San Francisco is great for exploring, which is what makes it so appealing.
Whether you are sampling it in one day or spending one or two month here, you will find plenty of things to do. Not many cities offer this much.
For those travelers who hate waiting in lines for tours, a CityPASS is a good option.
Not every city in the U.S. offers CityPASS; as of the writing of this guide, it was offered in 13 cities. So, what is CityPASS?
CityPASS is a good choice whenever it is offered in the city you plan to visit. In addition to saving money, CityPASS also has a huge time saving component. At many attractions, pass holders are given shorter lines and priority entrance.
Time saving is a big deal!
Here is how you can get the most out of the San Francisco CityPASS.
San Francisco CityPASS has two options for you to choose from. Option one includes five attractions (four are the same and one is a choose two) and option two (referred to as C3) is more flexible in which you can select any three from a list of eight.
\tThe standard five-attraction CityPASS can be purchased on the official website and at select local businesses, including cable car ticket offices and the ticket counters of participating attractions.
You can buy tickets for attractions in advance to save you time when you arrive at the city.CityPASS: 5 Attractions
Buying tickets online is encouraged so you can plan where you are going to be and when you are going to be there. The Cable Car ticket offices and some ticket desks for the attractions also sell the 5 atctraction CityPASS tickets.
Every CityPASS ticket includes these 5 activities:
1. 3-day unlimited rides on MUNI and the cable car
2. Entry to the California Academy of Sciences
3. A Bay Cruise
4. Entry to the Aquarium of the Bay at Fisherman's Wharf
5. Visiting the Exploratorium or the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
1 3-Day Cable Car and Muni Bus Passport
2 California Academy of Sciences
3 Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise Adventure
4 Aquarium of the Bay
5 Exploratorium OR San Francisco Museum of Modern Art — SFMOMA
The CityPASS is $69.00 for children and $89.00 for adults meaning that buying the CityPASS means you spend over 40% less compared to buying each ticket separately.
To use the pass, show the corresponding page in your booklet to the attendants for each attraction. If going to the California Academy of Sciences, show the Academy page at the entrance. Each attraction has single-use admissions which include the standard attraction entrance, special exhibitions not included.
What makes the cable car and bus pass important is that it is just one page but it includes access to travel for 3 days on the bus and cable car for you to use to board the cable car.
The pass can cover most of your transportation around the city, where the public transit system is extensive. The cable cars are where it becomes especially worth it — a single ride on a cable car is $7 per person, so if you use the cable cars a few times over a few days, it'll totally be worth it.Suggested Itinerary:
Try to arrange your days in a way where you visit CityPASS attractions that are next to each other, then add other stops along the way. This is the most time-effective way to do things and it allows you to have a fuller experience instead of a rushed one.
Day 1
SFMOMA — Yerba Buena Gardens — cable car — Lombard Street
(Use public buses between each of the transit points)
Day 2
California Academy of Sciences — Japanese Tea Garden (tea) — Golden Gate Park
Day 3
Cable car — chocolate factory — Fisherman's Wharf — Bay cruise — Aquarium of the Bay
CityPASS: 3 Attractions
Now, for the 2nd CityPASS option, you can do the three-from-eight choice.
Attractions that visitors can choose from: (you may select up to three)
California Academy of Sciences
Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise Adventure
Aquarium of the Bay
Exploratorium
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Bay City Bike & Parkwide
Active sightseers will likely find this the most appropriate package!
The CityPASS for three attractions is $69.00 for adults and $54.00 for children, which is over 30% cheaper than buying the tickets individually.
Recommended Itinerary:
Try to choose attractions that are all located close together so you can easily add other attractions and keep your days efficient.
Day 1
SFMOMA — Yerba Buena Gardens — Chinatown — Fisherman’s Wharf
Day 2
Bike rental — Golden Gate Park — de Young Museum + Legion of Honor
