Compare Passes in San Francisco

If you are finding it difficult to decide which pass is right for you, we’ve devised this handy chart that gives you a side by side comparison. It’s not the last word but it should give you a better idea which card is right for you. Don’t forget to read the notes for more info that does not fit on the chart.

FeatureGo San Francisco CardSan Francisco CityPASS
Calendar Days to Use it1, 2, 3, 5 or 79 Days
Cost for an Adult$55-145$69
Cost for a Child$40-105$39
Full Color Guidebook
Number of Attractions567
Fast Track/VIP Entry
Restaurant and Shopping Discounts
VisitationOnce Per DayOnce per booklet
List of Attractions
Angel Island with Roundtrip Ferry
Aquarium of the Bay
Asian Art Museum
AT&T Park
Bacchus & Venus Wine Tasting
Baldacci Family Vineyards
Bay Area Discovery Museum
Bay City Bike Rental and Tours
Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise
Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise
California Academy of Sciences
California Historical Society
Carmel Mission
Cartoon Art Museum
Chabot Space & Science Center
Charles M. Schulz Museum
Chateau St. Jean Winery
Chinese Historical Society
Chris Whale Watching in Monterey
Clos Pegase Winery
Conservatory of Flowers
Contemporary Jewish Museum
deYoung Museum*
Exploratorium*
Franciscan Winery
GoCar Tours
Golden Gate Bay Cruise - Red & White
Goosecross Cellars
Haas-Lilienthal House
Historic Cable Car Ticket
Kunde Family Estate
Legion of Honor
Museum of Craft and Folk Art
Muni & Cable Car 7-Day Passport
Napa Valley Museum
Pacific Heights Walking Tour
Paradise Ridge Winery
S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
San Francisco Walking Tours
Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Simi Winery
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Open Top Double Decker Tour
Sonoma Enoteca
Steltzner Winery & Caves
Summit Lake Vineyards & Winery
Taste Napa Downtown Card
The Beat Museum
Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf
Trolley Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
Ty Caton Vineyards
U.S.S. HORNET
UC Botanical Garden
Wine Country Grayline Tour
Wm Harrison Vineyards
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Zeum: ChildrenÕs Museum & Carousel
*CityPass offers this as
an either/or attraction
Go San Francisco CardSan Francisco CityPASS

CityPass-San_FranciscoGO_CARD_SFO-large

Notes

While both passes are very good, I would give the nod to the San Francisco CityPass! It only grant admission to 7 atttractions but they are at the top of almost any list of “must-see” things to do in SF. The fact that San Francisco is a little spread out almost makes CityPass more appealing as it is hard to go to a ton of attractions in one day (with the exception of the wharf area). The muni-pass is especially valuable and it includes rides on the historic cable car!

The Go SF Card does offer a fairly complete experience for those of you who want to see more. It’s the better choice if you want to do more near Pier 39/Fishermans Wharf. It’s also great if you are planning some time in Wine Country or want to go to nearby amusement parks.

One important note is that neither card carries the biggest attraction in San Francisco, Alcatraz. You should reserve a separate day to tour the island. Note that both passes have included it in the past. You might check their website in the off season to see if they have an Alcatraz special.