people went along with it, but we raged against the machine and refused to just fall asleep and miss the entire flight, however, whenever I overrode the window blind a Cabin Crew Member would ask me to close it again. I like being able to see out, and this is the main reason I choose a window seat, especially on this route as we pass over Greenland, Northern Canada, the Rocki Mountains, and the North West Coast of California, It’s a really beautiful flight, and I really did not like being denied the view simply because someone had pre-ordained out MIDDAY Flight to be Midnight!

Maybe they do this as they have completely ruined the once great IFE system, Vera. Our screens were excellent, better than we even remembered, and the system is smooth and slick, even though some of the Navigation choices are a little Style over function. We really would prefer a grid layout over the endless scrolling, but still, it does look cool. But the big problem was the actual content.

It really was light on anything at all really. The new releases were really poor and they had even dropped one of the most lucrative films of the year after only a couple of months on the roster, namely Barbie. It was even featured in the Pre-Takeoff adverts on the screens but was not available once the actual IFE started. The Back CAaog was also really weak and between us we really struggled to find 2 films each to watch. We used to look forward to these long flights as a way to catch up on films we have missed, but this trip the selection was really poor.

As the long night in the middle of the day drew on and we tried to eek some amount of entertainment from Vera, we utilized the Planes wander-wall for snacks and drinks and requested more drinks for Kate from the Galley (I would need to drive once in San Francisco) until finally, the Dawn Broke at around 6-7pm in the evening, and the CAbin crew returned to offer us Afternoon Tea…for Breakfast, or dinner, who knows at this point…

This was Virgin’s 40th Birthday and they have prepared a special Afternoon Tea to celebrate. This was really cute with lots of 40th styling and cute little cakes with special 40th motifs. It was a lot of fun and everything tasted great with the Scones easily passing the twist test and copious amounts of Cream and Jam provided. An excellent treat.

With this served the Cabin was allowed to be illuminated again and we could watch the final few miles out of the window as we passed over the Rockys, Crater Lake, Sonoma, and Napa Valleys, and finally down the coast to San Francisco. Our arrival was a little early and we were on the ground before 3 pm.

Skipping San Francisco

For some reason, San Francisco Airport seems to HATE Virgin Atlantic. Every time we have flown here, there seems to be some kind of awful hold-up on the tarmac with is queueing in the exact same spot for 30-45 mins. This trip was no exception and we were stuck in the Apron, just waiting for a parking spot, uber annoying after we had made great time in the air.

Once we finally were allowed off the aircraft we headed to Customs to find a hideous queue awaiting us. This was doubly annoying as we had meant to use the new MCP app to skip this queue but had completely forgotten the week before our flight. This was doubly compounded by the fact there was ZERO queue at those entry points and we could literally walk through is had used the APP.

Infact the queue was so grotty, and we estimated a good 45-1hr wait, we figured, let’s just try the App NOW. So after a little fiddling on the Airport Wifi, we added all our trip info and then exited the usual Queue and straight onto the MCP (Mobile Passport Control) Line. We were through the line in literally 5mintues and off on our way. It is so good we cannot possibly recommend this to anyone as if everyone works this out the Queues will be just as bad as the regular queues as everyone will be in the MCP Line.

The next stop was the Rental Desk and we were a little worried about this as we had taken a gamble. As we are doing one way, we had a little trouble getting a good price and in the end, only Budget offered us the car we wanted, on the terms we wanted at a price that was decent. We have had a bad experience with Budget in the past so were wary. However, we arrived at the desk with no queue and a really happy and helpful agent who checked us in in no time with only a minimal low-pressure upsell, before directing us to our fantastic Rental car for the next few days. A stunning White Mustang Cabriolet…one of 4 cars we would rent for this trip!

We then the road and headed out into the fantastic California Sunshine. Heading Straight out of San Francisco with so much as a howdy Doody! Why, well it’s nothing personal, we just did San Francisco last May, and were a little pushed for time on this itinerary. So it was straight down to our first stop Monterey.

Pacific Coast Highway

With the top down and the sun shining we headed straight across to the coast to pick up the PCH. This is one stretch of the highway we are yet to drive and follow it along the coast from Pacifica, through Half Moon Bay, then Santa Cruz, and finally into Montery. With the top down we got the full experience, wind in our hair, and the smell of Pine Forresrs and ocean breezes. I was a wonderful 119 miles before we arrived in one of our favorite small Cities and checked into our pretty basic Motel.

Monterey

Our base for the next couple of days would be the pretty basic Stevenson Motel. This was one of the first Motels we ever stayed in, and while it’s early pretty ugly located with a stunning Petrol Station View, it’s a great location and has everything we needed and was at least really cheap.

It was getting pretty late now as we had taken a long time getting out of San Francisco Airport so we just headed down to Fisherman Wharf to grab some food and try and spot some Otters, but really all we found were the abundant Sea Lions whose population really have exploded in recent years.

We grabbed some Clam Chowder from Crabby Jims before admitting defeat and heading to bed after a really long day of traveling. The time now was 10 pm and we had been on the go since 7 am, but in reality, it was 6 pm on our body clocks so we had been on the go for just short of 24 hours. and things were not going to get easier tomorrow!

In our blog tomorrow we are going to give a little bit more info on this part of the trip, why we are doing things the way we are, and what is coming up. Along with a HUGE day right off the bat.

Live Blog – Trip Report

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Day 2 – Whale Watching and the Pacific Coast Highway >>>

We were booked onto the latest Virgin Atlantic 787 Dreamliner and were looking forward to flying in style. Upper-class is well beyond our budget so looked forward to Virgin’s Premium Economy. What many people want to know, is whether premium Economy is worth the upgrade. Our review should help you decide if the upgrade is worth the extra or if you should continue to slum it in coach…or Maybe lump for the whole hog in Upper-Class...

Original Flight – March 2019

Latest Flight – June 2024

Booking

The Virgin Website is a fairly well-polished site and we had no problem booking at any point and this was for a pretty complicated Multi-stop booking. As we required a few days in L.A to explore and recover before Hawaii we had to book 3 flights. The booking system had no issue with this and came back with a great price for economy, Just before final confirmation it offered us the upgrade of £250 for all flights. As we see below we happily took this option, especially considering the 2-night flights we had to take!

One Big Issue is the New Seat Booking Policy. Premium Offers Free Seat Selection with Premium. You are paying quite a bit for Premium so we really expect Seat Selection to be included. However, you only get Free Seat Selection on the Standard Seat Locations. the front 2-3 rows are designated as PREFERRED SEATS. To book these seats there is an additional cost, this is varied but can be £60-80 per person, per leg, we were asked for £268 in total for just the two of us, which would be £536 for a family of 4!

Honestly, it’s not a big issue for us, in most cases as we just refuse and book the standard seating, it’s all good as long as you are in Premium. But the huge issue for us occurs when these Standard, free seats are all taken. Then you are left with the choice of either stumping up the extra cash for something you were told was included!!! Or, taking the risk of being assigned seats at check-in (if you check in online you can select any seat for free at check-in, but that assumes there are still any appropriate seats available)

We really don’t like this system at all. We hate being asked to pay for seat selection, and to have it on a Long Haul flight is even worse, and to STILL be stung for it after plumping for Premium is really not on.

We think this is a really nasty cash grab by Virgin and that can and SHOULD rethink it.

Virgin Premium on other Aircraft?

This review is specifically for the Premium on the 787 Dreamliner Aircraft. While similar there are a few differences on other aircraft. We have separate reviews for these:

A350 Premium Review (2022)

You may also want to compare the Economy experiences as well to see if paying less is the better option for you and your family.

Virgin Atlantic Economy Review A350 (2021)

Virgin Atlantic Economy Review – 787 Dreamliner (2022)

Virgin Atlantic Economy Review – 747 (Retired)

Virgin Atlantic Economy Delight Review – Cut Down Premium (2022)

Is it Worth Upgrading to Premium?

This question is impossible to answer really and that is because of the huge range of potential prices between Economy and Premium. Depending on the flight and current booking level we have seen upgrades from £50 to £800 and upwards per flight! Also, value is very different to some people. For some, the thought of “slumming it” back in economy is horrifying for others, like us, we really rate the Virgin Economy Product so an upgrade is a luxury rather than an essential.

For the flight we took as our review flight we paid fairly little for the upgrade. We were flying From London Heathrow to Hawaii on the following routes:

• LHR – Los Angeles – Operated by Virgin
• Los Angeles – Kahului  – Operated by Delta
• Kahului – Seatle – Operated by Delta
• Seatle – LHR – Operated by Virgin

The TransAtlantic legs were operated by Virgin and the USA Legs were operated by Delta. We were offered an upgrade at booking for £250 per person for all 4 flights. With the Delta flights upgraded to Comfort plus. This works out at just £62.50 per person per flight. At the time Virgin was charging £30 per seat to reserve seating (this has changed somewhat with the new 3-tier Economy Product recently introduced) So we would be getting all the benefits of Premium economy for just £32.50 per flight. At that price we can say resoundingly YES it is worth it. But when prices are £600+ it would feel an awful lot of money compared to the current Economy product!

June 2024 Update –

We recently took another Premium Flight on Virgin’s Dreamliner so have edited this review to reflect the POST covid situation. This was a return flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco. On the whole, not too much has changed but there are fewer drinks services, but it is essentially the same service as before.

What you get in Premium

We feel the best way to decide if Premium is good value is to look at the benefits and simply work out based on the price if that feels like value to you. So let’s take a look at what you get and what the flights are actually like to help work out if it represents good value for you!

So What do you get?

• Premium Check-in
• Seat Selection Included
• 2x23kg Baggage – Yes, you read that right 2 bags EACH
• Priority Boarding
• Welcome Drink
• Much Larger leather Chair in 2-3-2 config
• Premium Cabin
• Premium Cabin Crew
• Upgraded Meal with Real Plates and Cutlery
• Upgraded Wine Offering
• After Dinner Liqueurs – Retired due to Covid
• Wander Wall – Help yourself to Snacks and non-alcoholic drinks in-flight
• Extra Airmiles and Tier Points
• Access to First Class Bar***

This all sounds great but how does it play out in practice and is the product as good as it sounds? Let’s take a look at our experience.

Out Bound – Day Time Flight

Airport and Boarding

Our flight left Heathrow at a pretty reasonable hour and we headed to the airport around 8 am. Arriving at T3 the went straight to our first perk: dedicated check-in. While this was excellent and we wheeled our 4 cases straight to the front with absolutely zero queues. Great, but in all honesty, the other economy desks were basically empty too. So it didn’t save us much. But that’s a good thing. After checking the cases we headed to security. There are no added benefits to get through security so we joined the masses*.

2022 – On our recent flight through JFK this actually changed and we were directed to Priority Security. This knocked a good 30 mins off our airport time, but we are not sure if this was an error, the second agent looked very unsure we were entitled to this, but let us through as she didn’t want to argue.

After security, we grabbed a coffee and sandwich while we waited for boarding. After they called for boarding we headed for the gate. Here we had our own dedicated boarding desk and basically walked straight onto the plane. Well, we would have if the TSA had not preselected Kate for additional Checks…No level of service can get you past the TSA if their random computer falls on you.

Once boarded we were very quickly offered our welcome drink, a choice of Fizz or Orange juice, which for us is no choice. We were then provided Newspapers to while away the time before take-off.

2022 – Again the welcome fizz arrived as soon as we were seated, however, we had quite a delay due to baggage handling issues and there was no sign of a top-up or any other service until we finally got into the air an hour late!

Cabin and Seating

The Premium Cabin is separate from both the economy Cabin and the upper-class cabin. This gives it a Really exclusive feel. With only 30 seats in 5 rows of six (2-4-2). it is a quiet and refined space that feels really personal. We love the 2-4-2 seating layout. 3-3-3 or 3-4-3 leads to us being trapped into our row should we want a window seat, which we do. More often than not a solo traveler will occupy a single seat and solo travelers have a habit of getting some sleep in. This means any excursion into the aisle for the toilet or getting drinks or even just to stretch the legs means disturbing the poor soul.

Having just the two seats to ourselves just works so much better. And we hate having to pay for assigned seats so would have needed to pay for this also, although seat selection is again included in Virgin’s economy price assuming you don’t go for the economy light option.

The Seats are also a significant upgrade. They are a lot more spacious and far more comfortable than standard Economy seats. We think they are far better than most Premium products even and are pretty much on par with most first-class products that are not of the lie-flat variety. A big thumbs up here from us!

The seats offer a pretty impressive 38-inch seat pitch as opposed to the meager 31 back in Economy. This gives a lot more space to stretch out! Width-wise the increase seems more modest at 21 vs 17 inches, but that will be a lot more comfortable for larger passengers, and this does not take into account the extra wide armrests that give even more space, a big advantage for solo travelers wanting distance from a random seat-mate.

The Recline is also pretty good, but this is a double-edged sword. It’s great on night flights when you all want to grab some rest but pretty awful when you are seated behind a habitual recliner who slams the seat back the second the seatbelt sign goes off and refuses to move until the cabin crew forces them to for landing. The extra space of the 38″ seat-pitch does help with this and it’s not as claustrophobic as Economy, but it’s still pretty intrusive.

Being on the 787-9 Dreamliner also has a few extra benefits. The Aircraft has much larger windows than most aircraft and plastic manual blinds are a thing of the past. The windows are now electronically controlled blackout windows. A press of the button darkens or lightens the window. The big upside is you can put a 50% tint on it meaning you can still see out the window but still see the IFE Screen properly. This makes for a great flight experience. Of course, this is also enjoyed by Economy and First class passengers.

There is also the “Wander Wall” at the front of the Cabin. Here there is a selection of drinks (non-alcoholic) and snacks for you to help yourself during the flight. The selection was quite intriguing with lots of unexpected items like pepper and lemon corn kernels and various crisps and chips and chocolate. You can also pop your head around to the Upper-class bar. While not strictly a Premium Economy Perk we were advised by the Cabin crew this would be ok.

A lot is made of the 787’s mood lighting but tbh we hardly noticed it and didn’t feel it really affected the flight in the positive or negative, it seems mostly a gimmick. What we did notice was the Cabin pressure” Obviously not directly, but the reduced altitude pressurization (8,000 ft instead of the usual 10,000ft) Made for a much more comfortable flight. Normally flying to the west coast of the US from the UK would leave us tired and grotty with dry mouths and irritated sinuses. On this flight, we couldn’t even tell we had been flying. Of course, we were still tired but no different from a day at work or such. Again this is shared by all passengers not just Premium.

In-Flight Entertainment

The Vera IFE is one of the best we have used and is rammed with the latest films, TV, and Music. After 20+ hours in the air, we were left frustrated as there were still things we hadn’t got round to watching! The Touch screens on the 787 were also really fantastic and were actually responsive and easy to use, a rare thing for Aircraft touch screens!

2024 – We were blown away by Vera when we first saw it back in 2019 but things have aged really fast. The new screens in the A350 really blow these away, even in Economy, the screens are far better. This is simply a case of technology improving faster than Aeroplane Refits. It’s still a great system on the 787 but the A350 tops it significantly.

Movie selection also seems to have dropped off. When we first jumped on a plane after the international; re-start the film selection was Dire! Thankfully this has improved but is still not quite up to the standard of the old selection. But we actually struggled to fill the whole 11 hours.

There were also AC and USB Power sockets in case any of your own devices were running low or you wished to work.

Food and Drink

One thing you will never want for on a Virgin Premium Economy flight is food. Apart from the Wander Wall where snacks are available for the entire flight, you are constantly plied with food. Right after take-off, you are given pretzels with your first drink. After 1-2 hours depending on the time of the flight the Meal service comes around. The Premium Meal is pretty much what you get in Economy but the little touches of it being served on real crockery with real knives and forks just make it that bit more special.

Our meal for this flight was a starter of Walnut and Orange Salad, a choice of Lasagne, Chicken in herb cream sauce, and Mousaka. We both went for the Lasange. And for dessert was a sticky toffee Slice. All are accompanied by a choice of red or white wine and a bottle of water. The Starter was … a bit rubbish. The lasagne was fairly tasty and the dessert was not great, a little dry and a bit nothingy. But really Airline food is never fantastic and this is as good as any other flight. To be honest we just think we lucked out on a less-than-brilliant menu day as the return flight suited us better.

The meal was followed by tea/coffee in a real mug. and then a choice of Cognac or Amarula Liqueur. And we then settled into our big comfy chairs and the IFE system.

2022 – The post-lockdown food does seem to have improved a little, or maybe Economy has dropped off, but the meal was markedly better on our recent flights than in the past. One of the very few improvements of post-covid flying!

As the flight went on we were fed at regular intervals. First an Ice Cream, then later a Steak Pasty, and then finally shortly before landing a Cream Tea, which was excellent.

Drink-wise, we were a touch disappointed. After lunch, the cabin crew seemed to disappear. We had received two drink services plus wine and a liqueur so it’s not like we were starved of alcohol but after a gap of around two hours we were ready for another and our personal crew were nowhere to be seen. Call buttons unanswered. When they finally reappeared and provided us with our drinks they suggested going forward to pop our heads into the Upperclass bar, just behind the curtain if we needed anything again quickly.

This is possibly a little picky and it hardly ruined our flight. It was just a bit odd to have such difficulty in getting a drink. We were not intent on getting sloshed but when stuck on a plane with nothing to do but sit, eat, drink, and watch, it was a bit disappointing when one is taken away. A small thing really. That aside the bar trolly had the usual selection of beers, wines, spirits, and mixers.

2024 – Drinks service has dropped off even further post-lockdown. We only got one full drinks service on our NYC flight. Along with wine for dinner and after dinner tea/coffee, we asked for alcohol instead which was allowed. The After-dinner Liqueur is gone, a covid casualty, and while we could possibly have asked for alcohol with High-Tea we like tea with our …err..tea.

We were able to request drinks at any stage and were never refused, but there was nothing in the way of full drinks service from the trolly after the initial pass. This is designed, in our opinion, to discourage people from asking for more or maybe just not knowing they can. If people are offered a drink they will likely take it, if they don’t know they are available they will possibly just not ask. the result, is fewer dinks served, and more money saved for the airline!

Service

Apart from the disappearing act mid-flight the service was excellent. Being in the premium cabin means you have a dedicated crew serving just the 30 seats in that cabin. This gives a very personal, fast, and attentive service. It feels pretty special and does add to the feeling of exclusivity. We never like to rag on any service personnel as long as they are trying their best. We have been on the other end and know what a hard thankless job they are doing. We see so many examples of them being treated poorly and never wish to contribute to this. The Premium Cabin crew are really a cut above the norm though, it is not just false praise. You are just treated to a much more intimate level of care for the majority of the flight.

2022 – Some crews are operating on a skeleton staff, on our flight out we had one member of the Cabin Crew to service the whole premium Cabin, to begin with. He was later joined by another Crew Member and all it meant it we had to wait 10mins for drinks instead of 5, it just shows what staffing pressure they are under! Despite the enormous stress they are operating under, you couldn’t tell! They are as polite, professional, and wonderful as ever!

We really do love the Virgin Cabin Crews and make sure we let them know how much we do. they are operating under horrific pressure ATM and just being polite and kind back to them really can help a little!

Arrival

The final two perks are all related to arrival. And these can be big advantages when trying to get through US Customs. Premium Economy is second off the plane only behind the upper-class guests. This means you get the run on the immigration desks. If you haven’t been to the US, let us just say immigration can be painfully slow. Any advantage you can get here is a big plus. On arrival at LAX, we were lucky to get to immigration with almost no queue knowing there were hundreds of people from our flight behind us.

On top of this, your bags are prioritized. Getting off the plane and through immigration first is kind of pointless if you have to stand for an hour while everyone else’s bags get to the conveyor first. Being in Premium means your bags are among the first onto the conveyor.

The upshot of all this is from the moment the doors opened to us getting to the car rental was less than an hour. This is truly incredible considering how big and difficult to negotiate LAX is. We were literally on an almost non-stop walk from the plane to the Hire Car bus.

One Perk not included that would have been much appreciated was the “guaranteed L.A Sun”, this is not what we expected on arrival! Of course, we can’t really blame Virgin Atlantic for this…Can we?

2024 – Again we were first off the plane and straight into immigration. This was actually extremely busy, but we used the new MPC app and were through to baggage claim well before our bags got there.

Return Flight – Night Flight

Our return flight left Seatle at 14:00 and was due to land in London around 7:30 am the next morning. We had already taken an overnight from Kahului so our recollection of this flight is a little hazy! The return flight was much the same in terms of basic perks and service levels but there are some notable differences due to the fact the majority of the passengers want to attempt to get some.

Food and Drink

Drinkwise the service was very top-heavy. Plying us with as many drinks service as possible in the first part of the flight to help us get off to sleep. We were also provided with a nice Herchel branded Amenity kit, which makes a nice change from the basic plastic wallet-type kits handed out in Economy, although it didn’t actually contain many extras. The provided pillows also feature a cut-out to try to assist in sleeping and we had the customary Virgin purple blanket as well.

2024 – The Amenity kits have turned a little Green and are now Paper-based which is a little less luxurious but at least they are trying and we appreciate the reduction in plastic, but we always reused the Kit bags.

Food-wise it’s quite different. Dinner service was the same as lunch on the outbound and included the after-dinner Liqueur. But after another drinks service, the cabin crew dims the lights and leaves you pretty much alone for the rest of the flight. While on the outbound we resented the lack of presence, throughout the night any lack of disturbance was most welcome. The cabin was dark and apart from the Hum of the engines and 600mph winds rushing by, very quiet. It was the perfect environment for sleep.

The actual main meal was basically the same as the outbound but a different menu and one that suited us better. Kate had four cheese pasta and I had beef stroganoff. The Starter salad was a little more substantial and the lemon and pistachio dessert much better than the dry Sticky toffee slice.

After a night of fitful and restless “sleep,” we were brought around by the rising sun and the cabin lights. Coffee or tea was served and then breakfast. The breakfast was actually one of the best we have had on a plane. Often we are served Soggy Sausages some flaccid eggs and maybe some baked beans. After 10+ hours in the air, this is the last thing you need. Our breakfast was a fresh-tasting, warm, Pan Au Chocolat with a granola yogurt pot, and some fresh fruit salad served with coffee and Juice. It was just what the doctor ordered and helped clear a little of the fog that had descended overnight.

We didn’t get any pictures as we were so tired and irritable at this point we just couldn’t be bothered. We were at 50 hours + Since actually getting any decent sleep so taking photos of our breakfast had become pretty unimportant!

2022 – More of the same on this flight with no discernable differences apart from the reduced drink services. Breakfast was again really good, with a Bacon Roll and a really refreshing bowl of coconut rice and fresh fruit!

Service

Like the outbound flight, we received nothing but excellent service and witnessed the crew sort out a disruptive couple who had not bothered to book seats, a free perk for Premium, and were complaining they were not happy with their seats. While under no obligation to help they managed to reseat some passengers to allow them to be next to each other.

The Cabin crew retired from view for the majority of the flight as they were aware of the need for most to try and sleep but we did notice frequent trips through the cabin, in stealth mode, offering juice and water to anyone who was awake. There was also the Wander wall obviously for anyone wanting to grab their own Snacks.

Arrival

Like the Outbound flight, our early disembarkment from the plane allowed us to get through immigration and baggage in super-fast time. Unfortunately, this leads us straight out into horrendous rush hour traffic and it was nearly 3 hours after landing before we were free of London and heading home. this was unfortunate timing, nothing more.

2024 – Again, first off the plane but this was little help with the embarrassing Chaos that is Heathrow Airport Arrivals currently. Immigration was horrific, with queues right out of the main hall, down a long hallway, down another long hallway, and right back along the travelators and gates exits!

So yeah we were first to get to this chaos but several flights had just landed before us so it was little help. Even with this Delay, we still beat the bags! And the current ground transport at Heathrow is a JOKE! anyway, enough ranting! – None of this is Virgin’s Fault!

So, IS it Worth it?

As we said this is all very personal. It is certainly not helped by the fantastic Economy product offered by Virgin Atlantic. But that also means the Premium product is a very high-quality offering to try and set it apart from the cheaper economy product.

Really the offering is far more akin to some upper-class products. Virgin’s upper-class product is out of this world but for other airlines, it gets you little more than the premium product offered by Virgin. So the question of value really boils down to how much you are being asked to pay, how much your budget is, and simply how much the above extras mean to you, and could that money be spent better on things to do and food and drink at your destination?

We often hear from the older generation that “Flying just isn’t what it used to be” In Premium, it is far more like that experience. It even helps ease the process at the airports at each end.

The extra bag each is also great value for those that travel heavy or are going for a long time. We were heading to Hawaii for nearly 3 weeks so need quite a lot of baggage having two bags each really took the pressure off. We actually hear people say they only book premium for this reason…this is pretty poor decision making however as you could always just purchase a second bag for £65!

Our next VA flight is to New York for a long weekend. Virgin was asking £300+ per person Per Leg. This is way above what we want to pay the Economy fair was only £430, and we don’t NEED some of the extras so this time chose to go economy.

So as you can see it’s a question with many variables and is hard to answer. You just need to ask yourself if the perks you get are worth it to YOUR for your trip. What we can say very clearly is that the Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy Product is a fantastic offering. It’s right up there with some first-class products and is a brilliant luxury way to travel that can be bagged for a brilliant price on certain flights. We would not hesitate to book if the price is right!

£150 and under – per flight – At this price, we feel Premium is a real bargain! You are getting so much for your money and this fairly modest outlay will transform your trip!

£200 – £250- per flight – this is the dilemma price point. It’s still a reasonable deal but that money really could start to transform a different part of your trip. This is £800-1000 extra for a couple return and that’s a good few decent meals or some pretty high-end excursions!

£300+ – per flight – When the price rises over £300 per flight or £1200+ per couple return, we start thinking this is just too much. In the past, we have paid this for upper/business and this sort of money can just be better used elsewhere. Virgin’s Economy product is still pretty great, we can suffer that for the knowledge we will spend the money far more wisely at the other end!

One final way to look at it is Regret! We never regret taking the Premium Upgrade. As we know what we are getting we can easily assess if the price is right for us. We also never hear anyone else saying they regret it. It really is a great product.

Here are a couple of other things to think about when booking Premium

Single Leg

Sometimes the Premium price is sky high, but if you drill down you may find this is just one leg that is expensive! We often do this and find the upgrade for one of the legs is really cheap and the other leg is bumping the cost up. In this case there is no problem just booking the one leg, just remember that the upgraded baggage allowance will only count for one leg, if you take the extra bag you will need to pay the added £65 fee for the other leg.

Expensive Economy

Sometimes you have fixed travel dates and can’t flex the trip to get the best prices. We often find if we are stuck for dates and economy is looking pretty bad value, Premium is often …not much more! This can make the pill a bit easier to swallow!

Final Negative

Premium is a REALLY nice product and a great way to fly. This unfortunately has a bit of a drawback, you can get a bit addicted. It really is hard to go back to cattle class after experiencing Premium! We suppose this is a theatrical negative, but we will let you decide that next time you have to travel in the back after experiencing Premium!

Have Your Say

Let us know about your Virgin Premium Economy Experience. Did you enjoy your experience? What aircraft were you on? Did you feel it was good value? What is it like compared to other Premium experiences? Just drop us a comment below, we love hearing from you all. Also, drop us a comment below if you have any questions.

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