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My husband and I had a great experience with the CityPASS San Francisco last summer so when my daughters and I took a girl’s trip to New York City it only made sense to take advantage of CityPASS New York City. Our friends at CityPASS gave us two passes to try and we purchased a ticket for our youngest. CityPASS New York offers two options. We chose the option with admission to six attractions. Retail price $122 for adults and $98 for children.
What do you get?
1. The Empire State Building
2. American Museum of Natural History
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
4. Top of the Rock Observation Deck OR Guggenheim Museum
5. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island OR Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise
6. 9/11 Memorial & Museum OR Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Related Topics
New York City in a Weekend
Is the NYC CityPass worth it?
CityPASS allowed for flexibility in our schedule. With the CityPASS, there are no preset times for entry which worked perfectly during our time in NYC as we were hit with a major snowstorm. When I had previously visited the Statue of Liberty and the 9/11 Museum I purchased individual tickets and I had to choose a specific date and time. In a high traffic, busy city like NYC meant that we left early to arrive on time, but then we waited for our entry time. I certainly didn’t waste time or stress on my visit to NYC with CityPASS.
CityPASS savings allowed for attractions that originally weren’t in the budget. On my previous visit, I was more selective on attractions and passed on the Empire State Building. With these savings, my girl’s trip included all that I wanted to experience.
CityPASS offers a booklet, which is the method we had in San Francisco. I opted for the email ticket and found this to be convenient and hassle-free. With two children it was less to keep up with and worry about losing. I was emailed a barcode that worked for all attractions. I screenshot it for even easier access to my photos, but the email included information for all of the locations as well.
Here’s what we need with our CityPASS. When visiting NYC keep in mind that many of the attractions have significant security measures in place so entry can be slow at times. I recommend only carrying the necessities to save time in line.
1. The Empire State Building
Empire State Building opens early and closes late so you have plenty of time to visit and you can have one additional visit later on the same day. Be aware that the CityPASS only gives access up to the 86th floor so if going all the way to the 102nd floor is on your bucket list you will need a separate ticket. Once on the 80th floor, you begin to learn about the history of this magnificent skyscraper.
2. American Museum of Natural History
Visitors can easily spend half a day on the four floors of exhibits. We were given two choices of shows to choose from to view in the planetarium. The girls chose Space Show.
3. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Take a stroll through beautiful Central Park to get from the history museum to the art museum. This art museum has three floors of exhibits. CityPASS holders save $1 on the optional audio tour. We only had two full days for attractions so it was perfect that both of the museums were within walking distance and on Fridays and Saturdays, the art museum is open until 9 pm. For us, that was perfect so we planned both museums on the same day and had time for both. The art museum offers a family guide to help engage the youngsters.
4. Top of the Rock Observation Deck
Check out the great view of the Empire State Building and downtown Manhattan from the 67th, 69th and 70th floors of the Rockefeller Center. You can even see Times Square. We traveled by subway so getting here was easy. It’s a direct stop off the subway and you never have to go outside. Great short videos play as you wait to enter the history of the Rockefeller Center. I thought coming to a second skyscraper attraction would lose its appeal but the history, view, and atmosphere of each were unique experiences and worth the stop.
5. Statue of Liberty: Ellis Island
Step right up. No line to have ticket scanned here. Ticket includes access to the museum and pedestal only in the Statue of Liberty so if you want access to the crown you will need to purchase a separate ticket in advance. The tour is self-guided and boats leave about every 40 minutes so you have time to walk the island and enjoy the scenery. A snack bar is on the boat as well as a dining option on the island.
6. 9/11 Memorial & Museum
Skip the ticket lines and head straight to the entry door here. This is an emotional and powerful exhibit that also offers an audio tour that I suggest you purchase when you arrive. My girls are 9 and 13, however, there were children
of all ages. We visited both the Statue of Liberty and 9/11 Museum the same day since they are located in downtown Manhattan. If you plan to visit them on the same day, I suggest the Statue of Liberty first since it opens at 8:30 and will be less crowded.
We found the NYC CityPASS to be a great value for the money and includes many of the must-see attractions in the city.
