Go City: Philadelphia Explorer Pass: Choose 3 to 7 Things To Do

A ticket that lets you set your own pace.

The Go City Philadelphia Explorer Pass is a flexible way to pack in big Philadelphia sights without planning every minute. I like that you download the pass to your phone for direct entrance, and you’re covered for up to 30 days after your first attraction visit, so your days can be full or chill.

Two things I really like: the pass is easy to use as a mobile ticket, and the options include top-tier stops that can anchor a first visit—think the Franklin Institute, Barnes, Eastern State Penitentiary, and the Museum of the American Revolution. One caution: the Go City app and reservation steps can trip you up, and the lineup can change—so you’ll want to check the current included list and any reservation instructions before you fall in love with a specific plan.

Key Takeaways Before You Buy the Philadelphia Explorer Pass

• Pick your 3 to 7 attractions: the value depends on what you select, not just the price.
• 30 days from first use gives you breathing room for museum-heavy days and slower pacing.
• Mobile entry means you skip voucher redemption and go straight to attractions.
• Popular stops may need reservations—plan early and read the guide instructions on the app.
• Attractions can change: if something matters a lot, confirm it’s still included close to your trip.

What the Philadelphia Explorer Pass Really Buys You

This pass is a digital ticket sold through Go City that lets you choose 3, 4, 5, or 7 things to do from a set of included attractions and tours in Philadelphia. The price shown is $62.00 per person, but the real question is whether your chosen mix would cost you more if you bought individual tickets.

I like passes like this when I’m trying to balance two needs: I want major sites (so I don’t leave thinking I missed the obvious stuff), but I also want freedom to reorder days based on weather, energy, and what my feet are begging for. With this pass, you’re not locked into a fixed route. You can use it over multiple days, and the pass is valid for 30 days from your first attraction visit.

Another practical detail: the pass is available immediately after purchase and you can save it to your phone. That matters because Philadelphia is a walking city with lots of transit options—when your ticket is ready on your screen, you waste less time at entrances and you keep the day moving.

How to Plan Your Days Around a 30-Day Mobile Ticket

You can use the pass for 1 to 30 days (approx.), which basically matches the idea that you decide how packed your trip feels. In real life, that usually means you’ll do something like one “big museum block” day, one “history + walking” day, and one “science or family fun” day.

A good planning rhythm is to group attractions that are near each other. For example, the Independence Hall area pairs naturally with the National Constitution Center and nearby Revolutionary-era stops. Then, use another day for the Art Museum area (Philadelphia Museum of Art plus Barnes and Rodin). This cuts down on transit time and keeps you from spending your pass “time limit” moving across the city.

Also keep in mind: many attractions have set hours and some require advanced reservations. Go City’s free digital guide includes opening times and access instructions, and the app has the most up-to-date line-up. I treat that guide like part of the tour itself, not like optional reading.

Big Bus Tours Philadelphia: Your Fast Way to Get Oriented

If you’re arriving with “I’ve seen photos but I don’t know where anything is” energy, the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Tour is a smart first move. This ticket covers one comprehensive loop on the Blue route, and you can hop on and off at 25+ included stops.

What you get for the 1 hour 30 minutes ride is live narration from a fully-trained Philly guide. You’ll get pointed explanations about Philadelphia’s history and culture, plus practical “where to eat” style guidance—like where to find authentic Philly cheesesteak. That kind of commentary is useful because it helps you understand what you’re actually seeing, not just passively watch buildings go by.

There’s also a choice in your seating: covered seats on the first level if you want shade, and open-air seating on the second level if you want views. The drawback is obvious but worth saying: it’s still a bus. If you hate being stuck in traffic, build it into a day when you’re okay with a slower pace.

Revolutionary-Era Philadelphia: From Betsy Ross to the Constitution Center

For many visitors, Philadelphia is really about the founding story. This pass has several great stops that cover that arc from different angles, and they work well together.

Betsy Ross House

The Betsy Ross House takes you into a restored circa-1740 row house, set around the time Betsy Ross lived and worked there (around 1777). You’ll use a self-guided audio tour, which is nice because you can move at your own speed and spend more time on what you find interesting—business, daily life, or the famous flag-making story.

If you like history you can picture, this stop helps. The house format is small enough that you won’t feel lost. The tradeoff is that it’s not a long stay—plan about 1 hour 30 minutes and then be ready to head onward.

Museum of the American Revolution

This museum organizes exhibits in chronological order, starting with early conflict signs in the 1760s and moving through major turning points like the Declaration of Independence era and beyond. It leans into hands-on, immersive experiences and walks you through life under British rule, major battles, and the people who fought and wrote the early government documents.

A practical note: museums like this can get intense. If you’re traveling with kids or you tire easily, you’ll want breaks and you may not need to see every single exhibit gallery to get a solid understanding.

National Constitution Center

If you want the Constitution explained in a way that feels current, this is one of the best stops on the list. It has hundreds of interactive, multimedia exhibits plus theater performances and original documents and artifacts.

The theme is very action-oriented: there are role-play style experiences like voting for your favorite President and taking the Presidential Oath of Office. It also includes a “debate” feel, which can make the information easier to remember.

Time-wise, it’s listed around 1 hour. That’s a good length if you want a focused visit without feeling like you’ve been trapped indoors for half the day.

Darker Corners: Eastern State Penitentiary and Christ Church Burial Ground

Philadelphia doesn’t only do founding myths. It also does the heavy stuff, and these two stops give you that contrast.

Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary is a National Historic Landmark and one of Pennsylvania’s most visited historic buildings. The idea behind the prison was “confinement in solitude with labor,” designed to inspire penitence through isolation and reflection.

Architecturally, it’s described as an architectural marvel: seven cell blocks like spokes of a wheel, with running water and central heat before even the White House. You’ll see sky-lit cells and castle-like walls, which creates a strange mismatch between beauty and brutality. And because it’s no longer active, the site stands in haunting ruin, with crumbling cell blocks and empty guard towers.

This one is emotionally heavy, and it’s also physically uneven. You’ll be walking through a space in various states of neglect, so wear shoes you trust.

Christ Church Burial Ground

This is a self-guided tour at an almost 300-year-old burial ground spanning 2 acres with 1,400 markers. You’ll find graves of Benjamin Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence.

It’s a compact 45-minute visit, which makes it easy to pair with nearby Revolutionary stops. The good part is also the simple part: the site is about remembering real people and seeing the early layers of the city.

Hands-On Science and Animal Fun: Adventure Aquarium, Franklin Institute, and More

If you’re traveling with kids, or you want your museums to involve action, this pass can deliver.

Adventure Aquarium

Adventure Aquarium is known for animal-heavy exhibits like hippos and a large shark collection on the East Coast, plus a great hammerhead shark. You’ll have over 8,500 sea animals and seven touch exhibits where you can get up close with sharks and stingrays.

It also includes 14 interactive and immersive exhibits. If your family likes doing rather than watching, this is a strong pick. The downside is that aquariums can take longer than you expect once everyone wants one more touch tank or one more viewpoint.

The Franklin Institute

This museum is the most visited museum in Pennsylvania and focuses on interactive science for kids and adults. It’s built around hands-on exhibits and has temporary exhibits that can change the feel of your visit.

Highlights mentioned include climbing into a fighter jet, an exhibition about the science of sports, and a two-story human heart experience. It’s a great choice when you want a fun “learning day” without a lecture vibe.

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

This stop is for visitors who love living specimens and fossil details. You’ll see towering dinosaur skeletons, live animals, an indoor tropical garden with live butterflies, and opportunities to dig for fossils.

There’s also the Fossil Prep Lab, where you can watch staff preparing fossils before they’re sent off for study. If you’ve ever wanted to know what happens between discovering a fossil and putting it in a display case, this is your answer.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia

For ages 3 to 10, this is pure toy-box joy. It includes a LEGO themed interactive ride, a 4D cinema experience, and 10 play areas. There’s MINILAND made of LEGO bricks featuring Philadelphia landmarks and an Earthquake Tables area where kids test their creations.

The practical catch: this is very kid-focused. If you’re traveling with teens or adults who don’t care about LEGO, you might get less out of it.

Art You Can Actually See: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Barnes, Rodin, Brandywine

Art museums can turn into a blur if you try to speed-run them. With this pass, you can slow down because you’re not forced into a fixed timeline for every stop.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

This museum is one of the largest and most important art museums in the US. You’ll find collections across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States, with more than 240,000 objects.

It’s also a place of recognizable themes and galleries, including Impressionist masterworks, a Japanese Teahouse, and a gallery focused on Philadelphia’s Thomas Eakins. Plan for about 1 hour, but if you love art, you’ll probably want longer. The pass times are helpful, but good art can steal time from your schedule.

Barnes Foundation (Barnes)

Barnes is famous for how it shows art. Exhibits are arranged in dense groupings in “ensembles” created to help you see elements like light, line, color, and space together across different works and cultures.

You’ll see over 2,000 masterpieces and artists you recognize like Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, and more. The benefit of Barnes is that it teaches you how to look. The drawback is that the display style can feel crowded if you prefer lots of breathing room between works.

Rodin Museum

This is home to the largest collection of Auguste Rodin’s artwork outside Paris. You’ll walk through rooms and gardens and see more than 140 bronzes, marbles, and plasters representing phases of his career.

If you’re an art history fan, you’ll like the sense of a lifelong project. If you’re not, you’ll still get a satisfying sculptor focus without needing deep background.

Brandywine Museum

Brandywine is known for the Wyeth family artwork, but the museum includes other American artists too. If you like American painting and want a change of pace from the bigger city museums, this is a great choice.

Evening Stories on Foot: Ghost Tours and Bow Tie Tours

Two of the coolest pass choices are the ones that feel like you’re stepping into the city’s narrative instead of just touring buildings.

Ghost Tours of Philadelphia (Candlelight Walking Tour)

This tour runs about 75 to 90 minutes through Independence Park and Society Hill, led by a costumed storyteller. You’ll hear stories tied to haunted houses, graveyards, and gardens, and the tour emphasizes that each story has been researched and historically documented.

A key detail I appreciate: the content is presented like a theater performance, but it’s grounded in historical verification. If you’re visiting in cooler months, candlelight tours also beat another indoor day for a change of tempo.

Bow Tie Tours (Independence Walking Tour)

This is a 75-minute guided walking tour of Philadelphia’s history, focused on how the colonies obtained independence and formed a new nation. Guides are qualified teachers or historians with a certificate of knowledge.

The route covers over 20 historical landmarks, including Independence Hall, the President’s House, the Constitution Center, and homes connected to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Betsy Ross. This is a strong pick if you want a guided “why this place matters” tour without committing to a bus.

The only real drawback is walking time. Build in comfortable shoes and plan to move at a steady pace.

Waterfront and War: Battleship New Jersey and Independence Seaport Museum

If you want Philadelphia’s river history, these two stops give you very different (but connected) perspectives.

Battleship New Jersey

This floating museum is across from Penn’s Landing and Center City Philadelphia on the Camden Waterfront. You tour the USS New Jersey with a self-guided, docent-assisted approach at your own pace, using an audio guide that takes you 5 levels up and 2 decks below.

The interactive part is real: you’ll go up and down steep steps (called ladders) and move through tight passageways. If you don’t like enclosed spaces or steep stairs, this might be more challenging than the time estimate suggests.

Independence Seaport Museum

This museum focuses on maritime history and culture tied to the Delaware River watershed. It includes hands-on exhibits, ship models, and more than 1,000 artifacts and works of art.

You can also climb aboard and tour two National Historic Landmarks: the 1892 cruiser Olympia and the WWII submarine Becuna. There’s even a wooden boat being built in the boat shop, which is a great “real craft” moment if you like seeing how things are made.

It’s family-friendly in a way that doesn’t feel like a kids-only place. It’s listed around 2 hours, which is usually enough time to enjoy the ships without feeling rushed.

Penn Museum and Other Big Learning Rooms

Penn Museum

Penn Museum is an anthropology and archaeology museum with around 1 million objects from all over the world. You’ll see signature galleries including Egypt (Sphinx) and Egypt (Mummies), plus Africa, Greece, Rome, Japan, and more.

The building itself is described as an attraction with multiple construction phases between 1899 and 2005, giving you different architectural influences to notice as you walk. It’s listed around 3 hours, so I treat it as a half-day plan, not a quick stop.

Museums That Expand the American Story: Jewish History, African American History, and Liberty

Philadelphia is one of the best cities in the US for museums that add layers to how people understand freedom, identity, and community. This pass includes several strong choices here.

National Liberty Museum

This museum uses the theme of freedom as an American heritage. Exhibits address leadership, character, diversity and inclusion, peaceful conflict resolution, and civic engagement.

There’s a Welcome to Liberty gallery where you can touch and take a picture with an exact replica of the Liberty Bell. You can ask staff to ring it for you, which is a fun, memorable photo moment. Then there’s an interactive iPad exhibit and an immersive theater film.

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

This museum covers 350 years of American Jewish history with family-friendly hands-on exhibits. You’ll see a collection of over 1,200 artifacts, films, and interactive displays tied to themes like immigration, worship, hard work, entertainment, and community.

If you like museums that explain stories through objects and activities rather than just panels, this is a good match.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP)

This museum is noted as the first institution built by a major US city dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting African American life and the African Diaspora. The exhibits focus on three themes: the African Diaspora, the Philadelphia Story, and Contemporary Narrative.

You’ll see topics across family life, civil rights, arts and entertainment, sports, medicine, architecture, politics, religion, law, and technology. It’s a powerful way to learn without needing a separate research trip first.

Longwood Gardens: A Garden Day That Feels Like Another Planet

If your trip needs a breather, Longwood Gardens is the best reset button on the list. It’s described as one of the premier horticultural display gardens in the US, with 1,077 acres of grounds.

You can cover a lot of ground across indoor and outdoor spaces, including formal gardens, fountain systems, meadows, and plant displays for kids. The variety is broad, with seasonal blooms and also plants like cacti and succulents.

This one is harder to “rush.” Give it a bigger chunk of time than you think, even though it’s listed at about 1 hour 30 minutes, because the walk around the grounds can naturally stretch out.

Should You Book This Pass?

I think the Go City Philadelphia Explorer Pass is a solid buy when you do two things: you pick high-value attractions you truly want, and you use the app’s guide to keep timing realistic.

You should book it if:

• You’re planning to hit multiple major museums and attractions, not just one or two.
• You want a 30-day window to spread out your days based on energy and weather.
• You’re traveling with kids and want options like Adventure Aquarium, Franklin Institute, and LEGOLAND.

You might skip it or choose a different pass setup if:

• You only want one or two attractions, because the pass value depends on matching your choices to ticketed sites.
• You get frustrated by reservation steps or app-based instructions, since popular attractions may require advanced reservations and the lineup can change.
• You have a must-see attraction that matters a lot to your trip. Confirm it’s included right before you go, since the included options can shift.

If you treat it like a planning tool rather than a magic ticket, you’ll likely come out ahead. Pick your top 3 to 7 stops, read the access instructions in the digital guide, and you’ll be set for a smart, flexible Philadelphia visit.

FAQ

FAQ

How many attractions can I choose with the Philadelphia Explorer Pass?

You can choose 3 to 7 attractions, tours, or activities with the pass.

How long is the pass valid after I use it the first time?

Your Philadelphia Explorer Pass is valid for 30 days from your first attraction visit.

Do I need to redeem a voucher to enter attractions?

No. Your pass is downloadable to your mobile device for direct entrance to attractions, with no voucher redemption required.

When do I get access to my pass after purchase?

Your Philadelphia Explorer Pass is available immediately after purchase, and you can save it to your mobile device.

Is the pass in English?

Yes, the pass is offered in English.

Do attractions require reservations?

Some of the most popular activities require advanced reservations. The digital guide and Go City app include opening times and instructions.

Where does the pass activity start and end?

This experience starts in Philadelphia, PA, USA and ends back at the meeting point.

What is the refund policy?

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.