The New York Sightseeing pass has only recently come to our attention and as the New Kid on the block, the Pass is beginning to make some waves. On the face of it, the sightseeing pass is very good value for money, offers access to most of the top New York attractions, and offers all the usual benefits of an attraction pass. But how does it stack up in reality and how does it compare to the long-established passes on the Market? The New York Sightseeing Pass Review aims to answer these questions and more so you can see if the Pass is worth it and if you would get the best out of it on your trip.
Passes are not a great idea for everyone, but the Sightseeing Pass is very flexible and has many options so it’s a good option for a lot of people and the price is pretty competitive when compared to the competitors and has a few significant differences that really make this stand out from the competition. So let take a look and see if the New York Sightseeing Pass is Worth it?
2023 Update
For at least the time being, we are withdrawing our recommendation to use the Sight Seeing Passes. There have been an unusual amount of really poor reviews coming through. We have not been able to get a pass in hand on the ground to investigate, but it seems the company has really struggled through the pandemic.
We cannot verify the authenticity of some of the claims but the passes do not seem to cut the required level of accuracy in their product descriptions. We hope this is rectified soon and we can do another thorough review of the pass. We have left out old thoughts up, but we fear these are outdated.
For now, if you are still looking for a New York Pass, and we do still highly recommend using a pass, then look at:
The New York Explorer Pass from Go City, as an alternative to the Flex Pass
The New York Pass as an alternative to the Day Pass.
We know these Passes work super hard to keep everything up to date and all entry and reservation requirements accurate.
And do not discount the New York CityPASS, which is always great value.
- Product: THE NEW YORK SIGHTSEEING PASS
- Price: Day Pass: $129-$359 Flex Pass: $74-$264
- Price Child: Day Pass $99-$229 Flex Pass: $51-$209 (3-12yrs)
- Where to Buy: Sightseeingpass.com
- Number of Attractions Day Pass: 150+ Unlimited use
- Number Of Attractions Flex Pass: 1-12 From 150+
- Time Limit Day Pass: 1-10 Days
- Time Limit Flex Pass: 30 Days
- Expiry: 2 Years or Full Moneyback Guarantee with optional insurance costing 4% 0f the Value
- Rating: ⭐ 1/5 Stars
Attractions Included:
- One World Observatory
- The Empire Statebuilding
- The Ride
- Top of the Rock Observation Deck
- The Edge Observation Deck
- 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
- Circle Line Landmarks Cruises
- Madame Tussauds New York
- Museum Modern Art (Moma)
- Hop On Hop Off Bus (72 Hrs +)
- Dining Credit for selected Chain Restaurants
- +Many More, Click here for all attractions
BONUS – $40 Credit to use at CitySightsNY.com –
In A Nutshell
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Price
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Ease of Use
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Attractions
Summary
A worrying number of terrible reviews.
We need to get back to New York with this pass to investigate.
What is the New York Sightseeing Pass?
city sightseeing buses are a common sight in many major cities all over the world and have been operating successful open-top bus tours around the worlds landmark cities for decades. Now they have branched out into the attractions pass market to bring their fantastic expertise in City Sightseeing into providing Attraction Passes for various Cities across the USA.
One such pass is the New York Sightseeing Pass. And on the face of it seems a very good offering. It is very flexible and offers a competitive price point and option to rival pretty much any other pass on the market! We will take a close look at that later. But that is only half the story. New York Passes get some bad press on certain Travel Forums with the expert adamant they offer poor value and diminish the trip experience. So we will take a look at that also.
The New York Sightseeing pass also has just about every top attractions covered. The list of over 100+ is very comprehensive and ticks off all the big hitters.
Comparisons
Let’s see how the Pass compares with its major rivals. The Pass’s Flexibility means it is a direct competitor for most of the major New York Passes, let’s see how it matches up!
New York Sightseeing Pass Vs New York CityPASS
We have always loved the CityPASS and it is one of the first attraction passes we used. It is a great pass for people just wanting to see a few attractions and not be rushed into cramming too much into the trip. But the Sightseeing pass offers a similar offering with its 6 attraction flex pass.
Attractions:
- Empire State Building: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
- American Museum Of Natural History: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
- Metropolitan Museum of Art: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
- Top Of The Rock: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
- 911 Museum and Memorial: CityPass ✔ Sightseeing Pass ✔
As you can see the same attractions are available on both cards so there is nothing to choose there. You may know that on the CityPASS you can choose the Guggenheim Museum, Circleline cruises or the Intrepid Air and Sea Museum instead of the top of the rock, Statue of liberty or 911 Museum. These other attractions are available in the Sightseeing pass too so there is really little to choose based solely based on attractions.
Price:
- New York CityPASS: $136.00
- 6 Attraction Flex Pass $164.00
The Current Flex pass Offer means it bests the City pass on price JUST. However, when you consider the fact the City Pass also includes a Same Day Night Time return up the Empire State Building. It is a tough call.
NOTE – We had to rewrite this paragraph while putting together the article as the pricing changed and we expect it to change many times in the future. The perma-sale really does make it hard to keep up and you should check current pricing to see which is cheaper at the time you plan to purchase!
If the Ridgid pre-selected Nature of the CityPASS doesn’t suit you. Then With the Sightseeing pass, there is no need to be tied as you can choose any attractions you like from the extensive list. However, if this is the case the New York Explorer Pass may also suit. Let’s take a look at how that compares.
New York Sightseeing Pass Vs New York Explorer Pass
The Comparison here is far more straightforward. The Flexi Pass and the New York Explorer Pass both work pretty much exactly the same way and the attractions almost identical, Covering almost all of New York’s Big Hitters. So really it comes down to Price.
As you can see the Flexi pass beats the Explorer pass in almost every case and the ones where it doesn’t don’t make a lot of sense anyway as an upgrade is almost the same price such as the 6 attraction instead of the 5 attractions.
To Visit the Empire State Building you need to use the $40 credit and book the experience through CitySightsNY.com and it counts as an attraction from your quota. It’s all a bit of a faff when you consider the EmpireState is just included on the Explorer pass
There is only a small difference but as ever it can add up when buying Multiple passes. To separate these Passes it may come down to the fact this is the ONLY pass to include the One World Observatory. If that is on your list then this is the pass to go for. You also get a 72hr Hop On Hop Off Bus as one of your options which is really good value. The Explorer pass only offers a 24hr Bus Pass.
The Sightseeing pass also has some interesting Dining options included on the Pass but really we don’t see these as good value options on the Flex Pass.
Another thing to consider is the “perma-sale” that Sightseeing run. There is almost always 20% off. If that sale does ever end then the Explorer pass is far more competitive and they too offer discounts from time to time! If there is a 5/10% promo code on the Explorer Pass it blows the price war right open.
New York Sightseeing Pass Vs THE NEW YORK PASS
This is the battle royal of the All-inclusive passes. The Heavyweight division. Looking at the head to head weight in it’s going to be a close fight. Their pricing is SO similar we have to assume they are peeking at each other’s cards and even their endless promotion (Always 20%ish off) tactics are very evenly matched.
So to kick off we need another table to compare Prices of the passes. We are just looking at the “reduced” online prices as this is what you will be likely to actually pay. But Remember these could fluctuate as the promotions change. They are almost always on offer but the promotions can vary from 10-30% during the year.
| Number Of Days | New York Pass - Adult | New York Pass - Child | Sightseeing Pass - Adult | Sightseeing Pass - Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $124 | $94 | $129 | $89 |
| 2 | $179 | $149 | $179 | $149 |
| 3 | $199 | $149 | $199 | $159 |
| 4 | - | - | $223 | $175 |
| 5 | $239 | $169 | $243 | $179 |
| 6 | - | - | $259 | $191 |
| 7 | $259 | $179 | $275 | $207 |
| 10 | $319 | $199 | $319 | $223 |
As you can see here we see a reversal in the price trend of the Explorer pass. The New York Pass tends to beat the Sightseeing Pass on most durations. While it can only seem a few dollars when buying multiple passes it can add up. The extra $40 credit becomes more of an annoyance here as having to book a separate attraction is a bit of a pain really when the card is all-inclusive you don’t really need to be going through extra hoops to book attractions.
The Sightseeing pass does have two really big advantages though. The Pass offers Hop On Hop Off Bus travel for the duration of the pass. This is really neat and while we don’t advise using this for every trip. It can be really helpful getting around some of the time. If you are in a rush then it’s a poor choice, and we advise using the subway, But using the HOHO Bus can be a really fun way to get about when you are not rushing.
The sightseeing pass also allows several food options that are not included on other passes. On the Flex pass, we think these are poor value as you lose on attraction from the pass. But on the All-Inclusive, this isn’t the case. It’s a great way to get some free or discounted food at a number of chain restaurants. Well worth checking out and very interesting addition to the Pass.
It is also the ONLY Pass to include the One World Observatory so this may be a consideration. Other than that the Attractions included are very similar and there is little to separate the passes. Really the passes are So similar there is little in it. Some of the Sightseeing pass perks may be worth the extra few dollars over the New York Pass but really Both Passes are very very similar.
So with the battle of the passes out the way, we need to address the Issue…
Is the New York Sightseeing Pass Worth it?
Here is the thing, on the Face of it, yes it is REALLY worth it. IT is easily possible to save Hundreds of dollars overpaying for the attractions individually. You can see our example itineraries below and the clearly show how easy it is to save big buck with even simple itineraries.
This isn’t the whole picture though. There is no need to spend your entire trip in New York doing Paid Attractions. There is a ton to see and do in New York without Spending a penny. Just taking in the sights and sounds of the big City still makes for a great trip. So you need to decide if a Pass is right for you.
It’s very Easy to look at the huge list attractions on the Sightseeing Pass (or any other) and plan out complex itineraries of all the things you want to see and do but the reality is you won’t have the time to fit them all in and even if you did it would be incredibly exhausting! Really 2-3 Attractions is all that is do-able each day depending on what you want to do. So on the All inclusive passes, it’s important to factor that in. Don’t think you can fit 5/6 attractions in a day!
We tend to prefer the Flex pass for this reason. You can choose your attractions beforehand and just pick them off as and when without tearing around the City trying to cram in value. Six or Severn attractions is still a pretty hectic short break and will feel like you have seen A LOT of the City. Especially if lumped in with a load of free attractions like Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and a spot of Shopping.
So in Theory, if you are already planning to visit a number of paid attractions then it makes perfect sense to save costs by buying a pass. But what about the Claims on Travel Forums that a pass can ruin a trip and cause more queueing a frustration than not having a pass? Well, we feel these claims are VASTLY overblown and are pretty much people with little experience Parroting things they have heard before a common problem on all forums and Social Platforms. Let’s see how the pass works in practice to see what the fuss is about!
Sightseeing Pass in Practice
The Claims revolve around two issues. And are not Unique to the Sightseeing pass but all passes in general.
- No Pass includes entry to the Statue of Liberties Pedastal or Crown
- The Passes Do not Allow Pre-Booking Timed Attractions Tickets leading to Vastly increasedQueueing times.
The First point is True and undeniable. In theory, you can book entry to the pedestal on the day but we have never seen walk-ups available as they often sell out beforehand. So if the Visiting the Pedastal or Crown is important to you (we are not so sure it’s very important and can happily leave it!)then You have two options.
1 – Forget about the passes and book separately and spend up to 50% more than you need, as advised by the Forum Experts.
2 – Don’t use the Pass for the Liberty Island trip. But still get the Pass and save money on most of your attractions. And Book the Liberty island cruise with the crown and pedestal Options. You will still save possibly $100’s and get the Statue experience you want.
The Statue cruise is a pretty cheap attraction so not overly good value choice when using a Flex pass anyway. While it is an Issue it’s hardly a show stopper in our opinion.
The Second issue is the Timed tickets Problem. This is the main reason they advise against a pass. While it is an issue it’s wildly blown out of proportion. And overall we think the pass enhances a trip!
The Problem is at some attraction your pass is not a ticket but a way to get a ticket. You have to queue up at the ticket booth and they provide you with the next available ticket. This is the Same as if you walked up. But if you book directly ahead of time you can purchase a timed ticket so when at the attraction you go straight to the entry queue.
So the Forum Experts advise its better to spend an extra 50%, which could easily be $300+ dollars or more and buy all your tickets ahead of time. We Disagree and not just to save money but they are simply wrong about the level of impact this will have, The pass has a host of other advantages too. The three problem locations are
Statue Cruise
With the Statue cruise, you do first have to visit the Kiosk and they book you onto the next available cruise. This is normally around 30 minutes at all but very busy times. Interestingly this is about the time it takes to queue up and get through security ready for boarding! The Timed ticket is for the departure time so in most situations, after getting the ticket you need to join the security queue right away to get through to the boat for the departure time. It can get very busy at Battery park and at times the queues are pretty insane. Having a timed ticket would avoid some queueing at these times but you will still have the long security lines to contend with. Our advice would be to avoid these sort of times like the plague regardless of ticket type and try and get there early and do the Statue cruise as your first attraction of the day.
9/11 Museum and Memorial
The Museum is often wrongly named as a problem issue. This is because it also offers timed tickets. But we believe this is based on outdated information. The Sightseeing pass (and other Passes) have a dedicated line. You do not need to use the ticket line to get your timed pass you simply go straight for the entry queue. We think in the past this was not the case and you would have needed to join the ticket queue, which can be very long. But it’s simply not the case anymore.
Top Of the Rock
The top of the rock does cause a few problems. Upon arrival, you have to join the ticket queue and get your timed ticket for the top. This is due to limited space at the top. It is worth mentioning the “queue” is normally pretty short and the pass gets you in the VIP queue which we have never had more than one person in front of us. You will then get the timed ticket for the next available slot. Usually around 30 mins max. The Rockefeller center is an easy place to spend 30mins!
These are really the only attractions where issues arise and really you need to weight up if these disadvantages are worth potentially $100s of dollars? And really it doesn’t end there The Pass can have a few other significant advantages even over Timed Tickets! There is another problem with timed tickets apart from costing more that is ignored by the forum Experts!
FLIPSIDE!
Having a timed ticket for an attraction has its own downsides. They suit people who are incredibly punctual and who know EXACTLY where they will be at any particular time. But really they remove any flexibility in the trip and normally mean you have to do things exactly as planned which can cause problems with a trip, especially once the weather gets involved.
For example, We wanted to visit the Top of the Rock at Sunset. We planned this for a particular day and made our best to get there for that time. We were late and the weather was pretty poor so we skipped. Used our pass to book a ticket for two days time when the weather was better. If we had booked a timed ticket we would have been no better off time-wise (as most attractions let you rearrange unused timed tickets) but much worse off financially.
Same for our Statue Cruise. We planned to be there for 9:00 am and if we had booked a timed cruise that is when we would have booked it. We didn’t arrive at battery park until 9:30. If we had a Timed ticket we would have needed to queue up to get it changed anyway. This also would have had knock-on effects for the rest of the day (we were going to the 9/11 Museum right after!).
What we are saying is booking all your tickets in advance isn’t the cure-all solution to a perfect trip. Things happen, you get held up, the weather is an unknown beforehand. By booking timed tickets ahead of schedule you are very likely to need to rebook them when in the city which is basically the same as having a pass, only you paid a lot more for the honour. If everything goes perfectly if the weather plays ball 100% and you have the perfect regimented trip where you get to every location right on time. Then your expensive pre-booked timed tickets are great. But our experience shows this rarely happens!
Other Advantage of a Sightseeing Pass
Flexibility
As we mentioned above one of the big advantages of a pass is the flexibility it provides. Wake up to low cloud on the day you planned to go up the Empire State building? No problem head to the museums that day instead! Maybe your Statue cruise is threatened by a storm high winds and rough conditions make the bay seem very uninviting. Not a problem re-arrange you cruise for another day! Maybe you just wake up and don’t feel like what you have planned, maybe tired legs make the thought of a day of museums a nightmare. Basically, Have a sightseeing pass gives you endless opportunities to chop and change and keep the trip varied and fluid. It is one of our favourite things about the pass. We hate regimented itineraries with no wiggle room where you are basically just being frog-marched around the City, dictated to by a piece of paper.
Planning
That Said, Not planning a trip at all is a recipe for a bad trip. Having a Sightseeing pass gives you a great foundation to build a plan or itineraries upon. It’s also pretty essential for a good trip as you need to group activities together in certain places to get the best from the trip. New York in a big place and without a degree of planning you will spend most of the trip travelling around the City.
Inspiration
While most people know about the big headline attractions in New York we hear loads of times of people who have found something they loved just from having a pass. The huge number of attractions really opens up the possibilities and you can find things you never knew existed that you really loved.
Budgeting
New York Trips can get really expensive and it’s awful if you are forced to miss out on an attraction because you run out of money. By getting a pass you know exactly how much you are going to spend before heading for the City. No chance of missing out and no nasty Credit Card Bills when you get home. You either spend less or do more with a Pass!
Simplicity
We used to take Huge folders filled with pages and pages of ticket printouts for all the things we wanted to do and for all our pre-bought tickets. It was all a bit of a pain. When using a Pass pretty much all you need is your Phone. Just scan the pass and you are in.
We know these advantages are pretty small but they really can help make a trip. A New York trip often a once in a lifetime dream trip and a pass can really take it to the next level. They can add up to making the pass worthwhile even if there wasn’t a substantial cost saving, but when you consider you can save over 50% on top as well it’s a very attractive offering.
Pitfalls
The Sightseeing pass is not perfect, however. There are some drawbacks and possible pitfalls which are things to consider before purchasing.
Timed Tickets
We have addressed this issue in depth above so won’t repeat ourselves but it is a minor drawback.
Chasing the Pass!
We so much on offer and with a hefty initial outlay the temptation is to try your best to cram in as much as possible in order to get value from the pass. This is a big mistake and could ruin the trip. Not only can it lead to disappointment when you don’t have enough hours in the day to fit in 6 attractions it is also exhausting. It can lead to you rushing attractions and not getting the full experience and missing out on the many free attractions and sights the City has to offer. We ALWAYS supplement Paid attractions with the free stuff to get the full experience. In our Example itineraries, we show some great ideas on how to do this.
Over-Estimating
Like Chasing the pass it is also easy to think you can just fit too much into a day. There are only so many hours in a day and getting around eats a lot of this. 2-3 Attractions is pretty much the limit and even 3 attractions would need to be quick ones. Again Our suggested Itineraries are pretty realistic guides.
Which Option should I go for Flexi or Day Pass?
This depends on what type of trip you are doing and how long you are in the City. The Flex Pass is perfect for those knowing what they want to see and fitting it around lots of sightseeing, shopping and free attractions. As the number of attractions is fixed it’s easier to fit them in while spending other time doing things that interest you.
The all-inclusive passes are perfect for those wanting to see and do it all. If you are in town for a while the long duration offers fantastic value even if you only do a few attractions per day and even miss the odd day.
<<<Click here to Buy Your New York Sightseeing Pass Direct at the Lowest Price!>>>
A Look at the Attractions
There are over a hundred activities included on the pass. Some of these are far better choices than others but all the hugely popular NYC Attractions are included. Here is a quick rundown of the best available. Before we take a look at some sample Itineraries.
Hop On Hop Off Bus – $59+
The Hop On Hop Off Bus’s get some pretty bad press and that is because people try and use them as transport. For this purpose, they are pretty poor. The queues can be big and they take a long time to get where they are going. It is still a good option though if you see it as a tour that happens to be going to where you want to go. Enjoy the ride and the sights and sounds of the city from the top deck. If you are in a hurry get the Subway!
Observation Decks
Seeing the City from up on high is one of the best things to do in the is one of the best things to do in New York. The scene from these lofty heights is like nothing on earth! But which tower to choose? Well, the Sightseeing Pass is the only pass to offer ALL three so you don’t need to choose!
One World Observatory – $34
The Sightseeing pass is the ONLY pass to offer this observation deck. The highest and most modern deck it’s an impressive feat and well worth the visit. Its downside it is indoors but in the winter months that can be a blessing!
Top Of The Rock $39
Probably the BEST view in New York the Top Of the Rock should be the best of them all. It provides stunning views of Midtown and the Empire State building and views of Central Park. It is a stunning place to visit. We highly recommend hitting this at sunset to get the best of the day and night views of the city.
Empire State Building Experience- $37
While the Top of the Rock is logically the best, There is just something Magical about going up the Empire State Building. It is our Top Pick. Despite it being impossible to Justify Logically you just need to be able to say you went up the Empire State Building!
NOTE! – The Empire State building is not included on the Sightseeing Pass attraction list! However, every pass comes with a $40 Credit to spend at CitySightsNY.com. Here you can spend that credit on the Empire State Building Experience. It still counts as 1 attraction off the Flex-pass so don’t see it as an extra. We are not sure Exactly why they have done it this way but at least it gets you into one of New York BEST attractions.
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – $18.50
The only way to get out onto Liberty Island is on the Statue Cruises, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Cruise. There are other ways to see the Statue but to actually get on the island you need to do this tour.
TIP – It’s one of the cheapest attractions and when using a Flex pass can actually make more sense to book separately. If you want to go up the Pedestal or Crown you will need to do this anyway.
9-11 Museum and Memorial- $26
A Visit to the 9/11 Memorial is free to all, but if you want to visit the incredible Museum you will need to pay. This is included on the pass and it right up there as one of New York’s must see’s. It is pretty sombre and emotional but it has to be seen to fully understand the cities history!
Museums
New York really does have some of the finest Museums in the world and everyone is well worth a visit depending on your tastes. All the top Museums are included on the Sightseeing Pass.
Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) – $25
Metropolitan Museum of Art $25
American Museum of Natural History – $22
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum – $24
Dining
The card features some Dining credits that can be used for free meals or money off at certain Chain Restaurants. This is a great idea on the Day Pass but probably not a good use of an attraction on the Flex Pass.
Buca Di Beppo – New York Italian Restaurant – Save $15
Planet Hollywood – Times Square – Save$15 Lunch
Buffalo Wild Wings – Free Prix-Fixe Menu, worth $25
Example Itineraries
Long Weekend
Arriving Midday on a Friday and leaving mid-afternoon on Sunday. A hectic trip but when time is short you have to make the most of it!
Friday
- Hop On Hop Off – 72 Hours – $59
- Empire State Building Experience- $37
- Central Park – $Free
Saturday
- Statue Cruise – $18.50
- 9-11 Museum and Memorial- $26
- Brooklyn Bridge – $Free
- Shopping 5 Av and Macy’s – Free
- Dinner (and show?)at Time Square
Sunday
- Metropolitan Museum of Art $25
- Top Of The Rock $39
- Leave
Costing
- Individual – $204.50
- Flex Pass – $120 – 6 Attractions
- Day Pass – $199 – 3 Days
The Flex Pass is probably the best option here as the limited time gives less opportunity to get the attractions in. With this whirlwind tour, you are packing in all of New Yorks major sights and attractions. It will be a hectic trip but that’s often the nature of really short visits.
3 days
This three-day trip assumes you arrive in New York the day before and leave the day after giving a full 3 days of attraction time.
Day1
- Hop On Hop Off – 72 Hours – $59
- Empire State Building Experience- $37
- Shopping 5 Av and Macy’s – Free
- Top Of The Rock $39
Day2
- Statue Cruise – $18.50
- 9-11 Museum and Memorial- $26
- Wall Street and Downtown – $Free
- Brooklyn Bridge – $Free
- Dinner (and show?)at Time Square
Day3
- Metropolitan Museum of Art $25
- Central Park – $Free
- American Museum of Natural History – $22
Costing
- Individual – $226.50
- Flex Pass – $165 – 7 Attractions or $120 (+18.50)
- Day Pass – $199 – 3 Days
While the Flex Pass is still the best option here the pace of this trip will be a little more relaxed and you could pack 1 or two more attractions is if you wanted to use the Day Pass and this would be great value. You could consider using the dining credit options to save even more!
Tip – You could buy a 6 attraction pass here and book the Statue Cruise separately and it will actually cost less than a 7 attraction pass overall with the current sale pricing! $120 Flex pass + $18.50 Statue Cruise!
5 Days
Again this tour presumes you are in New York for 5 whole days.
Day1
- Hop On Hop Off – 5 Days (with the 5Day pass) – $59+
- Empire State Building Experience- $37
- Shopping 5 Av and Macy’s – Free
- Top Of The Rock $39
Day2
- Statue Cruise – $18.50 (booked Separately if using flex pass)
- 9-11 Museum and Memorial- $26
- Wall Street and Downtown – $Free
- Brooklyn Bridge – $Free
- Dinner (and show?)at Time Square
Day3
- Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum – $24
- High-line – $free
- Chelsea TV and film Locations (sex and the City / Friends / Ghostbusters)
- Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) – $25
Day4
- Metropolitan Museum of Art $25
- Central Park – $Free
- American Museum of Natural History – $22
Day5
- Circle Line Landmarks Cruise – $37
- One World Observatory – $34
- recover
- Rooftop Bar!
Costing
- Individual – $346.50
- Flex Pass – $179 (+18.50) – 10 Attractions
- Day Pass – $243 – 5 Days
This tour shows the value the Day Pass has over longer periods. Without packing in too much per day it still offers huge savings and fits so much into your New York trip. If you choose the Day pass for this you could do other attractions and use some of the Show and Dining options to save even more. This really would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip that you will remember forever…It might take you that long to recover too!
<<<Click here to Buy Your New York Sightseeing Pass Direct at the Lowest Price! >>>
Final Word – Is the New York Sightseeing Pass Worth it?
There is little doubt, if used correctly the Sightseeing Pass can save incredible amounts of money. Along with a good number of other advantages. For most trips, we feel the Sightseeing pass is a good option. It rivals its competitors in some instances and in others, it comes pretty close. It includes a few options that make it stand out from the crowd.
There tends to be a Perma Sale on where it’s always discounted so make sure you take advantage of that as non-Sale Prices are pretty uncompetitive. We don’t really like this sales tactic but being aware of it helps, However, if you see a good offer it can be worth taking it as the offers do change slightly from time to time.
On the whole, the Pass helped make out trip far better than without the downside that the Forum experts rant about have little impact anymore and we feel the pros outweigh the cons, and that’s ignoring the potential hundreds of dollars you could save.
Bottom Line – We always Arm Ourselves with a Pass when heading to New York and love the savings we enjoy because of it. Whether you choose the excellent Sightseeing Pass with its many options or one of its big rivals you are sure to have a once in a lifetime Dream trip.
<<<Click here to Buy Your New York Sightseeing Pass Direct at the Lowest Price! >>>
Have Your Say?
Let us know if you have any question or queries about the New York Sightseeing Pass? Its a complex offering and we are pretty aware our Review has turned into a MONSTER! but you could be spending upwards of $1000 on these for a family so it pays to make sure you are getting it right. We are happy to clear up any questions you may have about how the pass works or what is included, Just Drop us a comment.
Also, feel to let us know how the pass worked out for you? Did you get your money worth? Did you feel it was a good buy and were the attractions you chose worthwhile? We would welcome any feedback on the downsides of the cards? Did you suffer any additional queueing or was this offset by the benefits? Just drop us a comment Below. We would love to hear from you.
There is so much to do in New York. It is easy to get paralyzed by indecision. A pre-made tour is a great solution for many people.
For those who can’t afford a travel agent, the New York Sightseeing pass may well be the next best option. Especially if it comes with a great, easy-to-navigate brochure.
Hi Micheal,
Yes the pass can be seen as alternative to a travel agent but we see this as a pretty outdated concept. Do people still get one person to plan their holidays for them? We also don’t see the pass as a pre-made tour, the flexibility and Variety means it’s so much more. It allows you to tailor your own trip on the fly to suit mood taste and weather conditions.
It is a modern way to see a city as opposed to paying someone else to plan out the trip. The fact it can save a bundle on top is just an added Bonus!
Thanks for reading
Steve
It is always good to have some idea about how you are going to plan a trip. Passes certainly take some of that responsibility off one’s shoulders. You have certainly done a detailed review on New York City passes. Should I ever go to that city again I think I would like to try one after reading your post on them. They are not perfect but once you know how to work with one it seems you can get much value out of it.
Hi,
Thanks for reading. Hope you get back to New York soon and get to try out the Pass. We certainly find they are a big help in planning out our trips. Unfortunately nothing in life is perfect but as you say they issues can be mitigaed somewhat.
Thanks for reading,
Steve
Wow, this is all great information. Thanks so much for the comprehensive post. At the moment I’m only dreaming about our next trip to the USA but I’ll definitely come back to your site and check out your recommendations again when the dream starts to become a reality and I get to the booking stage.
Hi Emma,
Hope you get to realise your dream soon! New York City is an incredible place and one we should all visit at some point. Make sure you book mark us and check back when you finally make the trip. We are always adding new, exciting content to help make your trips even better
Thanks
Steve
Thank you for writing this article! My wife and I often talk about travel and New York usually comes up in those conversations. I for one would like to visit the 9/11 memorial. I was young when it happened and over time it shaped the world especially the United States as we know it today.
Hi Mike,
Glad the Article was interesting for you. Hope you and your wife get to go to New York Soon. It is a breathtaking City. The 911 Museum and memorial are fantastic places to visit with incredible amounts of history and very modern history at that. As you say the events that day really have shaped the last few decades.
The 911 Museum and Memorial are included on the Sightseeing pass along with 100+ other attractions.
Thanks for reading
Steve
Wow! I had no idea about the Sightseeing pass. It sounds like a great deal and I’ll be passing the info on to my sister who is going to be in New York this fall.
If you were planning a trip to New York, how long do you think would be ideal? Could I see most of the big attractions in a couple of days, or would you recommend longer (keeping in mind that I have kids with me)?
Hi,
Yep if used correctly it is a really good way to save. We hear all the time people who have never heard of the attraction passes.
Yep you can get a good taste of New York in a couple of days. However we prefer a bit longer. With kids even more so. We can charge about on our own and not worry, Lids have a habit of dawdling and get tired and grumpy ( TBH So do we but a quick stop at a bar can perk us up lol) But you good still see the highlights such as Central Park, The Empire State and Time square in a couple of days quite easily. The longer you are there the better though, and to pack in most of the attractions takes a good long weekend Fri-Mon.
Our next trip will be Tues – Sunday and we are already struggling to fit it all in! Really it’s a case of working out how much time you can afford and then work out how you can fit in what you want. But even a few hours in New York is incredible. Just stepping foot in this incredible City is fantastic!
Hope your sister has a great trip and hope you and your family gets there soon too.
Steve
Hey Steve,
This sounds so amazing, I’ve always wanted to to visit new york! I have an uncle in boston and i haven’t been to the US for 13 years already :/
Seeing that I could cut cost almost 2 times more the longer i stay, I’m definitely going with the flex my next time there.
It’s a bummer that you missed the top of the rock though, it would have been beautiful to catch the sunset there. Out of curiosity, would the time ticket allow me to set my time for the attractions?
Hi Riaz,
It’s OK we didn’t Miss the Top Of the Rock at Sunset, We just had to Re-Arrange for anther day and got to see the Sunset in all it’s Glory, one of the advantages of the pass that it allows this flexibility!
Yep the Pass means you get a timed ticket for any time you want in the Future, when we missed the Sunset we simply booked a Timed ticket for sunset in a couple days later.
Hope you get to get back and see your Uncle and Visit NYC soon and hope you get good use out of your Sightseeing Flex Pass.
Steve
New York is one of those cities that I’m glad I visited at least once, unfortunately I didn’t think really know what places to go or what to do when I was there back in 2012. There is so much history and things to do around there, where do you even begin? Having the sightseeing pass could really help me discover New York in a much more efficient way.
I plan on going on vacation later this year around Christmas or maybe early next year around May, haven’t decided where to go yet but New York is definitely an option. I especially look forward to the statue cruise, do you know how big the boats are on those cruises?
Hi Kent,
Completely agree, New York should really be on everyone’s must see list it is really such a great city. Like you on our first visit we didn’t really where to begin. We found having a Pass really helped us plan and organise out trip and the negative responses from travel forum around these pass’s really inspired us to review the passes for others.
New York at Christmas is really special thing and we really do recommend you checking it out. Have a look at our What to do in New York at Christmas post for ideas and inspiration?
The Statue cruises use very large ferries, 800 Passengers and 42m in length, they are largely unaffected by the swell and waves in the bay.
Thanks for reading, hope you have a great trip wherever you end up
Steve
Wow I am so impressed with the value this pass gives, the list of attractions is extensive and many are very attractive indeed!
Shame you cannot pre-book but I think that is outweighed by the huge savings you would make if your trip is solely to visit the attractions.
Thank you for this very informative article, I have bookmarked it for when we do visit New York and now its gone higher up on my ‘places to visit’ list.
Hi Dianne,
Glad you can see the value in the pass, we do think it represents great value for money. It certainly does cover most of New York’s best attractions and can transform a trip into something truly special.
Hope you make it to New York soon and take advantage of the pass to see this incredible City.
Steve
This is so interesting! As a previous New Yorker, I had never looked into New York Passes. I mean when you’re living there, you tend to find other ways to tour since you have some time to look through places.
One of my biggest dilemmas was when I had visitors. Since I lived in New York at the time, everyone would ask me for a lot of suggestions and where to go and where not to go. I had heard of New York passes, but I never recommended them because I felt like it would be nicer if I gave them a tour. But doing this probably cut down a lot of sightseeing routes that a lot of tourists take. Would you recommend in this situation to buy a New York pass?
Hi Parmi,
Yeah we know what you mean we hear all the time New Yorkers who never really visit the attractions in the way a tourist would.
we think with guests from out of town a pass is still a good idea. We are sure locals could give a great tour of the best sites but as you say these are often not what tourists want to see. We do want to go up the ESB, we do want to go out the Statue, so we think a blend of both is best. So they can experience the City as YOU do but also get to see some of the world famous tourist attractions too. And of course saving some pretty serious money at the same time!
We think Locals would probably enjoy this too to get a different look at the City they see every day!
Thanks
Steve
Great list of attractions, I have never been to new york. I would have no idea where to start. It seems like there is so much you can do. I think it would be great to be able to visit the statue of liberty and Ellis Island as well as Madame Tussauds and the Museu of Modern Art.
Hi Shy,
You should definitely consider a visit to New York! You are right there is so much to do. We are heading there next week and putting the itinerary together is making even my head spin. So much to see and do! The pass really makes it so much easier though! And it’s great to not have to worry about budget or how much things cost as the pass has it all covered!
Thanks for reading
Steve