Things to do in New York

A budget traveler’s review of the NYC Explorer Pass

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New York is an expensive city, and if you are looking for a convenient way to make the most bang for your buck, then look no further than the NYC Explorer Pass. The New York City Explorer Pass offers big savings upto 50% on individual gate prices of New York’s top attractions, plus additional discounts on restaurants and shopping. There's literally no better way to do explore New York on a budget, so all those who are looking to visit the best of NYC without burning a hole in your pocket, read on.

What is the NYC Explorer Pass?


nyc explorer pass

The NYC Explorer Pass allows you to choose a select number of attractions to visit from a list of 77 attractions. The pass is available in four options and each variant lets you choose a different number of attractions – 2, 3, 4 and 7 attractions. With potential savings of upto 50% on admission prices and 77 attractions to choose from, the NYC Explorer Pass is the perfect pass for your New York holiday.

Once you buy your Explorer pass, the pass will remain valid for one year. Only after its first usage will the pass get activated. After activation, the pass will expire in 30 days. In these 30 days, you can use your pass whenever you want to visit the selected number of attractions.

NYC Explorer Pass - Buy The Pass!


New York Explorer Pass - 3 Attractions : from $92
New York Explorer Pass - 4 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 5 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 7 Attractions : from
New York Explorer Pass - 11 Attractions : from

NYC Explorer Pass - 3, 4 , 5 , 7 , 11

  • Choose from 3, 4, 5, 7 or 11 attractions from a list of 82 available attractions like Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and the Met.
  • Valid for 30 days from activation

NYC Explorer Pass Attractions List


Below are the top attractions that come FREE with the NYC Explorer Pass. To see the full list of attractions that come with the New York Explorer Pass, click on the toggle below.

NYC Explorer Pass Attractions Included 

Advantages Of Purchasing The NYC Explorer Pass


Now that you have an idea of what the NYC Explorer Passis all about , here's why you should buy it.

Fix your own itinerary : The NYC Explorer Pass comes in five variants where you can choose to visit – 3,4,5,7 or 11 attractions. The Pass offers access to 82 attractions, which means you have the freedom to decide when to visit where.

Long validity to explore at your own pace : You can use the NYC Explorer Pass on one day or as long as up to 30 days from the first use. This makes the pass ideal for tourists, long term business visitors and even locals.

Big Savings on tickets : The NYC Explorer Pass is priced in such a way that you can enjoy almost 40% and even up to 50% savings on individual ticket prices. You can splurge the savings on a treat or even buy last-minute Broadway tickets!

Easy and convenient to use : This is the best feature of the NYC Explorer Pass, you don’t need a physical card or ticket to use it. You can simply download the voucher on your mobile and show it at the attraction to enter.

Enjoy freebies :You will get an easy-to-use guide book that can be downloaded online and has a map and all the details including directions and instructions for each attraction. Plus, a voucher book with discounts to restaurants and retail stores.

Cost Benefit Analysis Of The NYC Explorer Pass


Cost of 7 Prime Attractions in NYC
The Ride :
$69
Hop on Hop off tour :
$59
Empire state building :
$37
City Light Sail :
$50
Top of the Rock :
$37
Central Park Bike Tour :
$45
Statue of Liberty Tour & Ellis Island :
$45
Total
$342

The 7 day NYC Explorer Pass will cost you $92while you will be spending $342 if you were to buy individual tickets for these attractions. This translates to savings of around $187!

How to Purchase and Use the NYC Explorer Pass


If you are wondering where to buy New York Explorer Pass, you have both online and offline options.

Online Purchase of the NYC Explorer Pass

You can purchase the pass here on Headout and where you can enjoy a New York City Explorer Pass discount plus cashback. One confirmation of booking and payment, you will get an email with the voucher. You can download the voucher and show it at any of the attractions to gain entry.

NYC Explorer Pass - 3, 4 , 5 , 7 , 11

  • Choose from 3, 4, 5, 7 or 11 attractions from a list of 82 available attractions like Yankee Stadium, the Empire State Building and the Met.
  • Valid for 30 days from activation
Offline Purchase of the NYC Explorer Pass

If you wish to purchase it in person then you can visit any of these below ten pickup points. You can get a physical card or digital pass depending on the availability at the point. Then you can show the card or the digital voucher to gain entry at the attractions.

  • Unlimited Biking, Central Park location
    Address: 56 West 56th St. (between 5th & 6th Ave) New York NY 10019
  • Ripleys Believe It or Not! Times Square
    Address: 234 West 42nd Street (between 7th & 8th Avenues) New York NY 10036
  • Unlimited Biking, Brooklyn Bridge location
    Address: 38 Park Row New York NY 10038
  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Address: 1000 Fifth Ave (Groups Desk is in the Great Hall) New York NY 10028
  • Radio City Music Hall Gift Shop
    Address: 6th Avenue (50th Street Entrance) New York NY 10020
  • MSG Store
    Address: Madison Square Garden's Chase Square. Enter on 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets New York NY 10001
  • NYC Visitor Center Kiosk: Times Square
    Address: Pedestrian Plaza Broadway & 46th St
  • Macy’s Herald Square Visitor Center
    Address: 151 W 34th St. (between Seventh Ave. and Broadway) New York NY 10001
  • Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
    Address: Pier 83 West 42nd Street New York NY 10036
  • NYC Information Center: City Hall
    Address: Southern tip of City Hall Park on the Broadway sidewalk at Park Row New York NY

Tips For Using The New York City Explorer Pass


  • The Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour is one of the biggest ticket items at 60USD on the NYC Explorer Pass and offers the best value. The bus tour has a live guide and it makes the tour more interesting. If you are a first-time visitor, set aside half a day to just tour all parts of Manhattan – Downtown, Midtown and Uptown routes to soak in the city sights.
  • Schedule your day based on geographical proximity and opening hours. New York attractions timings vary widely and it can take a lot of time to get from one place to next thanks to traffic, so plan your day well. You can use the guide book that comes included in the NYC Explorer Pass to get all this information in one place.
  • The 3, 4, and 5 attraction variants offer similar savings but once you opt for 7 or 11 then you will notice higher savings. So, if you are in NYC for a while then choose the higher attractions variant.
  • Some of the attractions like Top of the Rock Observatory and Tours require prior reservation. Make sure you do that before arriving in New York.
  • Avoid visiting attractions including museums on free days, you will encounter more crowds and you will also waste your pass entry for the attraction.

Ready to Explore NYC?


Here are a few more detailed New York Guides that will help you plan your NYC vacay better!