Chicago CityPASS
Shedd · Skydeck · pick 3 from Field, 360, Adler, Art Institute, Griffin, or Shoreline cruise.
Most first-time visitors to Chicago will spend $200–$260 per adult hitting Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck, the architecture cruise, and one or two museums at the gate. The right pass cuts that to $130–$160. The wrong pass — or the right pass bought for the wrong trip — can cost more than buying tickets individually.
What this site is
We cover every Chicago attraction pass currently sold — CityPASS, the Go City All-Inclusive and Explorer, the C3, and the operator combos that pair a cruise with the Big Bus or an observation deck. For each one we list the real price, what's actually included (and what isn't), the validity rules that trip people up, and the kind of traveler it's wrong for.
We don't sell passes ourselves. We just track what each one costs and what's actually covered, across both the official issuers and the major resellers, and we update prices when they move. If you book through a link here, we earn a small commission from GetYourGuide — at no extra cost to you, and with no influence on which passes we recommend or how we describe them.
Side by side
Shedd · Skydeck · pick 3 from Field, 360, Adler, Art Institute, Griffin, or Shoreline cruise.
Skydeck, 360, Shoreline cruise, Field, Adler, Big Bus, Navy Pier — your pick. No Shedd.
35+ attractions including Shedd, Skydeck, Big Bus, cruise, Frank Lloyd Wright tour.
Peak value: May–October
75-minute Shoreline architecture cruise plus 48-hour Big Bus hop-on hop-off.
CAC docent–narrated 90-minute cruise plus discounted CAC museum entry.
48-hour Big Bus plus 94th-floor 360 observation deck on the Magnificent Mile.
The math works when three things are true:
Chicago's downtown geography helps. The Loop, Magnificent Mile, and Museum Campus sit within two miles of each other, and the L connects everything else. You can realistically hit three attractions in a day — which is the pace at which most multi-attraction passes pay off.
Read on
Or jump straight to a specific pass below.
Pass · CityPASS · 5 attractions
Adult $134 (child $109, ages 3–11). Valid 9 consecutive days from first use; non-activated tickets expire one year from purchase. Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago are always included; you choose three more from the Shoreline architecture cruise, the Field Museum, 360 Chicago, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute, and the Adler Planetarium. The math: typical box-office cost for the same five attractions runs $230–$260 per adult, so the pass cuts that by 40–50%.
The Skydeck entry is the expedited-line version (otherwise a $20+ upgrade), and Shedd's pass admission includes the 4-D experience — note the 4-D theater is closed for renovation roughly January 5 through early May 2026. The Field Museum's pass entry is general admission plus two standard add-on exhibitions; current ticketed special exhibitions like the Pokémon Fossil Museum are sold separately.
First-time visitors with 4+ days, families with kids ages 5–14 (Shedd and Field add up fast), and anyone whose itinerary already includes Shedd plus Skydeck plus three of the choice attractions.
You have only 1–2 days, you're skipping Shedd and Skydeck, you only want two of the included attractions, or you're visiting during the Shedd 4-D renovation window (Jan 5 – early May 2026).
Pass · Go City · 2 to 7 attractions
Go City's pick-your-own product. You select 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 attractions from a list of 35+, and the pass is valid 30 days from first use. The 2-attraction version starts around $78 and a 5-attraction Explorer is roughly $159 — per-attraction price drops as you add more. Go City changed the validity from 60 to 30 days for passes purchased after April 2025, so older blogs showing "60 days" are out of date.
Notable inclusions: Skydeck, 360 Chicago, the Shoreline architecture cruise, the Field Museum, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, the Big Bus 1-Day Discover Tour, the Navy Pier Centennial Wheel, the Museum of Illusions, Flyover Chicago, and 10pin Chicago Bowling. Reservations: Skydeck and 360 Chicago require advance time slots booked through the Go City app, up to 5 days ahead. Refund policy is 90 days on non-activated passes, plus a savings guarantee.
Couples on 2–4 day trips, observation-deck-and-cruise travelers, anyone mixing Skydeck, 360, the Shoreline cruise, and one museum without kids who'd want Shedd.
You want Shedd Aquarium (it's not on the Explorer Pass), you're an aggressive single-day sightseer (the All-Inclusive wins), or you only plan to visit one attraction.
Combo · Big Bus · 2-day pass
A Big Bus Tours product that bundles a 75-minute Shoreline Sightseeing architecture river cruise with a 48-hour Big Bus pass. Big Bus's own site sells the same combination as the "Essential Ticket + Architecture Cruise" at $99, so the GetYourGuide $91 is typically the cheaper channel.
The Shoreline cruise covers all three branches of the Chicago River and 40+ buildings with a live guide. The 48-hour Big Bus clock starts when you board, but the booking date is the first day, and the cruise needs a separate departure-time reservation. Reviewers consistently praise the cruise — Shoreline's guides are typically rotating professionals delivering tight 75-minute content. Bus reviews are mixed: the audio is pre-recorded, and driver quality is uneven.
First-time visitors with 2 days, travelers who want orientation plus the architecture story without buying a CityPASS, mobility-friendly travelers who prefer the bus to walking.
You're set on the higher-rated First Lady CAC cruise; you have mobility issues that make navigating to Stop 1 difficult; you want live narration on the bus rather than recorded commentary.
Combo · CAC · cruise + museum
The only Chicago architecture cruise narrated by Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) certified volunteer docents — they complete hundreds of hours of training. The combo bundles the 90-minute First Lady cruise with a discounted CAC museum voucher ($5 instead of $14) redeemable within 7 days before or after the cruise. The standalone CAC cruise gate price is around $64.40, so the combo is essentially the cruise plus $5 museum entry.
The cruise covers all three branches of the Chicago River and 50+ buildings — 90 minutes of live, in-depth architectural content, longer than the 75-minute Shoreline tour. USA Today named it the #1 best boat tour in the United States. Reviewers single out specific docents by name and praise the depth.
Architecture enthusiasts, design-curious travelers, anyone who wants the deepest architecture content in the city, and museum-and-cruise pairings.
You only want the cruise (book the standalone First Lady ticket and skip the museum); you can't fit a museum visit into an already-packed day; you want a Lake Michigan portion (this is river-only).
Combo · Big Bus · 2-day pass
This Big Bus combo pairs the 48-hour Red Loop bus pass with general admission to 360 Chicago, the observation deck on the 94th floor of 875 N. Michigan Avenue (the building most travelers still call the John Hancock). Big Bus sells the same combo on its own site for $84, so GetYourGuide is again the cheaper channel.
The 360 deck is consistently rated for shorter wait times than Skydeck, more seating, a calmer atmosphere, and CloudBar's panoramic windows. Skydeck has The Ledge — the glass-floor cubes — which 360 Chicago doesn't match. The included entry covers CloudBar (the in-deck bar; drinks not included), the CloudWalk 3D mural exhibit, and Chicago history multimedia exhibits. 360 sits on the Magnificent Mile, not in the Loop — the right pick if your hotel is in River North or Mag Mile.
Travelers staying on the Magnificent Mile, those who want the lakefront-facing observation deck rather than Skydeck's western view, and families with kids who'd be uncomfortable on Skydeck's Ledge.
You want Skydeck's Ledge (it's not in this combo), you'd rather pay individually for both items, or you're skipping the bus entirely.
Pass · Go City · unlimited per day
This is the maximum-attraction tool. A 1-day adult is around $104; 2-day around $169; 3-day around $189–$219; 5-day approaches $229. Children are roughly 30–40% less. The All-Inclusive's value depends on how aggressively you sightsee. In summer a fit traveler can hit four attractions on a long pass-day; in winter the realistic count drops to 1–2 per day.
It's the only pass that bundles Shedd Aquarium and the Big Bus, which makes it the right tool for travelers who want both. It also includes the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio Tour in Oak Park (a 35-minute Green Line ride from downtown) — neither the Explorer Pass nor the CityPASS includes that. Refund window: 90 days on non-activated passes per Go City's general policy.








Aggressive sightseers doing 3+ attractions per day, summer travelers combining Big Bus + Shedd + cruise + observation deck across two days, and families taking advantage of multiple kid-friendly options like the Centennial Wheel, Children's Museum, and LEGOLAND Discovery Center.
You're visiting in winter (cruise and bus value drops), you have one day and can't realistically hit 3 attractions, or you'd rather take your time at one attraction per day.
Break-even math
Box-office prices in Chicago move with date and time — Shedd uses dynamic plan-ahead pricing, Skydeck has cheap timed entry but pricier expedited entry. The numbers below use typical 2025–2026 published rates and are accurate to within ±$5 per attraction.
Hits Shedd with 4-D, Skydeck expedited, the Shoreline cruise, the Field Museum All-Access, and 360 Chicago.
| Attraction | Box office (adult) |
|---|---|
| Shedd AquariumGeneral admission + 4-D | $52 |
| Skydeck ChicagoExpedited entry | $58 |
| Shoreline Architecture Cruise75-minute tour | $51 |
| Field MuseumAll-Access pass | $44 |
| 360 ChicagoObservation deck | $35 |
| Total at the box office | $240 |
| Chicago CityPASSAll five attractions | $134 |
| Savings per adult | $106 (44%) |
For a family of two adults and two children (CityPASS child $109 vs roughly $30 saved per child on mixed admissions), savings approach $300 across the trip. The CityPASS pays for itself once you visit roughly three of the five included attractions.
Skydeck, Shoreline cruise, 360 Chicago, and the Field Museum over three days. No Shedd.
| Attraction | Box office (adult) |
|---|---|
| Skydeck Chicago (general) | $32 |
| Shoreline Architecture Cruise | $51 |
| 360 Chicago | $32 |
| Field Museum | $35 |
| Total at the box office | $150 |
| Explorer Pass — 4 attractions | ~$129 |
| Savings per adult | ~$21 (14%) |
The Explorer Pass shines harder at 5 attractions (~$159) where the math approaches 25–30% savings — about $50 per adult. It's the right call when one traveler wants a 360 Chicago view and another wants the cruise, but neither is a Shedd Aquarium person.
Day 1: Skydeck, 360, Shoreline cruise, Big Bus 1-Day. Day 2: Shedd, Field Museum, Adler.
| Attraction | Box office (adult) |
|---|---|
| Skydeck (general) | $32 |
| 360 Chicago | $32 |
| Shoreline Cruise | $51 |
| Big Bus 1-Day | $58 |
| Shedd Aquarium | $52 |
| Field Museum (Discovery) | $35 |
| Adler Planetarium | $40 |
| Total at the box office | $300 |
| 2-Day All-InclusiveTypical adult | ~$169 |
| Savings | ~$131 (44%) |
This is the case where the Go City All-Inclusive is genuinely the better tool. The All-Inclusive only outperforms CityPASS when you're confident you'll do at least three attractions per pass-day. A 1-day pass with one attraction costs more than the gate price of any single Chicago attraction, so single-day buyers should think carefully.
Who each pass is for
Each pass below names who it's right for, and who should skip — by trip length, party size, and season.
Worth it for families with kids ages 5–14 doing 4+ days, first-time visitors who already plan Shedd + Skydeck + three more, and anyone whose itinerary spans two weekends.
Not worth it for travelers under 2 days, those skipping Shedd, anyone who only wants 2 of the included attractions, or visitors during the Jan 5 – early May 2026 Shedd 4-D renovation window.
Worth it for long-weekend travelers (Friday–Sunday) with three specific target attractions, especially Shedd + Skydeck + one cruise or observation deck.
Not worth it for travelers who want more flexibility (the Explorer Pass at 3 attractions covers similar ground with 30-day validity), or anyone whose target three are the cheapest attractions on the list.
Worth it for couples on 2–4 day trips, observation-deck-and-cruise travelers, anyone mixing Skydeck, 360, the Shoreline cruise, and one museum without kids who'd want Shedd.
Not worth it for families who want Shedd (it's not on this pass), aggressive single-day sightseers, or solo travelers visiting only one attraction.
Worth it for aggressive sightseers doing 3+ attractions per day, summer travelers combining Big Bus + Shedd + cruise + observation deck across 2 days, families taking advantage of multiple kid-friendly options.
Not worth it for winter travelers (cruise/bus value collapses), 1-day visitors who can't realistically hit 3 attractions, or anyone who plans to take their time at one attraction per day.
Worth it for first-time visitors with 2 days, travelers who want orientation plus the architecture story without buying a CityPASS, and mobility-friendly travelers who prefer the bus.
Not worth it for solo travelers (the bus is mostly orientation, replicable with the L), travelers prioritizing the more in-depth First Lady CAC cruise, or anyone with mobility issues navigating Stop 1.
Worth it for architecture enthusiasts who'll definitely visit the CAC museum, anyone who wants the deepest architecture content in the city, and design-curious travelers.
Not worth it for travelers who only want the cruise (book the standalone First Lady ticket and skip the museum), or families with young children who'd be impatient through 90 minutes of architectural narration.
Worth it for travelers staying on the Magnificent Mile, those who want the lakefront-facing observation deck rather than Skydeck's western view, and families with kids who'd be uncomfortable on Skydeck's Ledge.
Not worth it for travelers who'd rather pay individually, anyone for whom Skydeck's Ledge is non-negotiable, or those skipping the bus entirely.
Practical planning
Most Chicago passes count calendar days, not 24-hour periods. A Go City 1-day All-Inclusive activated at 3 PM doesn't last until 3 PM the next day — it ends at midnight. The CityPASS's 9-day window is more forgiving but it also starts at the first scan, including reservations booked through the My CityPASS app for a specific date. The Go City Explorer Pass's 30 days from first use is the most generous activation window in the category.
The single most common pass mistake in Chicago: activating a 1-day Go City pass after lunch. You'll get half a day's value from a full day's price.
The Chicago Harbor Lock typically closes for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintenance from mid-November to mid-April; in 2024 it reopened April 15. During the closure, the Shoreline architecture cruise drops from 75 to 60 minutes because the route can't transit the lock to Lake Michigan. The First Lady's CAC cruise typically operates through late November and resumes in spring. Big Bus runs year-round 10 AM–4 PM with reduced winter frequency.
In practical pass terms: CityPASS holds its value reasonably well in winter because four of its seven possible attractions are indoor museums. The Go City All-Inclusive loses the most value in winter because the cruise/bus/Navy Pier portions of its case break down.
CityPASS sells direct on citypass.com and through major resellers (Tiqets, Expedia, GetYourGuide). Direct prices are typically identical, but CityPASS direct comes with a 365-day refund window for non-activated tickets — more generous than GetYourGuide's 24-hour cancellation. Go City sells direct on gocity.com and through GetYourGuide, Viator, and others; resellers sometimes run 5–15% sale codes that direct doesn't. The combo products (Big Bus + cruise, First Lady + CAC, Big Bus + 360) are typically cheaper through GetYourGuide than direct on the operators' sites.
CityPASS allows reissue of lost passes through customer support with the order email. Go City requires the original purchase confirmation email; if your phone dies and you have the email accessible (laptop, partner's phone), you can re-download the pass. In practice, screenshot every QR code in advance and carry the order confirmation email separately from the app.
FAQ
The Chicago CityPASS costs approximately $134 for adults and $109 for children ages 3–11. Pricing has fluctuated between $134 and $144 across 2024–2025. The pass includes one-time admission to five attractions: Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago plus three of your choice from the Shoreline architecture cruise, the Field Museum, 360 Chicago, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Adler Planetarium.
The Chicago CityPASS is valid for 9 consecutive days from the first day of use, not for 24-hour periods. Non-activated tickets expire one year from the purchase date. Unused passes can be returned for a full refund within 365 days of purchase, which is the longest refund window of any Chicago multi-attraction pass.
Choose CityPASS for a fixed bundle that includes Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck plus three more, valid 9 days, with 40–50% per-attraction savings. Choose Go City's Explorer Pass for flexibility to mix observation decks and cruises across 30 days without a fixed list. Choose the Go City All-Inclusive Pass if you'll do 3+ attractions per day. CityPASS wins for first-time families; Go City wins for aggressive sightseers and pace-flexible couples.
The Explorer Pass includes your choice of 2 to 7 attractions from 35+ options, including Skydeck Chicago, 360 Chicago, the Shoreline architecture cruise, the Field Museum, the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, the Adler Planetarium, the Big Bus 1-Day Discover Tour, the Navy Pier Centennial Wheel, the Museum of Illusions, Flyover Chicago, and 10pin Chicago Bowling. Shedd Aquarium and the Art Institute are not on the Explorer Pass. The pass is valid 30 days from first use.
The Chicago CityPASS is typically worth it for families with kids ages 5–14 staying 4+ days. A family of two adults and two children paying CityPASS ($134 adult / $109 child = $486 total) typically saves $200–$300 compared to buying the same five attractions individually, especially because Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Expedited Entry are the priciest individual tickets. The 9-day validity also reduces planning friction with kids.
Chicago CityPASS includes 5 attractions (Shedd and Skydeck plus 3 choices), valid 9 consecutive days, for ~$134 adult. Chicago C3 by CityPASS includes 3 attractions of your choice from a list of 9, valid 9 consecutive days, for ~$106 adult. CityPASS delivers greater absolute savings (40–50%); C3 offers more flexibility (29% savings) for shorter trips. C3 is sold direct on CityPASS.com and Tiqets but not on GetYourGuide.
No. All Chicago multi-attraction passes — CityPASS, C3, Go City All-Inclusive, and Explorer — provide one-time admission per attraction per pass. You cannot use a single pass to enter Shedd Aquarium twice in the same day or across the validity window. The Big Bus passes included with combo bundles do allow unlimited hop-on, hop-off within the 24- or 48-hour window.
The Skydeck Ledge — the glass floor balconies — is included with all CityPASS, C3, Go City, and Big Bus combo entries to Skydeck Chicago, because it's part of the standard observation deck experience. TILT at 360 Chicago is not included with any Chicago pass. TILT is a $10–$15 add-on purchased on-site. Go City passholders receive $1 off TILT.
CityPASS offers a full refund on any non-activated pass within 365 days of purchase. Go City offers a 90-day refund window on non-activated passes per its general policy, though some Chicago-specific pages list 30 days. Combo products bought through GetYourGuide carry a 24-hour-before-start free-cancellation policy. Once a pass is activated, refunds are no longer available.
Most Chicago passes work year-round, but value varies seasonally. The Chicago Harbor Lock closes for maintenance from mid-November to mid-April, during which the Shoreline architecture cruise drops from 75 to 60 minutes and lake water taxi service stops. The CityPASS retains most of its value in winter because four of its seven choice attractions are indoor museums. The Go City All-Inclusive loses the most relative value in winter.
CityPASS prices are typically identical on citypass.com, GetYourGuide, Tiqets, and Expedia. Go City prices are typically identical across resellers, though some run 5–15% sale codes. Combo products are typically cheaper on GetYourGuide than direct on bigbustours.com. CityPASS direct is usually the better terms because of its 365-day refund window — more generous than GetYourGuide's 24-hour cancellation.
No. Chicago multi-attraction passes are non-transferable — once activated, only the original purchaser can use the pass. Each person in your party needs their own pass. CityPASS sells adult and child versions; Go City requires child passes for ages 3–12. Children under 3 are typically free at most attractions but may need a no-cost ticket reservation at gated venues.
For a 3-day trip, the Chicago CityPASS (9 days valid) and the Go City Explorer Pass (30 days valid) both work. For aggressive sightseers, the Go City All-Inclusive 2-Day or 3-Day Pass is the best fit. Remember the All-Inclusive counts consecutive calendar days, not 24-hour periods, so activate it the morning of your first full sightseeing day, not on a half-day arrival.
The Chicago CityPASS does not include the Big Bus hop-on, hop-off — Big Bus is only on the Go City All-Inclusive, the Explorer Pass, and operator combos. The Chicago CityPASS does include the Shoreline Sightseeing 75-minute architecture river cruise as one of three choice attractions alongside Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago. The First Lady (Chicago Architecture Center) cruise is not on any pass and is only available via standalone tickets or its own combo.
Operator combos bought through GetYourGuide (Architecture Cruise + Big Bus, First Lady + CAC, Big Bus + 360 Chicago) typically allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Bought direct on Big Bus's site, cancellations are subject to the operator's terms; the bus portion is typically flexible but the cruise portion may be non-refundable for missed departures. The First Lady cruise itself is non-refundable and non-exchangeable.