Whether you’re visiting San Antonio for the first time or were born and raised here, there’s plenty of fun to be had sightseeing and visiting some of our top attractions. From the Go Rio San Antonio River Cruise to the San Antonio Zoo, there’s no shortage of sights to keep the whole family entertained and having a great time.
However, these trips aren’t free in most cases. Sure, some attractions offer occasional free days, but those are usually packed with tons of people and make it hard to enjoy. And of course, not all of the San Antonio’s best attractions offer free days. Thankfully, you can save about half off on admission tickets for up to five different attractions using San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass.
Check out our full San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass review below where we’ll tell you all about what it is, how it works, what you’ll get to see, and whether or not it’s actually worth it.
HOW IT WORKS
With the Go City Explorer Pass, San Antonio sightseeing is a breeze. Think of this as the alternative to San Antonio CityPASS since currently CityPASS isn’t available in the Alamo City.
You can buy it in person when you visit the San Antonio Visitor’s Center or purchase it online. If ordering online, you’ll download the free Go City app to download the pass right on your phone. You will also receive a guidebook with hours of operation and directions to each location to help you plan your visits. Print the pass and the guidebook at home, if you prefer. Then, just show your paper or mobile pass on your phone once you arrive at the attraction. Once you have downloaded the Explorer Pass through the Go City app, you will have one year from date of purchase, or 30 days from first attraction visit, to experience your choice of three, four, or five attractions, in any order, at your own pace.
The Explorer Pass gives you the option of choosing from three, four, or five attractions, including one Premium Attraction, for one low price. There are 19 attractions in total to choose from.
The San Antonio Go City Explorer pass allows you to choose access to a combination of any of the following:
One Premium Attraction:
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch Tour
- iFly Indoor Skydiving 2 Flight Package + $10 Merchandise Credit
Remaining Choices:
- Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
- San Antonio Zoo
- Battle for Texas: The Experience
- Guinness World Records Museum
- The Amazing Mirror Maze
- Extreme Escape Live Action Games
- Witte Museum
- Go Rio San Antonio River Cruise
- Buckhorn Saloon and Museum & Texas Ranger Museum
- City Sightseeing Hop- On Hop- Off San Antonio Tour
- K1 Speed Indoor Karting
- Splashtown San Antonio
- Tower of the Americas
- Tomb Rider 3D
- San Antonio Museum of Art
You’ll get to visit one of the premium attractions plus two, three, or four of the remaining attractions, depending on which option you choose. The attractions do not have to be decided at the time of purchase, so you have the option to mull it over and see what works best with your family’s schedule.
THE PREMIUM ATTRACTIONS
SIX FLAGS FIESTA TEXAS
Get your fill of thrills with heart-pounding rides, dance shows, fireworks, dining, shopping, and more. There are roller-coasters appropriate for children and family as well as more daring thrills like the Boomerang. Get soaked at the Lone Star Lagoon or head over to the Paradise Plunge. The Explorer Pass includes Six Flags Fiesta Texas as one of the options for Premium Attractions. Learn more about Six Flags Fiesta Texas.
SEAWORLD SAN ANTONIO
Experience the wonder of the underwater world as you float through Stingray Falls, an underwater grotto with an overhead view of stingrays and tropical fish. Discover geysers, giant dumping buckets, and splash sprays on the three-story, interactive fun-house, perfect for kids and the young-at-heart. There are over a dozen pools, slides and things to do at this 250 acre marine mammal park. The Explorer Pass lets you choose SeaWorld San Antonio as one of the Premium Attractions and gives you entrance to the park and all of its rides. Learn more about SeaWorld San Antonio.
iFLY INDOOR SKYDIVING
Fly high and be safe with indoor skydiving at iFLY. Get there on time for Flight School- a quick lesson on flying and safety. Then, experience one minute of total suspension and free fall in the wind tunnel. The San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass gives you access to two- one-minute flights, a personalized flight certificate, flight gear rental, training, personalized instruction, and a $10 merchandise credit. Learn more about iFly Indoor Skydiving.
TEXAS HILL COUNTRY & LBJ RANCH TOUR
Get the full Hill Country experience with a one-day excursion from San Antonio. Learn about the influence of German migration in this historic German town, making a stop in the musical city of Luckenbach. Have the option of a wine tour and tastings and explore the grounds of Lyndon B. Johnson’s childhood home. The tour includes several stops, starting in Johnson City. The San Antonio Go City Explorer pass includes hotel pick- up, admission and tour of the LBJ home, plus free time to discover wonders around the grounds by yourself. Learn more about the Texas Hill Country & LBJ Ranch Tour.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Ripley’s Haunted Adventure– The number one haunted house experience in San Antonio.
San Antonio Zoo– Visit the Butterfly Exhibit, ride the Zoo train, and more than ten other exhibits and experience.
Battle for Texas: The Experience– Witness spectacle, heroism, and more in the historical battle for Independence.
Guinness World Records Museum– Delve into World Records in a variety of categories including sports, space, animals, food, and more.
The Amazing Mirror Maze– Thousands of strategically spaced mirrors with surprising corners, dead ends, and continuous circles.
Extreme Escape Live Action Games– Escape rooms offering everything from mutiny to the Undead.
Witte Museum– A lifelong anchor of education rooted in Texas history, heritage, and science.
Go Rio San Antonio River Cruise– Pass under multiple picturesque bridges and see the spectacular sights on this 30-minute river cruise around the San Antonio River Walk.
Buckhorn Saloon and Museum & Texas Ranger Museum– Two museums next door to one another for a holistic experience of Texas culture and history.
City Sightseeing Hop- On Hop- Off San Antonio Tour– Enjoy informative narration of the city’s most significant landmarks, neighborhoods, and hotspots.
K1 Speed Indoor Karting– High speed, high-performance indoor go-karting for people at least 4′ tall.
Splashtown San Antonio– 20 acres of exciting, water-themed fun and activities including over 50 rides and attractions.
Tower of the Americas– San Antonio’s tallest building and observation deck and 4D Theatre Ride.
Tomb Rider 3D– Test your shooting skills on this part- laser tag challenge, part thrill- ride adventure.
San Antonio Museum of Art– Highlights of collections from ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Latin America.
HOW MUCH DOES San Antonio EXPLORER PASS COST?
When you use the San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass, you end up getting 45% off the total price of admission for up to five locations. With this deal, you might as well be getting a free ticket for every other person. See the price breakdown below:
- 3 Choice Pass — $94 for adults, $89 for kids ages 3-11
- 4 Choice Pass — $112 for adults, $101 for kids ages 3-11
- 5 Choice Pass — $121 for adults, $111 for kids ages 3-11
To get more discounts or learn about upgrades to tickets, plan your visit with Go City – San Antonio.
OTHER BENEFITS
Along with the incredible Explorer Pass discount, there’s other benefits that this deal gets you:
- Skip the lines. When you get to your attraction, you’ll already have tickets! No need to spend quality family time in line trying to get tickets. Additionally, some of these attractions might let you to skip past the entry-line altogether with special fast lanes for Explorer Pass holders.
- Value. If you’re not able to visit all of the different attractions within 30 days, it’s totally fine! Because you’re receiving such a huge discount, even if you just go to three out of five it’s already worth your money. Additionally, check out the back of your booklet for coupons to help you save more on shopping, dining, entertainment, and transportation.
- Convenience. All your tickets are in one booklet or on your phone, making it easy to keep track of your tickets. Now you don’t have to fumble around in your bag when you arrive at the door.
- Flexibility. Unlike other tourist passes, San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass gives you the freedom to visit the attractions in any order at any time. It’s almost like a self-guided tour of San Antonio, except bigger and more exciting.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW
- As mentioned before, the tickets are valid for 30 days, starting the first day of use. Note that this is NOT when you purchase the booklet, but rather when you visit your first attraction.
- If you purchase online and receive a voucher, you MUST redeem the voucher at one of the partner attractions and get your ticket booklet within one year of purchasing. After one year, all tickets expire.
- No need to fumble with tickets. Simply scan your pass upon entrance and you’re in. Passes are non- refundable and non- transferable once you activate, so make sure you purchase one for every person in your group.
- Explorer Pass is good for single- use at each attraction of your choice.
IS SAN ANTONIO GO CITY EXPLORER PASS WORTH IT?
If you want to see the best of what San Antonio has to offer, absolutely. You could literally save hundreds of dollars while seeing the city’s best attractions. It’s absolutely a no-brainer. Whether you’re planning to visit San Antonio or just want to spend an exciting week out with the family, the Explorer Pass is a great option.
Have your own San Antonio Go City Explorer Pass review? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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