The San Francisco CityPASS is one of three major attraction passes in the Golden City. This comprehensive review will explain everything you need to know about the SF CityPASS and C3 Pass.
Why can you trust us when it comes to the San Francisco CityPASS?
Not only have we been to San Francisco multiple times, but we have both used the San Francisco CityPASS and C3 Pass extensively ourselves.
We also have used CityPASS in many other cities around the United States. So you can consider us experts when it comes to using this attraction based pass.
Our only goal is to help you decide if this is the attraction pass for you, as well as help save you some money when you visit.
In this guide, we will show you:
- Why buy an attractions pass in San Francisco?
- Types of San Francisco attraction passes you can buy
- San Francisco CityPASS vs the competition
- How the pass works and how to make reservations
- Top attractions included with the pass
- Is the San Francisco CityPASS worth it?
Let’s see if the San Francisco CityPASS is the perfect attractions pass for your visit!
Disclaimer: We received San Francisco CityPASS and C3 Pass tickets in order to share our opinion about this product but this is not a sponsored post.
Why Buy A San Francisco CityPASS?
Buying a San Francisco CityPASS will instantly give you access to the top attractions in the city including museums, landmarks and special experiences.
Personally, we have used attractions passes in cities all around the world. It is a very simple concept in that the more attractions you visit with your CityPASS, the more money you will save.
An attraction pass is great for both first time visitors and those who live in the city but have yet to experience any of the ‘touristy’ things.
Types Of San Francisco Attraction Passes
There are two types of attractions pass you can use in San Francisco. The first is a day based pass, and the second is an attraction based pass.
Each pass has benefits and drawbacks, so let’s see which would work best for your visit:
Day Based Pass
A day based pass gives you access to a large amount of top attractions. You will then have the amount of corresponding days to visit as many attractions as you can fit into your itinerary.
For example, if you buy a 2 day San Francisco attraction pass with 75 attractions included, you have 2 days to see as many attractions as possible.
The San Francisco CityPASS and C3 Pass are not day attraction passes. If you would prefer to see as many attractions as possible during your visit to San Francisco, read our comparison for the San Francisco attractions passes.
Here are a few pro and cons for a day based pass:
Day Pass Pros: Far more attractions available
Day Pass Cons: Higher price tag for more attraction options, limited time might make it difficult to get through many attractions and you will feel obligated to rush around to get your money worth
Attractions Based Pass
The San Francisco CityPASS and C3 Pass are attraction based passes.
With these passes you will have fewer attractions, but attractions available are generally the top bucket list tourist sites. You will also be able to visit each attraction over a much longer period of time.
For example, if you purchase a 4 attraction pass, you will have up to 9 consecutive days to visit all 4 attractions.
Here are a few pros and cons for an attractions based pass:
Attractions Pass Pros: Far less overwhelming way to see the top rated attractions and perfect for first time visitors wanting to see the top sights with enough time to enjoy each place
Attractions Pass Cons – You will have to choose between select attractions so you might miss out on one or two attractions with this type of pass
How Does The San Francisco CityPASS Work?
Now that you know the San Francisco CityPASS is an attraction based pass, there are two options of passes available.
- San Francisco CityPASS
- San Francisco C3 Pass
The main difference between these two CityPASS options are the amount of attractions included on the pass itself.
We like the CityPASS and C3 Pass because you have the ability to choose between the very best of San Francisco’s attractions.
A San Francisco CityPASS gives you entry into 4 attractions from a list of 6 attractions.
While the San Francisco C3 Pass gives you entry into 3 attractions from a list of 9 attractions.
The validity for either pass is 9 consecutive days starting with the day you visit your first attraction. You also have one year from the date of purchase to activate your pass.
Let’s take a closer look at the attractions on each pass.
San Francisco CityPASS
The San Francisco CityPASS will grant you entry to 4 attractions with two attractions that are non-negotiable.
Here are the attractions you must visit with the SF CityPASS:
- California Academy of Sciences
- Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise
And then you can choose 2 more attractions from the following list:
- Aquarium of the Bay
- Exploratorium
- San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
- The Walt Disney Family Museum
Travel Tip: The San Francisco CityPASS is perfect for first time visitors because this pass gets you to the best attractions at the most competitive price point.
San Francisco C3 Pass
The San Francisco C3 Pass will grant you entry to any 3 of the following 9 attractions:
- Aquarium of the Bay
- California Academy of Sciences
- Bay City Bike & Parkwide Bike Rental
- Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise
- Exploratorium
- de Young Museum + Legion of Honor
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
- San Francisco Zoo & Garden
- The Walt Disney Family Museum
Travel Tip: The San Francisco C3 Pass is also good for first time visitors, but best for those who are extremely short on time.
How Much Does The San Francisco CityPASS And C3 Pass Cost?
Our experience with CityPASS has shown us these passes are often the most cost effective options compared to other attraction passes in a city.
However, the attractions on these passes are limited. So this is a great deal if you are interested in only the attractions listed on either pass.
We would recommend you purchase your San Francisco CityPASS or C3 Pass in advance online prior to your visit.
Some of the attractions on the pass may require advanced reservations which we will discuss later in the guide.
Buy The San Francisco CityPASS
The San Francisco CityPASS is currently priced at $76 for adults and $56 for children (4-11).
With a small calculation, we will show you just how much you can save with the San Francisco CityPASS.
This example uses the same day box office general admission price for adults as well as processing fees for each ticket transaction on the official websites.
Here are the prices you would pay if visiting each attraction individually:
- California Academy of Sciences – $44.50
- Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise – $40.00
- Aquarium of the Bay – $33.66
- Exploratorium – $39.95
- San Francisco Zoo & Gardens – $26.00
- The Walt Disney Family Museum – $25.00
Taking the California Academy of Sciences ($44.50) + Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise ($40.00) + Exploratorium ($39.95) + Aquarium of the Bay ($33.66) = $158.11
- Attraction Price = $158.11 without SF CityPASS
- CityPASS Price = $76.00
- Savings = $82.11
You will save over 50% on the top 4 attractions with the San Francisco CityPASS!
>> Buy an official San Francisco CityPASS here <<
Buy The San Francisco C3 Pass
The San Francisco CityPASS is currently priced at $67 for adults and $54 for children (4-11).
We will perform the exact same calculation with the San Francisco C3 Pass.
This example uses the same day box office general admission price for adults as well as processing fees for each ticket transaction on the official websites.
Here are the prices you would pay if visiting each attraction individually:
- Aquarium of the Bay – $33.66
- California Academy of Sciences – $44.50
- Bay City Bike & Parkwide Bike Rental – $32.00 / day
- Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise – $40.00
- Exploratorium – $39.95
- de Young Museum + Legion of Honor – $15.00 + $15.00
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) – $25.00
- San Francisco Zoo & Garden – $26.00
- The Walt Disney Family Museum – $25.00
Taking the California Academy of Sciences ($44.50) + Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise ($40.00) + Exploratorium ($39.95) = $124.45
- Attraction Price = $124.45 without SF CityPASS
- C3 Pass Price = $67.00
- Savings = $57.45
You can save up to 46% on the top 3 attractions with the San Francisco C3 Pass!
>> Buy an official San Francisco C3 Pass here <<
What Attractions Are Included With The San Francisco C3 And CityPASS?
Now you know the different types of passes and how much money you can save, let’s briefly take a look at each individual attraction you can visit after buying the San Francisco C3 or CityPASS.
1. Aquarium Of The Bay
The Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco is a public aquarium located at Pier 39. This aquarium focuses on local aquatic animals from the San Francisco Bay as well as the Sierra Nevada area.
Address: PIER 39 The Embarcadero &, Beach St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Aquarium of the Bay Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
2. California Academy Of Sciences
Located in Golden Gate Park, the California Academy of Sciences is a research institute as well as a natural history museum. This complex is home to over 46 million specimens, a rainforest and a planetarium.
Address: 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118
California Academy of Sciences Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
Travel Tip: The shows at the Planetarium are free, but you must book a timed entry ticket. Reservations should be made online here. We enjoyed the Living Worlds show and it lasted about 30 minutes.
3. Bay City Bike And Parkwide Bike Rental
Bike to the Golden Gate Bridge then to Sausalito and return via ferry. Or just bike the city of San Francisco. No matter your choice, this option includes a full day bike rental with helmet, lock and map.
Address: 2661 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94133
Bay City Bike Google Maps Location (multiple locations available).
Included on: C3 Pass
4. Blue And Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise
Includes a one hour narrated San Francisco Bay Cruise while you sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, past Angel Island and finally circle around Alcatraz.
Address: Pier 41, San Francisco, CA 94133
Blue and Gold Fleet Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
5. Exploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum of science, technology and arts wrapped into one experience. Be sure to leave yourself several hours to discover the many exhibits of the Exploratorium.
This was one place we could have easily enjoyed all day. We would recommend the Exploratorium for any age group so be prepared to bring out your inner kid!
Address: Pier 15 Embarcadero at, Green St, San Francisco, CA 94111
Exploratorium Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
Want A San Francisco CityPASS?
Head over to the official CityPASS website to grab your pass now.
6. de Young Museum + Legion of Honor
This is a two for one deal with admission into both the de Young Museum as well as the Legion of Honor.
The de Young Museum is found in Golden Gate Park and showcases art from the 17th century through today. Next, stop at the Legion of Honor which features European art spanning the Renaissance through 19th century Impressionism.
de Young Museum Address: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118
Google Maps Location de Young Museum.
Legion of Honor Address: 100 34th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94121
Google Maps Location Legion of Honor.
Included on: C3 Pass
Travel Tip: You have to visit both the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor in the same day to receive admission to both museums.
7. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
The SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art. This was also the first museum on the West Coast devoted to only 20th century art.
Address: 151 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Included on: C3 Pass
8. San Francisco Zoo And Garden
Located directly on the Pacific Coast spanning 100 acres of land, this zoo is home to over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals. The San Francisco Zoo is open 365 days a year.
Address: Sloat Blvd and Upper Great Hwy, San Francisco, CA 94132
San Francisco Zoo Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
9. The Walt Disney Family Museum
If you are looking for a unique attraction, this museum features the life and legacy of Walt Disney using interactive galleries with films, artifacts, models and music. This is one attraction the entire family will enjoy.
Address: 104 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129
Walt Disney Family Museum Google Maps Location.
Included on: CityPASS and C3 Pass
Travel Tip: The Walt Disney Family Museum is only open from 10:00am – 5:30pm Thursday to Sunday so you may need to plan accordingly.
Does The San Francisco CityPASS Include Alcatraz?
Unfortunately, the San Francisco CityPASS and C3 Pass does not include a tour of Alcatraz.
City Experiences are the official provider of Alcatraz Island Tour tickets. The best way to book Alcatraz tickets is directly with City Experiences on the official website.
But before you book a tour, be sure to read our extremely popular Alcatraz Tours Review. We have experienced both a day and night tour at Alcatraz so we will tell you everything you need to know.
How To Make A Timed Reservation With San Francisco C3 And CityPASS
For many CityPASS locations in the United States, you are required to make a timed reservation for some if not all of the attractions on the pass.
For example, the New York CityPASS requires many advanced reservations.
However, San Francisco is a unique city because none of the attractions currently require a pre-booked reservation. You will instantly receive the next entry time with either your CityPASS or C3 Pass.
If you would like to see more information about reservations you can visit the official SFCityPASS website or the official SF C3 website.
Be sure to always check the reservation status before your visit to ensure you do not need a reservation.
What About The Other San Francisco Attraction Passes?
San Francisco attraction passes are very similar and the names can be confusing. But once you take a deeper look at each option, you will notice subtle differences.
Besides the San Francisco CityPASS, there are 2 additional San Francisco attraction passes.
- San Francisco Sightseeing Pass
- Go City San Francisco
Let’s take a quick look at each option:
1. San Francisco Sightseeing Pass
Sightseeing Pass has attraction passes in several of the major US cities.
This is the most popular attractions pass because it gives you the most flexibility if you want to see many attractions in the city.
Here is what you need to know about the San Francisco Sightseeing Pass:
- Choose either an attractions or day based pass
- Prices go up incrementally the more attractions or days you add
- Over 20 attractions included on both passes
SF Sightseeing DAY Pass – This pass is best for visitors wanting to see all of the SF attractions, returning visitors or families with children.
SF Sightseeing FLEX Pass – This pass is best for visitors who want to have control over how many attractions they visit.
>> Head over to the San Francisco Sightseeing Pass official website here for more information.
2. Go City San Francisco
Go City have attractions passes in several major cities around the world.
The Go City San Francisco Pass is set up almost identically to San Francisco Sightseeing Pass. Go City has a day based pass called “All Inclusive Pass” and an attractions based pass called “Explorer Pass“.
Here’s what you need to know about Go City San Francisco:
- Choose either an attractions or day based pass
- Cost of Go City Pass may be cheaper or more expensive than Sightseeing Pass depending on deals
- Prices go up incrementally the more attractions or days you add
- Use either pass in the same way as San Francisco Sightseeing Pass
Go City SF Explorer Pass – Similar to SF Sightseeing FLEX Pass (compare prices).
Go City SF All-Inclusive Pass – Similar to SF Sightseeing DAY Pass (compare prices).
>> Head over to Go City San Francisco official website here for more information.
Why Choose San Francisco CityPASS or A C3 Pass Over The Competition?
Now you know the San Francisco attraction passes are very similar, so why would you choose to buy a CityPASS over a Sightseeing or Go City attractions pass?
Here are a few pros and cons to help sway your decision about the CityPASS:
Pros for the San Francisco C3 and CityPASS:
- Cheapest per attraction out of the 3 SF attraction passes
- Ability to visit attractions over 9 consecutive days
Cons for the San Francisco C3 and CityPASS:
- Limited amount of attractions on the pass
- Have to visit California Academy of Sciences + Blue & Gold Fleet San Francisco Bay Cruise with CityPASS
Is It Worth Buying The San Francisco CityPASS?
Yes, the San Francisco CityPASS is well worth buying if you want to save money on your visit to the Golden City and you have an idea about what attractions you want to visit.
The SF CityPASS is the cheapest option compared to the other San Francisco attraction passes with the most bang for your buck giving you access to the top attractions.
We also like the ability to use the pass over 9 consecutive days which gives you ample time to visit each attraction without rushing.
How To Buy Your San Francisco CityPASS Or C3 Pass
Buying your San Francisco CityPASS is easy:
- Follow this link to the official website for San Francisco CityPASS
- Choose between the CityPASS and C3 Pass
- Select amount of the adult and/or child passes
- Hit the big red button to add the passes to your cart
- Enjoy your fun filled trip to San Francisco
That’s everything you need to know about the San Francisco CityPASS, we hope this review has been helpful.
Still on the fence about SF CityPASS? Remember to read our San Francisco Attractions Pass comparison next to see if either pass is a better fit for your San Francisco needs!
FAQ’s For The San Francisco CityPASS
Let’s take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about the San Francisco CityPASS.
No, the CityPASS and C3 Pass do not include the cable car in San Francisco. These are attraction based passes which get you free entry into the top sights in the city at a competitive price point.
No, the San Francisco CityPASS does not include transportation, but the C3 Pass includes an option for a bike rental which you can use to explore parts of the city such as the Golden Gate Bridge.
When visiting San Francisco, you should not miss the Golden Gate Bridge, the Painted Ladies, a Tour of Alcatraz, a San Francisco Bay Cruise, The Exploratorium and Coit Tower.
There are many things to do in San Francisco and we would recommend 3 days to scratch the surface. But if you want to slow down and enjoy your time, 4 or 5 days would be better if your itinerary allows.
The CityPASS in San Francisco gives you access to the best attractions in the city at a great price. You should purchase your CityPASS online in advance and then you will receive your tickets via confirmation email. From here, all you need to do is make your reservations (if required) and present your pass at each attraction you visit.
Our Popular San Francisco Guides
- Itinerary – Amazing 3 Day San Francisco Itinerary
- Things To Do – 40 Best Things to do in San Francisco
- Photography – Stunning Views of the Golden Gate Bridge
- Exploratorium – Is the SF Exploratorium worth visiting?
- Tea Garden – Complete Guide to the SF Japanese Tea Garden
- Coit Tower – How to visit the observation deck at Coit Tower
- SF Attraction Passes – Which SF attraction pass should you buy?
More CityPASS Reviews By State
- New York – New York CityPASS and C3 Pass Review
- Washington – Seattle CityPASS and C3 Pass Review
- Colorado – Denver CityPASS Review
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- Death Valley – One Day in Death Valley Itinerary from LA and Las Vegas
Want more California content? Head to our California Travel Guides to explore National Parks, popular road trips and things to do in major cities of the sunshine state.
We hope this San Francisco CityPASS review helps you decide if this is the attractions pass for you!
Please let us know if you have any questions about the San Francisco CityPASS in the comments below.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
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Mark and Kristen Morgan are travel, hiking and photography experts. Over the last 6 years traveling full time, they have explored more than 40 countries and 30 US states.
Their work has been featured in USA Today, Gestalten, Get Your Guide, CityPASS and Condé Nast Traveler along with various other publications.