One of the easiest ways to save money on L.A. attractions (and who doesn’t want to save money these days?!) is by buying the Go City Los Angeles pass. You save up to 50% on over 45 of the city’s top attractions, which is a major saving, especially if you’re sightseeing as a family.

As with all of Go City’s passes around the world, you can choose between two options for L.A.: an All-Inclusive Pass or an Explorer Pass, each of which have different pricing options and benefits.

Go City passes are usually advertised as a way for tourists to save money when visiting L.A., but here’s our tip: it’s also an excellent way for residents to sightsee for less. Whether spending time with friends and family from out of town or just exploring the city, the Go City Los Angeles Pass makes it affordable to visit Southern California’s most popular attractions like Universal Studios, Hollywood (just note the limits explained below). 

In this post, I’ll share some answers to questions I frequently get about this fantastic discount sightseeing pass, explain how to use the Go City Los Angeles Pass, and list all attractions included.

See also: 10 Benefits of the Go San Diego Discounted Attractions Pass

We can help you save on tickets, tours, and hotels. When you purchase through some of the links below, we may be compensated. Thank you for supporting our small business! Our editorial guidelines.

EXCLUSIVE LA JOLLA MOM DISCOUNT

Use promo code GOLA5LJM to apply an extra 5% off ALL Go City Los Angeles sightseeing passes! This discount stacks on top of sale rates!

(Pass has limited value for families in San Diego during Kids Free October — we recommend individual tickets instead during this timeframe. See promotional terms and conditions.)

A view of the Go City Los Angeles pass on the mobile app set against a view of Los Angeles.
Pull up the pass on the app — it’s that easy! / Photo courtesy of Go City Los Angeles

My Top 9 Reasons to Buy a Go City Los Angeles Pass 

1. Save Up to 50% on Los Angeles Attractions

Since the main reason to buy a Go City Los Angeles pass is for the discounted admission, how much you actually save will be based on how many attractions you decide to see and do in L.A. 

Based on my research, the typical savings range from 20-50%, depending on the type of pass chosen. If you’re on the fence about buying one of these passes before your trip to L.A., keep in mind that it is not easy to achieve this level of discount without this pass — especially for those who are avid sightseers or have planned a long Los Angeles vacation.

2. Go City Los Angeles Pass Saves Time

With Go City Los Angeles, you won’t have to wait in long ticketing lines each time you visit an attraction.

Once you purchase the Go City Los Angeles Pass, the saved pass on the app or your printed pass will be all you need to get you through the gate at participating attractions.

Skipping the ticket line queue will save significant time at most attractions, especially for park guests at theme parks Universal Studios Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studio Tours during the peak travel season.

3. There are Two Go city Los Angeles Pass Options

Los Angeles All-Inclusive Pass

This option allows users to visit over 45 participating attractions for one low price. Los Angeles All-Inclusive pass holders can make last-minute decisions about which attractions to visit, which means you can be super flexible about how you experience everything the city offers. Some attractions do require advanced reservations so check the Go City website as they have lots of info.

The All-Inclusive Pass is available in 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7-day increments. It is valid for the amount of days you purchase starting from the first day you use it, and you can visit as many attractions on the list as you like during that time period. It’s a great option if you have a check list and you don’t mind rushing around to see as much as possible. Universal Studios Hollywood admission is only included in all All-Inclusive option passes.

The Go City Los Angeles website shows you a great example of how much money you save with a 3 day All-Inclusive pass by visiting Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm AND The Getty Center to Griffith Observatory Highlights Tour (both on the same day, which is rather unrealistic in my opinion!!), and LEGOLAND California.

You’ll save a whopping $194 doing ALL of these on a 3 day All-Inclusive Pass rather than buying individual tickets, but you better have some serious stamina. Never the less, the savings of this pass are definitely worth it.

Note: The All-Inclusive Pass includes a few San Diego attractions, such as LEGOLAND California and the San Diego Zoo.

Tip: I’ve written about how to buy Universal Studios Hollywood discount tickets, and Go City Los Angeles is one of the best ways not to pay full price if you are visiting other attractions and Southern California theme parks.

Explorer Pass — Good For Residents

The Explorer Pass is an excellent option for travelers who have a good idea of which of the top attractions included they’d like to visit. Your Go City Los Angeles Explorer Pass can include 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 attractions and is good for 60 days after visiting the first attraction. Similar to the All-Inclusive pass, some attractions require advanced reservations.

City residents who want to see more sights can use an Explorer pass to visit more items on their bucket list for less money. Need a new idea for a date attraction lineup that is beyond Santa Monica Pier? Kids getting older and want to explore some fun L.A. attractions like the Zoo, Madame Tussauds or LA Brea Tar Pits? This one’s for you!

A couple of important differences to note…

Some top attractions are ONLY available with the All-Inclusive Pass. These include Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, San Diego Zoo, and LEGOLAND California. Check the Go City website for more details.

With the All-Inclusive pass, you need to enter attractions between 9 am and 5.30 pm, even if you want to only visit that evening. With the Explorer Pass, there is no time limit in which to enter. I’m not really sure why, but they are the rules for the Los Angeles passes!

Universal Studios Hollywood is included in some Go Los Angeles passes
Universal Studios Hollywood during the holiday season.

4. It’s an Easy Gift

Do you have family and/or friends coming to Los Angeles over the holidays or for a special event? Skip mall shopping and buy each of your visitors a pass instead so they can see all the sights.

Grab one for yourself, too, so you can enjoy Los Angeles from a tourist’s point of view. Why not take a celebrity bus tour, a spin around Warner Bros. Studio Tour or see Madame Tussauds Hollywood? Passes can be delivered to each recipient via email.

Simply add the person’s name and email address at online checkout and their pass gets delivered directly to their account.

With this option, you don’t even have to worry about wrapping paper. And if you still have holiday shopping to do, keep in mind that multiple cities offer Go City passes, too.

5. You Get Instant Digital Delivery

If your visit to Los Angeles is coming up soon, you haven’t missed out on your chance to get the discounts the Go City Los Angeles card offers because you get immediate delivery of your pass to your email account upon purchase.

Even better, you can store your pass on the Go City app for Android and Apple. Having the app on your phone means never worrying about losing your Go City Los Angeles Pass. To me, it’s definitely worth the download.

6. Print and Go or Use the App to Skip Lines

Do you prefer printed tickets? Or maybe you’re all about saving the trees. You can be you when you use Go City Los Angeles Pass for discounted sightseeing.

Using the Go City app, you can go directly through the turnstiles at most participating attractions. The same is often true if you print your pass at home before visiting each attraction. It’s up to you.

7. The Go City App Gives Directions, Hours, and More

After the app registers your purchase of a Go City Los Angeles Pass, you’ll have immediate access to attraction information, directions, hours, tips for visiting, and much more handy information all in one spot. It’s so convenient.

Checking attraction websites is also not a bad idea, as deals and information are subject to change.

Go Los Angeles pass includes Pacific Plaza on the Santa Monica Pier.
Activities on the Santa Monica Pier are temporarily not included.

8. There’s a Risk-Free Guarantee

If you buy a Go City Los Angeles Pass and do not use it, you have 90 days from your purchase date to return any non-activated or unused passes for a full refund.

Any non-activated All-Inclusive and Explorer passes are valid for two years from the purchase date. If anything interferes with your plans, you won’t have to worry about losing your money.

9. There ARe a Lot of Participating Go City Los Angeles Attractions

As mentioned above, some attractions, including the more expensive theme parks, are only available with the All-Inclusive Pass, not the Explorer Pass.

The attractions are split up into being available for one or both passes. The current list is below, but always check the Go City Los Angeles website at the time of your purchase, as attraction limits change.

These attractions are currently only available with the All-Inclusive Pass:

These attractions are currently only available with the Explorer Pass:

  • Haunted Hollywood Walking Tour
  • Hands On Ghost Hunting Tour
  • Two Bit Circus
  • Night Star Tour

These attractions are currently available for both passes:

  • Aquarium of the Pacific
  • Autry Museum of the American West
  • Battleship IOWA Museum
  • Beverly Hills Bike Tour (& Self-guided Tour)
  • Big Bus Celebrity Homes & Lifestyle Tour
  • Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Discover Tour
  • Bike & Skate Rentals
  • California Science Center IMAX Movie
  • Dolby Theatre Guided Tour
  • Food, Arts & Culture Downtown LA Walking Tour
  • Grammy Museum
  • Guided Pier Fishing
  • Highlights of Santa Monica and Venice Beach Bike Tour
  • Hollywood Sign tour
  • Huntington Beach: two-hour kayak or paddle board rental
  • Knotts Soak City Water Park
  • La Brea Tar Pits and Museum
  • LA Zoo
  • Long Beach Waterfront and Downtown Walking Tour
  • Madame Tussauds Hollywood
  • Museum of Latin American Art
  • Natural History Museum
  • Santa Monica Bike Rentals (3 hours)
  • Shop and Dine at Santa Monica Place
  • SoFi Stadium Tour
  • TCL Chinese Theatre Tour OR Movie with Drink
  • The Original Hollywood Sign Walking Tour
  • Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
  • Whale Watch & Dolphin Tour – Beautiful Newport Beach
  • Yoga on Huntington Beach
A group does yoga on the beach in Huntington Beach.
Yoga in Huntington Beach / Photo Courtesy of Go City Los Angeles

What You Should Know Before Buying Go City Los Angeles

  • Most Los Angeles attractions won’t charge any admission for children under the age of 3. Children ages 3 -12 enjoy a reduced Go City Los Angeles Pass price.
  • An All-Inclusive pass gives you one admission to Universal Studios Hollywood exclusively.
  • In most cases, you can visit each attraction once per pass. The guidebook you receive when you buy your Go City Los Angeles will explain the limitations of the pass.
  • The pass is not valid on a 24-hour basis. That means that if you visit an attraction at noon on Monday, the remainder of your first day lasts until attractions close on Monday. Tuesday counts as day two. Start early!
  • The most popular pass is the 5-day pass. Most people will visit a few attractions per day using the pass, which means you can see a lot of Los Angeles in one trip.

FAQs About Go City Los Angeles

I get a lot of questions about sightseeing passes, so here’s what I’m asked the most specifically about Go City Los Angeles.

Is Go City Los Angeles Worth It?

For anyone visiting the city and wanting to visit at least two major attractions (especially a theme park or two), the answer is a big yes. While Disneyland is not a Go City Los Angeles attraction, it includes a variety of other Southern California theme parks and attractions.

From Universal Studios Hollywood to other amusement parks like the historic Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain to the Warner Bros. Studio Hollywood tours, SoFi Stadium tour, and San Diego Zoo, the L.A. pass covers a huge variety of attractions to keep everyone happy.

Using the Los Angeles pass will save you money, as you can visit as many attractions as you want.

What Is Go City Los Angeles?

Go City Los Angeles is a single, multi-attraction sightseeing pass that gives discounted access to the city’s top attractions, tours, and museums. Whether you’re visiting for a day or a week or want the flexibility to visit attractions at your own pace, it’s a great deal.

There are two different types of Go City sightseeing passes that you can buy to explore Los Angeles: the All-Inclusive Pass, which is perfect for tourists, and the Explorer Pass, which is for people who only want to see specific attractions that the pass includes.

How Do I Use My Go City Los Angeles Pass?

All you need to do is make a list of what you want to see and do and then choose the right type of Los Angeles pass is for you. Download the Go City app and use the digital pass on your mobile device. Or print the pass and use it as a paper ticket.

The All-Inclusive Pass provides entry to any of the eligible Go City Los Angeles attractions. You must use it on consecutive days from the first day you activate it. For example, if you buy a 5-day pass, you have five days to use it from day one.

The Explorer pass lets you add your selected 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 attractions to be used within 60 days after you activate the pass at the first attraction.

What Are the Benefits of Purchasing Go City Los Angeles?

The biggest reason and benefit of getting a Go City Los Angeles Pass is that you don’t have to pay full price at top Los Angeles attractions (such as the popular theme park, Universal Studios, and Hollywood). However, as described above, these prime attractions are only available with the All-Inclusive Pass. There are plenty of big savings with the Explorer Pass, though.

Additionally, the app also boasts plenty of useful attraction information, a city guide link, and more.

Feel free to ask them here in the comments. I’d be happy to find the answers for you.

If you’ve used the pass, please share your experiences and any advice you may have about getting the most out of an All-Inclusive Pass or an Explorer Pass. Your tips will help your fellow travelers do more and see more.

EXCLUSIVE LA JOLLA MOM DISCOUNT

Use promo code GOLA5LJM to apply an extra 5% off ALL Go City Los Angeles sightseeing passes! This discount stacks on top of sale rates!

(Pass has limited value for families in San Diego during Kids Free October — we recommend individual tickets instead during this timeframe. See promotional terms and conditions.)

Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).

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3 Comments

  1. Hi Katie, thanks for all the info! Your 10% link for Go city LA doesn’t work; do you have a coupon code like how you do for Go city SD?

    1. Yes! You can use LJM10LAX as the promo code here: https://lajollamom.com/go/go-los-angeles-all-inclusive/

      It works on all-inclusive passes!