The San Francisco CityPASS is a ticket bundle that gets you into four attractions from a list of eight. It pays off if you were going to visit the more expensive ones anyway, such as the California Academy of Sciences and the Exploratorium. If your plans lean toward free sights and a single museum, you will save more by buying tickets one at a time.
In this guide
This guide is part of our San Francisco attractions hub. Prices below are the ones CityPASS published in October 2026. Check the CityPASS website before you buy, since prices and the attraction list change.
San Francisco CityPASS at a glance
- Adult price (12+) $89.95, plus a $2 processing fee per ticket
- Child price (4 to 11) $69.95, plus the same fee
- What you get One visit each to 4 attractions you choose from 8
- Valid for 9 consecutive days from your first visit
- Time to start Within one year of purchase
- Reservations needed Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise and the Exploratorium
What the pass includes
You pick four of these eight attractions after you buy. The prices are the adult box office rates CityPASS lists for comparison.
| Attraction | Adult box office price | Area |
|---|---|---|
| California Academy of Sciences | $55.00 at peak times | Golden Gate Park |
| Exploratorium | $39.95 | Pier 15, Embarcadero |
| Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise (60 minutes) | $39.00 | Fisherman’s Wharf |
| San Francisco Zoo & Gardens | $31.00 | Sunset, near Ocean Beach |
| The Walt Disney Family Museum | $30.00 | Presidio |
| Aquarium of the Bay | $28.75 | Pier 39 |
| de Young and Legion of Honor, same day | $25.00 | Golden Gate Park and Lincoln Park |
| SFMOMA | Check the museum’s site | SoMa |
There is also a version called San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz, which swaps one choice for an Alcatraz ticket, and an older C3 product with three choices. Both are on the CityPASS site.
Does it save money?
It depends on which four you pick. The adult pass costs $91.95 once you add the fee.
- The most expensive four (Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, bay cruise and zoo) add up to $164.95 at the door, so the pass saves about $73.
- A cheaper mix (Aquarium of the Bay, de Young and Legion of Honor, the Disney museum and the zoo) adds up to $114.75, a saving of about $23.
- If you would only visit two or three of the eight, the pass usually costs more than single tickets.
The Academy of Sciences charges less at off-peak times, so the saving on a quiet weekday can be smaller than the headline number.
When it is a good buy
The pass makes sense for a first trip of four days or more with kids or teens, when the Academy, the Exploratorium and the bay cruise are already on your list. Those three are among the priciest tickets in the city, and the Academy and the Exploratorium can each fill half a day.
It also helps if you like planning ahead. You reserve times for the cruise and the Exploratorium through the CityPASS app, and you skip separate checkouts for each place.
When to skip it
- You live in the Bay Area. Residents of the nine Bay Area counties get into the de Young and Legion of Honor free on Saturdays, and several museums have discounted resident rates.
- Your kids are 18 or under and SFMOMA is on your list. SFMOMA is always free for visitors 18 and under.
- Your trip is short. Nine days is plenty of time, but cramming four attractions into a two-day visit leaves little time for the bridge, the neighborhoods and the free sights.
- Your dates line up with free days. The de Young, the Legion of Honor and the Asian Art Museum each have a monthly free day. See free museum days in San Francisco.
Tips for using the pass
- Make your reservations as soon as you buy. Weekend slots for the Exploratorium and summer cruise times fill first.
- Pair attractions by area. The Academy and the de Young face each other in Golden Gate Park, and the Aquarium of the Bay sits at Pier 39, a short walk from the Blue & Gold Fleet docks.
- The Exploratorium runs an adults-only After Dark night on Thursdays, which is included with the pass for visitors 18 and over.
- Special exhibitions at the museums can cost extra.
For more ways to fill your days, see things to do in San Francisco and our list of free things to do in San Francisco.
Official resources: San Francisco CityPASS, California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the San Francisco CityPASS?
$89.95 for adults 12 and over and $69.95 for children 4 to 11, plus a $2 processing fee per ticket, at the October 2026 price.
Does CityPASS include Alcatraz?
The standard pass does not. A separate San Francisco CityPASS + Alcatraz product includes an Alcatraz ticket and three other attractions.
Do I need reservations with CityPASS?
Yes for the Blue & Gold Fleet bay cruise and the Exploratorium. You make them in the CityPASS app after buying.
How long is the pass valid?
Nine consecutive days, starting on the day you visit your first attraction. You have a year from purchase to start.
Photo credits
Featured image: King of Hearts / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tips for using the pass: Oren Rozen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.