Quick answer: San Francisco has two passes and one big exclusion. CityPASS ($91.95 adult, $71.95 child 4–11, 9 days) fixes the California Academy of Sciences ($49–55) and a Blue & Gold Bay cruise ($39) and adds two from the Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium, SFMOMA, Walt Disney Family Museum, de Young, SF Zoo or bike hire — a saving of $50–70 against gate prices. Go City San Francisco sells an Explorer (2–5 choices from ~$89) and an All-Inclusive (1–5 days from ~$109) covering the Academy, the Exploratorium, a Red & White cruise, Big Bus and the de Young. Alcatraz ($47.95) is on neither — only a CityPASS + Alcatraz bundle ($116.95) includes it, and the ferry must be booked weeks ahead. For most three-to-four-day visits, CityPASS is the clear buy; Go City wins only for museum-heavy or car-free sprints.
San Francisco Passes at a Glance
| Pass | Price (2026) | Validity | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco CityPASS | $91.95 adult / $71.95 child (4–11) | 9 consecutive days from first use | California Academy of Sciences + Blue & Gold Fleet Bay cruise fixed; choose 2 of Aquarium of the Bay, Exploratorium, SFMOMA, Walt Disney Family Museum, de Young / Legion of Honor, SF Zoo, Blazing Saddles bike hire | Almost every first visit of 3+ days |
| CityPASS + Alcatraz | $116.95 adult / $86.95 child | 9 days | As above plus the Alcatraz day tour | The only pass that includes Alcatraz — buy early, ferry dates sell out |
| Go City San Francisco Essentials | from ~$74 (3 picks from 9) | 30 days | Golden Gate Bay cruise, Exploratorium, SF Zoo and a short list | Cheap three-item weekends |
| Go City San Francisco Explorer | from ~$89 (2 choices) to 5 choices | 30 days from first use | 25 items: Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, Bay cruises, Big Bus, SkyStar Wheel, de Young & Legion of Honor, GoCar, Filoli | Museum-heavy visitors picking 3–5 |
| Go City San Francisco All-Inclusive | from ~$109 (1 day) to 5 days | Consecutive days | Same 25 items, one visit each per day | Car-free 2–3 day sprints using Big Bus |
| Individual tickets | Academy $49–55; Alcatraz $47.95; Exploratorium $39.95; Bay cruise $39; Aquarium of the Bay $35; SFMOMA $30; de Young $20; cable car $8 per ride | — | Book Alcatraz on the official site; others online for timed entry | Slow trips with two or fewer paid targets |
Prices checked September 2026. CityPASS’s value rests on the Academy of Sciences, the city’s most expensive ticket, so if you will not go there the pass loses half its point. Alcatraz is run by the National Park Service concessionaire and sells out two to four weeks ahead in summer; no pass, including the CityPASS bundle, gets you a ferry slot that is already gone — book the moment your dates are fixed.
Top-Rated San Francisco Tours & Skip-the-Line Tickets
What the Main Attractions Cost — and Whether the Pass Covers Them
| Attraction | Adult ticket (2026, approx.) | In the pass? | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Academy of Sciences | $49 off-peak / $55 peak | CityPASS (fixed), Go City | NightLife Thursdays is a separate ticket |
| Alcatraz Island (day tour) | $47.95 | CityPASS + Alcatraz bundle only | Book 2–4 weeks ahead in summer; night tour costs more |
| Exploratorium | $39.95 | CityPASS option, Go City | Pier 15; 3 hours |
| Bay cruise (Blue & Gold / Red & White) | $39 | CityPASS (Blue & Gold), Go City (Red & White) | Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz from the water |
| Aquarium of the Bay | $35 | CityPASS option | Pier 39; 90 minutes |
| SFMOMA | $30 | CityPASS option | Not on Go City at the time of checking |
| de Young / Legion of Honor | $20 (same-day both) | CityPASS option, Go City | Golden Gate Park |
| Walt Disney Family Museum | ~$25 | CityPASS option | Presidio |
| Big Bus hop-on hop-off | ~$55 | Go City | Good for Golden Gate Bridge and Haight |
| Cable cars | $8 per ride; $14 day pass | Neither | Muni Visitor Passport covers cable cars |
| Muir Woods tour | ~$80–100 | Neither | Book a small-group tour with the park permit included |
| Golden Gate Bridge walk, Lands End, Golden Gate Park, Chinatown, Ferry Building | Free | — | Most of the city’s best days cost nothing |
San Francisco has one $50 ticket (the Academy), one $48 ticket you cannot get on a pass (Alcatraz), and a middle band of $20–40 museums and cruises. CityPASS is built around the first plus three from the middle band, which is why it consistently beats Go City here unless you are museum-hopping.
The Break-Even Maths
| Itinerary | Individual tickets | Pass | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| CityPASS classic: Academy + Bay cruise + Exploratorium + Aquarium of the Bay | ~$165 | CityPASS $91.95 | CityPASS wins by ~$70 |
| CityPASS + Alcatraz: above + Alcatraz | ~$213 | $116.95 | Bundle wins by ~$95 — the best deal in the city |
| Go City Explorer 3: Academy + Exploratorium + Red & White cruise | ~$130 | Explorer 3-choice ~$109 | Pass wins by ~$20; CityPASS wins by more |
| Go City All-Inclusive 2-day: Academy + Exploratorium + cruise + Big Bus + de Young + SkyStar | ~$220 | All-Inclusive 2-day ~$150 | Pass wins by ~$70 if you do three a day |
| Slow week: Alcatraz + Academy + cable cars | ~$110 | No pass fits | Buy individually |
The pattern is unusually clear: CityPASS (with or without Alcatraz) wins for almost everyone doing the Academy plus three more, Go City wins only for museum-hoppers doing five or six items, and nobody should buy a pass without the Academy on their list.
| Tour | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Love Tour | $99 | ★ 4.9 (3,163 reviews) |
| San Francisco Bay Sunset & City Lights Cruise | $58 | ★ 4.5 (2,137 reviews) |
| San Francisco Golden Gate Bay Cruise | $39 | ★ 4.7 (1,762 reviews) |
| Skip The Bus: San Francisco By Luxury Van Tour | $129 | ★ 5.0 (926 reviews) |
| San Francisco Bridge-to-Bridge Cruise | $48 | ★ 4.7 (696 reviews) |
| Best of SF: Alcatraz Ticket, Bay Cruise, & Hop-on Hop-off Tour | $120 | ★ 4.3 (675 reviews) |
Who Should Buy It
Buy CityPASS if you have three or more days, want the Academy of Sciences and a Bay cruise, and will add the Exploratorium and one more — and buy the + Alcatraz version if you have not yet booked Alcatraz and dates are still available. Buy the Go City Explorer if your list leans to the de Young, the Legion of Honor, Filoli and the SkyStar Wheel rather than the Pier 39 attractions.
Who Should Skip It
Skip both if your San Francisco is the bridge walk, the neighbourhoods, Golden Gate Park and food — that is a $16 day of cable cars. Skip the Go City All-Inclusive unless you can keep a three-attraction-a-day pace, and skip any pass if you are not visiting the California Academy of Sciences.
How to Get the Most Out of It
Book Alcatraz first, then everything else around it; the 8:45 am ferry is the quietest. Do the Academy on a weekday morning and the de Young the same day (both in Golden Gate Park). Take the Bay cruise on the clearest afternoon of your stay — fog wipes out the view. CityPASS is delivered as mobile tickets; reserve the Academy timed slot in the app.
Guided Alternatives
A small-group Muir Woods and Sausalito half-day, a Chinatown food walk and a Golden Gate bike ride are the three experiences no pass covers; see private vs small-group tours in San Francisco for the format choice. For passes and tickets in general, see best sites for attraction tickets and timed-entry tickets explained. Everything else San Francisco: our San Francisco tours hub, what tours cost in San Francisco, 48 hours in San Francisco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the San Francisco CityPASS worth it?
Yes for most 3+ day visits: $91.95 covers the California Academy of Sciences ($49–55), a Bay cruise ($39) and two more attractions, saving $50–70 against gate prices. The + Alcatraz version ($116.95) saves even more.
Does any San Francisco pass include Alcatraz?
Only the CityPASS + Alcatraz bundle. Go City does not include Alcatraz. Ferry dates sell out weeks ahead, so book early whichever way you buy.
CityPASS or Go City for San Francisco?
CityPASS for the classic Academy-cruise-Exploratorium trip; Go City Explorer only if your picks are the de Young, Legion of Honor, Filoli, SkyStar and Big Bus rather than Pier 39 attractions.
How much is Alcatraz in 2026?
$47.95 for the adult day tour, booked on the official Alcatraz City Cruises site; night tours cost more.
Are cable cars included in San Francisco passes?
No. Rides are $8 each; a Muni Visitor Passport ($14 for one day) covers cable cars, buses and streetcars.
Kratos Review is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you book through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Prices and policies were checked on 28 September 2026 and can change.
Related: San Francisco Weekend Itinerary: 48 Hours in San Francisco (2026)
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