San Francisco Go Card Review - Is it worth it?
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Going to San Francisco for a holiday?
If you are heading to San Francisco for the first time, pick up the San Francisco (SF) Go Pass for amazing savings.
Is the Pass worth it?
The passes cost $127.85 for adults and $104.39 for the child. Passes can be purchased online. You would receive a receipt via email and you can use it to activate your pass.
For this review, we will be using the 2 days San Francisco Go Pass for comparison. We will compare the pass cost vs the activities fees that we had experienced. The price comparison will be base on a family of 2 adults and 2 children. The total cost of the 2 Days San Francisco Go Pass as follows
Cost per adult $127.85 * (US$94.7)
Cost per child $104.39* (US$77.35)
Total Cost $464.48 (US $344)
*Price as of 31 March 2019
Get the discounted San Francisco Go Card from Klook here
We started using the pass at Madame Tussauds at Fisherman's Wharf. With 10 attractions within the Bay itself, this would be the perfect place to activate the card. Since we were staying at Pier 2620 which is a street away from the main Fisherman Wharf attraction, we were able to start the day earlier.
Book your stay at Pier 2620 here
Located in the heart of Fishermen's Wharf, Madame Tussauds is a well known Wax Museum. There are plenty of localised themes there for you to take interesting Instagram worthy shots.
San Francisco Dungeon
Right next door is the San Francisco Dungeon. Billed as the scariest and funniest attraction in San Francisco. This would make a good stop if you have an hour to spare. There are 9 interactive shows about SF dark pass and even a mine shaft ride to kick off the attraction.
Go Car San Francisco Tour
We spotted this Go Car San Francisco Tour. There is a 30-minute rental that comes with the card. Due to time constraint, we did not get on one. However, if you plan your time wisely, it would be possible to squeeze this in the itinerary, especially during summer when the days are longer.
Walk up Price
Adult: US $16
Child US $16
Total Cost: US $64
Total Time: 30 Mins
Location: Fisherman's Wharf
Hop On Hop Off San Francisco Classic Tour Big Bus
Next, we hop on the Big Bus Tour included in the pass to get to our next destination. From now till 31 May 2019, you will get an additional bonus day tour. Since we are on a 2 days pass, our transportation around San Francisco was covered with the SF Go Card. We took the bus from San Francisco Visitor Center located steps away from San Francisco Dungeon to the Ferry Building to our next stop - Exploratorium.
Walk up Price
Adult US: $55
Child US: $42
Total Cost: US $194
Location: Fisherman's Wharf
Exploratorium
It was about noon that we reached the Exploratorium. The Exploratorium is an interactive museum that has over 1000 exhibits for you to tinkle with. It's the perfect place for kids and probably the best stop on our list
Walk up Price
Adult US $29.95
Child US $19.95
Total Cost US $99.8
Total Time : 1.5 Hours
Location : Fisherman's Wharf and The Embarcadero
Aquarium of the Bay
A cool 10 minutes walk down from Pier 15 brought us to Pier 29 where the next attraction, Aquarium of the Bay is located. We walked through tunnels filled with 20,000 species including sevengill sharks.
Walk up Price
Adult US $27.45
Child US $17.45
Total Cost : US $89.8
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf and The Embarcadero
USS Pampanito
Further down Fisherman's Wharf is the legendary USS Pampanito. This World War II Balao class Fleet submarine and memorial and a popular National Historic Landmark. Put on the provided pre-recorded audio tour to explore the inside of a submarine.
Walk up Price
Adult US $20
Child US $10
Total Cost : US $60
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
Ripley's Believe it or not! Sand Francisco
After our dinner at Fisherman's Wharf, we head to to our last destination - Ripley's Believe it or Not. It is hard to miss this since we are the Wackies and this last stop for the day was befitting to our namesake. See all the oddities in the world here with 400+ odd and unusual exhibits.
Walk up Price
Adult US $23
Child US $17
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
The total cost for Day 1 activities at the door was at a whopping US 767.6 . Compared to the cost of the San Francisco Card at US$344 , we would have saved US $423.6. That's a generous 55% savings off the ticketed price !
Day 2
On day 2 , we utilize the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off tour to get around San Francisco for other attractions. Since the SF Go Card include a 2 Days tour, this meant that we do not have to spend additional for transportation.
Hop On Hop Off San Francisco Classic Tour Big Bus
The bus goes through a loop around San Francisco. You can explore Golden Gate Bridge , Haight Ashbury, Union Square and even pass the notorious Tenderloin. It is a great way to see most of the famous attractions in San Francisco at one go.
California Academy of Sciences
Our first stop was at the California Academy of Sciences, This is a home to an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and countless education programs. Show your SF Go Card at the academy store and get additional 15% off your purchase.
Walk up Price
Adult US $23
Child US $17
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 1.5 Hour
Location : Golden Gate Park
The next stop is at Golden Gate Bridge.
The big bus took us across the bridge to North Vista Point. Access may be free but we would not reach here without the SF Go Card Hop On Hop Off option. That is a bonus for us!
The Walt Disney Family Museum
Next make a stop at the Palace of Fine Arts. From here you could take a 1 mile walk to The Walt Disney Family Museum or Uber there. You would be given priority entry with the pass. Visit and learn about one man's tireless pursuit to create the World's Happiest Place on earth.
Walk up Price
Adult US $25
Child US $15
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 2 Hour
Location : The Presido
You could opt for a stopover at Chinatown to see the sights and have a meal at the Chinese restaurant thereafter.
San Francisco Cruise
Alternatively, head back to Fisherman's Wharf and take one of the cruise available with the San Francisco Go Card. There are 3 cruisers you can choose from. Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise, Golden Gate Bay Cruise or Escape from the Rock.
We recommend Escape from the Rock . This 90 minutes Blue & Gold Fleet cruise sails under the Golden Gate Bridge and circles Alcatraz , allowing you every angle of this mysterious island. This special bay tour is fully loaded with sound effects and intriguing stories about Capone, Billy Cook the Killer and many more stories. Departure times are at 1130 am or 345 pm
Walk up Price
Adult US $39
Child US $26
Total Cost : US $130
Total Time : 2 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
Verdict
If you follow the suggested itinerary as above , the total cost would be US 1057.6 for a family of 4 ( 2 adults and 2 children). At US 344 San Francisco Go Card from Klook, you would save a total of US 713.6 over 2 days. That is a whopping 67.5 % off the price from the door.
For the first timers to San Francisco who wants a fuss free experience, we this the San Francisco Go Card provide excellent value. With a saving of 67.5% during this trip, it definitely made the stay in San Francisco more appealing.
Get the discounted San Francisco Go Card from Klook here
Need more San Francisco ideas?
Check out our San Francisco Road Trip video here
What is the San Francisco Go Card?
The San Francisco Go Card is an all-inclusive pass that allows you to visit many attractions in the San Francisco vicinity. There are 28 attractions to choose including Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus Tour, Madame Tussauds, Aquarium of the Bay, Californium Academy of Sciences, cruises and more. The pass is available in a 1, 2, 3 or 5 days configuration.
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| Fisherman's Wharf |
Is the Pass worth it?
The passes cost $127.85 for adults and $104.39 for the child. Passes can be purchased online. You would receive a receipt via email and you can use it to activate your pass.
For this review, we will be using the 2 days San Francisco Go Pass for comparison. We will compare the pass cost vs the activities fees that we had experienced. The price comparison will be base on a family of 2 adults and 2 children. The total cost of the 2 Days San Francisco Go Pass as follows
Cost per adult $127.85 * (US$94.7)
Cost per child $104.39* (US$77.35)
Total Cost $464.48 (US $344)
*Price as of 31 March 2019
Get the discounted San Francisco Go Card from Klook here
Day 1
Madame Tussauds
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| Madame Tussauds San Francisco |
Book your stay at Pier 2620 here
Located in the heart of Fishermen's Wharf, Madame Tussauds is a well known Wax Museum. There are plenty of localised themes there for you to take interesting Instagram worthy shots.
Walk up Price
Adult: US$25
Child: US $20
Total Cost: US $90
Total Time: 1 Hour
Location: Fisherman's Wharf
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| San Francisco Dungeon |
Walk up Price
Adult: US$25
Child: US $20
Total Cost US$ 90
Total Time: 1 Hour
Location: Fisherman's WharfGo Car San Francisco Tour
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| Go Car San Francisco |
Walk up Price
Adult: US $16
Child US $16
Total Cost: US $64
Total Time: 30 Mins
Location: Fisherman's Wharf
Hop On Hop Off San Francisco Classic Tour Big Bus
Walk up Price
Adult US: $55
Child US: $42
Total Cost: US $194
Location: Fisherman's Wharf
Exploratorium
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| Exploratorium |
Walk up Price
Adult US $29.95
Child US $19.95
Total Cost US $99.8
Total Time : 1.5 Hours
Location : Fisherman's Wharf and The Embarcadero
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| Exploratorium for kids |
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Walk up Price
Adult US $27.45
Child US $17.45
Total Cost : US $89.8
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf and The Embarcadero
USS Pampanito
Further down Fisherman's Wharf is the legendary USS Pampanito. This World War II Balao class Fleet submarine and memorial and a popular National Historic Landmark. Put on the provided pre-recorded audio tour to explore the inside of a submarine.
Walk up Price
Adult US $20
Child US $10
Total Cost : US $60
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
Ripley's Believe it or not! Sand Francisco
 |
Walk up Price
Adult US $23
Child US $17
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 1 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
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Day 2
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| Big Bus tour |
Hop On Hop Off San Francisco Classic Tour Big Bus
 |
California Academy of Sciences
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| California Academy of Science |
Walk up Price
Adult US $23
Child US $17
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 1.5 Hour
Location : Golden Gate Park
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| Aquarium @ California Academy of Sciences |
 |
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| Palace of Fine Arts |
Next make a stop at the Palace of Fine Arts. From here you could take a 1 mile walk to The Walt Disney Family Museum or Uber there. You would be given priority entry with the pass. Visit and learn about one man's tireless pursuit to create the World's Happiest Place on earth.
Walk up Price
Adult US $25
Child US $15
Total Cost : US $80
Total Time : 2 Hour
Location : The Presido
 |
You could opt for a stopover at Chinatown to see the sights and have a meal at the Chinese restaurant thereafter.
 |
Alternatively, head back to Fisherman's Wharf and take one of the cruise available with the San Francisco Go Card. There are 3 cruisers you can choose from. Bridge 2 Bridge Cruise, Golden Gate Bay Cruise or Escape from the Rock.
We recommend Escape from the Rock . This 90 minutes Blue & Gold Fleet cruise sails under the Golden Gate Bridge and circles Alcatraz , allowing you every angle of this mysterious island. This special bay tour is fully loaded with sound effects and intriguing stories about Capone, Billy Cook the Killer and many more stories. Departure times are at 1130 am or 345 pm
Walk up Price
Adult US $39
Child US $26
Total Cost : US $130
Total Time : 2 Hour
Location : Fisherman's Wharf
 |
| Alcatraz Island |
If you follow the suggested itinerary as above , the total cost would be US 1057.6 for a family of 4 ( 2 adults and 2 children). At US 344 San Francisco Go Card from Klook, you would save a total of US 713.6 over 2 days. That is a whopping 67.5 % off the price from the door.
For the first timers to San Francisco who wants a fuss free experience, we this the San Francisco Go Card provide excellent value. With a saving of 67.5% during this trip, it definitely made the stay in San Francisco more appealing.
Get the discounted San Francisco Go Card from Klook here
Need more San Francisco ideas?
Check out our San Francisco Road Trip video here
Disclosure
The post contains affiliated links. If you made a purchase through the links, you won't pay a penny more, but we will get a small commission, which helps keep the lights on. Do support us if you like this review. This review was done on our own expenses.
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