Go New York Explorer Pass: My Review 2023 | Is It Worth it?

With the Go New York Explorer Pass, you can choose from more than 100 sights to see, attractions, and tours all while saving up to 50% off the regular ticket price. I am a big fan of this sightseeing pass and have used it several times during my over twenty visits to New York City.

What can you expect to discover in my article about the Go New York Explorer Pass? I want to show you how easy it is to save money in New York without having to compromise on anything. I will answer all of your questions, including:

• What is the Go New York Explorer Pass?
• How does the Go New York Explorer Pass work?
• What attractions are included in the Go New York Explorer Pass?
• Is the Go New York Explorer Pass worth it?
• What are my personal experiences with the Go New York Explorer Pass?

By the way, if you have additional questions about the Explorer Pass, feel free to contact me personally; I’m always available at steffen@loving-newyork.com !

What is the Go New York Explorer Pass?

The Go New York Explorer Pass is one of the city’s discounted passes and, once purchased, gives you free access to over 100 different attractions in New York City. With the Go New York Explorer Pass you can choose from these attractions and visit either 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 10 of them. You don’t have to decide which ones you want to see in advance; you can decide that when you’re in NYC. You have the flexibility of choosing exactly what you want to see.

The genius of these attraction-based passes is the time flexibility they offer, which is exactly why I’m such a big fan of them. You can spread out your visits to your desired attractions over several days without sacrificing your savings.

How does the Go New York Explorer Pass work?

1. After booking, you’ll receive your personal Explorer Pass number, which you can then use to log into their free app.
2. When you’re in New York, you simply show your New York Explorer Pass at each attraction…
3. …where it will then be scanned at the ticket counter where you will receive your admission ticket. It’s that easy!

Which attractions are included in the Go New York Explorer Pass?

The list of attractions that the Go New York Explorer Pass is valid for includes many of the sights and attractions that New York City is so well known and loved for. All of the major boat tours, walking tours, the hop-on hop-off buses, and observation decks (except for Summit One Vanderbilt) are included.

The most popular attractions covered by the Go New York Explorer Pass

You can choose from over 100 attractions in total, and nearly all the big ones are included. The top sights are (small selection):

• Empire State Building
• Top of the Rock
• Edge Hudson Yards
• One World Observatory
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• American Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Modern Art
• Hop-on Hop-Off Bustour with BIG BUS
• Circle Line Cruises
• Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry

Here’s the full list of attractions covered by the Go New York Explorer Pass as of 2023.

Hop-on hop-off bus tours

One of the most popular tours are hop-on hop-off bus tours, which are also included for free with the Go New York Explorer Pass. The current provider is BIG BUS. You can easily recognize the buses by their burgundy color. Included is the 1-day ticket, which is valid for both the Uptown and Downtown loops. Although they are two loops, they only count as one attraction, not two.

I FIND THE DOWNTOWN LOOP TO BE THE BEST BECAUSE IT PASSES BY MAJOR SIGHTS TO SEE!

Other popular bus tours include the NYC TV & Movie Bus Tour, the Woodbury Common Bus Tour, and the Insider Tour of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.

Boat tours you can take with the Go New York Explorer Pass

When it comes to boat tours, you have all the great providers and routes to choose from with the Explorer Pass. My personal favorite is the Best of New York boat tour, which takes you all the way around Manhattan!

MAKE SURE TO TAKE A BOAT TOUR! IT’S RELAXING AND YOU’LL SEE NEW YORK FROM A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE!

• 2-hour boat tour “Best of New York” by Circle Line
• 1.5-h hour boat tour “Landmarks Cruise” by Circle Line
• Ferry to the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
• Boat tour to the Statue of Liberty by Circle Line (without disembarking at the Statue of Liberty)
• Harbor Lights Cruise by Circle Line (evening lights cruise)
• Sailing tour on the tall ship Clipper City (in the warm season)
• Liberty Super Express Cruise

Walking Tours

One of the highlights of the Explorer Pass are the walking tours – super-exciting if you want to get to know some of the city’s neighborhoods with a New York guide. The selection of tours to choose from is huge! From food tours to tours through the hippest parts of the city, the choices are endless!

How much does the Go New York Explorer Pass cost?

Prices vary depending on the number of attractions you wish to visit:

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “LNYOffer” to get an extra 6% off 👇

BUY Explorer PASS

Compare the price at GetYourGuide

My tip: if you are in New York City with children and they are six years old or younger, I would recommend not buying a sightseeing pass for them, as the entrance fee for many sights is free for children of that age.

Is the Go New York Explorer Pass worth purchasing?

Whether the Explorer Pass really pays off depends on which sights and tours you have on your itinerary. Basically, the more expensive the single use ticket is for the attractions, the higher your savings will be.

How easily you can save in New York City?

To see how quickly and easily you can save money, look here to see my 3-day travel plan, which you could also spread out over five relaxing days.

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “LNYOffer” to get an extra 6% off 👇

BUY Explorer PASS

Compare the price at GetYourGuide

Not sure which pass is the best for you? Then try our free New York Pass Consultant! It calculates daily whether a New York City Attraction Pass is worth purchasing and if so, which one! You can find out which New York Pass is the best here!

Go New York Explorer Pass or New York Sightseeing Flex Pass?

Both discount passes are great, and you’ll be able to save big with both. Whether the Explorer Pass or the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass is better depends on only two factors; on all other points they are almost identical.

1. Want to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island? This boat tour is only included with the Go New York Explorer Pass, not the Flex Pass!
2. If the Statue of Liberty is not on your itinerary, then the 2nd factor is not completely unimportant. With my discount code LNYOffer the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass becomes significantly cheaper, as you can see in the table.

My Experiences with the Go New York Explorer Pass

Why do I keep choosing the attraction-based Go New York Explorer Pass? I like to save money on admission costs at attractions, and at the same time there’s no sightseeing hassle!

Unlike the day-based discount passes like the New York Pass or the New York Sightseeing Pass, with the Go New York Explorer Pass you can plan days without sightseeing in between sightseeing days without losing the cost-saving benefit of buying a pass.

I have had only good experiences with the Explorer Pass; it is known at every attraction, the selection of attractions is enormous, and the app works without any issues. While I always used the large variants with 7 or 10 choices during my first few trips to New York City, I now stick to the smaller passes with 3 to 5 choices.

My conclusion: The discount pass is great and I can recommend it to you without reservation!

👇 Don’t forget to use my promo code “LNYOffer” to get an extra 6% off 👇

BUY Explorer PASS

Compare the price at GetYourGuide

Frequently asked questions about the Go New York Explorer Pass

How long is the Go New York Explorer Pass valid?

The Explorer Pass is activated the first time you use it, and you then have 60 days before it expires.

Can I use the subway with the Go New York Explorer Pass?

No. The discount passes for New York City are for the city’s attractions, but unfortunately the ticket fees for public transport (subway and bus) are not included. This is true for all New York City Sightseeing passes.

Why do I need to specify the date when booking?

The date is only present to show that you have one year to begin using the Explorer Pass in New York City. Only when you use the Explorer Pass for the first time at an attraction does the 60-days validity period begin!

I bought the Explorer Pass for several people, but only my name is on the voucher!

If one person buys the Explorer Pass for several people, multiple barcodes will be generated on the pass. Additionally, each 12-digit number in the red field denotes the number of individuals on the pass.

How and where can I buy the Go New York Explorer Pass cheaply?

You can easily buy the Go New York Pass online before your trip to New York. If you buy the Explorer Pass in advance, you don’t even have to do anything once you arrive! Just print out the Go New York voucher or download it to your phone, and you’re done! You don’t have to pick it up anywhere and it’s valid for 60 days from the first activation.