There is an awful lot going on in San Diego and the City is home to a huge number of Sights, attractions, Museums, Zoos, and things to see and do. Anyone heading to the City will be spoilt for choice from the hundreds of things there is to do in the City. Of Course, most of these attractions are not free, and any itinerary is likely to be pretty costly. Difficult choices have to be made about what to do and what to skip. But there is a solution to this in the Go City San Diego Pass.
This handy Attraction pass grants you access to a host of San Diego’s TOP attractions all for one set fee that is significantly lower than paying for the attractions individually. However this really can sound too good to be true, and we all know how that mantra ends. So to test out the Pass, we headed to San Diego to see if the San Diego Go City Pass is actually worth buying or if the pass is actually a waste of time and money. We show you what attractions are included on the Pass, what we like about the pass, what problems and issues you may face using the pass and just do a deep dive overall to see if the Pass is worth your time and money.
Like all our Pass reviews we don’t rely on other people’s opinions or how the Pass looks on Paper, we actually head to the City and try out the pass in person, as you can see from our Videos and images of the attractions in question. By being on the ground and trying it out in person we get a real sense of how the pass can fit into a real trip and what advantages and disadvantages it can bring. In fact, we have used the Go City San Diego Pass several times on our trips to San Diego, and they have always served us well.
- Product: Go City San Diego Pass – All-Inclusive (Previously Go San Diego Pass)
- Price: $134- $389
- Price Child: $119 – $369 (Child 3-12yrs)
- Where to Buy: GoCity.com
- Number Of Attractions: 45+ Top Attractions
- Time Limit: 1,2,3,5 or 7 days unlimited (Consecutive Days)
- Expiry: 2 Years or 90 Day Money-Back Guarantee
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – 4.7/5
Attractions Included – 45 Top Attractions
Unlimited All-Inclusive Attractions:
- Sea World San Diego 1-Day Ticket ($109.99)
- San Diego Zoo ($71.00)
- Speed Boat Adventures ($89.45)
- San Diego Zoo Safari Park ($71)
- Legoland California ($110.99)
- USS Midway Museum ($31.00)
- Bike, Snorkel, Kayak, and/or Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals (up to $89)
- Belmont Park Play and Ride Pass ($60.00)
- Hornblower Whale Watching Cruise – Summer or Winter ($50)
- San Diego Harbor Cruise – ($52)
- San Diego Natural History Museum – ($22)
- Air and Space Museum- ($23)
- Birch Aquarium at Scripps- ($24.95)
- and Many more…
In A Nutshell
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Price
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Ease of Use
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Attractions
Summary
A Very Comprehensive pass that covers most of San Diego’s best sights and attractions and things to do. With so much on offer in San Diego seeing a doing everything can quickly add up to a big bill but with the Go Card you know exactly how much you need to spend and won’t miss out on any of the Cities big attractions due to your finances. Easy to use and with instant delivery the Go San Diego card has a lot going for it. Wit a few downsides that we take a look at int the article.
2023 Update
For Much of 2020, the USA Travel industry was all but closed down. Air travel, Hotels, Attractions, and even Whole Cities just closed down. It has been a terrible time for so many, not just in the Travel industry but all over the country and the world.
2021 saw a partial return to normality and travel made tentative steps back to normality.
Fortunately, 2022 was pretty much back to normal, Bookings have surged and people are getting back to the places they love and enjoying the world again. If you are heading to San Diego you may be wondering if the San Diego Pass can still help you save money and see more on your trip to the City.
At the end of 2022, we headed back to the City to try out the Pass and see if it is still worth it in this post-pandemic world and beyond into 2023.
The Pass has adapted slightly to the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic. First, it has extended the validity to 2 years from purchase, so if your trip is postponed the pass will still be good by the time you get to travel again. On top of this, they offer a 90-day money-back guarantee so if your trip is canceled within 3 months of purchasing then you get your money back, no questions.
This really helps with peace of mind. If you wait until 90 days before your trip (we usually do this anyway) or better still 30 days, then whether your trip gets canceled or postponed you are covered!
The Pass has also looked at its lineup and added extra outdoor activities to its already impressive line-up. So if you want to stay out in the fresh air this is no problem.
Right now we really feel the Pass can help you have a great, mainly Outdoor, adventure, which could be just what the doctor ordered after months of lockdown! Pretty much all of the City is back open for business and one of our Favourite USA Cities is booming again!
Go City San Diego Pass Review
Contents
- What is the Go City San Diego Pass?
- How Does the Go City San Diego Pass Work?
- How much does the Go San Diego Pass Cost?
- Is the Go City San Diego Pass Right for Me?
- Go City San Diego Pass Attractions
- Is the Go City San Diego Pass Worth It?
- Example Go San Diego Pass Itineraries
- Advantages of The Go San Diego Pass
- What We don’t like about The Go San Diego Pass
- Alternatives
- Conclusion – Is The Go Sand Diego Pass Worth Getting
What is the Go City San Diego Pass?
The Go City San Diego Pass is an All-Inclusive attraction pass that allows you to visit as many attractions, from a list of 41+ of San Diego’s best attractions during a set number of days. Your choice is of 1, 2, 3, 5, or 7 Consecutive days. The Pass used to feature Premium attractions but these have been integrated into the Pass as regular options.
How Does the Go City San Diego Pass Work?
The Go City San Diego Pass is what is known as a Digital Pass. This is a code that is emailed to you after purchase. This can be printed out, used directly on your phone, or as part of the Go City App. Either way, it is a QR code that is simply scanned at each attraction and grants you access. It is a great system and couldn’t be simpler.
Upon First Use the pass is activated. You then have the number of days purchased to use the pass at as many attractions as you like. It is important to note that days are Calendar Days, not 24-hour periods, so it’s important to activate EARLY in the day, otherwise, you lose most of that day.
Days are also Consecutive, So if you activate a 3-Day Pass on Monday you then have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to use the pass. If you skip a day you lose that day.
There are a few attractions that require reservations so make sure you check the details of each desired attraction to see how to use the pass. These tend to be tours or cruises and suchlike that can sell out so booking is a good idea anyway. However, most of the attractions are a simple case of turning up, scanning the pass and you are into the attraction!
The Go City App is available from the Play Store or the Apple Store and your pass can be added to the App making it simple to use right from your phone. The app has a built-in guide, giving valuable information on the Attractions available. It is an Offline app so you do not need a phone Signal or Data so you won’t get stuck and unable to access your pass.
How much does the Go City San Diego Pass Cost?
- 1-Day Pass: $134.00 – Adult $119.00 Child $134/$119 per day
- 2-Day Pass: $199.00 – Adult $179.00 Child $99.50/89.50 per day
- 3-Day Pass: $249.00 – Adult $234.00 Child $83/78 per day
- 4-Day Pass: $289.00 – Adult $274.00 Child $72/68.50
- 5-Day Pass: $339.00 – Adult $309.00 Child $67.80/61.80 per day
- 7-Day Pass: $389.00 – Adult $369.00 Child $55/52 per day
Is the Go City San Diego Pass Right for Me?
For some people, a pass is not the right option. San Diego has a large number of free and beautiful attractions and you can happily visit the City just to experience the wonderful coast, the Fantastic parks, and the fantastic dining scene. For these people, a pass is not the best choice.
Likewise, some people just want to see the sights and attractions at a very relaxed pace. Due to the All-Inclusive nature of the pass and the Consecutive days, this can mean The San Diego Pass is a little much. You do need to pack things in to get the best of the pass. With a 3-day pass, you need to do a lot of attractions every day to make the pass pay, and even with the 5 and 7-day passes, where the price per day drops, you still need to do at least one thing each day to make it pay, this leaves less time for hitting the beach or just exploring the area.
Note – The Go San Diego Pass has just launched the Explorer Pass option for this pass. This is a far better option for those looking for a more relaxed trip and who are just looking to save money on a few attractions. We are working on the Full Review now, but essentially this option means you choose the number of attractions and visit them at your leisure. You can Save $100’s and see the best of San Diego. There is no Sea World on this pass but the rest are still there including a few others, including the Patriot Jet Boat and Jet Ski Rental! – Check Out the San Diego Explorer Pass here
However, If you are planning on visiting the Attractions listed, or after reading the list, several have really jumped out at you, then the cost savings are hard to ignore, and as we will see later there are some other big advantages of how the pass works. Especially for people who are not really sure what they want to do when visiting the City.
So really The Most important aspect of any pass is the Attractions available, Are they what you want to do? Are they good value and will Visiting them improve your trip? With this in mind, we take a look and see what the best attractions are. But as a pre-amble, there really are some absolute AAA attractions on the Pass. These really are the things we head to San Diego for, so let’s take a look but the line-up is pretty exciting!
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Go City San Diego Pass Attractions
With over 45 Attractions available on the pass we can’t check out them all, but we take a look at our favorites and some of the most popular below. The Pass has a huge selection of things to do in San Diego and many are right on top of our Must-Do List.
Booking Attractions
Due to Coronavirus Restrictions, some attractions will require pre-booking. This is really easy to do, simply use your Pass-Code to book via the attraction you wish to Visit. This does take away a little of the spontaneity of your trip but that is just one of the downsides of post covid Travel. As restrictions wind down this is less of an issue.
Remember – Using your Pass to Book a Ticket does NOT activate the Pass, only when you arrive and Scan the Pass on the day does it count as an activation!
Sea World San Diego 1-Day Ticket ($109.99)
Sea World is one of San Diego’s top attractions and we find most people want to Visit the Sea Park on their trips to San Diego. Once the Jewel in the SoCals Theme Park Crown the park has become somewhat tarnished of late. Serious Questions have been raised about keeping Orcas in Captivity.
The Park has made large strides to improve welfare and diversified quite a lot. Its Orca are now not the Star of the show and the park is more of an ocean-based theme park. They have opened rides at a frightening rate and there are now several really top-grade thrill rides operating in the Park. The latest ride is Arctic Rescue, a Sit-On Snow Mobile ride with triple launches. The Parks Big Hitter is The Emporer Dive-Coaster by B&M a 143-foot vertical plunge into 4 inversions, it’s a bit of a beast. There is also the Electric Eel, Manta, Journey to Atlantis, and the Shipwreck Rapids.
On top of these, there is a large number of really good Animal attractions. The Aquarium line-up itself is really good and there are some great exhibits, there are also Dolphin and Sealion shows and of course, the Orca Shows are still present. These have transformed into a more educational presentation and the Whales look very healthy and happy.
There is still the Morality question of whether you want to support a park that keeps Orca captive and we understand both sides (especially after visiting Iceland and seeing the complex issues surrounding releasing Mammals back into the Wild!). We take an in-depth look at that in our review below
Check out our FULL SeaWorld San Diego Guide here
If you want to Skip Sea World the Pass is still great Value or you could consider The Explorer Pass which has most of the other attractions on it too.
San Diego Zoo ($71.00)
Often rated as the best Zoo in the world, and always in the top 3, This is one of San Diego’s best attractions. And it’s great to see it on the Pass. The Zoo is packed with incredible animals all in authentic natural enclosures. The 650+ animal species on display range from tiny beetles, lizards, and spiders to Giant Pandas, Tigers, Lions Elephants, and Giraffes. It’s an incredible collection.
While it’s great to Marvel at the animals it’s also good to know that the San Diego Zoo is a world leader in conservation. The Zoo is not just here to show you these spectacular animals but its main goal is to preserve and maintain both wild and captive stocks of the animals. Unfortunately, without the efforts of the Zoo along with other organizations, we could genuinely lose some of these creatures from the world.
The San Diego Zoo had a hand in the Rescue and recovery plan of the California Condor that would have been lost without the efforts of the Zoo, They are also part of the worldwide efforts to Save the Giant Panda, and the re-population of the California Sea Otters, This list goes on and on.
This really is one of our favorite attractions in the City, and beyond, and an absolute MUST-SEE!
Our Full Guide to San Diego Zoo can be found here
San Diego Zoo Safari Park ($71.00)
We absolutely love San Diego Zoo, but if anything the Safari Park is even better!
This Much Larger park houses its animals in larger more open natural settings. This allows you the chance to “Safari” through the enclosures to see the creatures behaving as they would in the wild. This is both a blessing and a curse. As if the animal naturally wants to sit behind a tree out of sight it will! But in other cases, the animals will approach and get very close.
You get the Africa Tram Safari included on the Pass which takes you all around the main areas of the park taking in the best of the park’s wildlife. There are also several walking tour sections where you can see Lions, Tigers, Elephants, Gorillas and so much more. There is even an Outback enclosure where the Kangaroos run loose around the enclosure with you!
The Safari Park would be a fantastic attraction on its own but combined with the Zoo it’s hard to want a lot more from an animal park. To Visit Both would cost over $100, but you get both included on the pass.
LEGOLAND California – $110.99
Legoland is back open for everyone, in or out of state, and is one of the top attractions for families visiting the San Diego Area. Both Big and Small Kids love Lego and LEGOLAND features an array of fun Family-Friendly Lego-themed rides along with hundreds of unique Lego creations.
This is primarily a family park geared toward younger audiences, but there is still plenty to see and do for adults who love Lego. The Highlight is Miniland USA a Lego build of many major USA Cities. New York, Washington DC, San Fran, Las Vegas, L.A., New Orleans. The level of detail is incredible. There is also the Ferrari build area where you can build your own supercar and race it virtually on a track, and the Coast Cruise that takes you to a few hidden delights of the park and takes a queue from Jungle Cruise on how to narrate a Cruise.
Kids will just love the entire park with a host of themed rides perfect for younger audiences. If your kids are into Lego then LEGOLAND is an absolute must-visit.
Legoland states that reservations are required, however, we found that wasn’t the case. We booked our reservation but no one really checked, we just scanned the pass and were in. But maybe the system links the pass to the reservation in some way, so we advise booking. We were still able to get reservations the day before, however!
It is worth noting that LEGOLAND is a good hour’s drive up the Coast on the I-5 and not actually in Sand Diego properly. We do not see it as a full day’s attraction though and most people only spend 4-5 hours there so you could fit something in later, or upgrade to the Water Park or Sealife Center while there for a small fee.
San Diego Speed Boat Adventures ($89.45)
This 90-minute guided tour of San Diego Bay is a real thrill. Unlike a lot of boat tours, the difference here is YOU are the Driver! The Boats are very simple to drive so don’t worry, you just open the throttle and go, then just steer and follow the boat in front. While the boats a pretty quick there is no requirement to hammer it full throttle!
Cruising the bay in this manner is a really fun experience and you get to see a lot of the bay in a very short time as you speed past the San Diego Skyline and the huge Ships and Aircraft carriers of the Naval Base on North Island.
At only 90mins this attraction should only take a couple of hours of your day leaving you free to hit some other attractions whereas Sea World could take one or more whole days out of your pass.
Reservations are required.
We did this attraction recently on our latest trip and it was AWESOME, Read more here…
USS Midway Museum ($31.00)
What to do with multi-million dollar aircraft carriers when they reach the end of their service, with some a simple trip to the scrap yard will do, others that have accrued so much history and importance that scrapping them would be criminal, you moor them up in a city and turn them into a museum! The USS Midway is one such ship!
Built Right after WW2 it was the US Navy’s lead ship for nearly half a century and served in both Vietnam and the Gulf War, before being replaced by the newer, bigger Nimitz class Carriers. Now moored on the spectacular San Diego Harborfront she serves as a living museum to the US Navy’s recent past. Its Deck and Hangor are filled with War Birds from the WW2 era, such as the F4U Corsair through to recently decommissioned aircraft such as the F-14 Tomcat (Top Gun) and F/A 18 Hornet.
The Midway Museum is a very highly rated attraction often topping lists for military museums and the best things to do in San Diego. It is definitely worth visiting but only if you have an interest in military history, even if it’s only very mild.
Read More here about our recent trip to this legend!
Bike, Snorkel, Kayak, Surfboard, and/or Stand-Up Paddleboard Rentals (up to $89.00) + Other OUTDOOR Activities!
San Diego is almost custom-designed for watersports, the calm protected bays are perfect for paddleboarding and Kayaking, whereas the wilder Pacific coastline is perfect for surfing, and more experienced Kayaking. The rugged coastline around La Jolla is great for snorkeling, although it is pretty different from what you would find at a tropical destination, The life is varied and spectacular, leopard sharks, rockfish, Garibaldi, even rays Guitarfish, and Sea lions.
The Coastline is flat with many long paved paths allowing the perfect leisurely place to go for a bike ride and explore a lot more of the coast than you could from walking.
There are a few options for rentals from “Bike and Kyack Tours” included with the pass, at both their Coronado and La Jolla locations so you are sure to find something to suit. Reservations are required for most of these rentals.
La Jolla –
- Kayak: 90-minute rental (minimum 2 Go Card customers per kayak)
- Snorkel: Full-day rental (package includes mask, snorkel, and fins)
- Full-Day – Bike Rental
- Stand-Up Paddle Board: 90-minute rental
- Full-day rental of a surfboard
Coronado –
- Tandem Kayak: 90-minute rental (two Passes are required per tandem (two-person) kayak rental. Passes may be an adult and/or child Pass combinations)
- Full-Day – Bike Rental
- Stand-Up Paddle Board: 90-minute rental
San Diego Harbor –
- Kayak: 90-minute rental (minimum 2 Go Card customers per kayak)
Due to COVID restrictions, The Go San Diego has added loads of cool outdoor activities, and these keep getting added, there is Electric Scooter Rental, San Diego Pier Fishing, Hiking Tours plus all the water sports listed above. Right now San Diego is perfect for a Covid Safe Outdoor Adventure Trip!
Belmont Park Play And Ride Pass ($60.00)
We love Belmont Park, It is an old-school seaside Amusement park that is packed with nostalgia and fun. It’s far from the high-tech modern theme parks of today but harks back to the America of old. The All-Access Pass is fantastic and lets you do most of the top rides and attractions.
We like to do this as an evening activity, which is great as it allows you full use of the pass all day but then you can head to the Park to make use of the evening too! Although the pass is only valid until 5:30! That is the final time you can exchange for the all-access, once you have the All-Access pass you are good to go until close (8-10 pm). So just make sure you get there before 5:30. You can then come and go as you please and ride whatever you like. It is not just rides included, you get mini-golf, Lazer Tag, High Ropes, wall climbing, and a Zipline!
This is an absolute must-do for Families, You will have to drag them away, there is So much for them to do at the Park!
Whale Watching Cruise – Summer, Winter, or Year-Round(Newport) ($56)
There are two Whale watching seasons in San Diego, Summer, and winter. The Summer season focuses on finding the incredible Blue Whale, while Winter is on the migrating Gray Whales, which are mighty impressive, even though they are not quite “blue whale awesome”. The Winter season runs from mid-December through April and the Summer season is July-August.
If you are there for the Whale season then we highly recommend heading out for your chance to see the Whales, seeing Blues can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If you are not in the specified Seasons then you can still do Whale Watching just up the coast in Newport Beach!
We did this on our last trip and found a 1000+ super-pod of dolphins and had the trip of a lifetime. It’s a long drive but we stopped in Newport on our way down to San Diego and you could combine this with a trip to LEGOLAND or the Safari Park as we did. In fact, even if you are in Season for San Diego Whales you are still better at Newport if you can make it work due to the underwater topography being more conducive to Whale Spotting.
If all else fails then there is also a pleasant Bay Cruise by Hornblower on the list so you can still get out and see the wildlife and the City from the ocean, even if the whales are missing.
Museums of Balboa Park ($12-$25 Each)
We haven’t included a single museum in this review as there is a whole load of them included on the pass, most of which are located in Balboa Park, You can easily check out several of these in a day or maybe just a select few that interest you in an afternoon. We adore Balboa park and it’s great to have a pass in your pocket which means you can simply nip into most of the museums that are dotted around whenever you like. The entry fees are very reasonable for each but having a pass means you don’t need to consider it just head on in and see what you think!
- San Diego Air and Space Museum – $23
- San Diego Natural History Museum – $22
- The Fleet Science Centre (IMAX) – $24.95
- Birch Aquarium at Scripps – $24.95
- San Diego Automotive Museum – $12.00
- San Diego Museum of US – $19.95
- Japanese Friendship Garden – $12.00
- Model Railroad Museum – $12.50
- The New Children’s Museum – $15.00
- San Diego Museum of Art – $20.00
- Living Coast Discovery Center – $18.00
- + MORE…
Knotts Berry Farm – $99
We are leaving this till last as it really is not a San Diego Attraction! However, we can’t ignore it as it really is a fantastic Themepark and it’s great to see it on the pass. The park sits firmly in Los Angeles (Anaheim, Technically) but still, it’s only a 1.5-hour drive (in decent traffic?). It would be best used BEFORE driving down to San Diego maybe as part of a road trip down the coast.
If you can squeeze it into your itinerary it is a simply fantastic park, some consider it the best on the west coast. This is maybe a little bit of an oversell rooted in nostalgia, but it is a GREAT park. It is themed to an old-west mining town and has a really quaint old-timer vibe.
Ride-wise it has some top coaster tech going on. Ghost Rider is the park’s headline ride, a giant wooden coaster that really delivers high-speed thrill but is far smoother than most woodies we have ridden. Silver Bullet is a nice inverted coaster, while Wave-Rider is a floorless Dive Coaster with a 150ft vertical plunge! Xcelerator and Extreme Scream offer some serious thrills in the form of a giant launch coaster firing you at 82mph over a 205 ft tophat or dropping you a colossal 252ft straight down.
Check out our guide to the Best Rides at Knotts Berry Farm Here
On top of the serious thrill rides, there are a host of tamer coasters and some more traditional rises such as a log flume and River Rapids. It’s a really good theme park that can get a little lost with all the great competition on the West Coast
Is the Go City San Diego Pass Worth It?
As you can see there is a whole heap of really good attractions included on the pass and it can actually be an issue of fitting enough in rather than finding things to interest you, which can be an issue on some passes. As such we think the purchase price is really good value. But we want to take a look at some costed examples to show how you can realistically plan your days.
There are only so many hours in a day and it is very easy to plan FAR too much. Some attractions on the list are really full-day attractions and even if you do get them done early you could be just too tired to bother with anything else. We are also going to compare it to the San Diego Explorer Pass too, this way you can see if that is better value, or if you are better with the All-Inclusive Pass
Example Go San Diego Pass Itineraries
2-Day Pass Itinerary
Day 1
Start the Day off on the Water with the really fun Speed Boat Adventure. Then head over to the Zoo in the afternoon. San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park so it’s well worth a walk around after the zoo.
- San Diego Speed Boat Adventures ($89)
- San Diego Zoo ($71.00)
- Balboa Park (Free)
Day 2
Today we head over to the Habour in the Morning before checking out the stunningly beautiful La Jolla area in the afternoon. Start off on the beautiful Harbor Cruise by Hornblower (or consider Whale Watching if in Season). Then take a look at the Midway Museum. Grab lunch either by the harbor or head on over to La Jolla’s amazing restaurants before seeing the bay from the water. There are a host of watersports-based options here you could choose to do! We just chose the Kyack as an example! Also, Consider Coronado for water sports if the surf is heavy at La-Jolla or Coronado is more convenient.
- Hornblower Harbor Cruise ($52)
- USS Midway Museum ($31)
- La Jolla Kyack Rental ($89) (requires two cards)
Breakdown
- Total Cost: $ 332
- Cost of All-Inclusive Pass: $ 199 – Saving $133
- 5 Attraction Explorer Pass: $ 140 – Saving $198
As you can see the Explorer pass is the winner here, saving an extra $65 over the All-inclusive. However, we have kept this very light, extra attractions could be added to the All-Inclusive at no extra cost, you could hire a bike to explore LA Jolla or rent some snorkel gear. This would all cost the same on the All-inclusive but you would need to pay for more attractions on the Explorer, it’s a fine balance. The flip side is you could spread these attractions out over a longer period on the Explorer at no extra cost, or do more of the higher-priced options that you just couldn’t fit into the two days
Either way $133-$198 is some big savings and you will see many of San Diego’s best sights and attractions all in 2 Days
3-Day Pass Itinerary
With the 3-day pass, you get longer to explore and the price per day drops so you don’t need to cram everything in. Again we are keeping this itinerary super light, partly to show just how easy it is to get value from the pass, but also to keep the Explorer pass in the Mix.
Day 1
For Day One we start Easy. We have put San Diego Safari Park, but that is only to keep the Explorer Pass in. Sea World would be the obvious choice here which would be even better value, but this is not included on the Explorer. In the evening we head to the Belmont Pier for some fun by the seashore! This is a push on the All-Inclusive, as you may be tired from the Safari Park, but works great on the explorer!
- San Diego Safari Park ($71)
- Belmont Park Ride and Play ($60)
Day 2
Day two is a repeat of the 2-day pass itinerary
- San Diego Speed Boat Adventures ($89)
- San Diego Zoo ($71.00)
- Balboa Park (Free)
Day 3
and again on day three
- Hornblower Harbor Cruise ($52)
- USS Midway Museum ($31)
- La Jolla Kyack Rental ($89) (requires two cards)
Breakdown
- Total Cost: $463
- Cost of All-Inclusive Card: $ 249 – Saving $214
- 7 Attraction Explorer Pass: $ 150 – Saving $313
As you can see there are huge savings even from this ultra-light Itinerary, We have limited the activities to 7 to keep the explorer pass in but you could easily add more and make the All-inclusive even better value. Again you can stretch the Explorer out over a longer period too.
5-Day Pass Itinerary
With a five-day pass, you can take your time a bit more as the Price per day drops significantly. If you pack too much in early, you will possibly run out of things to do on a 5-day pass, but the buy price is so cheap you are going to save a lot of money regardless.
Really the 7 attractions the Explorer pass offers are no longer an option here, you can easily use the Explorer and spread it out over 5 days but it’s not going to cover half of what is listed in our 5-day itinerary.
Day 1
We start off with the Speedboat and Zoo Combo!
- San Diego Speed Boat Adventures ($89)
- San Diego Zoo ($71.00)
- Balboa Park (Free)
Day 2
Unlike the 3-day pass, you are less pressured to cram as much in so you can spend a good day at SeaWorld really taking things in.
- Sea World ($109.99)
Day 3
A nice cruise around the bay, or whale-watching in season, and then check out the Midway Museum!
- Hornblower Harbor Cruise ($50)
- USS Midway Museum ($31)
Day 4
With the extra days, you can head early to La Jolla to enjoy the breathtaking coastline, and head out in a kayak or paddleboard. Then explore the beaches and Coves on a Bike armed with Snorkeling gear.
- La Jolla Kyack Rental ($89) (requires two cards)
- La Jolla full-day bike rental Rental ($39)
- La Jolla Snorkel Gear Rental ($29)
Day 5
Finally, head up the coast to the San Diego Safari Park, and then spend an evening in Mission Beach and take on Belmont Park
- San Diego Safari Park ($71)
- Belmont Park Ride and Play ($60)
Breakdown
- Total Cost: $ 638.99
- Cost of Card: $ 339
- Total Saving: $ 229!
- 52% Saving
That is some serious savings and we have barely tried to pack anything in this is just a relaxed and easy sightseeing itinerary.
While SeaWorld is definitely overpriced at $109.99, with different online ticket prices varying hugely. It will still set you back a good chunk of cash and having it on the pass saves money along with time and convenience.
This 5-day lineup is packed with great outdoor activities as well as amazing wildlife attractions and so much more. There are several high-value theme parks on the list we haven’t included such as Legoland and Knotts Berry Farm that could save you even more, but we wanted to show how even without them the savings are HUGE!
And again in 2022 we went back and saved even more!
Of Course, these are some serious savings, but amazingly we can save you even MORE! Check out our discount code below and see if you can save another 10% on the purchase price.
We think based on Price alone the Go Pass is definitely worth it. You are saving some seriously big sums of cash. However, there are other reasons for choosing a pass and we look at these below.
Check Our Promo code page to see if you can save even more!!!
Check out our Promo Code Page to see if you could save EVEN more when Purchasing a Go San Diego Pass. Click here to check out our available discount codes. or Click the Reveal button Below to Unlock our BEST current Code! Currently 10% OFF!!!
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Advantages of The Go San Diego Pass
On top of these Savings, the Pass has a few really tangible benefits on top of this. So let’s take a look at these first before highlighting the Drawbacks, as always there are negatives to everything.
Inspiration
We often find people rarely know what is on offer when visiting a new City, Sure you are probably aware of Sea World and the San Diego Zoo, but there are many other attractions you may have had no idea about. The San Diego Go Pass can help open up plenty of new and exciting opportunities you just might not have been aware of? Often some of our favorite things are stuff we have done on passes that we really wouldn’t have done without the pass.
We really didn’t know the Speedboat tours were an option in San Diego and we loved blasting around the harbor in our very own boat! The Safari Park is less well known than the Zoo, and we loved the option to rent our own watersports gear.
Planning
We always think it is important to have a plan when visiting a City. So many try and wing it and see how it goes. Their logic is they want to be spontaneous and authentic. The reality is they are being lazy and disorganized and will probably just wander about doing nothing…as we do when we head somewhere unprepared!
The San Diego Pass really helps overcome that. Having the Pass help you plan out exactly what it is you want to do each day. You can lump attractions that are close together naturally into one day so you get to see the best of the City with minimum effort. It’s not a case of rigidly planning everything, it’s more organic, You plan to do a Whale watching trip but see the USS Midway Museum is right next door, It just makes sense to kill both birds with one stone!
Budgeting
Traveling costs really add up, Food, Hotels, souvenirs, etc it can all lead to empty wallets or thumping great credit card bills when you get home. By purchasing a Pass you know exactly what you will spend on attractions. You can also pay for the pass beforehand so it doesn’t come out of your holiday funds. There is nothing worse than missing out on something because you have spent all your money, With a Pass, you get to do everything you want to do.
Less Hassle
The Pass is a very simple concept, you scan the QR Code at each attraction and you are in. There are other ways to save money on San Diego Attractions. Shopping around, finding deals, or looking for coupons, and booking everything online beforehand, you could save at least part of the savings the Go Pass Provides, but it’s a lot of hassle, and it’s not really necessary when you can just buy the pass and be done with it.
Turbo Charge your trip
We often find whenever we use a Pass we just get to see SO much more. San Diego is really no exception, without the pass all we would do in San Diego is enjoy the waterfronts, maybe visit the Zoo and Seaworld, grab some food in Old Town, Visit La Jolla, and explore the Downtown District. That’s about it, but with the Pass, we do SO much more, it really opens up a City and lets us enjoy the BEST of it, and overall we save money by doing so.
While these advantages don’t really add up to making the pass worthwhile on their own, they are of course on top of the pretty substantial savings we have already highlighted.
What We don’t like about the San Diego Pass!
The Fact the Pass is for consecutive days is disappointing. We like to relax and enjoy the beach and parks some days but with Consecutive days you need to use the pass every day to get the most out of it. We much prefer the non-consecutive day Passes that Go City offers in other cities. This is less of an issue on the longer passes, 5 or 7-day as the price per day reduces.
The Explorer Pass option can be a solution to this but then you do lose a couple of big attractions such as Sea World and Legoland.
Some of the listed prices are a bit ambitious too, booking online or looking for deals can snag you some of the savings without buying a pass, you would be hard-pressed to match the savings on offer and it would also be much more complicated than just buying the pass and getting the savings all at once, but some of the headline prices are a touch misleading.
The Sea World Attraction may divide some people. It is still debatable if Orca should be in captivity at all, and while we credit SeaWorld for ending this practice, in the long run, the issue of what to do with the animals in the meantime is a contentious one! We feel SeaWorld is doing what it can and a total worldwide boycott could do more harm than good to the Orcas in captivity, who knows what would happen to the animals should SeaWorld go bust?
While we are happy to return to SeaWorld following their changes, we know others will not be happy until Orcas are no longer kept in captivity, while it may not be possible to free every Orca they could allow the remaining animals to live out their lives in Sea pens or just not be used for public display, it’s a complicated issue as we found out in Iceland.
The way the pass works and the addition of the Explorer Pass means there is no need to visit Seaworld if you feel against it and you can still get GREAT value out of the pass. Our first two itineraries do not include it on purpose.
Almost every top attraction in San Diego is included on the Pass and as such, it can be really hard to decide what to do, the natural reaction is to try and do it all! This can be a mistake as you may just tire yourself out or rush around one attraction and fully take it in. It seems odd to say the pass just has too many top attractions and this is a downside, but in reality, you need a 7-day pass to see all the City has to offer, but often people are here for a shorter time than that, and 7 days with no break from visiting attractions is exhausting.
We really had a hard time planning out our itineraries as you are almost forced to miss out on some things just as you will not have enough time in the day to pack it all in.
Alternatives?
We don’t know of any other Attraction passes for San Diego, However, some attractions here are covered by the Go Los Angeles Pass. This is a great pass for the Los Angeles area. It covers some really top attractions. It also has a few of the top San Diego Attractions so it can be used if you are having a split base trip. It also offers our preferred NON-consecutive day format so you don’t lose days if you just chill by the pool or just do something else!
Check out our full review here, the below San Diego Attractions are included on the LA Go Pass
- San Diego Zoo, or
- Legoland California
There is also the Go California Explorer Pass which offers only the high-end Headline attractions of L.A., San Francisco, and San Diego, Check out our review of that pass here.
Conclusion.
We think the Go San Diego Pass is a really great value pass. The List of attractions is its standout feature, it just includes just about everything we would want to do when visiting the City. The only thing we would like to see is maybe a Brewery Tour, but apart from that, it covers most things from our TOP San Diego Attractions list, plus quite a few other still really worthwhile attractions.
The Price point means it can save you a large sum of money assuming you are going to visit the attractions listed and can turn a trip to San Diego into a really Memorable trip. We love the digital format and the Go City App. The Pass is just so simple to use and allows a lot of flexibility in your trip.
We do think it’s a shame the Pass needs to be used on Non-Consecutive days as all your attraction days have to be lumped together and there is less time for just enjoying the breathtaking beauty of America’s Finest City. However, it is still manageable and with the longer passes the cost per day being so much lower does help offset this a little as you can do less per day and still get good value. You will also get to take in most of the city’s beauty during the attractions so even if you spend ALL your time at attractions you should still get a deep appreciation of the City.
The money you saved can easily be put to good use in San Diego’s fantastic Dining scene! And Remember right now we have…
Check Our Promo code page to see if you can save even more!!!
Check out our Promo Code Page to see if you could save EVEN more when Purchasing a Go San Diego Pass. Click here to check out our available discount codes. or Click the Reveal button Below to Unlock our BEST current Code! Currently 10% OFF!!!
Clicking Reveal takes you directly to the Go San Diego Pass Page to input the code, we receive a small commission if you buy after clicking our link. This is how we support the Page
Have Your Say?
Let us know if you have tried the Go San Diego Pass. Did you find it good value? Did you find it helped or hindered your trip? Which attractions did to visit and what was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. And please let us know if you are planning a San Diego trip and are considering using the Go San Diego Pass! Feel free to ask us any specific questions below about how the pass works or about any specific attractions.
You May Also Like:
- San Diego Attractions
- San Diego Visitors Guide
- Where to Stay in San Diego
- San Diego Money Saving Guide – Visit San Diego On a Budget
I had no idea the San Diego Go Card could be used for so much! Just seeing the price comparison of the normal ticket prices of entertainment, I could understand how it had become so popular!
I have family in San Diego and I am so excited I came across this. Honestly the price is really affordable when you take into account how much individual admissions prices can get for entertainment in San Diego. If you have been to San Diego you know the price can add up fast like you said!
Thank you for sharing this and I will be keeping this bookmarked for future use when I go to visit family! This can be very useful and help save a lot of headaches!
Thanks,
Timm
Hi Timm,
Thanks for reading, Great to hear you are familiar with the area and can appreciate how much the Pass can save. Hope you have a great time visiting your family and enjoy all the great things on off in San Diego!
Steve
Hello Steve, What a great recommendation for the San Diego Go Card. I have been to San Diego one time and I knew when I left that I would need to get back just as soon as possible. There is so much to see and do in that town, you cannot possibly accomplish it all in one trip. And as you mentioned, the great city of LA is just up the road.
Any time that I visit an new place, I prefer to have an organized way of targeting the site seeing and places I plan to visit. And I have found that purchasing this type of card can go a long way toward helping plan your trip.
When I visited San Diego, I did make the effort to get up to LA and found that depending on the time of day, the drive between LA and San Diego can be two very different journeys. Do you have a recommended time to make that drive?
Hi Glenn,
Yep it is not easy to pack everything into several trips to San Diego let alone one! And there is so much to see and explore in So Cal in General, not to mention Vegas and The Grand Canyon, and other National Parks just a few hours drive away! That’s why we keep coming back as every trip we feel we have missed something out!
We completely agree Attraction passes are a great way of organizing your trip so you get to do everything you want, it’s so easy without proper planning to just run out of time or money to do something.
Driving to L.A the best bet is to Set off at midnight and drive through the night! Well that’s the best way to avoid the traffic but not especially practical! The key is to ensure you just miss Rush hour, but miss it at both ends, An early start in San Diego will avoid the worst of it San Diego end and by the time you arrive in L.A the worst should have cleared. However traffic can be a nightmare anytime of day in L.A!
We find the best plan it to not sweat it! We take the Coast road, stop of plenty and enjoy the scenic drive, that way It doesn’t matter how long it takes. And never have anything planned at the destination, as being on the road running late for something is very stressful, an attitude of being there when we get there makes for a more relaxed and fun trip!
Have fun on your next trip
Steve
Wow I did not realize there is so much to do and see in San Diego. Went to a Chargers game one time back in the early 2000s while passing through. When I am in the area again I will have to check out more and get one of these passes. Interesting concept. Has this pass card been around for a long time?
Of all the attractions in San Diego which ones are your favorites that you would recommend to a visitor to the city? I would be interested in the Sea world attraction, the USS midway attraction, the whale watching attraction and going to a variety of museums to learn about different topics and time periods related to the city of San Diego.
San Diego sounds like a beautiful and wonderful city to enjoy attractions and also to be outside. Not being from San Diego I did not hear much about the city.
Thanks for a great informative post about your city. Have a great day!
Hi Jody,
As we mentioned in our post we only highlight our favorites as there are plenty more attractions available on the Pass. But of those it’s hard to Ignore the San Diego Zoo, it’s an incredible place, along with the museums in Balboa Park, that’s probably our favorite day out in San Diego. However we also love enjoying the beaches and spectacular coastline of La Jolla, so the Kayak Rentals are big attractions for us. We have a little bit of a love/hate with Sea World but it is hard to deny it’s a fantastic attraction. And the Midway Museum is pretty spectacular as well.
The Go San Diego Pass has been around for a god few years now but is growing in popularity recently. We really do think it’s a great option for a lot of people.
We hope you get back soon and check out everything this amazing City has to offer
Steve
I would definitely purchase a San Diego Go Card for the cost savings and the awareness that it brings to all that the city has to offer. I agree that having to use the card for consequetive days is a bit of a downside, especially with there being a digital version; I would think that a start/stop option would be nice and achievable. Perhaps, I would buy two 3-day passes to allow for downtime in between activating the two cards.
I have a number of retired friends who enjoy travelling together. Do you know if group or senior rates are available?
Hi Sonya,
Yep it is a shame and Smart Destinations who offer the card do offer non consecutive on other passes so it is something they “could” do, but are choosing not to on this pass. I think alot of people are only in town a few days, which is a shame in it’s self but a product of simply how awesome So Cal is, just too much to see and do! So people only have a few days to use a card.
You could of course buy two 3 day passes but then the cost per day is not as competitive, but you would get two Premium attractions? Because the cost per day on the 5 and 7 day cards drops so much it does still make them good value and you can have a day off without loosing too much.
Hope you have a great time when you next visit San Diego!
Steve
I grew up in Southern California and San Diego was always one of my favorite cities. It’s so beautiful there!!!
I had never heard of the Go Card before. Is it relatively new?
I’m in Wisconsin now, but I’ll be sure to keep this in mind next time I’m visiting family in California! Thanks!!
Hi Kayla,
So Jealous of you growing up in So Cal! It is one of our favourite places in the world! And we agree San Diego is one of our favourite Cities too!
The Go San Diego Card has been around for a while but it is starting to become a lot more visible and well known in the last few years.
Hope you get back to San Diego soon and have a great time! We are heading back next Spring!
Thanks
Steve
Wow, I never knew this existed and I wonder if other cities would adopt what San Diego is doing. A San Diego Go Card makes sense and if I ever visit the city, I would definitely purchase one so that I can get into some of the greatest attractions there. I’m a single person so for me, it would definitely be worth it. I’ve always heard good things about the San Diego Zoo, so it would be a must whenever I visit the city. I don’t think I would spend the $100 for the Trolley Tour, but it is nice that it is an option. Do you know of a lot of people who have used the San Diego Go Card?
Hi Brian,
Yes there are city cards for many US Cities and all offer a similar experience, Saving lots of cash while seeing the best of the City.
The San Diego Zoo is a great attraction you would have a great time there, and the Trolley is not the best value but that $100 is without the pass, it’s included free on the pass as one of the premium attractions.
Of course we know tons of people who have used the pass, the are every popular in both San Diego and other Cities, we have used these passes numerous times and always feel they improve our trip! We are heading to Las Vegas and San Diego in the Spring next year and will make sure we are well equipped with Passes, just like our trip to New York next month …Passes at the ready!
Hope your next trip to San Diego is a great one
Thanks
Steve
As a tourist, I think this card is great, especially if you don’t know your way around the city, or what is on offer. I would rather go by bus than have to contend with driving through traffic in an unknown place.
There seems like there is a lot to do, so I would maybe take 1 or 2 days at time, otherwise it all may seem overwhelming trying to see as much as you can in as little time as you can.
Sea World looks great, but the speed boats would appeal to me a lot more.
Hi Michel,
Great to see you like the sound of the Pass, It really can help you get the best out of San Diego if you are unsure what it is you want to do and see! You could definitely buy two 1/2 day passes but the cost per day could be high where as buying the longer passes the cost per day is lower and you can space the attractions out more so it’s less overwhelming. But you need to see what suits you best and what will save you the most money.
It’s a tough choice between Sea world and the Speedboats but sea world wins for us, but we are all different.
Thanks for Reading
Steve
I have been to San Diego a couple times, but I never get to see everything I want to see. Your article on the San Diego Go Card showed me that I am defiantly doing it wrong. Do you know how far in advance I can buy the Go Card? We will be going out that way around Christmas, but I would like to buy it now.
Thank you for this article. I think you might have just made our vacation! Clay
Hi Clay,
Yeah it can always be hard to pack so much into one trip there is so much to see and do you have to be very organised to pack it all in or just prioritize, as travel is not just about doing, sometimes it’s about relaxing and soaking it up too! But if you want to get as much in as possible the Go San Diego card is a great way to maximise you time and finances!
A pass can be bought up to 1 year in advance so you would have no problem buying now for a trip a Christmas, they are not activated until the first use!
Thanks for reading, Have a great trip. We are pretty jealous, we don’t get to go back until MAY!
Steve
WOW!!! Loving the Site.
Great to see you give the Cons as well as the Pro’s. Most people seem to love or hate these passes so it’s hard to know if they are any good, but your review just lays it out so we can make our own minds up!
Well done and thanks for a truly amazing online visit to San Diego a city I have yet to visit. But It’s definitely on my list Now!
Hi Donnie,
Glad you liked the Post and the site. There are defiantly a few negatives to passes like these so it’s important people know the pitfalls to see if the pass would suit them. They are fantastic products but just don’t suit everyone!
Hope you get to San Diego soon, It’s such a great City,
Thanks for reading
Steve
The San Diego Go card seems like a real simple way to visit attractions. I would definitely love to visit Sea World. I can see why it would be a very popular place to visit. I love the picture of the Panda. The Zoo and the Safari Park sound like a great way to see all kinds of different animals, that you would not usually see. Lego world also sounds like a great idea. It looks like a lot of fun.
Hi Shy,
Yeah the Pass really covers some great attractions, and makes a Trip to San Diego much more complete and rewarding, along with saving a lot of cash.
Hope you have a great trip
Steve
This is incredible and I had no idea something like this exists. Also the price seems more than fair. That is a lot of fun packed into a short amount of time but they are also attractions that I have always talked about. Thank you for taking the time to write this review. I know it has already given me some ideas about next years holidays.
Hi Dale,
Yeah we hear quite often that people are unaware of these products and we intend to spread the message as we really do think they are great value for money and really help people get the best of their trips.
The Nature of the pass does mean you need to cram quite a bit into your trip but it does mean you get a lot done and get to see many of San Diego’s best attractions in a short window!
Hope you have a great trip next year
Steve
After reading your article I have to say that I did not know that there was so much to do in San Diego. So this is going on my bucketlist for places I should visit some day or another in my life! And mainly because of the San Diego Go Card option as this will really keep the costs down.
Because this is why we never really do a lot of stuff when we’re on holiday, because every excursion you do costs a lot of money.
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Jurgen,
Hope you get there soon, It really is a great City and really good for families! So much to see and do, and as you say the Pass really opens up the opportunities. We are headed there next year and it’s a case of there is just too much to do and fitting in everything is the challenge!
Its such a shame when you can’t do something you want due to budget constraints. We all wish we could live like millionaires but the reality is we only have so much money. That is one of the things we love about the pass. It’s not that it saves money but it maximise what you have so you can see and do so much more than you would with the same budget! Remember there are passes for most Cities in the USA!
Hope you get to see San Diego soon, Don’t leave it for another life, you will definitely regret it!
Steve
Hi,
First of all, thanks a lot for this very in-depth review of the San Diego Go Card. I really enjoyed reading it and learned a lot. I initially just wanted to read this article to find out if the Go Card is worth it or not. But this article also told me about so many awesome things to do in San Diego which helps in planning my trip to San Diego.
Keep up the great work!
Hi Ios,
Yeah, we find the passes and subsequently our articles provide a really good basis for planning your trip. There are so many things to do on the card and often our favorites are things were almost certainly would not have done without the pass.
Hope you have a great trip to San Diego
Steve
I really want to visit this place, along with other places in California. But I have this little problem here wherein the processing of passport and tourist visa take quite lengthy. I am afraid that if I buy the card now of this card, I might wait for too long the card may risk expiring. So, I’d like to know by asking you if the card has an expiry date and can be rendered useless if I am not able to use it immediately. If I buy now, how long will it be valid?
Hi Gomer,
The pass has a 12month expiry date, From Purchase to first use. So if you buy now you have a full year until you need to use it.
That said if you are waiting for a Visa there is no need tp buy until you have all that sorted, flights book and are ready to go. The Pass is not going anywhere. We tend to buy about 2 months out from our trip, This helps spread the cost.
You never KNOW what is going to happen with Visa’s etc so why rush in?
Steve
Wow! This one page is so detailed It is almost a travel guide on its own But I see you have so much more info about San Diego as well. I really never knew there were s many attractions in San Diego We were not sure we were going to do San Diego but we definitely will now and definitely get the pass! Me and My Friends are planning a major trip to the USA and will definitely bookmark your page to help us plan it!
Thanks
Hi,
Great to see you and your friends are planning a big trip. Touring America really is one of the best trips you can take. Have a look around our site as we cover many USA Cities with tips and advice on how to visit them all.
Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve – it’s been awhile since I’ve been to San Diego, so I don’t remember if they had this available back then. But, I love this idea of the Go Card. Especially since it’s a digital pass and you can access it on your phone. There are so many things to see and do in San Diego. I agree, it would be nice if you didn’t have to use the pass in consecutive days. Maybe they’ll eventually make that change.
Thanks for this information.
Michele
Hi Michelle,
Yeah hopefully, On some other passes, especially in beach locations, they do offer the non-consecutive pass, so they might bring this option to San Diego. As it’s always nice to have a break from attractions and just chill by the ocean.
Glad you like the pass,
Hope you have a great trip to San Diego!
Steve
Hi! Thank you for this cool guide! I have found your site very useful and thank you for recommending the San Diego Go Card. I could check out by myself the attractions included and it is sure worth it. Even if I hand picked a few I would still end up spending much more. So, for me it’s a no-brainer.
Among the top attractions, we’re definitely going to Sea World. And our kid’s will love to spend a whole day at Legoland. We have made our minds for a 5-Day Card. Both, Sea World and Legoland are included in it!
Hi Henry,
Good choices and with just Legoland and Seaworld you have almost covered the cost of the pass, meaning all the other things you do are very cheap/free. We do suggest the San Diego Zoo As well, It’s really good for the family.
Hope you and your family have a great trip,
Steve
Hello Steve,
We are looking at planning a trip to San Diego and are blown away by the number of things to see and do for both kids and adults. This could obviously be very expensive so it’s great to see how much we could save with the Go Card.
As I side not do you know if there are any fishing excursions from San Diego. It would be great to drop the family off somewhere while I head out fishing!
Thanks in advance.
Regards!Claudio
Hi Claudio,
Hope you have a great trip to San Diego!
You are right there is so much to see and do it really can get pricy so the savings the card provides really can help you see a lot more than without. We are sure your family will have a great time!
As for Fishing, there are loads of possibilities for shore fishing in San Diego with loads of piers to fish from along with place’s to rent fishing equipment too. There are also Charter boats you can book a space on that head out to deeper water to target either sport or bottom species.
Thanks for reading
Steve
When I first heard about this pass, I thought it was too good to be true because I can’t understand how they can get away with providing so much for a single low price. After reading this though, it sounds pretty legit. Each of the destinations would cost so much more to pay for them individually. This is perfect for me because we are going to be there for five day. I think the three day pass would be perfect. We can have three days of activities and two days to relax at the beach and do some free activities around San Diego like hiking.
Hi Eric,
Yeah, we advise not having the pass for all of your time there as you will want to do other things and chasing the pass around all the time is exhausting. So a 3-day Pass for 5 Days is perfect.
These types of Passes can seem a bit too good to be true but we find we always get incredible value and see and do so much more than we would without a pass.
Hope You have a great trip to San Diego!
Thanks for reading
Steve
What an indepth and insightful article. I admire the way you update the attractions when changes are made. This way visitors (or homies) won’t be disappointed when they reach San Diego and find out that an attraction is no longer available or cost more than they budgeted for. You have obviously researched this extensively and like me, I believe readers will trust the information that they find here. Kudos!
Yeah, we do regular Audits on all our pass reviews to keep them up to date.
As for research we do that the old fashioned way. Buying the Passes and hitting the Cities. Next Month we head To Las Vegas and San Diego, armed to the teeth with City Passes!
Thanks for reading
Steve
I think it’s really cool that cities like this provide the option of purchasing one of these cards and then being able to visit just about everything on offer (time permitting of course!).
I’m also impressed by the overall price of it, as separating each attraction up and paying individually for each option would come to a lot more. Is there any way you can claim a refund if for some reason you cannot use the card in it’s entirety? (illness etc).
Hi Chris,
We too really love City Passes and always use them when visiting Cities, we head to San Diego next month and the first thing we sorted was Our San Diego Go Cards!
They offer a 30-Day Guarantee on all un-used cards. So if you cancel or postpone your trip as long as it is within 30-days you get your money back. If it’s longer than that then the card is good for up to 1 year from purchase, so you can always rearrange the trip.
Once activated though they do not refund your purchase, so if you only use 1-day of a 3-day pass, for example, you would lose the other days. This would be the case with most other pre-booked tickets, however.
Hope that Helps
Steve
It seems lot of benefits are attached to the San Diego go card. My cousin and his family visited the place in the summer of 2017 and they had a wonderful experience stopping by at the San Diego zoo and as well going on tour in the city. I am planning my vacation for later this year and I think San Diego would be our destination but firstly I will purchase the San Diego go card to bring my family down to have an amazing experience of the beautiful city.
Hi Felicity,
Great to see you are heading to San Diego!
We have just got back and had a superb time using the Pass, Check out our Live Blog for more on this latest trip. Like Cousin and Family, we had a great time at San Diego Zoo and you definitely need to check it out. Saand Diego is such a great City and you will have a great time, especially if you use the Go San Diego Pass!
Hope you have a great trip
Steve
The Go San Diego Card actually looks like it is well worth the money. I have yet been to San Diego, but have always wanted to go. Been to other parts of CA, but San Diego is definitely on the cards. I’m going to bookmark this page and get the card when I finally do book a trip there. Would love to see the San Diego Zoo.
Hi Nate,
You should definitely put San Diego on your list if you enjoyed the rest of CA. San Diego is a real highlight. We tended to avoid it, to begin with thinking it not as special as other CA destinations, but that is a mistake. It is a wonderful city, really laid back and beautiful with tons to do!
Grab a San Diego Go Card and get down there to check out all this amazing city has to offer!
Steve
If you are going to these attractions listed then this looks like an outstanding deal. When it says “unlimited all-inclusive” does this mean that you do not have to pay anything for the attractions listed, because if so, that is a really good deal. We are going to be heading to the west coast in a few months so we will check it out.
Hi, Al
Yes, the pass offers inclusive entry (you don’t pay anything at the gate) to all the attractions listed on the pass. You simply scan the pass at the gate and you are in.
Some attractions have extra optional fees such as enhanced experiences (meet the Dolphin experiences, VIP privileges, etc…), but these are totally optional and not always the case. And of course, the Pass does not cover any food and drink purchases.
You really can visit as many of the attractions listed for no extra cost other than the initial pass price. The issue really can be how many you can really fit in and not doing things other than what you really want to.
Hope you have a great trip, these passes are available for most cities in the US so make sure you check them out where ever you are going!
Steve
Having bought similar passes in the past I would advise anyone thinking of buying one to think first and then make a logical and informed decision.
I have found myself visiting things that I really wasn’t that Interested in, just to make good use of the pass. I have even seen myself rushing between places to fit them all in and missing out on everything around me in-between.
Start with a bit of research on what the passes give you access to. Decide which ones you will visit with or without the pass. Now add up the entrance fees. If less than the pass then consider if it is a good buy or not and whether you will have time to visit the other attractions. If the pass works out cheaper then decision made and it doesn’t matter whether you visit any of the other things it covers, or not.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for the feedback.
These are certainly issues with the Pass. Especially the Rushing Attractions and the City itself. We call this Chasing the pass and it’s the sole focus on getting MAX value out of the pass at the expense of all else and it is indeed a false economy.
San Diego is such a beautiful city it is essential to look up and take it in, along with all the attractions there is far more to this city than just its tourist attractions.
You will see our example Itinary’s are very light, and there is ample time to take things in and still get great value.
But you are right in that the attractions must be ones that are appealing to you, there is no point doing things you don’t enjoy just to save some perceived money if you were not going to spend it anyway.
The flip side is the pass does open up the chance to see more than you might without. Take Balboa Parks amazing Museums, We visit at least 2 of them or trip, at $20 each we would probably only visit one, if that, but being on the pass means you can visit as many as you like and get a far more rounded experience.
At present, the pas is very heavily geared to outdoor activities, and if these are not your thing then the pass might not be great right now, but we think most of us are enjoying being outside right now!
Again there are some things that we just consider too expensive and would not have paid for in full, The speedboat tour is awesome but at $80 each, it’s a big outlay! Even the San Diego Zoo at $62 is a big ask and that’s one of the MUST SEEs,
With the pass, all these cost issues go away. You pay the one-off cost and enjoy as much as you please. Our itineraries show how easy it really is to get great value, by only visiting a few things, allowing ample time to enjoy the city as well.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Steve
Very informative post with tonnes of information.
San Diego is on my “list” to visit and seeing all the attractions and knowing about the passes makes me want to visit even more. It is also great to hear things are opening up in the more touristy destinations and getting back to normal!
I do think the consecutive nature of the pass is a bit frustrating but I think if I visit it’s still worth it.
Well done
Hi David,
Hope you get to San Diego soon, it is a really wonderful city, with so much to see and do! And we totally agree it’s great to see tourism opening back up.
Yes, the Consecutive days is a bit of a chore, but we do find visits to the City are quite hectic, and packing things into a few attraction days does work out ok! And you can still save a TON of cash!
Hope you have a great trip
This looks like great info for the San Diego Go Card. I’ve been wanting to take some visitors around town and this looks like a great economical solution. I recently visited Legoland and San Diego Zoo and these prices for the go card seem like a great savings. Do you know if there is a price discount to order 2 weeks of the pass so we can get to more of the attractions?
Hi Alyse,
Yep if you are heading to the big headline attractions the pass really can save a heap of cash,
Sorry, the longest Pass on offer is the 7-Day Pass, We would much prefer the pass to be non-consecutive as these give you two weeks to fit all the attractions in. Maybe look at the Go Los Angeles Pass as these have many of the big San Diego Attractions along with the best of L.A and these are non-consecutive and last two weeks? it’s an option, especially if you plan on taking your guests up to L.A
Steve
From someone who has always wanted to go to San Diego this article is such a great researched and written piece. I had no idea that there was so much on offer here.
I love how you have broken down each part in to pro’s and cons. The pass does seem like a great value for money as long as you can try and cram a lot into each day. I like to go a bit slower so I might miss out on some stuff.
I think for a families with younger kids it would be a great value to them to get as much as possible out of a trip to San Diego.
Thanks for such a well written informative article.
Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks, we spend a lot of time evacuating the passes and actually trying them out on location. They definitely save you lots of money if used right!
The longer the pass the less need to rush and you can take your time and still get a lot in. They really do help you see the best of the city. We understand people who like to go slow, but go too slow and you may miss out on quite a bit!
Steve
Hi there, I was looking for some travel destinations and I realized I had never been to San Diego. After all that pandemic, I really needed to take a break and visit something new. I’m a big fan of visiting all attractions from a city so I guess this Go Pass card would be really worth the money for me and my family. I’m probably going to get the 5 days one, as I don’t plan to stay longer than that.
Hi Ashley,
Hope you have a great trip to San Diego and have a great time with the Pass.
We so, know what you mean, 18months of lockdown has been killing us! Cannot wait to get back out there and see the world.
Steve
HI Steve. Thank you for another great review. We are planning to visit San Diego with kids in September and this pass seems as a great way to save money. Definitely we want to see zoo, sea world and space museum and all these attractions are covered by pass. Can’t wait to see this beautiful city and card will also mobilize us to plan trip better to see as much as possible.
Hi,
If you have Kids make sure you check out the Speedboat Tours of the Bay! these are so much fun, along with some of the Watersports! Kayaking or Standup Paddleboarding at La Jolla are amazing fun, the water should still be just warm enough in September.
Have an amazing trip
Steve
Hi Steve, thank you so much for the wonderful review on the Go San Diego Pass. In fact I never knew about this product until I came across your post. You are absolutely right that the costs can add so much if we try to do all the site visits ourselves! Now that I came to know of this Go San Diego Pass, I will surely make use of one when I will visit San Diego with my family. The best thing is that it’s digital so I can just have it on my mobile phone! The savings potential is amazing too. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write such a detailed review! Extremely helpful. Thanks a lot.
Hi Augustine,
Thanks, we really love the San Diego Pass. There is so much to see and do in the City, it really does break the bank but with the pass, it is all just covered! The reality for us is we would probably just do far less without the pass, so rather than saving money per se, it’s opened doors to the City and got us to do things we would have otherwise missed and that is basically priceless!
Have a great trip
Steve
The best way to see a city, is with a city pass. This is what I have always experienced. It means you can see the main attractions, and then you know which ones you want to come back to and spend more time at.
San Diego seems like a great city to use a go card in. With the variety of attractions, I think the best way to explore San Diego, is with a go-card. With an expiry of 2 years, you cannot go wrong with a go card.
Hine Line,
We are big fans of the city passes as they really do help us see the best of a city, and you are quite right San Diego is a great city to see with a Pass. There is just so much to see and do in the City and the Pass really helps you get the best of it.
Hope you get to Visit the City soon!
Steve
There’s a saying that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! We Recently Visited the City with a 3-Day Pass and I think every dime we paid for the pass was worth it considering all the fun we had. We visited Sea World, The San Diego Zoo, Several Museums at Balboa Park, Belmont Park, The Uss Midway Museum, a Harbor Cruise, and we even went Kayaking in La Jolla
It is a fully fun-filled and adventurous Trip and we saved a fortune!
This is a great Review Thanks it really brought back the memories!
Bethel
Thanks, Bethel,
Glad to hear you had a great time with the pass, you definitely packed a lot in!
Steve
We are planning a trip to San Diego (and L.A) and are only just exploring our options, we were mainly planning on visiting for the outdoors and natural spaces, I had no idea San Diego offered such a wide variety of activities and sights.
Which San Diego attractions are your favorites and those you would advise a visitor to the city to visit?
The Go San Diego Pass sounds like such a great option, we will definitely be considering one!
Thanks
Hi,
There really is so much to see in the City. Our favorite attractions are some of the less obvious ones. The speedboat adventure rocks and we love the bay or whale watching cruises, the outdoor activities are also great, trying out paddle boarding or kayaking, especially at La Jolla.
But we also can’t miss out on San Diego Zoo, and of course, Seaworld is always a GREAT day
Steve
Wow, there really is so much t do on this pass! We are planning our trip to San Diego next year and can’t believe how much is on the Pass. We really want to visit the Zoo and Seaworld, but we will ensure we check out the Speedboats, Whale Watching and so much more. This will really help us plan our trip. We are so excited!
Hi Bojana,
Sounds like you have a great trip planned for next year. San Diego is really packed with things to do so you will have a great time
Steve
I have traveled to San Diego many times, and couldn’t agree more with the cost ranking up quickly for each of these attractions. This is why we always explore passes, but in some states, you have to be a citizen living in that state, so we need not check out the Go City San Diego Pass. After reading your review In my opinion, after forking out money for each attraction believe the Go City San Diego pass is the best option.
Hi Jannette,
The Go City passes are available for many cities and there is no requirement to be from the same state.
Hope you get to go back to San Diego Soon and check-out the PASS
Steve
The Go CIty San Diego Pass looks to be worth purchasing if you are planning on seeing a number of attractions. It sounds like you would need to do a bit of planning to ensure you are able to fully utilize the card during your stay. My question is, how does this card stack up to savings websites such as Groupon, especially for places like the zoo or Sea World?
Hi Kelly,
Getting Group-Ons and hunting out other offers is definitely a good way to rival the savings offered by the pass.
It is hard to compare exactly as the Group-on savings are finite, whereas the savings provided by the pass are variable depending on how you use it. Typically we see around 40% savings with the pass but have saved up to 60%, you would be very hard-pressed to find those sorts of savings with discount codes and Group-ons.
The other big factor is, that is a lot of effort. Multiple codes, print-outs, tickets, different methods of redeeming, it may not sound much, but it’s a real faff, with the pass, it’s so much simpler, it’s all in one place and most attractions you just scan the pass and you are in.
We hope you enjoy your trip to San Francisco,
Thanks for reading,
Steve
For a second there I was taken aback with the price range, but that was until I got a good view of the things one will be doing for that price, which is insane! I love that there’s already an app that makes things so much accesible and easy to accommodate and have some peace of mind. The only “semi-con” I see in this is the fact that the days have to be consecutive. For someone like me, who is disabled and struggles with several mental health problems, that can be a challenge itself. But overall, I think this is a great idea and it surely saves you so much time and money when planning to visit San Diego.
Hi Stephanie,
It is a fairly large outlay, but when you consider the number of attractions it covers and how much they cost it’s certainly good value when used correctly.
We are absolutely not fans of the Consecutive Day Nature in this instance. Some of the other passes are non-consecutive and we think that would work better here. You might consider the Explorer pass, as this is based on the number of attractions, not a day-limit, so you can work out what you want to do and then just visit them on your own time table. The possible savings are a little less, but it would probably work FAR better for your trip.
Have a great time
Steve
Hey Steve,
Thanks for this article.
I had no idea that certain US cities offer ‘go passes’, but when you list in your article the cost of attractions, you can see how the costs can easily rack up very quickly, which makes the idea of an all-inclusive go pass very attractive.
It’s incredibly cost efficient too going by the figures you have provided.
Thanks again for this detailed and enticing article. San Diego has never been on my radar, but you’ve just converted me. Another one on the bucket list! :o)
Cherie
Hi, we know most people are not aware of the Passes and just wing it paying for staff at the gate. These passes can save a fortune and really show it pays to do a little research.
San Diego is a really fun and beautiful city. We definitely recommend you give it a try
Steve
A city pass sounds like a great idea for those who love travel and love adventure. I imagine those who travels for leisure wouldn’t find any value in a city pass. You can’t ignore the savings so even on a leisure vacay even a one day pass may be worth it.
The idea of a city pass is awesome for the city of San Diego. Being able to offer a way for people to enjoy the city from a technological standpoint making it simpler to explore. I have friends in San Diego and maybe it’s time to take a trip and visit. Grabbing a city go pass may be well worth it!
Thanks for sharing this information!
Geoff
Hi Shannon, most people heading to Cities for travel are more of the adventure type, most people do not find much relaxation in Cities, even chilled cities like San Diego. But as the San Diego Pass is non-consecutive you can mix fun days in with days chilling on the beach or whatever it is you do to unwind.
Hope you have a great time when you visit your friends in the City
Steve
I used the Go City San Diego Pass during my recent trip to the city, and it was a game-changer. With the pass, I effortlessly explored numerous attractions like Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, and the USS Midway Museum, all without worrying about individual ticket prices. The convenience of the digital pass on my phone made entry smooth and hassle-free. Plus, the 90-day money-back guarantee and extended validity offered peace of mind in uncertain times. While it’s true you need to plan a packed itinerary to maximize savings, the pass undeniably helped me make the most of my San Diego adventure without breaking the bank. Highly recommended!
Hi Liam,
Thanks for the Feedback, Great to hear you had a good time with your Pass.
Glad to see you had a great time in San Diego
Steve