The Go Chicago Card and the Chicago CityPASS are the top contenders in the attractions pass game in Chicago.  Both products have some pros and cons, and both are popular with visitors from around the world. Nonetheless, these products are quite different from one another, and in many cases, offer distinctly different benefits. When you take into account attributes like flexibility, availability of attractions, and maximum savings potential, the Go Chicago Card emerges as the clear winner.

We’ll begin with a few basic points of comparison and then switch to discussing concrete savings available with each product.

Included Attractions

Go Chicago Card

There are far too many to list them all here, but here’s a few selected attractions offered through the Go Chicago Card program:

• Shedd Aquarium
• Adler Planetarium
• The Field Museum
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• The Museum of Science and Industry
• 360 CHICAGO
• Skydeck Chicago
• Architecture River Cruise
• Navy Pier Rides
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center
• Museum of Contemporary Art
• Brookfield Zoo
• And 10+ more!

Chicago CityPass

• Shedd Aquarium
• Skydeck Chicago
• The Field Museum
• Museum of Science and Industry OR 360 CHICAGO
• Adler Planetarium OR The Art Institute of Chicago 

As you can see, the Go Chicago Card includes all of the same attractions as the Chicago CityPass, without the need for any exclusionary choices. This is an especially tricky situation with regards to the Adler Planetarium and The Art Institute of Chicago, which are both tremendously popular attractions.

How You Save

The Go Chicago Card can save you up to 55% on combined admission prices, and their website offers several examples of real customer itineraries and how much they saved on their trips. If you want to maximize your savings, there are multiple combinations of Chicago tourist attractions that will save you far more than you paid for the pass.

It’s clear that one of the best things about this pass is the flexibility and freedom – you can create personalized itineraries and still get your money’s worth out of this pass. According to real travelers, you can save over $300 per couple!

Chicago CityPass advertises that it can save you up to 52% on combined admission prices.  Given that there are only six options, they don’t offer any real customer savings examples on their site, just vague reviews. Plus, in order to maximize your savings, you have to visit all of the included attractions (which can be really hard to do in a weekend) and you have to choose the more expensive one for both of your either/or choices.

The most significant downside to this product is how limited you are in choosing the attractions you want to see. You only have a few possible itinerary combinations, and you’re forced to choose between attractions that you might want to see. The most you can possibly save is $206.90 per couple. While that’s still a significant amount, it doesn’t match up to what you save with the Go Chicago Card.

How Do I Use Them?

Both products serve as your admission tickets to each of the included attractions without the need for additional purchases.

The Chicago CityPass is a collection of paper tickets that can be shipped or picked up in person in Chicago. Attractions tear off the paper ticket when you visit, and you hold onto the booklet for future admission to the other attractions. The booklet is disposable once you’ve used all your tickets.

The Go Chicago Card has a wider variety of delivery and usage options. You can choose a physical card (the size and shape of a credit card – much more durable than a booklet, and it can be kept a souvenir later!) that can either be shipped or picked up in person in Chicago.

Or you can opt for instant delivery of their digital pass. It’s the exact same pass with all the same benefits, but it allows you to use your smartphone as your pass the same way you can with airline tickets. If you like the instant delivery option, but prefer not to use the pass digitally, just print out the pass and present the paper copy to attractions. A majority of customers prefer the digital option because of its speed and convenience.

What’s the Real Difference?

The most significant difference between the two products lies in your style of travel.

If you want the flexibility to see what you want and as much as you want without the pressure of either/or choices and pre-selected attractions, the Go Chicago Card is the best choice. You’ll get a wider selection of attractions to choose from, a greater variety in attraction combinations that can save you significant money, and more freedom in how you use the pass.

If you only want to see a very specific, restricted set of attractions, then the Chicago CityPass might be a good choice. However, you have a lot fewer options, which don’t even include some of the most significant historical sites in the city, any tours, or architecture related sites (something Chicago is famous for!). You also don’t have the option to see both the Adler Planetarium and the Art Institute of Chicago, both of which are incredibly popular attractions. Ultimately, this product just doesn’t offer the same flexibility, variety, and convenience that the Go Chicago Card does.

Extra Details

The Go Chicago Card also includes smaller attractions that really give you a feel for Chicago’s history and heritage, like the Chicago History Museum, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio.

Both products come with additional coupons for savings on dining, shopping, and/or other attractions.  Both products also come with area maps and essential details like directions and contact information.

The Go Chicago Card includes a free, full-color guidebook with your purchase. This includes need-to-know info on the local mass transit system (the CTA), interesting and useful details about local neighborhoods, and some relevant info on free points of interest and historical sites.

Both products offer additional benefits like “skip-the-line” privileges at certain attractions.

The Go Chicago Card also includes a number of sightseeing tours and cruises that simply aren’t available through CityPass, an option that gives you a real advantage when exploring Chicago and learning all about its diverse neighborhoods and cultures.

Last Thoughts

Trying to decide between a Go Chicago Card and Chicago CityPass? Sit down and make a list of what you want out of your vacation, what your budget is, what you want to see, and what your style of travel is. If you’re the kind of traveler that wants to make the most of your trip and maximize your savings, it seems evident that the Go Chicago Card is simply the better option.

Traveling in San Francisco can be expensive…exceptionally expensive. In fact, WorldAtlas.com recently ranked the city No. 1 for most expensive places in the US to take a vacation. But you don’t have to let San Francisco’s high price reputation ruin your travel plans. There are plenty of smart ways to save when you’re aching for a little Northern California getaway.

Don’t Drive: Car rentals are pricy, gas is expensive and paying for parking will make a serious dent in your vacation budget. Simply opting out of driving can save you hundreds in a week’s vacation, plus you will avoid frustrating traffic jams and endless hunts for open parking spaces. Lucky for us, most of San Francisco is very walker friendly, and public transit is extremely reasonable. The BART will connect you to a few points in the city, but it’s best for transportation to and from the airports and in and out of the suburbs. Get acquainted with the Muni for hopping from point to point in the city. The SF CityPass gives visitors extremely valuable access to a 7-day Muni and Cable Car Passport.

Shop the markets: Like most cities, the highest priced restaurants are usually concentrated in the areas with the highest tourist traffic. While there are a number of cheap eats, like the cash-only Vietnamese hole in the wall Saigon Sandwich, the city also has a myriad of fresh farmers markets to choose from. Compile your own menu of fresh fruits, veggies, breads, cheeses and snacks for a fraction of what you could pay one of San Francisco’s finest chefs to put together for you. One blogger has compiled a very helpful list of all the markets in the city here.

Take a free walking tour: San Francisco City Guides offers free walking tours of nearly every neighborhood in San Francisco. Whether you’re looking to be educated on architecture, history, art or ghost stories, San Francisco City Guides has you covered. The tours are free, but donations are always appreciated. Group tours can be scheduled ahead of time for a small fee, and the Go San Francisco card can help with that too.

Visit museums on free days: Use your Go Card or San Francisco CityPass to walk through some of the city’s most prestigious museums. Stroll through the four-story rainforest or wander around the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences. Or stretch your art appreciation muscles at the de Young Museum. After you’ve used up your museum discounts, check out this calendar of free museum admission days. Hint: most of these freebies are offered up at the beginning of each month.

Stay away from hotels: Hotels in the Bay Area can easily run in the $250-$350 range with high-end hotels blowing those numbers out of the water. Prices can also spike around peak times of year or near special events. If you take advantage of San Francisco’s hospitality, you can stay for much less. Rent a great room or apartment on Airbnb for well under $100 a night- many of them have loads of great reviews. There is also a very active couch surfing community in San Francisco that will offer up a bed or room for free. If you’re not into staying on someone else’s couch, at least check out their groups that meet up for social events around the city. It’s a great way to get insider tips from locals. Finally, European style hostels are spread out around the city, offering up prime location for between $20 and $50 per night.

Enjoy the outdoors: San Francisco is chock full of parks, scenic vistas, and rocky beaches. Explore the Japanese Tea Garden or play disc golf at Golden Gate Park. Climb to the top of Twin Peaks for one of the best views in the city. Search for sea lions on the beach or poke around an old Victorian bathhouse. People living here have figured out that life is better when you go outside, you should too.

Find a free festival: People look for excuses to gather in San Francisco. There is almost always a reason to clear a street for a parade or start a dance party. Costumes are often involved, people sometimes get weird, but it’s always a good time. Find a festival that celebrates something you love, Earth Day perhaps, or street art. Or pick a festival based on what it offers, like live Bluegrass music or hundreds of food trucks. Once you’ve arrived there will be plenty to spend your dollars on, but people watching is always free!

Invest in a San Francisco City Pass or Go San Francisco Card:

Hands down, the best way to experience major savings on your trip to San Francisco is to invest upfront in a San Francisco City Pass or Go San Francisco Card. These cards give you discounted access to some of the city’s biggest attractions. The City Pass highlights seven of the city’s most popular sites, while the Go Pass adds attractions out in wine country, plus restaurant and shopping savings. Compare the two cards here to see which one is better tailored to your vacation itinerary.

The Las Vegas of five years ago looks a lot different than the Las Vegas of today, and that’s a great thing. The changes are putting Sin City back on the map for travelers looking for more in a destination than casinos and night clubs.

Las Vegas was hit hard by the 2008 recession, but instead of giving up and allowing the iconic American city to fall to ruin, Las Vegas is working to redefine itself. Now, it’s appealing to many different demographics in a new age of travel. Sure, there are still plenty of slot machines and buffets to choose from, but Las Vegas has seen plenty of positive changes over the last few years and there are still a lot to come.

Here’s a quick peek at how Las Vegas has been evolving and is becoming a great destination option even for those who are terrible at Black Jack.

The food scene is getting a makeover

Las Vegas’ food scene has a tendency to conjure up images of not so fresh seafood sitting under the warming lights of an all you can eat buffet, or celebrity chef-owned fine dining restaurants with prices out of reach for your typical traveler. The good news is, Las Vegas is generally on the cutting edge of new food trends, and in 2016 a lot of those trends are lending themselves to fantastic food coupled with unforgettable experiences. You can check out the Harry Potter themed coffee shop, or a “food incubator” shack helping rising chefs try out new food concepts. For more splurge-worthy experiences, order table-side cut veal parmesan at the new Carbone restaurant at Aria, tour the snack carts at Harvest in the Bellagio, or dine with champagne at the recently opened Mr. Chow in Caesars Palace. The extra-brave can fork over $150 for a three-hour dining experience that includes “live food” at Kame. No matter where you eat while you’re in Vegas, head chef Anthony Amoroso of Aria told Travel Pulse that fresh food is one of the biggest trends sweeping the city this year (that, and chicken sandwiches).

Adventure is heating up

Situated in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas has long been a hub for helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon and sight-seeing excursions to Hoover Dam. Speed demons have been racing high-end cars at Exotics Racing Las Vegas since 2009, SpeedVegas is opening up the city’s longest exotic car track this March, and the bravest daredevils can see what it’s like to be a fighter pilot with Sky Combat Ace. A few other attractions have been added to the Strip recently that won’t put such a dent in your vacation budget. The High Roller observation wheel, SlotZilla zip line over Fremont Street and Voodoo Zip Line between the Rio towers all opened in Vegas in 2014, calling adventure enthusiasts seeking a view of Las Vegas from high above. 

Vegas High Roller

New construction is underway

After several construction projects came to a quick halt at the first signs of recession around 2008, Las Vegas is starting to see construction pick up again. The Killers are on the schedule to christen the brand new T-Mobile Arena on April 6, and two more resorts are underway on the Strip. Both resorts are Asian-themed, with PENTA Building Group’s Lucky Dragon on pace to open August this year, while Resorts World Las Vegas will hopefully be completed by 2018.

Not everything is about gambling

As you can see, Las Vegas is about a lot more than just gambling and fist pumping these days. It’s about experiencing innovative food and drinks. It’s about seeing the Strip from high in the sky, and venturing out to the surrounding scenic areas. It’s a place where people are testing out new business concepts and starting up companies. Las Vegas is still an entertainment Mecca, chock full of theaters and music venues. It’s still a destination for trying your hand at Texas Hold’em or hedging your bets on slots. But the Vegas that is out there in Nevada’s desert today has undergone a major facelift since the Vegas of five years ago, and tourists ought not miss the changes.

Enduring long, bone chilling winters may be a fact of life for the people of Chicago. But also a fact of life is fully embracing the warm weather when it arrives. Spring and summer in Chicago means a city buzzing with outdoor festivals, boats dotting the lake and people swarming to the beaches. Restaurants throw their patio doors open and city parks transform into stunning green spaces.

When the cold goes away, Chicago knows how to come out and play.

Here are 10 reasons Chicago should be on your summer vacation radar this year.

Navy Pier comes to life

Chicago Navy Pier Swings at Dusk

Navy Pier is a hotspot for activity all year long, but there’s something about summer that fills it with life. In 2016, the lakeside attraction will turn 100-years-old, giving Chicago something extra special to celebrate. The city is set to open a brand new 196-foot Ferris wheel, replacing the 147-foot ride that has been a Pier staple since 1995. Lake cruises that set sail from the Pier pick up this time of year and people flock to take part in all the outdoor seasonal activities that take over the area. If there were no other reasons to visit Chicago during the summer months, Navy Pier would be reason enough!

Bicycles become a viable (and enjoyable) form of transportation

Forget crowding onto public transit or fighting downtown traffic, spring and summer provide the perfect opportunity to explore Chicago by bicycle (or Segway!) Make a reservation on www.bikechicago.com and build your own adventure, or sign up for one of their group tours. This company is great at accommodating groups of all sizes and they’re kid friendly.

Zoo animals come out of hibernation

Chicago’s beautiful Brookfield and Lincoln Park Zoos keep their doors open year round, but many animals are just more apt to come out and play when the sun is shining! Each zoo has a ton to offer this spring and summer, including Lincoln Park’s Spring Break Camps and the launch of Brookfield’s Hamill Family Wild Encounters. Where else do you get the opportunity to interact up-close with red pandas and wallabies?

You can get schooled on architecture from a double decker boat

Dubbed the “Birthplace of the skyscraper,” Chicago has plenty of impressive architecture to ogle over. Instead of craning your neck from the sidewalks between buildings and wondering about the history behind each tower, Shoreline offers guided architecture tours via double decker riverboat. Catch the cruise at the right time and your tour just may end with watching fireworks over Navy Pier.

Parks are in bloom on the Gray Line tour

Gray Line gives visitors the opportunity to dig deeper into particular Chicago landmarks and neighborhoods, with about a half dozen tours to choose from. There’s even one tour that includes a personal pizza. Gray Line is happy to show tourists around the city all year long, but several of the points of interest just happen to be outdoor parks. To avoid missing out on all of the blooms and blossoms, take advantage of this opportunity during the warm weather months!

Theater goes outside

Professional stage productions head outdoors starting in the spring. Oak Park Festival Theatre and First Folio’s outdoor stage entertain audiences with acts from Shakespeare to modern productions. Breathe in fresh air while you take in a top-notch play from some of Chicago’s most renowned theatre companies. However, if you’re dying to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the city’s “movie palace” built in 1921, then sign up for the Chicago Theatre Marquee Tour. This attraction may be indoors, but it’s worth seeing even if the weather is to die for.

Views from the 1,353-foot glass box get clearer

Step out into a glass box suspended 1,353 feet above Chicago. Located in the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, the Skydeck at Willis Tower touts views that can extend into four different states on a clear day. For competing views, head up to the 94^th floor of the John Hancock Center and stand in the “TILT” windows that fold out in a 30-degree angle for another unique view from above Chicago’s skyline. Either way, chances of a crystal clear view are much better this time of year than under the frequent cloud cover that seems to constantly hover over the city throughout the winter.

Kids can go to Dino-Camp

The Field Museum of Natural History has been a place of scientific discovery for people of all ages for more than a century. Among a slew of other events and exhibitions that the museum hosts during the summer, one of the highlights is Dino Camp, a day camp that lets young kids put on their paleontologist caps and dig for dinosaur fossils. Older kids can try out the Summer Explore Studio, which this year fuses dinosaur survival tactics with video game development in a mash-up kids are sure to love.

Baseball is in full swing

Enjoying a day out at the diamond in Chicago is one of the best ways to get a taste of real Chicago culture. Chicagoans have been rooting for their beloved Cubs since 1870, and Wrigley Field stands as the second oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The White Sox have been swinging bats since 1901, and have also established a loyal fan base. Whether you choose to enjoy your hotdog from the stands at Wrigley or U.S. Cellular Field, indulging in America’s pastime in one of the country’s most die-hard baseball cities is truly an all-star experience.

You can try your hand at pirate life

“Chicago’s Official Tall Ship” sets sail out of Navy Pier starting in May every year. Marked by giant, billowing sails, the four-mast schooner offers educational tours, relaxing cruises, and even haunted trips out to sea. Learn a little bit about pirate life, maritime history and more from one of the “Windy’s” official guides, and actively participate in adjusting the sails or setting off one of the ship’s cannons.

Options abound for summer-time fun in and around Chicago. The city has a way of welcoming people of all ages, interests and backgrounds and delivering a one of a kind experience worth traveling for.