New York Pass

New York can be a bit of a chaotic city to visit. There is so much to see and do in New York that it is easy to get lost in the vastness of the Big Apple and end up not getting the most out of your trip. The New York Pass is a great ally to save time and money on our trip.

New York is not a cheap city to travel to and especially the first time, when you want to squeeze the most out of it by visiting as many attractions as possible. Luckily, there are some tricks to organize your trip in a simple way and save a lot of money, which translates into doing more things and enjoying more, for less. One of those tricks has a name: it's called New York Pass and you can get it From $ 116

Tourist Card

New York Pass: Choose between 1-10 days to visit 100+ attractions (Includes Fast Track Access)

The best attractions in New York, at the lowest price

If you want to access the best attractions in New York, get this tourist day pass to access the ones you like the most during your trip. You'll save time and money.

From $ 116 at Hellotickets

Buying a New York Pass has several advantages: you save money if you use it well, you save time since you don't have to buy tickets at the box office for each place you visit (and in some cases, you won't have to wait in line), and it is also very convenient to have all your tickets in one place.

The New York Pass is a day pass, and you pay according to the number of days of validity you choose. You can choose between 1 and 10 days of validity, so if your trip to New York is up to 10 days you can get a single pass. Be careful, because they are not 24-hour days, but from the moment you activate the pass you have until midnight before it counts as a full day, and your pass leaves in the carriage like Cinderella (or simply stops working on the attractions). Be careful! If, for example, you are going to be in New York for 15 days you can also combine several passes.

When you buy the New York Pass, all you have to do is directly download their app and have access to the pass immediately. From that moment on, you can go to the first attraction on your list and scan your pass at the entrance, at which point the pass starts to count.

However, for some activities it will be necessary to present your pass and obtain a ticket. This is the case for the Hop on Hop off bus tour, for which you will need to go to a Big Bus ticket booth. Another thing to keep in mind is that all New York City sightseeing passes allow you to enter a particular attraction only once (with some exceptions).

Why I like this option: One of the big advantages of the New York Pass is that it gives you queue-free entry to a number of selected attractions. This doesn't save you from waiting in line at certain attractions, and it doesn't save you from going through security checks at the entrances, but at the end of your trip you will have saved a few hours of waiting in total.

How to choose between New York Pass and other passes

Access to One World Observatory with the Explorer Pass| ©Hellotickets

It is true that in addition to the New York Pass, there are other New York tourist cards that are similar. Before we go into whether the New York Pass is the best option for you, the first thing you need to know is that there are two main types of passes:

Day Passes: these are passes whose price varies according to the number of days of validity. You can choose if you want to hire it for 2, 3, 4 days, etc. and during that time you can visit any attraction included in its list, without limit. They are ideal if you want to go from one attraction to another and experience your trip to New York without wasting a minute. The New York Pass is one of them.

Attraction Passes: these are passes whose price varies depending on the number of attractions you want to visit. If you already know which places, museums, etc. you want to see, you will pay only for them and you will have more time to visit them. It is ideal if you want to enjoy New York quietly and get lost at your leisure.

Depending on the monuments you want to visit

The second thing to keep in mind is that the best way to decide on a sightseeing pass is to make a list of monuments and buildings you want to see and attractions you want to do in New York. If this is your first visit to New York you may not be sure of everything the Big Apple has to offer, so below is a list of highlights from New York Pass. You can use it as a basis to start organizing your trip.

What is included in the New York Pass

The New York Pass includes skip-the-line access to some of New York's must-see experiences, and the app has an audio guide in Spanish, a map with the featured attractions and practical information about each site. To give you an idea, among the more than 100 attractions and activities that you can access with the New York Pass, these are the highlights:

Climb the Empire State Building - single ticket $46.00
Climb to the Top of the Rock - single ticket $41.00
Hop On Hop Off Big Bus Tour - single ticket $55
Madame Tussauds tickets - single ticket $37
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Ferry - single ticket $18.50
Tickets to the Museum of Modern Art - single ticket $25.00
9/11 Memorial and Museum tickets - single ticket $28.00
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises - single ticket $43.00
THE RIDE - single ticket $69
Marvel & DC Superheroes Tour - single ticket $35
Food On Foot Tours - single ticket $49
Radio City Music Hall: Stage Door Tour - single ticket $31.00
Madison Square Garden All Access Tour® - single ticket $35
National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey - single ticket $43
Harlem Jazz Series - single ticket $45

Main attractions included in the New York Pass

Empire State

The Empire State Building is one of the icons of the New York skyline and a true time capsule, with its stunning art deco interior and museum dedicated to the building's construction that will transport you back to the 1930s.

However, the main reason all visitors to New York go to the Empire State is for the views from its observatory, which are undoubtedly one of the most impressive ways to see the city. Put this visit at the top of your list of things to see in the Big Apple!

How to get to the Empire State Building: The nearest subway stop is 34 St. - Herald Square, which is served by most subway lines. From the subway station, it is a few minutes walk to the corner where the Empire State Building is located. You can also go to the 33 St. subway stop and walk a little further to reach the iconic building.
Address: 5th Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets.
Empire State Building ticket prices: There are two types of tickets, the one that allows you a double access during the day and at night and a visit to the museum on the second floor (57€ adult/48€ child), and the single ticket with access to the observation deck and the museum on the second floor (39€ adult/33€ child).
Queuing time to buy tickets: Between 45 and 60 minutes.
How the pass works: Skip the line to buy tickets and go directly to the queue for the security check, where you can show your pass and they will let you through. Please note that the CityPass includes two entrances at different times to the Empire State Building.
About the attraction: Open from 8:00 to 2:00, and a typical visit lasts 2 hours.

Top of the Rock

The Top of the Rock (the name given to the observatory of the Comcast Building in Rockefeller Plaza) offers the best views of New York from a skyscraper: it is from here that all those wonderful postcards of the Empire State have been taken.

If you're passionate about photography, you'll be amazed at the photos you can take of this icon of New York architecture, especially if you climb to the Top of the Rock at sunset or on a foggy morning. As a bonus, you'll also be able to see the One World Observatory and the Statue of Liberty as if it were a toy.

How to get to Top of the Rock: Between 5th and 6th avenues and 49th and 50th streets.
Ticket price to the Top of the Rock: The entrance to the Top of the Rock costs 35€ (adults) and 30€ (children). Children under 6 years old are free.
Queue time to buy tickets: Between 15 and 20 minutes.
How the pass works: You can use your pass to get an online ticket with a set schedule, or present the pass at the box office to have your ticket validated.
About the attraction: Opening hours are from 8:00 until midnight (last elevator up is at 23:00). The average visit is usually one hour, but how long you want to stay on the observation deck is up to you.

Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Tour

The Big Bus is one of the best sightseeing buses in the city, as it takes you around literally all of Manhattan showing you all the sights. Below is a full description of the route of this bus tour, which is a perfect way to visit Manhattan in one day, as you can use the bus as a mode of transportation and do a complete itinerary of downtown New York.

With 25 stops spread between Uptown and Downtown, you can explore all of Manhattan by bus, with stops at the Empire State Building, Brooklyn, Wall Street, the Flatiron Building, Times Square, Central Park, the 9/11 Memorial and Chinatown, among others. The schedule of this tour bus is from 9 am to 5 pm, times of the first and last departure respectively. However, if you want to know more I leave you this article about touring New York at night by tour bus.

Madame Tussauds

The most famous wax museum in the world is based in New York. There is a lot to see in the wax museum and this museum is much more than just a place to take selfies with celebrities like Barack Obama, the Kardashian's or the most famous actors and actresses in Hollywood. Inside, you can find an interactive experience in which you will have to escape from a zombie apocalypse, you can be part of the Ghostbusters for a while or visit King Kong Island. It is not one of those attractions that everyone likes, but if you are going to go to New York with children this will surely be one of their favorite visits.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum

The Statue of Liberty represents New York City like no other monument to any other city in the world. Seeing it up close is breathtaking, and almost even more impressive are the views of Manhattan from Liberty Island. To visit it, you'll need to take a ferry from Battery Park and with the New York Pass you won't have to worry about the ticket, because it's included.

In addition, it also includes the ferry to Ellis Island, where you can visit the Immigration Museum and explore an exhibit about the times when New York became a place of welcome for immigrants from all over the world in search of a better future. Note that all passes include a ferry to Liberty Island (where the Statue of Liberty is located) and some to Ellis Island and the Immigration Museum, but none include access to the pedestal or crown of the Statue of Liberty.

Because of this, it is often better to buy tickets to the Statue of Liberty directly, or to book a tour of Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty. In short: this is the "weakest" experience among the New York passes.

Address: Liberty Island
How to get to the Statue of Liberty: The only way to get to the Statue of Liberty is by ferry or boat, and all depart from Battery Park. The closest subway stops to the terminal from which the ferry departs are State St/Bridge St and Battery Pl/West St.
Price to visit the Statue of Liberty : The entrance with access to the pedestal costs 24€ per adult and 15€ per child. The ticket with access to the crown costs 28€ per adult and 22€ per child. Please note that it is limited to 4 tickets per person and are non-transferable, as you have to put them in your name and present them in person.
Queue time: There is a ferry to the Statue of Liberty every 90 minutes, so depending on the time you arrive, you will have to wait more or less.
How the pass works: You don't need to buy a ticket, so head straight to the security checkpoint and wait for the ferry to arrive.
About the attraction: You can go to the Statue of Liberty from 9:30 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. The typical visit lasts about 4 to 5 hours.

MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)

The MoMA is a must-see museum in New York if you want to see with your own eyes an extraordinary exhibition of works of art that have defined the last century. You can enjoy works of art such as the famous 'Starry Night' by Van Gogh, as well as paintings by Monet, Pollock, Mondrian, Hellen Frankenthaler and Andy Warhol among others.

Address: Between 5th and 6th Avenue and 53rd and 54th Streets.
The closest subway is 5th Avenue-53rd St, from which you will only have to walk three or four minutes to MoMA. The museum is a 10-minute walk from Rockefeller Center, so you can plan a joint visit.
MOMA prices: Admission for adults is 23€. Children 12 and under are free. Free admission to the museum is available on Fridays after 4:00 pm.
Queue time to buy tickets: The queues to buy tickets are usually not very long, but the security check can be up to 30 minutes, and more if you visit the museum on Fridays, when it is free for everyone.
How the pass works: Simply present your pass at the security line and you can enter the museum.
MOMA Hours: Open from 12:00 to 18:00 every day, and as for visiting time it is usually two and a half hours on average (although this depends entirely on what kind of visit you want to do).

9/11 Memorial and Museum

If you purchase tickets to the 9/11 memorial and museum you will delve deeper into the history of the 9/11 Twin Towers attacks. This is a very interesting visit as it will add some historical depth to your trip to New York, and although this experience is not for everyone, it will give you a context about the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers that you may not otherwise have, substantially changing your perspective on New York City.

Address: Between Liberty St. and Fulton St., near West St., near the West St. Station.
Directions: The nearest subway stops are WTC-Cortland, Cortland St. Station and Fulton St. Station, all within a five to ten minute walk of the 9/11 Memorial.
Price: The 9/11 Memorial is free and open to the public. A ticket with tour of the 9/11 Museum costs $42.50 per adult and between $32-37 per child, again depending on age.
Ticket queue time: Between 10 and 90 minutes.
How the pass works: Skip the line to buy tickets, go directly to the security checkpoint and present your pass for direct access to the 11S Museum.
About the attraction: Open from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and until 9:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Most people take a 2-hour tour.

Other attractions included in the New York Pass

Circle Line Cruise

You will be able to choose from four different boat tours of New York City with the New York Pass:

Best of NYC Cruise: a two and a half hour tour around Manhattan from Brooklyn to Queens.
Harbor Lights Sunset Cruise: a two-hour evening tour of Manhattan.
Landmark Cruise: which will take you around Manhattan in search of the best views of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building or One World Trade Center in two and a half hours.
Liberty Cruise: a cruise to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

The Ride

The Ride is a 75-minute Manhattan sightseeing tour in a bus with an interactive experience and a panoramic window to experience the city in a different way, where comedy, dance and music accompany you throughout the tour. It's like stepping into one of the best Broadway musicals set on the streets of New York.

Marvel & DC Superheroes Tour

A perfect tour for superhero fans, especially Marvel fans, as you will be able to visit real places that are relevant to the plots of Spiderman or Avengers. For those who are more into Batman and Superman, you can also discover the places that inspired Gotham or the Daily Planet building.

Food On Foot Tours

This gastronomic tour will give you a taste of the various elements that make up New York cuisine, an amalgam of cuisines from around the world, in local restaurants and bars away from the tourist traps.

Radio City Music Hall: Stage Door Tour

Radio City Music Hall is located in Rockefeller Center (by the way, Rockefeller Center is a must-see at Christmas) and is one of the most famous venues in the United States. Some of its most famous events are the Grammy's or the Rockettes show, and on this tour you can explore the venue in depth and learn about its history.

Madison Square Garden All Access Tour

Who doesn't know Madison Square Garden? Whatever your sport, you'll want to step onto the court where so many historic New York Knicks games have been played, and the venue that has hosted some of the city's biggest concerts. On this tour, you'll gain access to exclusive backstage areas of Madison Square Garden, such as the locker rooms and VIP area.

National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey

The New York Pass includes tickets to this virtual experience of the underwater world, composed of videos and interactive displays produced by National Geographic photographers and cameramen, who tell their stories about the most breathtaking places on Earth.

Harlem Jazz Series

In the Harlem Jazz Series you can listen to jazz artists perform classics by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald or Miles Davis in a local Harlem church. If the experience appeals to you, I invite you to do some research on the best places to hear music in Harlem and the best churches to go to gospel mass in Harlem.

What you should know before you buy

Night Views from the Empire State Building| ©Hellotickets

Now that you know what's included in New York Pass and what its advantages are, here's a summary to help you make your decision. The New York Pass is for you if:

You want to get the most out of New York and see things all day long
You will be in New York for up to 10 days
It's your first time in New York
New York's most expensive attractions are on your must-see list
You are going to take the Hop on Hop off bus tour if you want to
You don't want to waste any of your travel time waiting in line to get into places.

Recommendations for which New York Pass to choose

You can choose a duration between one and ten days for this pass, but my recommendation is to avoid the one-day pass, as it will most likely not work out for you. It is best to select three, five or seven days, which at a rate of 4 or 5 attractions per day will save you a lot of money.

Finally, a reminder of my most important recommendation: enjoy your visit to New York! It's easy to forget that you're in a city full of life and things to discover when you have a list of things to do and just focus on checking them off, which can be the danger of buying a tourist pass.

Other passes to discover New York

Posing in front of the luminous flag in Times Square| ©Hellotickets

If you have not yet decided on the New York Pass and prefer to explore in detail what are the alternative tourist cards that exist, I leave you a list with the practical guides I have prepared on each pass and the comparative article where you can see the advantages and disadvantages of each one: