Here at The Savvy Backpacker I primarily concentrate on Europe — however after residing in New York City for over six years I made a decision to do my very own New York Pass Review since I may give an insider view.
NYC is filled with issues to expertise and the New York Pass can actually enable you see a number of what this superb metropolis has to supply. But is the New York Pass an excellent deal or is it a waste of cash?
The reply — effectively, it relies on your journey model. Some individuals find yourself saving some huge cash however others discover it a little bit too limiting. Keep studying to study extra about this sightseeing cross and if it’s a whole lot for you.
New York Pass Considerations
New York City is dear. No doubt about that. Almost each museum is $25 and most different points of interest price anyplace from $18-$35 — so even visiting two or three issues a day can simply price you $75+.
But half the enjoyable of NYC is exploring all of the neighborhoods and Central Park — that are clearly free.
New York Pass Quick Review
In a rush? Here are the broad strokes.
The New York Pass is a GOOD deal if:
- You need to see quite a bit and also you don’t thoughts packing your day with actions.
- You’re solely in NYC for just a few days.
- You’re a first-time customer.
- You’re already planning on visiting many of the costly points of interest.
- You need to use the Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour.
- You need to skip the ticket traces at a number of points of interest.
The New York Pass is NOT A GOOD deal if:
- You’re on a brilliant tight price range.
- You solely need to see just a few paid points of interest.
- You’re in NYC for an prolonged time frame so you’ll be able to unfold out the sightseeing.
- You have a legitimate scholar ID — many museums have scholar costs however you’ll need to double-check.
New York Pass Basics
The New York Pass offers you entry to over 90 points of interest so just about every thing you need to see must be coated by the cross — together with the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Edge Observation platform, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, MoMA, Guggenheim, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New Museum, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, bike leases, and a handful of strolling excursions — there are additionally a handful of different lesser-known museums as effectively.
Price of the New York Pass (2022)
UPDATE: The New York Pass lowered its costs in 2021-2022 so it’s turn out to be a greater deal than in earlier years.
Adults (ages 13+)
- 1-day: $129
- 2-day: $174 ($87/day)
- 3-day: $199 ($66/day)
- 4-day: $229 ($57/day)
- 5-day: $259 ($52/day)
- 7-day: $299 ($43/day)
- 10-day: $339 ($40/day)
So, as you’ll be able to see, the cross isn’t low cost… however it might find yourself being an excellent take care of a little bit planning.
NOTE: They usually run particular offers so test the Official New York Pass Website for any present reductions.
New York Pass Highlights & Main Attractions
As we mentioned earlier than, the cross covers over 90 points of interest. Some aren’t value your time however just about all the most important points of interest are coated. Here are the highlights…
Note: Click right here to see every thing that’s included within the New York Pass.
Attractions On The NY Pass
There are a handful of points of interest on the New York Pass however these are among the hottest.
- Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $45
- Empire State Building Observation Deck: $45
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $18
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $44
Museums
New York has a loopy quantity of museums and the New York Pass covers many of the must-see ones.
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $25 (Free Friday night, 4:00–9:00 p.m)
- American Natural History Museum: $25 (it’s pay-what-you-want for NY/NJ residents solely)
- Guggenheim: $25
- 9/11 Memorial: $24
- Whitney Museum of American Art: $25
- Brooklyn Museum of Art: $16
- New Museum: $18
- Intrepid Aircraft Carrier Sea Air Space Museum: $24
Walking Tours, Bus Tours, River Cruses, Bike Tours, Etc.
Many excursions are included within the New York Pass — together with a number of strolling excursions, river cruises, many self-guided bike leases, and some constructing excursions (Yankees Stadium, Madison, Square Garden, and so forth.).
NOTE: The excursions provided on the NY Pass appear to vary usually so it’s greatest to go to the New York Pass web site to see what’s at present on supply.
- Hop-on-hop-off bus tour (in the future): $53
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $44
- Various Tours and Walking Tours: Most excursions included within the cross are valued at round $30-$50.
- Food on Foot Tours
- SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown Tour
- Greenwich Village Walking Tour
- Central Park Tour
- Central Park Bike Rental and Tours
- Hudon River Bike Rental Self-Tour
- Madison Square Garden Tour
- Yankees Stadium Tour
- A bunch extra
Observation Decks
All the primary remark decks are provided on the New York Pass and these are all high-value points of interest. Most individuals solely go to one or two nevertheless it’s good to have a number of choices.
- Empire State Building Observatory: $48
- Top of the Rock™ Observation Deck: $45
- The Edge: $44
- One World Observatory: $45
Let’s Do The Math — Is The New York Pass Worth The Money?
Obviously, there are tons of of combos in terms of selecting what points of interest to go to. However, we’re going to listing out the preferred however you’ll must do a few of your personal planning primarily based on what pursuits you.
Note: You get to skip the traces at most points of interest — which is actually a bonus.
One Day Pass — $129
Let’s see how a lot you’d must do to make the one-day cross definitely worth the cash.
- Top of the Rock (Rockafeller Center Observation Deck): $39 [visit in the morning]
- Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $25
- Empire State Building Observation Deck: $39 [visit at night]
- TOTAL: $156
The key to getting worth from the One Day cross is hitting the costly points of interest. If you don’t thoughts visiting the remark decks for Rockafeller Center and the Empire State Building on the identical day then it’s pretty straightforward to get your cash’s value. We threw within the bus tour as a result of it’s a very good option to see a number of the town — particularly if it’s your first time. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is a wonderful museum so that you’ll need to see that.
If you didn’t need to do the $53 Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour then it will get a little bit trickier as a result of it’s such a big-ticket merchandise. If you substitute that with one thing just like the Guggenheim ($25) you then’re just about breaking even. When it involves the remark decks, you’ll be able to substitute that with a strolling/bike tour or one other museum.
Note: The New York Pass generally upgrades your hop-on bus tour to a two-day cross free of charge — however you’ll must test the present promotions.
One-Day Pass Conclusion: This cross could be definitely worth the cash if you happen to don’t thoughts packing your day with a number of of the costly actions (i.e. remark decks), a museum, and also you need to do the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour. Otherwise, you’d have to go to many less-expensive points of interest to interrupt even.
Two Day Pass — $174 ($87/day)
The Two Day cross is a bit more fascinating as a result of it permits you to journey at a barely much less frantic tempo than the one-day cross and also you don’t must cram in all of the costly issues into in the future.
Day One
- Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $39
- Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
- Central Park Bike Rental/Tour: $35
- Guggenheim: $25
- TOTAL: $152 ($100 with out the bus tour)
Day Two
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $25
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $41
- Whitney Museum of American Art ($25) or a Neighborhood Walking Tour ($30)
- TOTAL: $95. You might add simply add a late-night Empire State Building Observation Deck ($39) so this complete could be $135.
Two-Day Pass Conclusion: The Two-Day cross generally is a whole lot — particularly if you happen to add in just a few of the costly points of interest. You’ll nonetheless must fill your day with sights nevertheless it’s actually manageable.
Three-Day Pass — $199 ($66/day)
A 3-day cross is a stable choice as a result of it permits you to see a number of issues with out having to jam-pack your day with stuff.
Day One
- Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $39
- Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
- Central Park Bike Tour/Rental: $35
- Guggenheim Museum: $25
- TOTAL: $152
Day Two
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $41
- MoMA: $25
- Whitney Museum of American Art: $25 (if in case you have the power)
- Neighborhood Walking Tour: $32
- TOTAL: $100-$123
Day Three
- 9/11 Memorial: $26
- Neighborhood Walking Tour: $32
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $18.50
- New Museum: $18
- TOTAL: $95
Three-Day Pass Conclusion: It’s fairly straightforward to hit the $66/day mark with the three-day cross. That mentioned, you continue to want so as to add in just a few of the high-value points of interest to get the complete value.
Four-Day Pass — $229 ($57/day)
The NY Pass not too long ago added a four-day choice to the cross and at $57 a day it’s a fairly whole lot if you wish to see just a few sights every day. You’ll need to perform a little math to ensure it really works along with your journey model.
Five-Day Pass — $259 ($52/day)
For vacationers on an prolonged tour of NYC, the five-day cross generally is a actually whole lot — particularly if you happen to plan on doing just a few points of interest daily. And you received’t really feel rushed since you actually solely must see two or possibly three issues to make it definitely worth the cash. Plus, it offers you an opportunity to discover Brooklyn for a day.
Day One
- Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $39
- Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
- Central Park Bike Tour/Rental: $35
- New Museum: $18
- TOTAL: $145 ($92 with out bus tour)
Day Two
- Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $41
- MoMA: $25
- Neighborhood Walking Tour: $32
- TOTAL: $98
Day Three
- 9/11 Memorial: $26
- Neighborhood Walking Tour: $32
- Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $18
- New Museum: $18
- TOTAL: $94
Day Four
- Guggenheim: $25
- Whitney Museum of American Art: $25
- Neighborhood Walking Tour or Bike Rental: $30
- TOTAL: $80
Day Five
- Brooklyn Museum of Art: $16
- Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental or Tour: $32
- Brooklyn Botanical Gardens: $12 or a strolling tour of Williamsburg: $32
- Empire State Building Observation Deck: $34
- TOTAL: $94
Five-Day Pass Conclusion: This cross finally ends up costing you $52/day so it is extremely straightforward to make this cross value it. You actually solely must do two or three issues to return out forward. This is a superb choice if you happen to take pleasure in strolling excursions since one tour + one museum a day finally ends up costing over $60.
Seven-Day Pass — $299 ($43/day)
At solely $43/day, a seven-day cross is an effective choice if you happen to’ve received a complete week to fill and also you need to see a number of stuff. It’s additionally an ideal choice if you happen to take pleasure in strolling excursions and also you solely need to see just a few issues a day. One downside with this cross is that you could be need to spend a day or two not doing museums or different points of interest — which might make the cross not pretty much as good of a price.
Ten-Day Pass — $399 ($40/day)
The ten-day cross is the granddaddy passes… coming in at $399 — which is $40/day. If you’re you’re up for seeing just a few issues every day then it is a actually good worth. It will will let you just about see all of the highlights of the town, do a ton of strolling/boat/bike excursions, and get some nice views of the town.
The foremost downside with this cross is that somebody visiting NYC for 10+ days will in all probability need to spend just a few days doing only a few/no “touristy” issues — which might eat away on the worth of the cross.
Conclusion – Is The NYC Pass Worth It?
The New York Pass generally is a actually whole lot for vacationers desirous to see a number of what New York City has to supply. However, you’ll must resolve how a lot you need to see and in case your journey model aligns with getting probably the most worth out of the cross.
The cross turns into an ideal deal if you wish to do the costly Empire State Building Observatory, Rockefeller Observatory, and the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus tour and/or River Cruise. It’s additionally an ideal deal if you happen to love strolling and bike excursions as a result of they’re costly and there are a few dozen included within the cross.
Conversely, if you happen to’re solely all in favour of museums and also you don’t need to pack your schedule you then’re higher off shopping for tickets individually.
Tips For Maximizing The New York Pass’ Value
Consider the Time of the Year
New York City is a metropolis that’s bustling all 12 months spherical so there’s at all times one thing to do. However, you’ll spend much more time in museums through the useless of winter however you’ll in all probability spend quite a bit much less time doing outside issues like strolling excursions and Central Park. You may also not have an interest within the Hop-On-Hop-Off though they’re coated when it will get chilly) and the water cruises. And, through the summer season, you may be much less inclined to do as many indoor issues (except it’s actually sizzling).
Do the Expensive Attractions
You really want to hit many of the costly points of interest to get probably the most worth out of the New York Pass. This consists of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, hop-on-hop-off bus, river cruise, and some others. If these points of interest aren’t fascinating to you then it’s in all probability greatest to skip the cross.
Museum Overload
New York has a ton of wonderful museums however you need to watch out about museum overload. We favor to go to a max of two museums per day and we like to interrupt up museum days so we’re not solely doing museums — in fact, it is a private desire.
Start Early
The greatest option to match every thing into your day is by beginning early. Plus, if you happen to hit the preferred sights first you received’t must take care of all of the individuals.
Plan Your Day
Being sensible about what sights you see will prevent a ton of time. For instance, it’s higher to see sights which can be close to one another so that you don’t waste time and power going everywhere in the metropolis. Also, test opening instances so that you don’t present up when one thing is closed.
Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus
I like to recommend doing the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus on the primary day so that you get a basic overview of the town. Also, don’t use this bus as a option to get across the metropolis — use the subway for that.
Maximize Sightseeing & Get A Shorter Pass
One technique is to knock out the majority of your sightseeing in a day or two after which take it straightforward for the remainder of the journey. With this technique, you should buy a one or two-day cross and find yourself saving some huge cash with out shelling out for an extended cross.
Activate Your Pass In The Morning
Your cross is activated as quickly as you employ it — so your first day begins even if you happen to use it at evening. So don’t waste a day through the use of it at evening.
Where To Buy Your New York Pass
The greatest and least expensive place to purchase the cross is immediately from the New York Pass web site after which simply obtain it immediately to the NY Pass App. Super straightforward.
James Feess is the creator of The Savvy Backpacker and the creator of the guide “The Savvy Backpacker’s Guide To Europe On A Budget”. He’s been running a blog about price range journey in Europe since 2010.
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