Seattle Attraction Passes: Compare CityPASS, Hop-On Hop-Off & Combo Tickets

Seattle rewards visitors who wander — but the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, the Seattle Aquarium, a harbor cruise, and the Museum of Pop Culture are scattered across the city and, bought one ticket at a time, easily top $200 per person. A Seattle attraction pass bundles the big-name sights into a single mobile ticket, usually for far less. The catch is that there are several different passes, they work in completely different ways, and the wrong one can cost you more than paying at the gate. This page compares them all honestly, so you can match the pass to your trip and book with confidence.

Your real Seattle pass options

Not every “pass” is the same product. Three cover admission to attractions, one covers transport between them — and one you’ll still see mentioned online no longer exists:

• Seattle CityPASS — the classic all-in-one. One price (around $139 for adults, less for children) covers admission to five top attractions: a Space Needle Day/Night ticket and the Seattle Aquarium are always included, and you choose three more from Chihuly Garden and Glass, an Argosy harbor cruise, the Museum of Pop Culture, Woodland Park Zoo, and Pacific Science Center. It saves up to 47% versus gate prices and stays valid for nine days once you start.
• Seattle C3 — CityPASS’s smaller sibling. You pick any three attractions from a longer menu (it adds the Museum of Flight, Seattle Art Museum, and Sky View Observatory) for around $108. It’s the smarter buy if you only want three sights or if your must-sees aren’t on the standard CityPASS list.
• Combo tickets — the simplest option. A Space Needle + Chihuly Garden and Glass combo, for example, bundles the two neighbouring Seattle Center icons into one discounted, same-day ticket. Perfect if you only want the headline pair.
• Hop-on hop-off bus — the one pass that moves you between the sights rather than into them. A 24- or 48-hour ticket gives unlimited rides on an open-top bus linking 15+ stops, from Pike Place Market to the Space Needle and the waterfront. Pair it with any admission pass to get around without a car.
• Go City / Go Seattle Card — not available. You’ll see these in older guides, but Go City doesn’t operate in Seattle and the Go Seattle Card was discontinued (the Sightseeing Pass also closed in 2025). For a multi-attraction bundle, it’s CityPASS or C3 — see our Go City Seattle guide.

How to choose in 30 seconds

The right pass comes down to how many attractions you’ll actually visit and how fast you move:

• Seeing the marquee five over a few relaxed days? The CityPASS is almost always the best value, and its nine-day window means no rushing.
• Only want three specific sights — or your list includes the Museum of Flight or Seattle Art Museum? Choose Seattle C3.
• Visiting with kids? Every pass has discounted child tickets, and the aquarium, zoo, and Pacific Science Center are all family favorites.
• Just the Space Needle and Chihuly? Skip the pass and grab the combo ticket.
• No rental car? Add a hop-on hop-off ticket to whatever admission pass you choose.

As a rule of thumb, a bundled pass pays for itself once you visit three or more attractions. If you only plan on one or two, individual tickets — or a combo — will usually be cheaper, and we’ll always tell you when that’s the case rather than pushing a pass you don’t need.

What you get with the CityPASS

Because it’s the pass most first-time visitors reach for, it’s worth knowing exactly what the CityPASS covers. Admission to the Space Needle comes as a Day/Night ticket — one daytime and one nighttime visit within 24 hours, so you can watch the city turn from blue sky to city lights from 520 feet up. The Seattle Aquarium entry now includes the new Ocean Pavilion alongside the historic Pier 59 and 60 buildings. Your three remaining choices let you tailor the pass: art lovers add Chihuly Garden and Glass, families lean toward Woodland Park Zoo and Pacific Science Center, music and pop-culture fans pick MoPOP, and everyone should consider the Argosy harbor cruise for the best skyline views in the city.

Every attraction is entered by scanning one mobile ticket — no printing, no separate ticket-booth lines. A few sights, and the Space Needle at peak times, let you reserve a time slot in advance so you walk straight in.

The best time to use your pass

Seattle’s driest, sunniest stretch runs from late June through September, ideal for Space Needle views and an open-deck harbor cruise. But don’t write off the rainy months: the aquarium, Chihuly, MoPOP, Pacific Science Center, and the Seattle Underground tour are all indoors, which makes a pass excellent value even in a Seattle drizzle. Shoulder months — May and October — bring smaller crowds and shorter waits, and because most passes stay valid for nine days, you can pace your sightseeing around the weather rather than against it.

Ready to compare prices and book? Every pass below shows live pricing and real traveler reviews, all bookable with free cancellation.