Is the Go City Los Angeles Pass worth it? Go City Los Angeles Pass review 2024
The Go Los Angeles Pass is an interesting and exciting way to save money while visiting the biggest attractions in the city, but it’s not ideal for everyone. It covers 38 different attractions that are spread over a great distance within Southern California, and the first thing you might notice is that it does NOT cover Disneyland. However, it does cover almost everything else (including Universal Studios Hollywood), and visiting Disneyland on your own on another day is easy enough.
It’s easy to get confused when looking at the list of attractions on the Go Los Angeles Pass website, especially if you’ve spent little or no time in the area before. So as someone who grew up in Los Angeles and knows all of these places (plus the distances between), I’m going to help you decide whether this pass is good value for you or not. The Los Angeles attractions are very spread out so planning ahead is critical. Starting with an attraction pass can be great if you have your itinerary figured out in advance, so that’s what we will try to help you with here. Attraction discounts are pretty rare on their own, so doing this bundle can definitely save money for those who do the research.
One of the most unusual and best features of the Go City Los Angeles Pass is that you DON’T have to use it on consecutive days. So if you are visiting Los Angeles for a week, you can buy a 3-Day Pass and go to the beach or go to Disneyland in between the days you use the pass.
2024 prices for the all-inclusive Go City Los Angeles Pass
2-day
- Adult (13+): $264
- Child (3-12): $234
3-day
- Adult (13+): $309
- Child (3-12): $289
4-day
- Adult (13+): $379
- Child (3-12): $344
5-day
- Adult (13+): $409
- Child (3-12): $379
7-day
- Adult (13+): $464
- Child (3-12): $434
Where to buy the Go Los Angeles Pass with our EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT
Look for “Have a promo code?” on the Review Your Order page and use the code ‘GO5POT’ for the exclusive Price Of Travel 5% discount. The 5% discount is valid on sale prices, so you save even more.
>>>Buy the Go Los Angeles Pass at an ADDITIONAL 5% off using this link and the promo code GO5POT
Important: You don't have to use the All-Inclusive Pass on consecutive days
With nearly all other attraction passes, the clock starts ticking on the first day you use the pass and it keeps going until the end of the period you paid for, so a “3-day pass” is only valid for 72 consecutive hours. But with the Go City Los Angeles Pass you get a full TWO WEEKS to use the days you paid for. This is a HUGE benefit since so many of the best attractions are theme parks and not only do you want to spend all day at each of those, but you probably don’t want to do them on back-to-back days either.
So if you are visiting Los Angeles and San Diego for 7 days or longer, which is obviously very common, you can buy a 3-Day Pass and go to Universal Studios on Monday, and Knotts Berry Farm on Wednesday and then LEGO Land on California Friday or Saturday. Those would cost $347 if you paid for each of them, while the Go City Los Angeles Pass for 3 days is only $309, and really $289 if you use our discount. It’s basically like paying for two theme parks and getting almost an extra one free, and you don’t have to rush.
Top sights and attractions included in the Go Los Angeles Pass
Universal Studios Hollywood – $129.00
A premium attraction available for those who purchase a 3, 4, 5, or 7-day Go Los Angeles Pass, the Universal Studios Hollywood attraction is a fantastic choice for those who would like to go behind the scenes. This attraction offers guests the chance to go on different tours exploring real life film sets. If you love Harry Potter, you’ll love visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Madame Tussauds Hollywood Tickets – $32.99
An unusual attraction that features your favorite celebrities in wax form, Madame Tussauds Hollywood is a great visit for those who like something a little bit different. Located inside, this wax museum features 100 different singers and actors in several different rooms. There are interactive exhibits all along the way so it’s a lot more than just walking past various wax statues. Honestly, I used to think these places were silly until I visited one and they are MUCH more interesting and impressive than I was expecting. Also, you can see the whole place in about an hour if you like. If you paid full price you might take your time more, but if you get in free with the Go City Los Angeles Pass you might hurry through a bit and then move on to the next attraction.
Warner Brothers Studio Tour Hollywood– $70.00
While it’s much smaller and a bit less famous than Universal Studios, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour is also very worthwhile. This one doesn’t have thrill rides either, but it does have a really good guided tour of the backlot along with the chance to visit the sets of Friends and the Big Bang Theory, among others. If you only have time for one studio tour, Universal has more to offer, but this is great if you only have the shorter passes and you really want to see what actual film sets and locations look like up close.
Aquarium of the Pacific – $44.95
Located on Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific lets you explore exhibits that showcase the wildlife of Southern California and Baja as well as the Northern Pacific and the Tropical Pacific. Great for both adults and children, this highly rated attraction lets you get face to face with birds, ocean predators and much more. Long Beach is a bit of a drive from Hollywood and there can be traffic to contend with so it’s probably best to plan this one for shortly after they open or later in the afternoon.
Hop-on, Hop-off Big Bus 1-Day Classic Tour– $54.00
Including BOTH the Hollywood route and the Beach route, this hop-on, hop-off bus tour is the best way to see the main sights in the Los Angeles area for those who don’t want to drive everywhere and fight for parking. It’s a great tour although it’s usually best to start in the late morning and finish by mid afternoon to avoid the worst of the traffic.
Knott’s Berry Farm Ticket – $99.00
Known as America’s first theme park, Knott’s Berry Farm is fun for the whole family with rides, dining options, shopping options and none other than the famed boysenberry. The Knott’s Berry Farm Marketplace is also on-site and a great way to discover new boysenberry treats, great for both for you and gifts for others. As far as the rides are concerned, you’ll find plenty to choose from, including those suitable for little kids, those geared toward the whole family and some fun water rides that are perfect for those hot Southern California days.
Whale Watch By Newport Landing Tickets – $56.50
If you love sea life, you’ll love the Whale Watch By Newport Landing attraction. While enjoying the comfort of a 65-foot double-deck ship you’ll get the exciting chance to view, up-close and personal, both whales and dolphins, in an experience like no other. Want the chance to view a 90-foot blue whale or a pod of beautiful and playful dolphins? With over 30 years of experience, your chances of seeing one or the other are pretty high. This one isn’t very close to Hollywood or Downtown Los Angeles as it’s well down into Orange County, but on the other hand, Newport Beach is a lovely attraction unto itself. It’s best to do this one first thing in the morning or last in the day because it’s a longer drive from Hollywood although it’s not that far from Long Beach or Knotts Berry Farm.
LEGOLAND California – $119.00
With more than 60 rides, attractions and shows throughout the park, LEGOLAND is a dream for many, both kids and adults alike. Currently, guests can also see a show of THE LEGO MOVIE in 4D. If you choose to, there is also the LEGOLAND Hotel that you can stay in and you don’t want to miss the LEGOLAND water park! Make sure to take note that LEGOLAND is only open daily during Spring Break, summer and certain holidays. The rest of the year, you’ll find the park closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. LEGOLAND is in Carlsbad, which is most of the way to San Diego. This is an amazing place for young ones, but getting there and back will take a full day including many hours in the park.
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There are over 35 different attractions to choose from with each offering something unique and fun. However, those listed above are some of most popular and highly rated attractions with pass holders and those who live in the area.
Is the Go City Los Angeles Pass a good deal? Here's the short answer
If you are visiting Los Angeles and intend to visit at least two theme parks as well as a studio tour and perhaps another big attraction or two, then you almost certainly will save money with a Go City Los Angeles Pass. If you can get a pass at a discount, it’s obviously an even better deal. But, trying to see too many of these things on a short trip would probably be a mistake.
A day that you visit a major theme park is a full sightseeing day, so you shouldn’t assume that you’ll be able to see something else that day. The good news is that (unlike other passes and passes) you get a full two weeks to use the 2 to 7 days you purchase on the pass. In other words, if you visit Universal Studios on a 3-day Pass, you can spend all day Monday there, then relax at the beach on Tuesday, and start using the pass again on Wednesday. This feature makes it far more useful than if it were only usable on consecutive days like most other passes insist.
The Go City Los Angeles Pass covers 38 attractions, but only these big ones matter
The way the Go Los Angeles Pass is priced, you really need to plan to visit one major attraction such as a theme park, or two secondary attractions such as a studio tour, each day in order for it to be good value. A full 16 of the 38 included attractions cost less than $30 each for adults, so it’s really only on the 7-Day Pass that it would make sense to visit those cheaper ones.
Los Angeles is so huge and spread-out that even visiting 3 things in one day is a challenge. So you can literally just forget about all the cheaper attractions that are included, because racing between them to try to get your money’s worth out of a pass would ruin your trip.
Full-day attractions
Theme parks
- Universal Studios Hollywood: $129.00
- LEGOLAND® California: $119.00
- Knott’s Berry Farm: $99.00
- San Diego Zoo: $72.00
- Hop-on, Hop-off bus tour: $54.00 (Hollywood Loop Route and Beach Loop Route)
Each of the above theme parks should be a full day, except the bus tours, which can easily be combined with other included attractions.
Also note that LEGOLAND is about 100 miles (160 km) south of Los Angeles, and it takes about 2 hours to get there by car, or longer if traffic is heavy.
Half-day attractions
Specific tours
- Hollywood Sign Tour: $55.00
- Beverly Hills Bike Tour: $55.00
Other tours
- Guided Pier Fishing in Santa Monica or Venice: $90.00
- Whale watching: $56.50
Other major attractions
- Aquarium of the Pacific: $44.95
- Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood: $32.99
The La Brea Tar Pits are now included with the Go City Los Angeles Card, and they only cost $15 for adults and $7 for kids, so they probably wouldn’t be a good use of time anyway. And just between you and me, they are kind of boring unless you are a major dinosaur enthusiast.
So will a Go City Los Angeles Pass save you money?
Again, the best way to look at it is to forget the cheaper attractions the pass covers, and evaluate it just based on the attractions listed above. Also, keep in mind that you can use these passes on non-consecutive days, so you could skip days in between to just relax or see other sights, or even go to Disneyland.
It’s easy to do the math this way. The most popular version of the Go Los Angeles Pass is the 3-day version, which is also the shortest one that includes Universal Studios. So you could go to Universal Studios on one day, and to Knott’s Berry Farm on another day, and do a Hollywood tour and a movie studio tour on a third day. On an itinerary like this, you will definitely save money with the pass, and even more money if you buy it with one of the frequent discounts that are offered.
How NOT to try to use a Go Los Angeles Pass
Until you’ve actually visited Los Angeles, it’s impossible to imagine just how spread out it is. There is no other city like it on the planet. For this reason, it’s important to pace yourself properly. In New York City or London or Paris, it’s possible to visit 3 or even 4 attractions in one day because so many of them are only a few minutes apart on foot. But in Los Angeles, nothing is close.
So if you are a cheapskate like myself you might think you’ll get the most use out of a pass by buying one for a limited number of days and trying to jam as many sights into those days as possible. But if you tried it, you’d almost certainly regret it.
Also keep in mind that all the theme parks offer unlimited rides and shows once you are inside, so if you leave after half a day, you are missing out on some fun. All of them are large enough that it would take several days in order to ride all the rides and see all the shows.
Build your own custom Go Los Angeles Pass
An interesting feature with this pass is that they allow you to actually choose your own group of the 38 attractions and pay only for those. You can even choose just a single attraction (except Universal Studios) and pay only for that. They guarantee that you’ll save money off the normal admission price, although they don’t publish their own prices for the custom passes.
Most people will probably get the best value out of the normal pass, but it could be worth looking into the custom pricing plan to see if it’s an even better deal. It’s also important to consider that you might not want to rush from one attraction to another for your whole stay. You can tour the Hollywood Hills or Griffith Park for free, and even do a Hollywood Hills hike while you are at it.
Where do you purchase your Go Los Angeles Pass
If you think the Go Los Angeles Pass is a good choice for you and your group, you can buy one from the link below. You can also choose instant delivery of a pass that you can print out, or store on a smart phone in their app, so delivery is instant and free.
Look for “Have a promo code?” on the Review Your Order page and use the code ‘GO5POT’ for the exclusive Price Of Travel 5% discount. The 5% discount is valid on sale prices, so you save even more.
>>>Buy the Go Los Angeles Pass at an ADDITIONAL 5% off using this link and the promo code GO5POT
Similar Go Passes to consider
Photo credits: Universal Studios by benontherun.com on Flickr, Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm by Edward Beavers on Flickr
Thanks a lot ROger for your great help!
Hello Roger,
First of all thanks for all the valuable information you have shared so far, I tried to go through and although I found some answers I still have some “open point”.
Actually, we’re planning a visit from Hungary to the West Coast with our -that time almost 7 and almost 12 years old- kids in end of October/beginning of November. In fact we’ll spend altogether 4 “net” days in the SD/LA area, 2 in Carlsbad/San Diego and 2 in LA.
I checked all the opportunities of both San Diego Go and LA Go passes, several attractions are included in both, so what I’ writing down is already a pre-conclusion:
Day 1 (wake up in a hotel in Carslbad) : San Diego (Sea World, USS Midway, etc…)
for this it’s not worth to buy a pass
Day 2 : From out hotel Carlsbad – to Legoland (and after, in the evening go to our next hotel: Ontario LA)
Day 3 : Universal studios
Day 4: Warner Bro’s studios, Hollywood walk of fame, something from the pass menu over there + beaches around Santa Monica / boat trip and something from the pass menu around.
The idea is to by a LA card of 3 days that covers both Legoland and Universal, just this is roughly around its price and benefit from anything else as extras
My specific questions:
1., Do you think it’s generally a good idea (the 3 days pass in our specific case)
2., Do you confirm that in Universal and Legoland although having the pass we need to go to the ticket counters and wait in the queues?
3., For the WB studio tour we need to book somehow a specific tour slot or just go there anytime (even more important us our hotel is 1- 1,5 hours away depending on the traffic…)
For Universal is it the same rule that applies?
(I guess it’s not an issue for Legoland)
4., Warner Bros homepage: children ticket: 8 to 13 – does it mean that my not-even-yet 7 years old boy will be refused to enter (he’d love the DC staff, although for us, the parents- Friends couch would be the main attraction)
5., For the last day: do you have a suggestion (we’d like visit Hollywood walk of fame and around and a beach area (Santa Monica) and one of the boat tours (I’m not sure whales will be still around that season) but no specific plan….)
A big thanks in advance for your feedback!
Best regards,
Robert
Robert,
I’ll be happy to try to help.
1. Yes, it looks like the 3-Day Pass would be good value for you since you are doing 2 expensive things and a few others on that remaining day.
2. For Legoland you have to show your pass at the ticket booths, and they will give you entry tickets. For Universal you just show your pass at the entrance queue and you walk right in without going through the ticket queue.
3. You do need to book a specific tour time for the Warner Brothers Tour. But it’s Los Angeles and traffic can be bad, so I’m sure you can join a tour if you arrive a bit late. They just want to space it out so people don’t have to wait for hours once they arrive.
4. It looks like the rule is the Warner Brothers Tour is only for 8 and up. Children in the US don’t normally carry around identification, so if your almost-7-year-old looks like he could be 8 and is well behaved, I imagine you’d be fine. I’d think they just don’t want little kids who might burst into tears and can’t be controlled.
5. There are many great included options near the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I’d consider doing Madam Tussauds. Those places are WAY more impressive than you might expect, and they have little interactive displays and games for children as well. You can be out in less than 90 minutes, and you’ll be impressed. I’m not sure about the whales either, but Santa Monica is very nice and hopefully you can do a boat of some kind.
Let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
With my itinerary Kevin and Roger I choose the Burbank area to fly into and stay.
Joey
Roger,
Given Joey’s itinerary:
”
Day 1.
Hollywood Museum
Dolby Theatre® Guided Tour
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
TLC Chinese Theater
Warren Bros tour
Day 2
Universal Studios
Day 3
Sony Studios tour
Santa Monica Pacific Pier
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
Malibu Tour ?
”
What area would you suggest for us to stay to keep it convenient?
-Kevin
Kevin,
Given that itinerary, the two obvious choices that have many hotels are West Hollywood and the Santa Monica area. West Hollywood has much better nightlife, but overall Santa Monica is a much nicer part of Los Angeles and it’s very central to many important places, including Downtown. Since the 405 freeway and 10 freeway meet there, you can quickly get to quite a few worthwhile places. You’d be taking surface streets mostly from Santa Monica to West Hollywood, but that usually only takes 30 minutes or so, and there is a lot to see on the way. I hope this helps. -Roger
Thank you, Roger
Yes I plan on doing Warner Bros before Hollywood stuff thanks for the tip. Yeah Malibu isn’t high on our list we just figured trying to get most bang for our buck. Might look at Hop on Hop off ride or something else in Hollywood. So would you recommend TLC or Hollywood Museum. Also thank you again for your wonderful insite. I’m also reading your articles about the Caribbean since going to take my wife on a trip there I’ve been to a lot of places just like more information
Joey
Joey,
I’m glad this has helped. As for choosing the Chinese Theater or the Hollywood Museum, I’d say you would be best off reading the recent TripAdvisor reviews of both, and seeing which sounds better to you. When I lived in Hollywood last, which was decades ago, I’d walk to the Chinese Theater to see movies and they didn’t offer tours. And the Hollywood Museum didn’t exist. I can tell you that the Chinese Theater is a very large and classic old theater, and I’d think that the tour would be interesting. The Hollywood Museum appears to focus (unsurprisingly) on Hollywood nostalgia and memorabilia. My guess is that the kids might find the big theater kind of interesting for a while, but might not care about “ancient” movie stars and TV shows. But again, it’s probably better to read recent reviews and poll the family. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
All great information, in town on business and 8yr old is flying up weds 4/19
Purchasing 4day pass
Trip from 4/19 to 4/23 ** Sunday will be leaving around 5/6PM
Would be Ideal to go to – universal studios / Legoland / six flags / Santa Monica and beachy stuff **Most likely a Saturday / knottsberry (least of his must go to 🙂 )
Looking to relocate from current hotel and would like your advise on most ideal area to buy hotel room that would be most ideal to what he would like to do, if have a chance to respond. Also, feel free to advise other places that you feel would fit our likings 😉
Thank you in advance
Best,
Ty
Tyson,
I’ll be happy to help, but I’m a bit unclear on what I can do for you. One thing to mention is that Legoland is about 95 miles south of Hollywood and it’ll take 2 hours each way, if not a bit more. It’s a great attraction for anyone wanting to head to San Diego as well, especially on the last day of the pass, but it’s a very long day and round-trip if you are staying in Hollywood or the Valley or even Santa Monica.
As for choosing a hotel, Los Angeles is very tricky because the traffic is pretty terrible every weekday, and often on weekends as well. Hollywood and West Hollywood are the closest to the most attractions, but an 8-year-old probably cares more about the theme parks and the beach, which are all spread out. If you want to be near the beach then Santa Monica is the best area, but if you want to be closer to the Hollywood studios and attractions, then West Hollywood is more central.
Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm are both great amusement parks, and each is about 30 miles from Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Santa Monica is more pleasant in general for the mornings and evenings, so I’d stay around there if you could. I’m not sure what else to say, but I’m happy to answer other specific questions if you have them. -Roger
Roger,
Day 1.
Hollywood Museum
Dolby Theatre® Guided Tour
Madame Tussauds Hollywood
TLC Chinese Theater
Warren Bros tour
Day 2
Universal Studios
Day 3
Sony Studios tour
Santa Monica Pacific Pier
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
Malibu Tour ?
Let me know what you think we have two kids 18 and 14 and staying by Unver. studios
Joey
Joey,
That looks like a really good itinerary. I’m just looking now and it appears that you can choose the Chinese Theater OR the Hollywood Museum, which is a bit of a shame. On Day 1 it might be better to go from your hotel to the Warner Brothers Tour, which is nearby. Traffic is usually lighter in the mornings, so you could be in the heart of Hollywood by noon if you scheduled your Warner Brothers Tour at 8am, or at least by 1pm if you scheduled for 9am. Then you’d be able to do all of those Hollywood things that are all next to each other, and not worry about rushing back over the hill in the traffic as it gets worse and worse in the afternoon. From Hollywood to Universal in the evening it’s not too bad because you only need to travel a short distance on the freeway.
The other two days look very good as well. Again, it’s best to schedule your studio tour in the morning if possible, as long as you allow time to get there from Universal.
As for the Malibu Stars Home’s Tour, I agree that it could be good if you have time, but I wouldn’t worry if you don’t. It’s a very nice drive from Santa Monica to Malibu, but the problem is that every home in Malibu looks amazing from the beach, and looks tiny and plain from the street. They are almost all built on cliffs, so on the street you just see the garage and maybe a couple of back bedrooms on the top floor. Meanwhile, the houses have 3 or 4 levels below that, with all views facing the ocean. So as long as you go with that in mind and you are interested in seeing the scenery in and on the way to Malibu, it would be nice (since it’s free with the Go Los Angeles Card). I’m not sure I’d pay for it though. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Roger,
I will be in LA on 7-30 and leaving 8-2. We are going to a Dodger game on 7-30. Does it pay for us to buy the 3 day Go LA Card? We want to do Universal, Warner, Sony Studio tours in the remaining two days, along with the whale watching and Santa Monica Pier. We can either stay on Franklin Ave in Hollywood or Pasenda. I have reservations at both, trying to figure out what works best. We are doing a PCH road trip from San Fran with San Diego the last stop. We also want to hike to the Hollywood sign. Thoughts? Suggestions gladly accepted.
Thank you.
Debbie,
I grew up going to Dodger games so that brings me back. If you have 3 full days, which would be July 30, July 31, and August 1, then your plan would work very well. You really want to save a full day for Universal, and since you can’t use the card on a weekend it would mean going on July 31 or August 1. If you arrive in the morning you’d have time to do one of the studio tours and whale watching, although doing both studio tours on that day would be much less driving.
Another day you could do a studio tour in the morning if you preferred, the whale watching in the afternoon, and Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier in the evening. And again, you’ll want a full day for Universal. You’d still have time to drive to near the Hollywood sign. I used to live in Hollywood, and the sign is very visible once you start driving up Beachwood Canyon Drive, but the sign itself is behind fences and not easy to reach. Getting some good photos of it will only take 30 minutes or so, so you could even do that on the way to Dodger Stadium, which isn’t too far away.
Staying in Hollywood would be more central to the places you want to visit. Pasadena is quite nice, but there is always traffic going between it and downtown and Hollywood. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi, we are a family of 5 with kids ages 8,7 and 2. We are planning to buy the 3 day go card for our trip in July this summer. We want to do Universal on day 1, Knotts berry farm and their water park on day 2. Day 3 Legoland when we leave LA for San Diego. After Universal we would like to do the attraction at the Santa Monica pier but on the go card LA site it says you have to use the card by 05:30. Is this true or can we still enter later in the evening? Are there other attractions we could squeeze in on any of the days? Thanks for your time! /Andreas
Andreas,
If you are referring to Pacific Park on Santa Monica Pier, I am not seeing where it says the hours are different than the park hours themselves. I’ve seen a few things in this pass that are only available during the day, which is disappointing. As far as I can see, this one is valid until closing. Let me know if I am missing something because that could be the case.
The Aquarium on the pier closes at 5pm though. It does look like other top attractions such as Madam Tussauds are cut off at 5:30pm, unfortunately. My best guess is that they offered admission up until their 10pm closing time, and they were probably swamped with visitors who had come from theme parks during the day. That’s just a theory though. Hopefully Pacific Park does allow admission into the evening because it would be perfect for you and it’s a really nice place.
It does seem that the Go Los Angeles Card is set up that each valid day you can either do one major attraction such as a theme park, OR you can do a studio tour and bus tour and Madam Tussauds etc, but not really both. Your kids are probably going to be exhausted after a full day at Universal or Knott’s, so you might prefer to relax in the evening anyway. I hope this works for you. -Roger
I will be Cali in early June 2017, with 2 friends, We want st see the Hollywood sign, the Stars and hit the beach, any suggestions or other things to do in West Hollywood. 3 friends on a Budget
Prieta,
This is an article about the Go Los Angeles Card and I try to help people make a decision whether it’s good for them or not, and how to use it. It sounds like you aren’t doing any of the included attractions. Even then, it’s hard for me to make recommendations without knowing more about you. West Hollywood has some fun areas, including along the Sunset Strip. But I’d recommend spending at least one evening in Venice Beach in the Abbot Kinney area. Have a great time. -Roger