San Francisco Pass Calculator: Worth It? (2026)
Read this first: Alcatraz is on none of the San Francisco passes. It is sold only by the official ferry operator and sells out weeks ahead. Once you know that, the passes are a real choice for the museums, the bay cruise and the cable car. Tick your list.
1. Who's going, and for how long?
Days matter for unlimited passes; pick-a-number passes give you weeks.
2. What do you want to see?
Gate prices are our researched baselines (as of July 2026).
Live prices for the attractions you ticked above. Buying these one by one is the honest option whenever a pass doesn't beat the gate.
Prices per person in USD unless noted. Children priced at each operator's child rate where published; gate-price child tickets estimated at 80% of adult. Choice-slot menu rules are simplified; the linked booking pages have the exact menus.
How the San Francisco passes actually work
Is a San Francisco pass worth it?
For a museum-and-cruise trip, often yes: the California Academy of Sciences alone is $55, and two or three of the big attractions beat any of the passes. For a short list, or a trip built around Alcatraz and walking, buy tickets.
Why isn't Alcatraz on the passes?
Alcatraz is sold only by the official ferry concession and is not on Go City or CityPASS. It routinely sells out weeks ahead, so book it directly and early. This calculator prices it as an uncovered ticket so the comparison stays honest.
Go City or CityPASS?
CityPASS (pick 3) is the cheaper, tighter option for the top museums. Go City is better for a longer list or if you want the hop-on-hop-off bus, the bike rental and the cable-car pass, which CityPASS does not include.