Go City Chicago Explorer Pass: worth it or not, and when it pays off
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass is a choice pass: you pick a set number of attractions from its list. Go City sells it in 5 options from USD 109 to USD 189 for one adult, checked October 2026.
It includes 10 attractions in our Chicago data, 9 with a published gate price, and leaves out 5. The figures below are arithmetic on those prices, not a rating of the pass.
For one adult, the 3 attractions option at USD 109 pays for itself only with its 3 dearest picks within the seller's rules; the 7 attractions option at USD 189 pays for itself after 7 of the attractions we price on it, for example Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 360 CHICAGO Observation Deck, Field Museum, Skydeck Chicago and Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour.
One adult from USD 109
Pays off for one adult on the 3 attractions option: only with its 3 dearest picks within the seller's rules.
5 things
2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace, ranked 1 of 5
Gate tickets for the planUSD 365.90
With Go City Chicago Explorer PassUSD 318
Pass USD 318
Worth it
USD 47.90 less than the gate, 13% of the gate total, for this plan
Prices checked October 2026. All 3 plans, worked out: further down.
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Options and prices
Go City lists 5 options. Prices for one person in USD, from the seller's page in October 2026. The last column is the engine's break-even for one adult, with the cheapest attractions on the pass first.
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass options and prices in USD, checked October 2026
Option
What you get
Adult
Child
Youth
Pays off for one adult
3 attractions
3 picks, valid 30 days
USD 109
USD 79, child 3 to 12
Not published
Only with its 3 dearest picks within the seller's rules
4 attractions
4 picks, valid 30 days
USD 134
USD 99, child 3 to 12
Not published
Only with its 4 dearest picks within the seller's rules
5 attractions
5 picks, valid 30 days
USD 159
USD 109, child 3 to 12
Not published
Only with its 4 dearest picks within the seller's rules
6 attractions
6 picks, valid 30 days
USD 179
USD 119, child 3 to 12
Not published
Only with its 5 dearest picks within the seller's rules
7 attractions
7 picks, valid 30 days
USD 189
USD 129, child 3 to 12
Not published
After 7 of its priced attractions, within the seller's rules
Children
Child price for ages 3 to 12, on every option.
No price is published for children under 3, so the calculator leaves them out of this pass and names them on the result.
From age 13, a child pays the adult pass price. At the gate the same child may still get a youth price, which the math counts.
Days and visits
3 attractions: 30 days hold up to 60 visits at a relaxed pace, 120 packed. Its 3 picks fit at either pace.
4 attractions: 30 days hold up to 60 visits at a relaxed pace, 120 packed. Its 4 picks fit at either pace.
5 attractions: 30 days hold up to 60 visits at a relaxed pace, 120 packed. Its 5 picks fit at either pace.
6 attractions: 30 days hold up to 60 visits at a relaxed pace, 120 packed. Its 6 picks fit at either pace.
7 attractions: 30 days hold up to 60 visits at a relaxed pace, 120 packed. Its 7 picks fit at either pace.
What it includes
10 attractions in our Chicago data, dearest at the gate first. Gate prices for one adult in USD, checked October 2026. The terms are our summary of what the seller states. US gate prices are before sales tax.
What Go City Chicago Explorer Pass includes, with adult gate prices in USD
Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier: the attraction publishes no standard adult price, so a visit there adds nothing to the math. For a plan that includes it, the pass is worth more than our figures show.
What it leaves out
5 attractions we price in Chicago are not on this pass. On a plan with them you pay at the gate as well; adult prices in USD.
Art Institute of ChicagoFirst visit pickUSD 32
Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise aboard Chicago’s First LadyUSD 57from
Chicago Architecture CenterUSD 15
Lincoln Park ZooFree admission
Millennium ParkFree admission
The closest other Chicago passes
The Chicago passes that share the most priced attractions with this one, and where the lists part.
Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass covers all 9 attractions we price on Go City Explorer. The lists match, so price, picks and days decide. Go City All-Inclusive: valid 1 day at USD 149, valid 2 days at USD 199, valid 3 days at USD 239, valid 4 days at USD 269 and valid 5 days at USD 289. Go City Explorer: 3 picks, valid 30 days at USD 109, 4 picks, valid 30 days at USD 134, 5 picks, valid 30 days at USD 159, 6 picks, valid 30 days at USD 179 and 7 picks, valid 30 days at USD 189.
Chicago C3 covers 6 of the 9 attractions we price on Go City Explorer. Only on Go City Explorer: Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket, Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Only on C3: Art Institute of Chicago. One adult pays from USD 109 for C3, against USD 109 here.
3 plans, worked out
2 adults, no children, a packed pace of up to 4 visits a day. Each plan takes the attractions on this pass with a published price: our first visit picks first, then the dearest. These are worked examples of the math, not a rating of the pass.
Skip itRanked 2 of 5 for this plan
2 things
2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace, gate total USD 124 for the 2 attractions listed below.
First on this plan: Chicago C3, Skip it; it costs USD 94 more than the gate (75% of the gate total).
3 attractions. Of the options that fit 3 days at a packed pace, this one has the smallest loss. It uses 2 of its 3 picks.
USD 94more than the gate, 75% of the gate totalfor this plan
Gate tickets for the planUSD 124
With Go City Chicago Explorer PassUSD 218
Pass USD 218
It pays off only with dearer picks within the seller's rules: 1 more, for example Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket.
2 visits in 3 days fits a packed pace of 4 a day.
Covered by the pass
Skydeck ChicagoUSD 64
Field MuseumUSD 60
Paid at the gate
Nothing: the pass covers the whole plan.
Pass price per person
Adult x 2USD 109
Also includes Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, with no published standard price, so we cannot count it.
Worth itRanked 1 of 5 for this plan
5 things
2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace, gate total USD 365.90 for the 5 attractions listed below.
Next on this plan: Chicago C3, Close call; it costs USD 2 more than the gate (under 1% of the gate total).
5 attractions. Of the options that fit 3 days at a packed pace, this one has the highest saving. It uses 5 of its 5 picks.
USD 47.90less than the gate, 13% of the gate totalfor this plan
Gate tickets for the planUSD 365.90
With Go City Chicago Explorer PassUSD 318
Pass USD 318
It pays off already for this plan.
5 visits in 3 days fits a packed pace of 4 a day.
Covered by the pass
Big Bus Chicago Discover TicketUSD 98
Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River TourUSD 92
Skydeck ChicagoUSD 64
Field MuseumUSD 60
Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryUSD 51.90
Paid at the gate
Nothing: the pass covers the whole plan.
Pass price per person
Adult x 2USD 159
Also includes Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, with no published standard price, so we cannot count it.
Worth itRanked 1 of 5 for this plan
Everything: 9 things
2 adults, 3 days at a packed pace, gate total USD 581.90 for the 9 attractions listed below.
Next on this plan: Go City Chicago All-Inclusive Pass, Worth it; it saves USD 103.90 (17% of the gate total).
7 attractions. Of the options that fit 3 days at a packed pace, this one has the highest saving. It uses 7 of its 7 picks.
USD 109.90less than the gate, 18% of the gate totalfor this plan
Gate tickets for the planUSD 581.90
With Go City Chicago Explorer PassUSD 472
Pass USD 378 still at the gate USD 94
It pays off already for this plan.
7 visits in 3 days fits a packed pace of 4 a day.
Covered by the pass
Big Bus Chicago Discover TicketUSD 98
Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River TourUSD 92
Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake TourUSD 68
Skydeck ChicagoUSD 64
Field MuseumUSD 60
360 CHICAGO Observation DeckUSD 54
Griffin Museum of Science and IndustryUSD 51.90
Paid at the gate
Adler PlanetariumUSD 50
Museum of Contemporary Art ChicagoUSD 44
Pass price per person
Adult x 2USD 189
Also includes Centennial Wheel at Navy Pier, with no published standard price, so we cannot count it.
Prices checked October 2026. US gate prices are before sales tax. Worth The Pass compares published prices on the date shown. Passes change what they include; check the seller's page before you buy.
It depends on how much of it you use. For 2 adults at a packed pace, at gate prices checked October 2026, on the plans worked out on this page: 2 things: Skip it, it costs USD 94 more than the gate (75% of the gate total); 5 things: Worth it, it saves USD 47.90 (13% of the gate total); Everything: 9 things over 3 days: Worth it, it saves USD 109.90 (18% of the gate total). Tick your own plan in the Chicago calculator to see your figure.
How much does the Go City Chicago Explorer Pass cost?
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass comes in 5 options, from USD 109 for 3 attractions to USD 189 for 7 attractions, for one adult, checked October 2026.
What does the Go City Chicago Explorer Pass include?
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass includes 10 attractions in our Chicago data, 9 with a published adult gate price. The dearest at the gate: Big Bus Chicago Discover Ticket (USD 49), Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour (USD 46) and Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour (USD 34). It leaves out 5 of the 15 Chicago attractions we list, among them Art Institute of Chicago.
Is there a child price for the Go City Chicago Explorer Pass?
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass for a child: USD 79 to USD 129, child 3 to 12. Child price for ages 3 to 12, on every option. No price is published for children under 3, so the calculator leaves them out of this pass and names them on the result. From age 13, a child pays the adult pass price. At the gate the same child may still get a youth price, which the math counts.
How long is the Go City Chicago Explorer Pass valid?
Go City Chicago Explorer Pass comes in 3 attractions (3 picks, valid 30 days), 4 attractions (4 picks, valid 30 days), 5 attractions (5 picks, valid 30 days), 6 attractions (6 picks, valid 30 days) and 7 attractions (7 picks, valid 30 days). The math fits your visits into those days at the pace you choose, 2 visits a day relaxed or 4 packed.
