New York Sightseeing Pass

The New York Sightseeing Pass is the most popular sightseeing pass for NYC. With it you can visit 90+ attractions, choosing these as you go meaning that you can forget about the stress of sightseeing, and explore NYC at your own leisure. It’s a great alternative to the New York Pass and the Go New York Explorer Pass.

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Heads up:
If you prefer the flexibility to not pick your attractions beforehand and also be spontaneous about what you visit and when you might want to consider the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass instead.

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What is the New York Sightseeing Pass?

The Sightseeing Pass for NYC is a great way to explore more of NYC for less. Two versions of the pass exist, one is the NYC Sightseeing Pass and the NYC Sightseeing FLEX Pass.

• The NYC Sightseeing Pass is like every other classic New York Sightseeing Pass. You pay for the number of days which you would like to use the pass for and can during this time visit an unlimited amount of attractions.
• The Sightseeing FLEX Pass is sold by the number of attractions you want to visit (Choose between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, or 12 NYC attractions). You then have 30 days to visit the attractions you purchased.

In the following, we will exclusively focus on the New York Sightseeing Pass. Should you be interested in the Flex Day Pass version, continue to our article about the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass.

The New York Sightseeing Pass at one glance

• FREE: A free voucher for $40 is included with the purchase of every pass. With this, you can visit an additional attraction that is otherwise not included in the NYC Sightseeing Pass.

• Flexibility: You do not have to decide on the attractions you want to visit beforehand. This means that you can change your mind once you are in NYC without any issues.
• Choice: You have a choice between 100+ attractions and tours. All of the most popular NYC attractions are included.
• Popular: The popular Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours are included in the pass. (72-hour ticket for the NY Sightseeing FLEX Pass and for the Duration of the NY Sightseeing Day Pass)
• Mobile Ticket: Save time by printing your ticket at home or saving it on your smartphone. This way you do not need to go collect it anywhere in NYC.
• Price: The cost/benefit ratio is great. The Sightseeing Pass NYC saves you a lot of money while providing you with a lot of flexibility.
• Free travel guide, city map & app
• Promo Code: LNYOFFER

New York Sightseeing Pass vs New York Sightseeing FLEX Pass

Both of the passes include many of the popular NYC sightseeing cruises, the Gray Line Sightseeing New York Bus Tours, as well as many other Manhattan Sightseeing options. The only difference between them is what type of sightseeing schedule you prefer.

Your Sightseeing Preferences

Check below which type of schedule suits you more, do you prefer non-consecutive sightseeing days with fewer activities each day or do you prefer to see everything in a few days?

Once you have decided if you prefer type 1 or type 2, you know whether the New York Sightseeing Pass or the NY Sightseeing Flex Pass suits you most. As they are both otherwise identical this is the most important question picking between the two. For more information about the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass please read our full guide about this New York Sightseeing Pass option.

How does the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass work?

• Step 1: Purchase it

When buying the New York Sightseeing Pass, you do not have to select the number of attractions you want to visit in New York like you have to do with the Sightseeing Flex Pass. The Sightseeing Pass offers you the opportunity to choose the attractions as you go meaning that you can forget about the stress of sightseeing, and explore NYC at your own leisure.

When purchasing the pass, be sure to enter our promo code “LNYOFFER” to get up to 25% off. Once you have purchased the pass you will receive an email with a QR code (that you can either print or save to your phone), which you can then scan at attractions to gain free entry. It’s that easy! The fact that the Sightseeing Flex Pass will immediately be delivered to you digitally, allows you to buy the pass anytime, from anywhere online. From the receipt of your pass, you’ll have one year to activate it.

• Step 2: Activate it

Your New York Sightseeing Pass will automatically be activated upon using it for the first time. Once your pass is being scanned for the first time at your first attractions you’ll have 30 consecutive days to visit the attractions included in the pass. That gives you more than enough time to discover New York City at a relaxed pace.

• Step 3: Use it

The NYC Sightseeing Pass is very easy to use. Simply present your pass at the ticket counter and you’ll receive a ticket for the attraction you want to visit. You can visit as many attractions as you like until your time is up.

Do I need to reserve my tickets with the New York City Sightseeing Pass?

Most attractions do not require reservations. If you plan on doing a guided tour during your NYC vacation, you may need to reserve your spot in advance. Head over to our FAQs to learn about reservations with the New York Sightseeing Pass.

New York Sightseeing Pass Prices

Check the prices of the NYC Sightseeing Flex and Day Passes below. The NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass is currently the pass with the best value for money, due to its initial price point as well as an additional discount of up to 20% off you get when you use our code. Apply “LNYOFFER” at checkout, for up to 20% off your NYC Sightseeing Passes.

*With every Sightseeing Pass you purchase, one of your attraction choices can be a $40 voucher. This way you are able to see an attraction that is not included in the New York Sightseeing Pass

The more days you choose, the more you save!

Obviously, the higher the number of days you purchased, the bigger the savings. Knowing how many attractions you are planning on visiting helps to get an overview of which pass option is best for you. First-timers should try and see at least 6 attractions.

With our promo code “LNYOFFER” you save up to 25% on your New York Sightseeing Pass!

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New York Sightseeing Pass Attractions

The NYC Sightseeing Pass includes over 100 attractions, museums, and tours for you to choose from. The main NYC highlights and attractions are included. As well as fun walking tours and other unique experiences. This is one of the reasons why this sightseeing pass is great for first-time visitors. Please note that regardless of if you are the owner of a Sightseeing Day or Flex Pass, the included attractions are identical.

These are the most popular attractions included in the Sightseeing Pass:

• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock
• 9/11 Memorial Museum

• Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met)
• Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
• 72h Hop-on Hop-off Bus tour ticket
• MoMA
• Madame Tussauds

See all included attractions

Observation Decks included in the Sightseeing Pass

The Sightseeing Pass includes two observation decks in New York City. Take advantage of the only sightseeing pass that includes free admission to One World Observatory. Sadly, it does not include the Empire State Building.

• One World Observatory
• Top of the Rock

Museums included in the NYC Sightseeing Pass

If you’re interested in New York’s most popular museums, the Sightseeing Pass is a great attraction pass for you. The list of attractions boasts around 30 museums, including must-sees like the MoMA, the Met, and the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Especially MoMA fans, in particular, can get excited: the Sightseeing Pass offers access to all museum locations for three days (as opposed to only one day). That gives you plenty of time to discover the museums at your own pace.

• Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
• Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met)
• The Met Cloisters
• Whitney Museum of American Art
• MoMA PS1
• American Museum of Natural History
• Guggenheim Museum
• The Met Breuer
• 9/11 Memorial Museum
• 9/11 Tribute Museum
• SPYSCAPE
• Madame Tussauds
• Ground Zero Museum Workshop
• National Geographic Encounter: Ocean Odyssey
• Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum
• Ripley’s Believe it or not
• Gulliver’s Gate

See all included museums

Boat tours and cruises

While visiting New York City you have to experience it from the water. It’s a beautiful experience that lets you soak in the skyline views from a unique perspective and a magical atmosphere at the same time! The New York Sightseeing Pass features some of the best sightseeing cruises in the city, including fun jazz cruises, New York City sightseeing cruises, and sailing cruises.

• Hop-on Hop-off Cruise
• Ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island*
• Alive After Five
• Clipper City Daytime Statue Sail
• Clipper City Jazz Cruise
• Sunday Morning Brunch Cruise
• Shearwater Statue Sail
• High Speed Harbor Tour

*While the ferry to Liberty Island and Ellis Island is covered by the pass, you won’t be able to access pedestal or crown. If you do want to explore the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty or the crown, make sure to buy your tickets separately. Jump over to our guide to visiting the Statue of Liberty.

See all included cruises

Hop on Hop of buses & bus tours

Please note another difference between the New York Sightseeing Day Pass and the NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass: With the Sightseeing Day Pass you can use the bus every day for which you have purchased the pass for, meaning that if you have a 4-day pass, you can use the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus for 4 days. If you purchased the NYC Sightseeing Flex Pass, however, you can use one of your attractions for a 72-hour ticket only.

The Sightseeing Buses in New York are much slower than the subway. We recommend taking the Uptown & Downtown Bus tours towards the start of your trip to gain an impression of NYC and then use public transportation. Getting around with the NYC subway is much quicker and more efficiently.

• Hop on Hop of buses & bus tours as long as you booked your pass for
• Best of Manhattan Bus tour
• Brooklyn Hop-on Hop-off Bus tour
• Woodbury Common Premium Outlet Shopping Tour
• New York at Night Tour
• NYC TV and Movie Bus Tour
• When Harry Met Seinfeld Bus Tour

***Your hop-on hop-off ticket is valid for both the Uptown and Downtown routes.

SEE all included bus tours

The NYC Sightseeing Pass offers the best hop-on hop-off deals. Other New York attraction passes only include a one-day ticket, if at all.

Don’t make a decision based on the bus tours!

We recommend that you shouldn’t focus on the hop-on-hop-off buses too much when choosing a pass for NYC. They are excellent to give you a first impression of the city, but for your daily transportation, you’re better off using public transport. You can easily experience the Uptown- and Downtown tours in one day.

Walking Tours included with the New York City Sightseeing Pass

The Sightseeing Pass includes many guided tours, including walking really fun tours through various neighborhoods, themed tours, food tours, behind-the-scenes tours, and bike tours. Check out the city with locals and learn more about New York’s neighborhoods and landmarks firsthand. In total, you have over 30 walking tours to choose from.

• Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
• Wall Street Walking Tour
• Best of Brooklyn Walking Tour
• Greenwich Village Walking Tour
• Central Park Bike Tour or Rental
• Madison Square Garden All Access Tour
• High Line & Chelsea Walking Tour
• Inside Out Tours
• Radio City Music Hall Stage Dootour
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral Tourbike
• Food on Foot Tours

SEE ALL INCLUDED walking TOURS

Other Inclusions in the Sightseeing Pass

• Airport Transfers

The New York Sightseeing Pass is currently the only pass that offers an airport transfer for the one-way Go Airlink shuttle. At the day of your departure (Your arrival airport transfer is not included!), you will get picked up at your hotel in Manhattan and taken to your airport of choice: JFK, Newark or LaGuardia.

The airport transfer is only valid for your departure from Manhattan back to the airport – not for your arrival in New York!

Be sure to reserve your seats at least 24 hours in advance to take advantage of this attraction included in the Sightseeing Pass. Upon pickup, the driver will scan your Sightseeing Flex Pass and you’ll be good to go.

• Discounts at select NYC restaurants

With the NYC Sightseeing Pass, you can even enjoy free food in selected restaurants all over New York City. Restaurants such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Planet Hollywood, Buca di Beppo, LOL Times Square, and several more offer discounts when presenting your New York Sightseeing Pass.

• Product Voucher Option

The Sightseeing Pass gives you the option to trade in one of your attraction choices for a $40 voucher that comes with the pass. That voucher can be used towards selected attractions, tours, and experiences that are otherwise not part of the Sightseeing Pass program. It’s a great opportunity to benefit even more from the NYC sightseeing pass.

Take a look at the full list of additional products here. To use the voucher, simply enter your Sightseeing Flex Pass Code (can be found below or next to your QR code) into the “Promotional Code” box at checkout.

See all inclusions

Sightseeing Flex Pass Fast Track Entry

There are a few fast track benefits that come with the Sightseeing Pass as well. Even though the main focus is on saving money rather than saving time, there are a few fast lanes that you should know about. The Sightseeing Pass includes fast track options to Madame Tussauds, Ripley’s Believe it or Not!, The Met, The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum as well as a few restaurants.

See all fast tracks

Is the Sightseeing Pass worth it?

Overall, New York Sightseeing Pass is one of the best New York attractions passes. For most NYC visitors, it is really worth it. Find out if the New York Sightseeing Pass is also worth it for you by looking at the pros and cons of the pass.

Pros of the New York Sightseeing Pass

• you can save up to 50% off regular ticket prices
• the only sightseeing pass that includes One World Observatory
• great pass for first-time and repeat visitors
• you stay very flexible

Cons of the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass

• The Empire State Building is not included

New York Sightseeing Flex Pass

My personal opinion

Purchasing a NYC Sightseeing Pass is a great idea if you are looking to stay flexible during your trip to New York, as well as save money along the way. The New York Sightseeing Pass is one of the best sightseeing pass options due to its price and the many popular attractions and tours included.

The easiest way for you to find the best New York City Pass is by using our Savings Calculator. Simply select the attractions and tours you are interested in and the tool will automatically calculate the pass with the largest savings for you. It can be as simple as that!

Compare the Sightseeing Pass with other NYC attraction passes

In case you’re unsure about if the Sightseeing Pass is the best for you, head over to our Ultimate New York Pass Comparison to find out how the New York Sightseeing Pass performs against other popular attraction passes.

The Ultimate New York Pass Comparison

In this New York pass comparison, we will discuss the several different New York passes that allow you to purchase cheap attraction tickets. These New York City attraction passes can save you up to 70%...

FIND OUT MORE

FAQ

How can I use my Sightseeing Pass for the Empire State Building?

If you purchased a NYC Sightseeing Day Pass, you will receive a $40 voucher by email. You can, in turn, use this for a variety of attractions and tours that are not included in the pass. The Empire State Building is no longer included. This means that, unfortunately, you will not be able to visit the Empire State Building using the Sightseeing Pass.

Does the Sightseeing Flex Pass offer discounts for children?
Yes. The Sightseeing Flex Pass is also available for children between 3 and 12 years at discounted rates. Depending on what type of pass you’re going for the pass for your child will be 15-30% cheaper.

Are there also discounts for seniors?
No. Unfortunately, the only further discount Sightseeing Pass offers applies to children. There are no discounts for seniors with the New York Sightseeing Pass.

Is the Sightseeing Flex Pass cheaper if I buy it in New York?
No. In fact, buying the Sightseeing Pass is New York will be more expensive. Take advantage of our discount code “LNYOFFER” that will deduct up to 25% of the price.

When is the best time to buy the Flex Pass?

There is no perfect timing to buy the NYC Sightseeing Pass. You can actually purchase it up to one year in advance. In case you decide to buy last-minute, the Sightseeing Pass is ready to go right after your purchase.

Do I have to make reservations for attractions in advance?
No. You don’t have to reserve for an attraction beforehand. Simply present your pass at the attractions of your preference and receive a ticket in exchange. Certain walking tours and cruises require reservations though. To check, see this list with all attractions that require prior reservations. Please note that by doing so, the pass will not be activated.

Can I use public transportation with the Flex Pass?
Unfortunately, no. Public transportation is not included in any of the New York attraction passes.

How do I activate the New York Sightseeing Flex Pass?

Once scanned at the first attraction of your choice, the Sightseeing Pass will automatically be activated.

Can I visit attractions more than once with the Sightseeing Flex Pass?
No. You can only visit each attraction once with the Sightseeing Pass except at the MoMA. The pass offers access to all museum locations for three days (as opposed to only one day). That gives you plenty of time to discover the museums at your own pace.

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