New York Pass Review | Is It A Good Value or Waste of Money?

I’ve lived in New York City for over nine years, so I wanted to take an in-depth look at the popular New York Pass to do my own New York Pass Review since I can give insider insights on this tourism pass.

NYC is packed with things to experience and the New York Pass can help you see much of what this amazing city has to offer.

So is the New York Pass a good deal or a waste of money? Honestly, it depends on your travel style. Some people save money with the pass, but others find it too restricting, so it’s not a good value for all travelers.

That’s why I’ve analyzed the NY Pass’ offerings (and did the math) to help you decide if the pass is right for you.

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Quick Look At The New York Pass

I know firsthand that New York City is expensive. Nearly every museum costs $25-$35, and most other attractions cost anywhere from $20-$35, so even visiting two or three things a day can easily cost you $80+.

But half the fun of NYC is exploring its neighborhoods, parks, bars, and restaurants.

So, is the New York Sightseeing Pass a good deal? Here is a quick overview…

The New York Pass is a GOOD deal if:

• You want to see a lot and don’t mind packing your day with activities.
• You’re only in NYC for a few days.
• You’re a first-time visitor.
• You’re already planning on visiting most of the expensive attractions.
• You want to use the Hop-on-Hop-off bus tour.
• You want to visit one of the three main observation decks.
• You want to skip the ticket lines at multiple attractions.

The New York Pass is NOT A GOOD deal if:

• You’re on a super tight budget.
• You only want to see a few paid attractions.
• You’re in NYC for an extended period of time so you can spread out the sightseeing.
• You have a valid student ID—many museums have student prices, but you’ll want to double-check.
• You don’t want to plan out your sightseeing ahead of time.

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New York Pass — The Basics

The New York Pass gives you entry to over 90 attractions so pretty much everything you want to see should be covered by the pass—including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Edge Observation platform, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), Guggenheim Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, New Museum, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour, river cruise, bike rentals, and a handful of walking tours—there are also a handful of other lesser-known museums as well.

New York Pass Prices (UPDATED FOR 2024)

NOTE: The New York Pass often runs special deals so check the Official New York Pass Website for any current discounts.

Adults (13+) Prices:

• 1-day: $164
• 2-day: $259 ($130/day)
• 3-day: $339 ($113/day)
• 4-day: $389 ($97/day)
• 5-day: $444 ($89/day)
• 6-day: $474 ($79/day)
• 7-day: $509 ($72/day)
• 10-day: $569 ($57/day)

As you can see, the pass isn’t cheap… but it can be a good deal with a little planning and a smart sightseeing strategy.

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New York Pass Highlights and Main Attractions

As I said before, the pass covers over 90 attractions. Some attractions on the pass aren’t worth your time, but most major attractions are covered.

Here are the highlights…

Note: Visit the New York Pass Website to see all the included attractions.

Sightseeing Attractions Included In The NY Pass

There are a handful of attractions on the New York Pass, but the attractions below are some of the most popular.

• Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $45
• Edge NYC Observation Deck: $45
• Empire State Building Observation Deck: $44
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $25
• Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $44

Museums Included In The NY Pass

New York has a crazy number of museums, and the New York Pass covers most of the must-see places.

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $30 (Free Friday evening, 4:00–9:00 p.m)
• American Natural History Museum: $28 (It’s pay-what-you-want for NY/NJ residents only)
• Guggenheim: $30
• 9/11 Memorial: $33
• Whitney Museum of American Art: $30
• Brooklyn Museum of Art: $20
• New Museum: $20
• Intrepid Aircraft Carrier Sea Air Space Museum: $36

NOTE: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) is no longer covered by the NY Pass.

Walking Tours, Bus Tours, River Cruises, Bike Tours, Etc.

Many tours are included in the New York Pass—including multiple walking tours, river cruises, many self-guided bike rentals, and a few building tours (Yankees Stadium, Madison, Square Garden, etc.).

NOTE: The tours offered on the NY Pass change often so it’s best to visit the New York Pass website to see which tours are currently available.

• Hop-on-hop-off bus tour (one day): $82
• Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $44
• Various Tours and Walking Tours: Most tours included in the pass are valued at around $30-$60:
  • 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 more

Observation Decks Included In The NY Pass

All the main observation decks are offered on the New York Pass— all of which are high-value attractions. TIP: Book one daytime and one evening ticket if you want two distinct views of the city.

• Empire State Building Observatory: $48
• Top of the Rock™ Observation Deck: $45
• The Edge: $44
• One World Observatory: $45

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Is The New York Pass Worth The Money? (I Did The Math)

The NY Pass gives you hundreds of potential combinations when it comes to choosing what attractions to visit. To help narrow things down, I’ve listed the most popular attractions, but you’ll have to plan based on what interests you.

You get to skip the lines at most attractions—which is certainly a bonus (but some require advanced booking).

I’ve done my best to ensure accurate prices, but rates can change randomly throughout the year. Furthermore, these rates DO NOT INCLUDE THE 9% NY/NYC SALES TAX (where applicable).

One Day New York Pass — $164

Let’s see how much you’d need to do to make the one-day pass worth the money.

• Top of the Rock (Rockafeller Center Observation Deck): $45 [visit in the morning]
• Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $82
• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $30
• Empire State Building Observation Deck: $39 [visit at night]
  • TOTAL: $196

The key to getting value from the One Day pass is hitting the expensive attractions. If you don’t mind visiting the observation decks for Rockafeller Center and the Empire State Building on the same day then it’s fairly easy to get your money’s worth—you could also replace one of the observation decks with a walking/bike tour or a museum as they’re priced similarly.

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is excellent so it is a must-visit.

I included a bus tour because it’s a fun way to see the city—especially if it’s your first time.

The value of the one-day pass gets a little trickier if you don’t want to do the $82 Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour because it’s such a big-ticket item. For example, if you replace that with something like the Guggenheim ($30), you’re essentially breaking even. 

Note: The New York Pass sometimes upgrades your hop-on bus tour to a two-day pass for free — but you’ll have to check the current promotions.

One-Day Pass Conclusion: This pass can be worth the money if you don’t mind packing your day with multiple expensive activities (i.e. observation decks), a museum, and you want to do the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus Tour. Otherwise, you’d have to visit many less-expensive attractions to break even.

Two-Day New York Pass — $259 ($130/day)

The Two-Day NY pass is a little more interesting because it lets you travel at a slightly less frantic pace than the one-day pass and you don’t have to cram all the expensive things into one day.

Day One

• Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $45
• Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
• Central Park Bike Rental/Tour: $35
• Guggenheim: $30
  • TOTAL: $163 ($100 without the bus tour)

Day Two

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): $30
• Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $45
• Whitney Museum of American Art ($30) or a Neighborhood Walking Tour ($35)
  • TOTAL: $110. You could easily add a late-night Empire State Building Observation Deck ($45) so this total would be $155.

Two-Day Pass Conclusion: The Two-Day pass can be a good deal—especially if you add a few expensive attractions. You’ll still have to fill your day with activities but it’s manageable.

Three-Day New York Pass — $339 ($113/day)

A three-day pass is a solid option because it allows you to see a lot without having to jam-pack your days.

Day One

• Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $45
• Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
• Central Park Bike Tour/Rental: $35
• Guggenheim Museum: $30
  • TOTAL: $163

Day Two

• Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $44
• MoMA: $30
• Whitney Museum of American Art: $30 (if you have the energy)
• Neighborhood Walking Tour: $35
  • TOTAL: $105-$139

Day Three

• 9/11 Memorial: $33
• Neighborhood Walking Tour: $35
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $25
• New Museum: $20
  • TOTAL: $113

Three-Day Pass Conclusion: It’s pretty easy to hit the $113/day mark with the three-day NY Pass. That said, you still need to add in a few high-value attractions to get the full worth.

Four-Day New York Pass — $389 ($97/day)

The NY Pass recently added a four-day option to the pass and at $97 a day it’s a pretty good deal if you want to see a few sights each day. You’ll want to do your math to make sure it works with your travel style.

Five-Day New York Pass — $444 ($89/day)

For travelers on an extended tour of NYC, the five-day pass can be a good deal—especially if you plan on doing a few attractions each day. And you won’t feel rushed because you only need to do two or maybe three things daily to make it worth the money.

Day One

• Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center Observation Deck): $45
• Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus Tour: $53
• Central Park Bike Tour/Rental: $35
• New Museum: $20
  • TOTAL: $153 ($100 without bus tour)

Day Two

• Circle Line Harbor Cruise: $45
• MoMA: $30
• Neighborhood Walking Tour: $35
  • TOTAL: $110

Day Three

• 9/11 Memorial: $33
• Neighborhood Walking Tour: $35
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island: $25
• New Museum: $20
  • TOTAL: $113

Day Four

• Guggenheim: $30
• Whitney Museum of American Art: $30
• Neighborhood Walking Tour or Bike Rental: $35
  • TOTAL: $95

Day Five

• Brooklyn Museum of Art: $20
• Brooklyn Bridge Bike Rental or Tour: $35
• Brooklyn Botanical Gardens: $15 or a walking tour of Williamsburg: $35
• Empire State Building Observation Deck: $45
  • TOTAL: $115

Five-Day Pass Conclusion: This pass averages $89/day so it is easy to make this pass worth the price. You only have to do two or three things to come out ahead. This is a great option if you enjoy walking tours since one tour + one museum a day ends up costing more than $70.

Seven-Day New York Pass — $509 ($72/day)

At $72/day, a seven-day pass is a good option if you have a whole week to fill. It’s also a great option if you enjoy walking tours and you only want to see one or two attractions per day.

One problem with this pass is that you may want to spend a day or two not doing museums or other attractions—which would make the pass lose its value.

Ten-Day New York Pass — $569 ($57/day)

The ten-day pass is the granddaddy pass… coming in at $569—which is $57/day. If you’re you’re up for seeing a few things each day then you’ll save a lot by using this pass. It will allow you to see the highlights, do multiple walking/boat/bike tours, and get some great city views from multiple observation decks.

The main problem with this pass is that someone visiting NYC for 10+ days will probably want to spend a few days doing very few/no “touristy” things—which would eat away at the value of the pass.

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Conclusion: So Is The NYC Pass Worth It?

The New York Pass is a good deal for travelers wanting to see a lot of what New York City has to offer. However, you’ll have to decide how much you want to see and if your travel style aligns with getting the most value out of the pass.

The pass becomes a great deal if you want to do expensive activities like the Empire State Building Observatory, Rockefeller Observatory, The Edge, and the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus tour and/or River Cruise. It’s also a great deal if you love walking tours and bike tours because they’re expensive and there are about a dozen included in the pass.

Conversely, if you’re only interested in museums and don’t want to pack your schedule, then you’re better off buying tickets separately.

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Tips For Maximizing The Value Of The New York Pass

Consider the Time of the Year

New York City is a city that’s bustling all year round so there is always something to do.

However, you’ll spend a lot more time doing indoor activities during the winter, but you’ll probably spend less time doing outdoor things like walking tours and Central Park.

You might also not be interested in the Hop-On Hop-Off bus and the water cruises when it’s cold outside.

Do the Expensive Attractions

You need to hit most of the expensive attractions to get the most value out of the New York Pass. This includes the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, hop-on-hop-off bus, river cruise, and a few others. It’s probably best to skip the pass if you don’t want to do most of these more expensive activities.

Avoid Museum Overload

New York has a ton of amazing museums but you have to be careful about museum overload. I prefer to visit a max of two museums per day so I’m not solely doing museums—of course, this is a personal preference.

Start Early

The best way to fit everything into your day is by starting early. Plus, if you hit the most popular sights first you won’t have to deal with all the people.

Plan Your Day

Being smart about what sights you see will save you a ton of time. For example, it’s better to see sights that are near each other so you don’t waste time and energy commuting all over the city. Also, check opening times so you don’t arrive too early/late.

Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus

I recommend doing the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus on the first day so you get a general overview of the city.

Maximize Sightseeing & Get A Shorter Pass

One strategy is to knock out the bulk of your sightseeing in a day or two and then take it easy for the rest of the trip. With this strategy, you can buy a one or two-day pass and end up saving a lot of money without shelling out for a longer pass.

Activate Your Pass In The Morning

Your pass is activated as soon as you use it—so your first day starts even if you use it at night. So don’t waste a day by using it at night.

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Where To Buy The New York Pass

The best and cheapest place to buy the pass is directly from the New York Pass website and download it instantly to the NY Pass App.

More NYC Sightseeing and Travel Tips from The Savvy Backpacker

Here are other articles I’ve written about NYC to help you plan your next trip.

• NYC Price Guide – How much to budget to visit NYC.
• The Best Hostel In NYC – An overview of NYC’s hostel options.
• The Best Things to Do In NYC – Some of my favorite things to do and see in New York City.
• Where To Eat in NYC According To Reddit – I asked Reddit to tell me their favorite local NYC restaurants based on their ethnic background.
• The Best Prepaid eSIM Data Plans For The USA – How to get affordable mobile data in the US.