Find out how to save with attraction passes for several U.S. cities, plus discounted attraction passes in London, Rome, Paris and many other European destinations.

You can save money on admissions to museums, zoos, aquariums and observatories in several popular family-friendly cities.  Purchase a "CityPass" or multi-attraction ticket to major tourist destinations and your family can zip right into the top attractions, without waiting in line or paying a penny more. In fact, by buying passes in advance you'll save up to 50% off admission fees. meaning that half of the sights you enjoy are free. Additionally, these companies provide great maps and mini-guidebooks that will really help the kids get excited about what's coming up on your next family vacation.

Citypass

Visit CityPass (888/330-5008 or 208/787-4300) for a listing of available locations and the sites each pass covers. At the time of publication, passes were available for Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hollywood, Houston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Southern California or Toronto. Purchase your booklet of tickets at the first participating attraction (depending on the city, prices typically range from $34-79/adult, $24-59/kids 3-12, more for Southern California) and you save approximately 50% of what you'd pay if you purchased each site admission separately. And, with CityPass, you won't have to wait on line to be admitted -- just show your pass and walk right in. 

Leisure Pass

Similar savings are offered by the Leisure Pass Group (+44 (0) 1664 485 020) in the American cities of New York and Philadelphia, and in the European cities of London, York, Dublin and Paris.  The passes (available for one, two, three or seven days) offer free entry to from 20 to 55 attractions, plus discounts on restaurants and guided tours, retail stores, and theatres, and a helpful guidebook.  Some also offer an add-on transportation option. Sample rates for the New York Pass begin at $75/adult and $55/kids 2-12 for a one day pass.  And, as with CityPass, you don't need to waste time standing on line, as passholders are given immediate admission. 

GoCard & Explorer Pass

Get a free full-color guidebook with the purchase of a Go City Card or Explorer Pass. Utilizing up-to-date smart card technology, GoCardUSA and Explorer Passes offer visitors to Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, San Diego, Orlando, Miami, Oahu, Maui, Los Angeles, the Blue Ridge Mountains, New York, Las Vegas and Toronto free admission to the region or city’s most popular attractions, museums and tours. They also get you up to 20% discounts at local restaurants and retail stores with front-of-line privileges.  Add-on hotel packages are available, and passes are available for purchase for 1,2,3,5 or 7 days. Explorer Passes are another product that add flexibility by allowing you to choose your own 3, 5, 7 or 10 attractions and take up to 30 days to use your visits. Additionally, the Powder Passport offers skiing at 16 mountains in New York State and New England for one fee.  A full color destination guidebook accompanies the passes. 

European City Cards

Keep visiting the European City Cards site for news about their featured City Cards. These multi-attraction passes now cover 22 countries and 34 cities. If you're heading to France, you can get a Paris Pass now and save the wait. The LondonPass Company offers great savings for the whole family with a group version of The London Pass, Pay once and you get free entry to the top London attractions.  Other cities with their own multi-attraction passes range from Western European cultural capitals like Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Barcelona to Eastern Europe's Prague and Budapest.