If your next family vacation will involve taking in multiple attractions in a popular North American city, advance research on promotions and package deals can save both time and money. While popular sites like Groupon and Living Social provide an assortment of attraction options, some popular cities offer discounted ticket packages to top tourist attractions through CityPASS®. If New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Toronto, Boston, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia or Southern California are contenders for your next family vacation, here’s what you need to know about CityPASS®.

How it works
CityPASS® is a family’s best friend when it comes to seeing the very best attractions in popular cities, while saving up to half off the price of separate admission. You can purchase a booklet or card online and have it emailed or shipped to you (shipping fees range from $10-$20) to avoid ticket lines. CityPASS® also will ship directly to your hotel in the U.S. or Canada.

You can choose from 11 cities (plus multiple cities in Southern California) and 78 attractions that range from Disneyland to the Empire State Building. Most cities include four or five of the top attractions that you can visit at your own pace within nine days of the booklet’s first use. And, CityPASS® website features contact information, directions, hours of operation and advice for visitors for each attraction so you can cut down on the dreaded vacation research.

How much can I save?
Before purchasing a CityPASS®, consider which attractions your family is planning to visit and crunch the numbers to see how much you’ll save. We’ve done the work for a few of the participating cities. The examples below include the cost for adults and children and compare the CityPASS® to regular admission price.

Atlanta
With the Atlanta CityPASS®, you’ll get admission to five top attractions, including the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, CNN Studio Tours, and the choice between Zoo Atlanta or the Center for Civil and Human Rights, and Fernbank Museum of Natural History or the College Football Hall of Fame.

•    Atlanta CityPASS®
     adult (13+): $75 + tax; child (3-12): $59 + tax

•    Regular admission price (includes Zoo Atl & Fernbank Museum of Natural History)
     adult: $125.22 + tax; child: $99.96 + tax

Chicago
CityPASS® will give you admission to the best museums and attractions in Chicago, including the Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, The Field Museum, and the choice between the Museum of Science and Industry or 360 Chicago, and Adler Planetarium or the Art Institute of Chicago.

•    Chicago CityPASS®
     adult (12+): $99.75 + tax; youth (3-11): $84.75 + tax

•    Regular admission price (includes Museum of Science and the Adler Planetarium)
     adult $151.90 + tax; youth $111.90 + tax

Houston
The Houston CityPASS® offers a wide variety of attractions, including the Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the choice between the Houston Zoo or Museum of Fine Arts, and the Kemah Boardwalk or Children’s Museum of Houston.

•    Houston CityPASS®
     adult (12+): $59 + tax; youth (3-11): $49 + tax

•    Regular admission price (includes Houston Zoo & Children’s Museum of Houston)
     adult $105.94 + tax; youth $85.94 + tax


So, is it worth it? If your itinerary is flexible and you’re interested in seeing the most tourist-friendly parts of a city, a CityPASS® is a great way to determine where to spend your time and money.

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