Chicago CityPASS®

Chicago rewards curious sightseers. The Chicago CityPASS bundles admission to the city’s biggest attractions into a mobile ticket, giving you nine consecutive days to visit Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, and three additional attractions of your choice. I especially like the flexible nine-day window and the shorter entry lines offered at several sights. The main catch is simple: at $142 per person, you need to visit at least three or four included attractions to make the pass worthwhile.

You can use the pass for a classic Chicago mix: skyscraper views, famous museums, an architecture cruise, and the excellent aquarium. I also like that you choose your final three attractions instead of paying for sights that do not interest you. The app can be confusing at first, and some attractions require reservations, so spend a few minutes getting your tickets and times in order before heading out.

Key Points to Know Before You Buy

• Nine consecutive days: Your pass stays valid for nine days after its first use, giving you room to spread out major attractions.
• Two attractions are fixed: Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago are included for everyone.
• Choose three more: Pick from the Field Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Adler Planetarium, 360 Chicago, or a Shoreline architecture cruise.
• Fast entry can matter: CityPASS provides expedited or priority access at several sights, especially useful at Skydeck Chicago.
• Mobile admission: Show the pass on your phone or print it, and use the CityPASS app for attraction details and reservations.
• Best for a busy sightseeing trip: The pass offers its strongest value if you plan to visit five attractions during a first Chicago visit.

How the $142 Chicago CityPASS Works

The pass costs $142 per person and remains valid for nine consecutive days, counting the first day you use it. A ticket that has not been activated expires one year after purchase.

Your package includes admission to two set attractions:

• Shedd Aquarium
• Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower

Then you choose three of six additional options:

• Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour
• Field Museum
• 360 Chicago Observation Deck
• Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
• Art Institute of Chicago
• Adler Planetarium

That structure is useful because Chicago’s major sights are not all alike. You can build a museum-heavy plan, focus on skyline views, or mix indoor attractions with a river cruise. A family might pick Shedd, the Field Museum, the science museum, and two observation decks. An art lover could choose the Art Institute and then add the river cruise and another museum.

The pass includes one admission to each attraction per person. You cannot use it for repeated visits to the same place, so choose carefully if your schedule is short.

The savings depend on how much you see. The practical rule is to plan at least five attractions, or at least three especially expensive admissions, before buying. Several people found that the pass had paid for itself after three visits, while others used all five admissions and saved more. Check the current individual ticket prices before purchase, since attraction pricing and special exhibition fees can change.

Shedd Aquarium: The Family Favorite

Shedd Aquarium is one of the strongest all-around stops in the package. Your admission includes all exhibits, Animal Spotlights, and the seasonal Stingray Touch experience. It also includes a 4-D Experience when available.

Plan about four hours here. That may sound generous, but the aquarium has enough variety to fill a large part of your day, especially with children. Beluga whales, fish, aquatic mammals, and hands-on elements give the visit a good rhythm rather than making it feel like one long row of glass tanks.

The all-access wording matters. You are not limited to a basic entry area, though specially scheduled features can depend on availability. If the aquarium is one of your priorities, check the current details in the CityPASS app before you arrive.

Shedd is a good choice for mixed-age families because younger children can enjoy the animals while adults still get a substantial museum-style visit. It is also a sensible indoor stop if Chicago weather turns cold, wet, or windy.

Skydeck Chicago: The Big View at Willis Tower

Skydeck Chicago gives you expedited entry and about three hours of admission time. The main attraction is the view from Willis Tower, along with the glass ledges that place you above the city.

This is one of the pass’s most useful time-saving benefits. Long waits can take the shine off a skyline attraction, and priority access makes Skydeck easier to fit into a full day. One visitor found the pass worthwhile almost by itself because of the shorter line at Willis Tower, though I would still recommend using the pass for several other attractions to get the best financial return.

Allow more time than the actual view might seem to require. You will need time to enter, move through the attraction, enjoy the skyline, and take photos at the ledges. The experience is popular, so a reservation may be required. Use my.citypass.com to check the current entry instructions.

Skydeck works particularly well near the start or end of your Chicago sightseeing plan. It gives you a useful sense of the city’s layout, which helps when you later walk or use public transportation between downtown sights.

Shoreline Architecture River Tour: Chicago’s Best Outdoor Choice

The Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour is the most distinctive option in the pass. It gives you a view of Chicago’s famous buildings from the water, where the city’s downtown architecture makes more sense as one connected story.

The listed time is 5 hours and 20 minutes, but treat that as the attraction’s allocated itinerary time rather than assuming you will spend all of it on the boat. Check the departure details and reservation requirements in the app before you go.

The cruise was a favorite for many people using the pass. The guides bring the buildings to life with stories about current, past, and future projects. One particularly memorable trip had a guide who combined a wealth of building knowledge with plenty of humor. That mix is exactly what you want on an architecture cruise: enough facts to make the buildings meaningful, but not so many that you feel trapped in a lecture.

A sunset departure can be especially attractive. You may see the buildings in daylight, then watch the city change as the light fades. Bring a hat and prepare for sun exposure on a warm day. The boat ride is also a good break after several indoor museums.

Choose Shoreline if you want an experience that feels specific to Chicago rather than a standard museum visit. If weather is poor or boat times do not fit your schedule, choose another option instead.

Field Museum: Plan for a Long Visit

The Field Museum provides an All-Access Pass, including permanent displays and regularly priced ticketed exhibitions. Special exhibitions outside the All-Access Pass can cost extra.

Give this museum about four hours, and more if you enjoy natural history. The building is large, and it is easy to underestimate how much time the collections require. The dinosaur displays, including SUE, are major draws, but the museum covers far more than dinosaurs. You can spend hours moving among specimens, cultural displays, and natural history exhibits.

The Field Museum is a strong choice for families, history-minded visitors, and anyone who prefers a large traditional museum. It is less suitable if you want to race through five attractions in one weekend. You may leave feeling that you saw only part of it, which is not a bad problem unless your schedule is tight.

Because the pass includes broad access, the Field Museum can offer good value. Check the special exhibition rules before arrival so you know what is included and what may require an added charge.

360 Chicago: A Different Kind of Skyline View

360 Chicago Observation Deck includes Fast Pass entry admission and usually needs about three hours in your plan. It offers another high viewpoint over the city, but it is not the same experience as Skydeck.

Using both observation decks can make sense if you enjoy city views and photography. They show Chicago from different positions, and having expedited entry at 360 Chicago can reduce the time spent waiting. On the other hand, some people will feel that one tower view is enough. If you are watching your budget or have limited time, use the third-choice attractions for a museum or river cruise instead.

The best reason to choose 360 Chicago is variety. It gives you another way to understand the city’s scale and shoreline, while Skydeck gives you the Willis Tower experience and its glass ledges. Pick both if skyline attractions are a central part of your trip, not simply because they are included.

Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: Hands-On Chicago

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry includes museum entry plus one timed-entry experience. Your admission covers exhibits such as Science Storms, Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze, YOU! The Experience, and The Blue Paradox. The timed choice is either a Giant Dome Theater film or a Motion Ride.

Plan about three hours, though the museum can easily take longer if you stop at many exhibits. The timed experience gives your visit a little structure, but you need to pay attention to the time you select.

This is one of the best choices for families and for anyone who likes to interact with exhibits instead of only looking at objects in cases. The subjects range from weather and mathematics to the human body and environmental issues, giving you several different kinds of activity in one building.

The museum is also a good alternative if you have already seen plenty of art or natural history. One person described it as an especially experience-focused museum and singled out the 727, Zephyr, mine shaft, and U-505 exhibits. Those particular highlights can help you decide if this is a better fit than the Field Museum.

Art Institute of Chicago: The Art Lover’s Pick

The Art Institute includes Fast Pass admission to the permanent collection and non-ticketed special exhibitions. Plan about three hours, though art lovers may want much longer.

This is the clear choice for a serious art stop. You can move through a wide range of works without paying separately for ordinary collection access. The fast entry is also useful when you want to protect a limited sightseeing schedule.

The Art Institute may be less exciting for young children than Shedd Aquarium or the science museum. Still, older children and teenagers can enjoy it if you keep the visit focused instead of trying to see every room. Choose a few areas that match your interests and save time for a proper meal or another downtown stop.

If you enjoy museums but want more than dinosaurs and science displays, the Art Institute gives the CityPASS a welcome change of pace.

Adler Planetarium: Space, Sky Shows, and the Lakefront

Adler Planetarium includes museum entry and two Sky Shows. Your admission also covers exhibitions featuring the Adler’s collections, along with Community Design Labs, the Space Visualization Lab, and Doane Observatory experiences.

Allow about four hours. The two Sky Shows are a major reason to choose Adler, so check show times and plan around them. You will get more from the pass if you can attend both rather than treating the planetarium as a quick walk-through.

Adler suits families, science fans, and anyone who wants a museum visit with a strong visual component. It also gives you a different kind of Chicago setting, with the city and lakefront forming part of the experience.

Compared with the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Adler is more focused on astronomy and space. Compared with the Field Museum, it is smaller in subject range. Choose it because the theme appeals to you, not simply because you need a third admission.

Building a Nine-Day Plan Without Exhausting Yourself

The nine-day validity period is one of the pass’s biggest advantages. You do not need to cram five major attractions into two days, and you can leave space for restaurants, neighborhoods, shopping, and unplanned stops.

For a three-day trip, group attractions by area and energy level. The Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium are all suitable for a lakefront sightseeing day, while Skydeck, the Art Institute, and 360 Chicago fit more easily into downtown plans. The exact travel time between them depends on your starting point, so use public transportation and check the app’s maps.

A five-day trip allows a calmer schedule:

• Day one: Skydeck Chicago
• Day two: Shedd Aquarium
• Day three: Field Museum or Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
• Day four: Architecture River Tour
• Day five: Art Institute, 360 Chicago, or Adler Planetarium

Do not plan every stop back-to-back. The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium can each fill several hours, and the river cruise depends on departure times. Build in breaks, especially if you are traveling with children.

The pass does not include food, drinks, or transportation. Those costs can add up, so include them when setting your daily budget.

The App, Reservations, and Entry Tips

The mobile ticket is convenient once it is working. You can show it on your phone or print it, and the app provides attraction details, maps, tickets, and reservations.

The setup can be the weakest part of the experience. Some people found the pass confusing at first, especially when entering multiple codes into the CityPASS app. Others had trouble accessing the passes and needed a new link from customer support.

Do this before your first sightseeing morning:

1. Download or open the CityPASS app.
2. Add your pass and confirm that each ticket appears.
3. Check which attractions require reservations.
4. Reserve timed entry where needed.
5. Save the attraction addresses and maps.
6. Keep your phone charged, or carry a printed copy.

Reservation times can change, and the app allows you to adjust dates and times in some cases. Still, do not assume every attraction works the same way. Check each attraction page before leaving your hotel.

The app’s maps are especially important because the pass does not include transportation or directions between attractions. Chicago’s public transportation makes the major sights reachable, but you still need to plan the route yourself.

Who Should Buy the Chicago CityPASS?

I would recommend this pass to a first-time Chicago visitor who wants to see several major attractions. Families can get strong value because the aquarium, science museum, Field Museum, and observation decks cover different interests and age groups.

It also suits a short trip with a clear sightseeing plan. The pass helps you avoid buying separate tickets repeatedly, and expedited entry can save time at popular attractions.

I would be more cautious if you prefer neighborhood wandering, restaurants, architecture walks, or free attractions. You may not use enough admissions to justify $142. The same is true if you plan to visit only one museum and one observation deck.

The pass is also less appealing if you dislike apps or cannot easily manage timed reservations. The mobile system works well for many people, but the setup is not always obvious.

Should You Book the Chicago CityPASS?

Book it if you plan to visit five included attractions, or at least three major sights with costly admission. The strongest combinations are Shedd Aquarium, Skydeck Chicago, the Field Museum, and the Shoreline architecture cruise, with the final choice based on your interests.

For skyline fans, add 360 Chicago. For art lovers, choose the Art Institute. For hands-on family fun, pick the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. For space fans, choose Adler Planetarium.

Skip it if you want a slow Chicago trip or only plan to use two admissions. The pass is not a magic ticket to every attraction, and its $142 price only works when you use it well. But with a simple plan, charged phone, and reservations handled early, it can save money, shorten waits, and keep your first Chicago visit focused on the city’s best-known sights.

FAQ

How long is the Chicago CityPASS valid?

The pass is valid for nine consecutive days, including the first day of use. An inactive ticket expires one year after the purchase date.

What attractions are always included?

Every pass includes Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower.

How many additional attractions can I choose?

You can choose three additional attractions from six options: Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture River Tour, Field Museum, 360 Chicago Observation Deck, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Art Institute of Chicago, and Adler Planetarium.

Can I use the pass more than once at the same attraction?

No. The CityPASS provides one admission to each included attraction per person.

Do I need reservations?

Reservations may be required at some attractions. Use my.citypass.com to check attraction details and make reservations when needed.

Does the pass include transportation or food?

No. Food, drinks, and transportation to and from the attractions are not included.