Chicago Tourist Cards

If it's hard for you to decide between all the things to see and do in Chicago, you should get a sightseeing pass. In the Windy City you will never be bored as you will always find something cool to do. However, keep in mind that this city can be expensive, so plan your spending well without restricting your fun.

There is a pass for everyone, whether you want to visit a few places in a few days or want to do as much as you can in less than a week. There are even plans for people who prefer to take their time to enjoy new places and sensations. Whatever your style, I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.

In Chicago you can spend days and days exploring the best sights. However, as a tourist you can buy a pass that allows you to save some money and visit the sites that interest you the most. Here I tell you what they are, what they include and how they work:

• Chicago Explorer Pass: if you are traveling for 1 or 2 months and want to take it easy, this pass is for you. It is valid for 60 days after its first use and only allows you to visit 2 to 7 sites. You can save 45% on your vacation.
• The Chicago CityPASS®: is a 9-day pass that allows you to save at least 50% on admission to 5 attractions. You can visit each in the order you prefer.
• GoCity Chicago: all-inclusive pass: this pass is valid from 1 to 5 days, depending on what you choose. You will be able to do as much as you want if you manage your time very well. In addition, you will save about 55%.

Almost all Chicago sightseeing passes work the same way. The first step is to download the mobile app corresponding to the pass. Within the same app you can purchase your pass. There you will see the instructions to use it comfortably.

In addition to downloading your pass on your smartphone, you also have the option to print it if you wish. Remember to present it at the ticket booths of the sites you visit along with the ticket or reservation you have made.

Mobile applications have the great advantage of including a description of all the activities. There you will also find links and details of interest that will surely be of great help during your tour. Some even offer directions and tips to help you move more freely around the city.

Depending on your particular case it will be a good option or not to buy a tourist pass for your vacation in Chicago. I recommend you to do some research on the places you want to go and add up each of those tickets to see the final cost. If the result is more than a tourist pass, then choose the pass!

Sometimes the attractions you want to visit are not included in certain tourist passes or you may not have time to see everything you want to see in one day. That's why my recommendation is always to do a little research, compare prices and make an itinerary before making a decision.

One of the things you can do in Chicago if you stay for 3 days or less, is to buy the Chicago CityPASS®: tourist pass. With it you can save up to 50% on admission to at least 5 attractions. The pass includes a visit to three of the city's most popular attractions: the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago and the Field Museum.

In addition, you can choose two more destinations among the following attractions: the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Science and Industry, Observatory 360 Chicago and the Deck Adler Planetarium. Keep in mind that to enjoy this pass you must check if the attractions require reservations or not, as this is not included.

I recommend that as soon as you have your pass, check the website of the sites you want to visit and book in advance. This way you can check their schedules, see the opening hours and better plan your visit. Your pass can be valid for 9 consecutive days, counting from the day you visit the first attraction. By the way, you can visit these sites in the order you prefer.

How much does the Chicago CityPASS® cost?

If you're in Chicago for less than 10 days, I'm sure you'll want to see as much of the city as you can. Plus, short trips mean less expense, which is why I like this pass. It's worth about 117 € or less and allows you to visit the main attractions in Chicago. So when you return home you can say you went to the Art Institute of Chicago or the Shedd Aquarium.

The Chicago CityPASS® Tourist Card: is a tool that will also help you do and see things with children in Chicago as it also offers a tourist pass for children under 12 years old. Its average cost is about 95 €. If you are traveling as a family this is a good plan. In addition to saving some money, it helps you decide which places to go and thus avoid discussions with your partner, family and friends.

What does the Chicago CityPASS® include?

As I mentioned at the beginning, with this pass you save 50% on admission to various attractions. You just need to check the website of each one to make your reservation. The tickets included are:

• Shedd Aquarium admission
• Entrance to Skydeck Chicago
• Entrance to the Field Museum

Remember that you can choose only two more destinations among the following options:

• Admission to the Art Institute of Chicago
• Entrance to the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago
• Admission to the 360 CHICAGO Observatory
• Admission to the Adler Planetarium

What does the Chicago CityPASS® Tourist Pass not include?

The Chicago CityPASS® Tourist Pass only includes admission to five attractions. At each attraction you will need to present only your pass, your reservation or both. For more information you can read the instructions in the Tickets and Reservations section.

What this pass does not include is transportation between each attraction. For that I suggest you take public transportation such as the Chicago Transit Authority. You will not have food or beverages during your tour.

Please note that the pass does not include admission to special events offered by the attractions. In any case, I recommend you check all the details you want before purchasing your pass.

When is it convenient to buy the Chicago CityPASS®

I recommend buying the Chicago CityPASS®: when your list of things to do in Chicago includes visiting some of the attractions included in the pass. Also, keep in mind that most of these attractions should take an average of 3 to 4 hours to tour. With this in mind, you will be able to visit at least three or two of the proposed sites per day.

This means that to get the most out of your pass you would have to stay in Chicago for at least 2 days. If you stay for 1 day you will not be able to enjoy each attraction at your leisure. In any case, if your budget allows it, I invite you to stay several days and take advantage of this pass.

When it is not convenient to buy the Chicago CityPASS® tourist pass

If you want to stay for a month or more in Chicago, this is not the best option. Chicago has other passes that could help you visit more tourist destinations in this city. These have a longer duration and include more sites that you may want to see.

Also, some of the most iconic sites that should be on your list are free. For example, the Cloud Gate, better known as The Bean, the central sculpture of the AT&T Plaza in Chicago's Millennium Park. It is an ideal place to take selfies and memorable photos and will not be missing in any tour you book in the city.

Unlike the Chicago CityPASS®, the Go City Chicago Pass allows you to save up to 55% on all the attractions you want to visit. The price of the pass varies depending on how many days you want to use it. You can purchase one-day passes for around $100 or five-day passes for $200.

A list of the attractions included in the pass can be found on the Go City Chicago website. In addition to offering tickets to Chicago's best museums, you will also find tours of the city, cruises, bike rentals, among other things.

Please note that the pass is only valid for the amount of time you purchased it. This time will start to run from the day you use it for the first time. You can have an unused pass for up to one year. I recommend that you do some research on the activities you want to enjoy during your stay in Chicago before purchasing this pass.

Traveller Tip

Although this pass allows you to do many activities in a single day, I recommend that you do some research on your favorites and how long each one takes. This way you will be able to better plan your stay in Chicago and also know if it is worth buying this pass.

How much does the Go City Chicago Pass cost?

This pass is ideal when you are traveling on a "no time to waste" basis. With this pass there are no boring moments because you have too many options to have fun. From the Go City app you can choose an attraction or a plan to start your day on the right foot.

Something that happens to many tourists is that they get saturated with options and if they go in a group, this can be counterproductive. With the list of attractions and destinations that this pass offers , you will be able to choose more quickly what to do. All the benefits of this pass can be obtained by paying only 100 ¤ if you want to use it for one day, or 200 ¤ if you will use it for five days.

What does the Go City Chicago pass include?

There is no limit to the number of activities you can do with this pass. You just have to choose from this list of more than 20 plans what you like the most:

• Big Bus Chicago 1-Day Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Shedd Aquarium
• Skydeck Chicago observation deck
• Shoreline Architecture Cruise on the Chicago River
• 360 CHICAGO
• Navy Pier: 4 attraction pass
• Field Museum
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Adler Planetarium
• Skyline Lake Cruise Tour
• Chicago Children's Museum
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Center
• Bike and Roll Chicago: 4-hour bike rental
• 10Pin Bowling Chicago: 90 minutes of bowling and pizza
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
• Chicago Theatre Tour
• Chicago History Museum
• Guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio
• American Writers Museum
• Robie House
• Lincoln Park Zoo Attractions
• Ernest Hemingway's Birthplace
• Gray Line Chicago's North Side Chicago Tour
• Gray Line Chicago South Shore Historic Tour of Chicago
• Gray Line Chicago Grand Tour

What does the Go City Chicago pass not include?

As with other passes, Go City Chicago does not include refreshments or private transportation. Also, some sites require reservations as they tend to be full during certain seasons. This is why it is necessary to check on their websites the schedule and availability and then buy your discounted ticket.

When is it convenient to buy the Go City Chicago Pass?

I recommend that you buy the Go City Chicago when you travel with enough time to visit as many sites as you can throughout the day. If you are just traveling for your entire vacation, then it is a good pass for you as it will help you do a little bit of everything in this city.

When not to buy the Go City Chicago Sightseeing Pass

This is not the best pass for people who prefer to take their time getting to know the city. If you want to walk the streets, visit a local coffee shop or two and enjoy the parks and squares, use another pass. It is also not a good idea to buy it if you will be in the city for more than 5 days, since I guess you will have more time to take your time and you will be able to select the places you want to visit at your leisure.

The Chicago Explorer Pass is an alternative version of the Go City Chicago but all inclusive. This pass is designed to save you at least 40% on the tickets and plans you choose. The pass is valid for up to 1 year if you haven't used it and up to 60 days after your first use.

That's right! You will have almost 2 months to explore the city at your own pace. You will be able to choose from 25 plans including cruises in Chicago or museum tours. Please note that you must choose how many attractions or plans you want before purchasing your pass. You can choose from 2 to 7 and the cost of the pass will depend on that amount, being approximately 70 € and 140 €, respectively.

How much does the Chicago Explorer Pass cost?

This pass is great for those who visit Chicago for 1 or 2 months. It allows you to decide on a good plan to enjoy the Windy City but not in a hurry. This way you won't have the stress of using your pass before it expires.

On the pass you can choose from 2 to 7 attractions from a list of more than 20 things to do. The cost of the pass will depend on the amount of things you want to include. The price can vary from 70 € for 2 attractions or 140 € for 7.

If you want to enjoy the free sites of Chicago, this is a good pass since you can visit them while attending museums or paid plans. This way you will see the whole city, its most popular sides and its hidden corners.

What does the Chicago Explorer Pass include?

With the Chicago Explorer Pass you can enjoy from two to seven plans that you will have to choose from this list:

• 1 day Big Bus Chicago Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
• Skydeck Chicago Observation Deck
• 360 CHICAGO
• Navy Pier: 4 attraction pass
• Shoreline Architecture Cruise on the Chicago River
• Field Museum
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Adler Planetarium
• Skyline Lake Cruise Tour
• LEGOLAND® Discovery Center
• Chicago Children's Museum
• Bike and Roll Chicago: 4-hour bicycle rental
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
• 10Pin Bowling Chicago: 90 minutes of bowling and pizza
• Chicago History Museum
• Guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio
• Chicago Theatre Tour
• Gray Line Chicago's South Shore Historic Tour of Chicago
• Gray Line Chicago's North Side Chicago Tour
• Robie House
• Gray Line Chicago Grand Tour
• American Writers Museum
• Lincoln Zoo Attractions
• Ernest Hemingway's Birthplace

What is not included in the Chicago Explorer Pass?

Although I have told you in previous sections, this type of pass does not include any type of snacks or beverages. Some tours may include bottles of water or the like, but you will need to check the description of the plans. Transfer and reservations are not included either, you must make them yourself when necessary.

When should I buy the Chicago Explorer Pass?

I would recommend buying the Chicago Explorer Pass when you are traveling to the city with plenty of time to explore. It is a pass with which you should not be in a hurry and you can walk around at your leisure. It is also a good option if you don't want to go to too many places, remember that you can only choose between 2 and 7 destinations.

I would also say that it is ideal for people who travel for work for a couple of months. You will be able to dedicate yourself to your work meetings and when you have free time, you can take advantage of your pass to visit an attraction you like or take tours around Chicago.

When is it not convenient to buy the Chicago Explorer Pass?

On the other hand, if you are one of those people who want to make the most of your vacation, this is not a good pass. By only including up to seven options for that price, you will surely be left wanting to see and do more. That's why it's best to choose one of the above passes.