Go Boston Card Review

Pay One Price for the Pass, then go to as many attractions as you can.

Table of Contents: Top Attractions | Good & Bad | Get your Value | Insider Tips | COUPON CODES

Boston can be a pricey city, but with the Go Boston Card from Smart Destinations, you can save both time and money at greater Boston's most popular attractions. For one price, you get unlimited admission to more than 40 art museums, historical sites, outdoor tours, and excursions.

World-renowned museums like the Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are included. Boston's historic importance is on display at places like the Harrison Gray Otis House and Old North Church. For visitors who have time to explore outside of the city, the Go Boston Card also offers tours of sites in Lexington, Concord, and Plymouth; cruises around Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard; and even tours in Newport, Rhode Island, where the Gilded Age mansions are sure to impress.

Purchase the card at the Smart Destinations Website

Top Included Boston Attractions

Buy the card at Smart Destinations

2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour

Mass Bay Lines Whale Watch

New England Aquarium

Museum of Science

Fenway Park Tour

Six Flags New England

See the complete list of attractions and tours in the sidebar.

 

    What's Good

  • The greatest strength of the Go Boston Card is the sheer breadth of the included attractions. Almost everything a visitor would want to see in the Greater Boston area, the Cape and Islands, and even locations in other New England states are part of the Go Boston Card package. Also the range of activities from historical sites, to science- and sports-related attractions to Six Flags amusement park ensures that there is something for everyone.

    The Go Boston Card offers good savings for travelers who are planning a fast-paced vacation and want to see as many attractions as possible. For example, a family of four (two adults, two children) who tour Fenway Park and visit the New England Aquarium, Plimoth Plantation and Mayflower II, and Six Flags New England can save approximately $80.

    Because each person has his or her own card, families can split up and visit different attractions based on their interests. Because of this flexibility, individuals or families can easily switch gears if they change their mind about an attraction, or if New England's infamous weather gets in the way of an outdoor activity.

    The card also allows you to skip ticket lines at many places like the Museum of Science and the New England Aquarium—allowing you to save time, especially during the busy summer season.

    In addition, the Go Boston Card includes discounts to restaurants, including Cheers and the Hard Rock Café, and retail locations such as Beantown Toys and the Cambridgeside Galleria.

    Lastly, the 150-page guidebook included with the passes is an invaluable resource and can help visitors get the most out of their Go Boston Card and their visit.

    What Could Get Better

  • According to reviews, a major source of frustration with the Go Boston Card has been using the two-day trolley passes included with the card. Smart Destinations encourages tourists to use the trolleys as they would use public transportation. However, the trolleys function more as a guided tour and less as livery vehicle. Visitors should use the subway (the "T") to get around to destinations in both Boston and Cambridge. Also, acquiring the trolley tickets can be cumbersome—you have to pick them up in one of three locations in the city; presenting your Go Boston Card will not grant you access.

    The big omission from the Go Boston Card's offerings is the Boston Duck Tours. At least it is not free like the other attractions. These amphibious touring vessels offer a unique view of Boston and Cambridge and are on most tourists' "not-to-be-missed" list. Card holders can receive 50% off. The catch is that you have to show up at Boston Duck Tours in person to receive a discount for that day only. But if you are willing to get up early (tickets sell out fast in the summer) and make the trek over, they will get a great deal.

    If the inexpensive historical sites such as the Freedom Trail, the Old North Church, or the Paul Revere House are more your speed, you might spend more money on the card than you would paying full price.

Get Your Money's Worth

Generally, the more days you purchase for your Go Boston Card, the fewer attractions per day you need to visit to get your money's worth. For example, if you buy a one-day pass, you'll need to go to three attractions; buy the seven-day pass and one attraction per day is enough to reap the benefits of the Go Boston Card. I'm also assuming that you will be going to the more expensive attractions such as the Trolley and Aquarium.

Get the latest prices on the Go Boston Card

Insider Tips

Your Go Boston Card is activated by the first attraction you visit. Your consecutive day passes are not counted in 24-hour increments. For example, if you activate your card at 4 pm, that counts as day one on the length of your card.

To board the trolley, be sure to go to a designated pickup point. They do not take the card at all stops.

The Go Boston Card is not accepted after 5:30 p.m. Though most attractions will close around this time, plan your days carefully.

If you plan well and are aware of the included extras—like dining, for example—you can save a lot of money on eating out and souvenirs. In most cases, these discounts are "show and save;" therefore you can get these discounts the day before your card is activated or the day after it expires.

Bring a map with you to find the pickup locations for your Go Boston Card. The pickup locations are pretty convenient but Boston is notoriously difficult to navigate whether it's by car or public transportation.

Buy the card at Smart DestinationsCoupon Codes

EXCLUSIVE from VACATION PASS Get $10 off any order over $100! I tried it out and it works on all cards, even ones that are on sale. There is no better deal out there right now. Use code: VACATIONPASS10 .

Here is the fine print: Limit 1 Coupon/Order; Must Be Redeemed Online; Not Valid for Go Select. Expires May 31, 2013

Get FREE in-city pick up on all Go Cards and Explorer Passes via coupon code: FREEUSPICKUP .

I tried it out and looks like it stacks on top of sale prices..

Here is the fine print: Limit 1 Coupon/Order; Must Be Redeemed Online; Not Valid for Go Select. Expires May 31, 2013

Where to Buy it

The card is available at many outlets. You can buy it at Expedia, Orbitz or Travelocity or you can buy it once you get to Boston but these are not great options as you may pay more. The best place the buy the card is at the Smart Destinations website. The 3 5 and 7day cards frequently go on sale. They also have a great return policy. If you are pressed for time, use the voucher option.

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Go Boston Card Read more and buy this pass at the Smart Destinations website for the best prices.
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All Included Attractions

    MUSEUMS

  • Museum of Fine Arts
  • Museum of Science
  • JFK Library and Museum
  • Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
  • Peabody Essex Museum
  • Harvard Museum of Natural History
  • Institute of Contemporary Art
  • Boston Children's Museum
  • Gibson House Museum
  • USS Constitution Museum
  • MIT Museum
  • Harrison Gray Otis House Museum
  • Nichols House Museum
  • Nantucket Historical Association's Whaling Museum

    • HISTORIC SITES

  • Paul Revere House
  • Old South Meeting House
  • Old State House Museum
  • Old North Church
  • Old Sturbridge Village
  • Plimoth Plantation*
  • Jenney Grist Mill*

    • BOSTON TOURS

  • 2-Day Beantown Trolley Pass
  • Boston Harbor Constitution Cruise
  • 50% savings on Boston Duck Tour*
  • Fenway Park Tour
  • Boston Movie Tours
  • Mass Bay Lines Whale Watch*
  • Bay State Cruises Ferry to Provincetown*
  • Charles River Boat Tours*
  • Historic Swan Boats*
  • Freedom Trail Walking Tour*
  • Seaport Express Water Taxi
  • Discover Plymouth's History Walking Tour
  • Boston Gliders - Freedom Trail Segway Tour
  • Boston Gliders - Charlestown Segway Tur

    • EXCURSIONS

  • Foxwoods Casino Tour
  • Wrentham Village Outlets Shopping Excursion
  • Fall Foliage Day Tour*
  • Cape Cod Day Tour*
  • New England Seacoast Day Tour*

    • MISCELLANEOUS ATTRACTIONS

  • New England Aquarium
  • Six Flags New England and Hurricane Harbor*
  • Frog Pond Skating Rink*
  • Mary Baker Eddy Library / Mapparium
  • Franklin Park Zoo
  • Samuel Adams Brewery Tour TOMB by 5-WITS
  • Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships*

    • SALEM

  • Salem Witch Museum
  • Salem Historical Guided Walking Tour
  • House of Seven Gables
  • Peabody Essex Museum

    • LEXINGTON/CONCORD

  • National Heritage Museum
  • Liberty Ride Lexington*
  • Buckman Tavern*
  • Munroe Tavern*
  • Hancock-Clarke House*
  • Concord Museum
  • The Old Manse*
  • Louise May Alcott's Orchard House

    • NEWPORT, CAPE AND THE ISLANDS

  • Visit any three (3) Newport Mansions of the Preservation Society
  • International Tennis Hall of Fame
  • Newport Harbor Cruise
  • Islander Touring Train
  • Newport Vineyards
  • Ferry to Nantucket*
  • Ferry to Martha's Vineyard*
  • Heritage Museum and Gardens*
  • Sandwich Glass Museum
  • Olde Barnstable Trolley Company*
  • JFK Hyannis Museum
  • Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
  • Cape Cod Canal Cruise*
  • Cape Cod Museum of Modern Art
  • Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike Rental
  • Hyannisport Harbor Cruise*
  • Cape Cod Central Railroad*
  • Cape Cod Maritime Museum

 

 

Go Boston Card is a product of Smart Destinations

 

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