What Is Included In The Chicago Pass Travel Guide

Chicago CityPASS: Full Inclusion List (2026)

The standard CityPASS includes three mandatory attractions plus two choice slots. Here is what's in each bucket, with 2026 gate prices we verified in June 2026:

Fixed Inclusions (all three are automatic)

• Shedd Aquarium — all-access entry including animal presentations. Gate price: $44.95 adult / $34.95 child.
• Field Museum — Discovery Pass (general admission + one special exhibition). Gate price: $30 adult / $22 child.
• Skydeck Chicago — 103rd-floor Willis Tower observation deck including The Ledge glass balconies. Gate price: $36 adult / $28 child.

Choice Slot 1 (pick one)

• 360 Chicago (John Hancock Center observation deck) — Gate price: $30 adult / $22 child.
• Adler Planetarium — general admission + one planetarium show. Gate price: $24 adult / $21 child.

Choice Slot 2 (pick one)

• Art Institute of Chicago — general admission, priority entry lane. Gate price: $32 adult / free under 14.
• Museum of Science and Industry — general admission. Gate price: $22 adult / $13 child.
• Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Cruise — 75-minute river architecture tour. Gate price: $47 adult / $28 child.

The C3 pass draws from the same pool but lets you pick any three — no fixed anchor. See our full Chicago CityPASS price breakdown for child and senior rates in detail.

Go City Chicago Explorer: What's Included

The Go City Explorer is a count-based pass (choose 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 attractions from a list of 25+), valid for 60 days from first use. You are not locked into consecutive days, which matters if your Chicago trip is spread over a week.

Top inclusions in 2026 (verify current list at gocity.com before buying):

• Shedd Aquarium all-access
• Field Museum general admission
• Skydeck Chicago
• 360 Chicago observation deck
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Museum of Science and Industry
• Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Cruise (river or lake)
• Chicago Architecture Center River Cruise
• Adler Planetarium
• Chicago History Museum
• Bike & Roll Chicago guided tour
• Chicago Trolley sightseeing hop-on-hop-off

For a head-to-head on which operator wins in Chicago, see our Go City vs CityPASS Chicago comparison.

Worth-It Math: Does the Chicago CityPASS Save Money? (2026)

We priced these in June 2026 using current gate rates. Here's the arithmetic for the most popular CityPASS configuration (all three fixed + Art Institute + Shoreline Cruise):

Verdict: The math works — you save ~$51 on this combo, roughly 27%. CityPASS advertises "up to 48% off" but that headline figure applies only when you include the Shedd Aquarium full-price ($44.95) and the Shoreline Cruise ($47) in your five, which many travelers do. If you swap out the cruise for the Museum of Science and Industry ($22), savings shrink to about $16 — barely worth the bundling hassle.

When the CityPASS does NOT save you money

• You skip the Shedd Aquarium or the cruise (removing the two most expensive attractions collapses the savings).
• You only have one day (the pass is designed for 2–3 full days minimum; rushing five major venues in one day is a bad experience).
• You are visiting with kids under 3 (free admission at most venues anyway).

For a family of 4 (2 adults + 2 children aged 5 and 8), the same five-attraction CityPASS costs $139 × 2 + $109 × 2 = $496. À-la-carte for the same mix runs roughly $700+. That's a solid saving of $200+. See our dedicated Chicago CityPASS for families guide for exact child rates at every venue.

Buy It If / Skip It If

Buy the Chicago CityPASS if:

• You're a first-timer doing 4–5 of the Museum Campus / downtown landmarks in 2–3 days.
• Your group includes kids aged 3–11 (child discount is significant at the Shedd and Field).
• You want to combine Skydeck + one of the observation decks without thinking twice about price.
• You'll definitely hit the Shoreline Cruise — it's the single highest-value inclusion at $47 gate.

Skip the CityPASS and use Go City Explorer if:

• You only want 2–3 attractions — the C3 makes more sense, or Go City's 2-attraction Explorer pass at $79 may beat it.
• You want the Architecture Boat Tour options beyond Shoreline (the Chicago Architecture Center cruise, for instance).
• Your trip is longer than 9 days or non-consecutive — Go City's 60-day window is far more flexible.
• You prefer hop-on-hop-off or bike tours over museums.

Skip both and buy individual tickets if:

• You only want to visit one or two specific sights. The bundled price doesn't recover below 3 attractions.
• You're a Chicago local — most Museum Campus institutions offer free or reduced admission for Illinois residents.

For a 3-day itinerary built around whichever pass you choose, see Chicago in 3 Days with a City Pass.

Practical Booking Gotchas (Read Before You Buy)

Both passes require timed-entry reservations at most attractions — the pass does not guarantee walk-in entry. You'll need to book your slots on each venue's own website after purchase, typically 2–4 weeks in advance in summer. Showing up without a reservation at the Shedd in July will likely result in a turned-away visit.

The CityPASS 9-day clock starts the moment you scan at your first attraction, not your travel arrival date. If you accidentally scan at the Field Museum on day one of a 10-day trip, you'll still need to finish the other four attractions by day 9. Plan your activation day deliberately.

Refund policy: unactivated CityPASS bookings are refundable up to 365 days from purchase. Once the first scan happens, no refund is possible. Go City's Explorer Pass is also non-refundable post-activation. Buy close to your trip date if your plans are uncertain.

Best Time to Visit Chicago Attractions (Crowd Tips)

Summer (June–August) is peak season. The Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck routinely sell out their timed slots on weekends by mid-morning. Book both of those first, then fill in the rest of your schedule around them.

Shoulder season (May or September/October) delivers much shorter queues with similar weather to early summer. The Art Institute and Field Museum are noticeably quieter in shoulder months and don't require the same advance booking sprint.

If you're flexible, aim for a Tuesday–Thursday arrival for the Museum Campus. Weekends and Mondays are consistently the busiest days at all five CityPASS sites.