This post covers Chicago tourist passes to help you determine which tourist attraction discount pass may be best for you, including CityPass, Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass, and the Explorer Pass.
Let's get started!
- Before You Buy
- Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass
- Go City Chicago Explorer Pass (Pick 3, 4, 5 Attractions)
- Prepackaged Passes
- Things to Do in Chicago
- Things to Do in Downtown Chicago
BEFORE YOU BUY
With so many options, we have broken down the tourist passes by type and then go into detail about each pass.
The Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass is an all-inclusive pass (think all-you-can-eat buffet) that includes entrance/access to 26 top attractions, tours, and activities.
This pass is the most expensive but has the potential to save you the most money and it gives you the most flexibility, but in order to get those savings, you will need to stay busy.
Next is the pick'em passes, such as the Go City Chicago Explorer Pass.
It's one set price with a specific number of attractions, tours, or activities (typically between 3 and 5 ) and you pick from their list of attractions.
In general, the range of attractions is fewer than what is available with the all-inclusive pass above, but the selection is still large.
You won't likely save as much as the above-mentioned pass, but you will have more flexibility.
Lastly, there are prepackaged passes that bundle several specific popular attractions, thereby saving you money. These passes are like a Prix-Fixe/set-menu dinner.
These have the least amount of flexibility, but you will be certain about what you are getting.
Things to Consider
If at first glance some tourist passes seem too pricey, take the time to do some math.
When you calculate the regular cost of the attractions you want to see and compare to the price of a pass, you'll find that you will save money.
We recommend that you decide in advance what you want to see, then find a pass that includes most, if not all, of those activities.
The biggest mistake travelers do is overestimate the time and stamina that they will have, so be realistic.
Of course, we encourage you to consider our pay-what-you-like tours and our Chicago bus tour comparison post when deliberating about these passes.
GO CITY CHICAGO ALL-INCLUSIVE PASS
To see the most on a visit to Chicago lasting between 1 to 5 days, the Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass can be hard to beat!
Purchasing this allÂ-inclusive pass gives you admission to as many attractions as you can fit into the number of consecutive days you purchase.
You'll save up to 45% when you purchase a Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass.
There are 29 attractions to choose from.
For less intense sightseeing pass options, check out Go City's Explorer Pass (3 or 5 Attractions) below.
All Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Passes have a 30-day zero risk refund policy, and you have up to 1 year from the date of purchase to activate your pass.
Before you buy:
As recommended with any of these packages, you want to plan ahead in order to get the most out of Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass.
While you have unlimited access, you do have limited time. Make sure you look at days and hours of operations for each attraction, and factor in travel time.
Grouping activities in nearby locations can be a great way to get in more than just a few things in a single day! However, there are some places you’ll want to spend more time in than others.
Do your research and this could be a very good buy.
Prices (as of September 2023):
NOTE: Prices listed below are full retail prices. Often discounts are available.
- 1Â Day: Adults $124 | Children (ages 3-Â12) $84
- 2Â Day: Adults $174 | Children $124
- Price per day: Adults $87 | Children $62
- 3Â Day: Adults $234 | Children $144
- Price per day: Adults $78 | Children $48
- 5Â Day: Adults $264 | Children $189
- Price per day: Adults $52.80 | Children $37.80
- More information or to purchase.
Pro tip: In the city for 3 days? Consider getting a 2 day pass instead of a 3 Âday. You don’t want to lock down all your time in the city; you never know what you might discover while exploring place to place.
Purchase the Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass online and show your phone or printed copy at the gate.
GO CITY CHICAGO EXPLORER PASS ( 3, 4, or 5 ATTRACTIONS)
This pass lets you pay one price, and grants admission to 3, 4, 5, or 7 attractions from a list of 25+ at a discounted rate.
You can save up to 40% off normal ticket prices.
This pass is flexible in that you do not need to pre-select your choices and it is valid for 30 days from your first visit, so you can take your time making your choices.
All Go City Chicago Explorer Passes have a 30-day zero risk refund policy, and you have up to 1 year from the date of purchase to activate your pass.
Prices (as of September 2023):
NOTE: Prices listed below are full retail prices. Often discounts are available.
- 2 Attraction Pass: Adults $74 | Children (ages 3-12) $49
- Price per choice: Adults $37 | Children $24.50
- 3 Attraction Pass: Adults $104 | Children (ages 3-Â12) $69
- Price per choice: Adults $34.66 | Children $23
- 4 Attraction Pass: Adults $124 | Children (ages 3-12) $89
- Price per choice: Adults $31 | Children $22.25
- 5 Attraction Pass: Adults $144 | Children (ages 3Â-12) $104
- Price per choice: Adults $28.80 | Children $20.80
- 6 Attraction Pass: Adults $169 | Children (ages 3-12) $119
- Price per choice: Adults $28.16 | Children $19.83
- 7 Attraction Pass: Adults $179 | Children (ages 3-12) $129
- Price per choice: Adults $25.57 | Children $18.43
- More information or to purchase.
Before you buy:
The Go City Chicago Explorer Pass doesn’t have the time pressure of the Go City All-Inclusive Pass and gives the most options for visitors looking for discounts on a wide range of attractions.
But it takes more planning and research than the All-Inclusive Pass.
This means you’ll need to use your calculator to see your potential savings, but if you visit the more expensive attractions with your pass, you can save a bundle.
Also keep in mind that the 4 attraction pass actually costs more per activity than either the 3 or 5 choice pass. This version of the pass is arguably the worst deal, although you can still save money with it.
Depending on how many attractions you wish to visit, you could pay as little as $24.14 for each activity.
With that in mind, we recommend choosing tickets for activities and locations that are more than $25.
We recommend instant delivery via online purchase, as the lines at the ticket booth locations can get long.
You can also have the tickets sent to your mobile device.
PREPACKAGED PASSES
Chicago CityPASS
The CityPASS is a booklet of 5 admission tickets that saves 53% off the most popular attractions in Chicago, and you skip the long lines for entrance.
CityPASS is a must if you plan to visit all of these popular educational attractions because the savings are huge.
You have a consecutive 9-day period from the first use to visit all of the attractions, so you can take your time. Each of these stops has a ton to see and do, especially if you bring kids along.
An unused CityPASS can be returned within 365 days of purchase date for a full refund.
Sites included on CityPass:
- Shedd Aquarium – All-access admission including permanent exhibits, animal presentations, special exhibit and Stingray Touch (seasonal), plus a 4-D Experience.
- Skydeck Chicago – Expedited Entry to Willis Tower’s 103rd Floor. Also includes admission to The Ledge.
Plus your choice of admission to 3 of the following attractions:
- Field Museum – All-Access Pass (admission to all permanent and regularly-priced ticketed exhibitions, and your choice of one digital 3D film). Film selection subject to availability. Additional charges may apply for specially ticketed exhibitions outside of the All Access Pass.
- Art Institute of Chicago – Fast Pass Admission to permanent collection and non-ticketed special exhibitions
- Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago – Museum entry (Science Storms, Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze, YOU! The Experience, and much more), plus one timed-entry experience (Giant Dome Theater film, Coal Mine tour, Fab Lab, or our current temporary exhibit, Wired to Wear)
- 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck – Express Entry Admission
- Adler Planetarium - will fully reopen in March 2022 and will be one of the option attractions included in CityPASS.
- Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour – Admission to a cruise that will take you right through the heart of Downtown Chicago to see its most historic buildings.
Prices (as of September 2023):
- Adults: $134 (full admission price $257.55)
- Children (ages 3-Â11): $104 (full admission price $209.04)
Purchase the Chicago CityPASS or learn more.
Here is our suggested three-day itinerary which leaves you enough time to spend at each location to get your money’s worth.
- Suggested Day One: Shedd Aquarium/Field Museum
- Suggested Day Two: Art Institute/Skydeck Chicago*
- Suggested Day Three: 360 Chicago OR Museum of Science and Industry
Pro Tip: This package fills up your itinerary, but if you only want to visit only one or two of the attractions listed, see the Explorer Pass above for a more flexible/cheaper option.
It's also worth noting that the Chicago CityPASS does not currently include public transportation, so you will need to purchase those tickets or travel passes separately.
For the CityPASS, we suggest that you purchase tickets online. Once you buy, you can show your tickets from your mobile device at the gate and get a fast VIP entrance. Easy!
Chicago Top 3 Attractions Pass
This pass is actually offered by Tiqets, and it includes admission to 3 of the most popular locations in Chicago.
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Field Museum of Natural History
- 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck
- 10% Discount on Additional Activities
Each of these attractions is also included with the Chicago CityPASS, but this pass is somewhat less expensive. If you're not interested in the other 2 activities included with that pass, this is an excellent alternative.
- $89/Adults
- $81/Youth (14-17)
- $77/Youth (12-13)
- $69/Children (4-11)
- $64/Seniors (65+)
- $19/Toddlers (3)
Purchase the Chicago Top 3 Attraction Pass or learn more.
Before you buy:
In addition to the 3 tickets covered with this pass, it also includes a 10% discount on dozens of other popular locations, tours, and activities in Chicago.
This discount is only available for services provided by Tiqets.
Here are a few examples of attractions that are 10% off with this discount:
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Chicago Architecture Center
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour
- Chicago Crime & Mob Tour
- Architecture River Cruise
- And more!
If you're interested in any of these activities and you want to visit the top 3 attractions included, this pass might be worth considering!
Chicago Skyline Pass
This is another discount pass offered by Tiqets, and it includes admission to 3 of the most popular activities in the Windy City.
If you're interested in learning about the architectural history of Chi-town, this might be one of the best options on our list.
Here are the included attractions with the Skyline Pass:
- Skydeck Chicago (Sears Tower)
- 360 Chicago Observation Deck
- Architectural River Cruise
- 10% Discount on Additional Activities
As with the other Tiqets pass, this one includes 3 activities that are already included with the Chicago CityPASS, so we recommend comparing these two services before deciding which one to purchase.
- $86/Adults
- $71/Youth (12)
- $56/Children (3-11)
Purchase the Chicago Skyline Pass or learn more.
Before you buy:
Much like the other pass offered by this company, the 10% discount included with this service can be used on a variety of fun activities and attractions, including the following.
- Chicago Architecture Center
- Chicago History Museum
- Navy Pier Centennial Wheel
- American Writers Museum
- iFLY Indoor Skydiving
- Chicago Food Tours
If any of these attractions sound like fun, make sure to use your discount to save a bit of money!
Viator VIP Package
This package isn't currently available, but they may bring it back in the future.
Fill your Saturday and see all the top spots with this package!
Begin with early access to the Willis Tower Skydeck, before you hop on a trolley for a narrated tour of top Chicago attractions, grab a snack (own expense) at Navy Pier, and finish on a cruise with a free drink on the Chicago River with an architecture savvy guide.
The tour lasts about 6 hours (8 am - 1 pm) and ends at the Navy Pier, a tourist hot-spot.
Itineraries
Option A
- 8 am: Access to the Skydeck
- 9:15 am: Board the trolley for a 2 Âhour city tour
- 11:15 am: Arrive at Navy Pier
- 1 pm: Architecture cruise
Option B
- 8:30 am: Access to the Skydeck
- 9:45 am: Board the trolley for a 2Â hour city tour
- 11:45 am: Arrive at Navy Pier
- 1 pm: Architecture cruise
Price: $124
To purchase the VIP Package, click here.
Before you buy:
Because this is a VIP package, you’ll experience perks such as first dibs on Willis Tower views, which after opening hours can be obstructed by crowds, but what you’re paying for here is a full day’s itinerary planned out for you.
The Willis Tower general admission costs $22, which means you're paying about $50 apiece for the trolley and boat tour.
But for six hours of guided Chicago sightseeing, and its great customer reviews, this package is worth including.
Pro tip: It looks like from the ratings that this tour is NO fun when the weather is wet. We recommend this package on clear, sunny days only.
Trusted Tours Grand Tour of Chicago and 360 Chicago Combination
For a reputable bus tour of the city that ends with a view from up high, Trusted Tours offers a great combo.
You’ll travel around the city, stopping at Lincoln Park Conservatory and Adler Planetarium, and of course the 360 Chicago attraction.
Highlights
- Free downtown hotel pickup/drop-off
- 5.5 hours in length
- Lincoln, Washington, and Grant Park
- Museum Campus (Shedd Aquarium/Field Museum/Adler Planetarium)
- Northside and South Shore districts
- 360 Chicago
Prices:
- Adult: $70.25
- Child (ages 5-Â14): $44.60
- Children under 5 are free when seated on a parent’s lap.
- Purchase this combo here.
NOTE: This tour isn't currently available as of September 2023, but it will likely return in the near future.
Before you buy:
The savings aren’t as big here, so you’re paying for the convenience of hotel pick-up/drop-off and a full day's itinerary planned for you.
