This New York City Explorer Pass review was submitted by Ryan C, as part of our Blog Ambassador Program – a fun way to visit top New York City attractions for free, share your experience and be featured on our blog. [clear-line] This year, I was really excited to be able to try out the New York City Explorer Pass for myself. I’ve been reading reviews and product comparisons for a while, and finally decided to go for it. I chose a 5-attraction New York City Explorer Pass because I was going to be in the Big Apple for a three-day weekend. The pass allows you to visit your choice of the 70+ attractions included in their program, which encompasses an amazing selection of top attractions like museums, observation decks, and fun tours. The best part? I saved a ton on admission to the best attractions in New York. It was easy to use, convenient, and even eco-friendly if you choose to go digital (which is something that also matters a lot to me when I travel). Read on to find out why I highly recommend the New York City Explorer Pass.
My 3-Day Itinerary
I recently spent a long weekend in New York City and decided to use the New York City Explorer Pass to save time and money on my attraction visits. If you’re traveling to NYC and want to avoid renting a car, I recommend taking some time to get to know the subway system. It can seem confusing, but it just takes a little time to get used to. Plus, learning the subway will save you time avoiding traffic and money. I planned where I wanted to go in advance, so I also spent some time thinking about how to get between attractions via mass transit. I decided to buy a multi-ride MTA pass to save money, and I recommend that, too. Or, if it seems too confusing, then Uber and Lyft are great alternatives, as well as regular taxis (though can be very pricey). So, here’s an overview of what I saw during my vacation with the 5-Choice New York City Explorer Pass.
- Day 1: Top of the Rock & NFL Experience, Times Square
- Day 2: Metropolitan Museum of Art & Madame Tussauds New York
- Day 3: 9/11 Museum & Memorial
DAY 1 Top of the Rock
My first day in NYC, I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I decided I only had time and space to see one observation deck, and although I heard good things about both the Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building, I opted for the Top of the Rock observation deck. This observation deck provides stellar unobstructed views of the city (including the iconic Empire State Building) and the building itself has some gorgeous Art Deco details. From this amazing vantage point you can see practically everything – like the Chrysler Building, the Flatiron Building, Central Park, and plenty more. Even on a cloudy day! I also enjoyed exhibits showcasing the history of the building and of Rockefeller Center itself, which provided a cool overview of this famous cultural center in NYC. I would definitely recommend going early in the morning as I did – it saves you time waiting in line.
NFL Experience, Times Square
As a major football fan (go Pats!), this recently opened attraction in Times Square (just a short walk from Top of the Rock) was at the top of my list of things to do in New York City. I ended up spending about 2.5 hours doing all of the activities, like measuring the speed and accuracy of my long throw up against some of the best players in the NFL and practicing some of the major combine events, in addition to checking out all of the authentic memorabilia (my favorite was the collection of every Super Bowl ring to date). My New York Explorer Pass' NFL Experience ticket included the 4D theater/thrill ride experience, which I felt made it worth a visit to the NFL Experience alone--highly recommend, it was one of the coolest experiences if you've ever wondered what it's like to be a pro NFL athlete. Afterwards, I headed back towards Rockefeller Center to enjoy the sights and take in some people watching. It’s also by plenty of shopping, so there was ample opportunity to indulge in some sartorial fun.
DAY 2 Metropolitan Museum of Art
The next day, I wanted to spend some time in Uptown NYC to see a new area of the city and to explore more of the area adjacent to Central Park. I started my day at the Met, one of the most famous arts & culture museums in the entire world, and I was totally blown away by this place (and wonderfully surprised by the stunning experience on the museum's rooftop! (pictured above)). They have everything from one of the best collections of Ancient Egyptian artifacts in the entire world to some of the most famous European sculpture, painting, and drawings you’ve ever heard of. It truly took me much more time than I thought here, and I loved every minute of it. The gift shop also got me again – fortunately, I got a discount on my purchase with the New York City Explorer Pass!
Madame Tussauds New York
After lunch, I decided to re-visit Times Square and experience the hype of Madame Tussauds New York. I had even more fun than I expected checking out the fun and interactive exhibits on display, particularly the ones themed around Film & TV because I got to pose with my favorite late-night host Jimmy Fallon and other icons, including Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, Jennifer Anniston from Friends, and more--but my favorite pic was definitely a posing with all the members of the Spice Girls, such a fun throwback. If you're in Times Square, a visit to Madame Tussauds is definitely worth it!
DAY 3 9/11 Memorial & Museum
On my last day in New York, I chose to visit an attraction that I knew would be moving and tough to see, but that I knew I couldn’t miss. The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is located at the former site of the World Trade Center and is designated to honor the attacks from 1993 and 2001. The Museum itself is filled with multiple galleries of really emotional exhibits, including the Memorial Exhibition, which highlights the lives lost in the attacks on this site, and the Cover Stories exhibit, which pulls together the cover pages of different newspapers to show how they cover the events and aftermath of 9/11. The Memorial was a bit more uplifting, with some really inspiring architecture and design work that I think truly honored those lost and those who sacrificed, while also gesturing towards the renewal and rebuilding of the site/neighborhood. Afterwards, this downtown location made it easy to enjoy strolling around and popping into bookstores, indie shops, and more. There were also plenty of nice restaurants I was interested in, so I made a full day out of it even though the museum & memorial only took me about 3 hours to fully appreciate.
My Tips for Planning with Your New York City Explorer Pass
- I would absolutely recommend downloading the Go City Card app – it makes it a lot easier to enter attractions and you don’t need to keep track of any bits of paper.
- While none of the attractions I visited require reservations, some of them do (especially cruises), so be sure to check on what you want to do to see if you need them.
- The guidebook is super helpful, and the New York City Explorer Pass even more so. Check it out before your trip to help you decide which attractions you want to see.
- I would also recommend checking out the websites of the museums, etc., you want to visit, so you can see what kind of special exhibits or events are going on during your visit.
- To get the most out of your New York City Explorer Pass in terms of budget, I highly recommend planning in advance. If you choose pricier attractions, for example, you’ll save more overall.
- I would also be sure to budget a lot of time for attractions like museums – you never know how long it will actually take you to see what interests you, and many NYC museums are top-notch.
- Although you can find food at most museums, etc., in New York, it’s pretty expensive and often doesn’t have much variety. I recommend eating before or after your attraction visits to be sure you’ll find something tasty.
And obviously, you don’t have to choose the attractions that I chose for my vacation! There are many cruises and tours, for example, which are great introductions to the city and are exciting to boot. With nearly 75 attractions to choose from, you’re sure to find plenty to love. With my itinerary, I would have saved over $40 with the 5-Choice New York Explorer Pass when you compare the cost of purchasing tickets at each of the attractions I visited in this itinerary. I hope this New York Pass review is useful to those of you who want to see NYC without busting the bank. I saved money, time, and energy with the New York City Explorer Pass, and I’m sure you will, too.
