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As a family of four, one of the decisions I struggle with most when visiting a new city is whether to buy a city pass. The value that you get from these varies drastically by location! Today, I want to talk about the San Antonio CityPASS, which I recently used on my trip to Texas, and let you know whether the city pass in San Antonio is worth it.
So, let’s dig in!
The San Antonio CityPASS
The city pass in San Antonio is unique in that you essentially have eight San Antonio activities, including some of the top things to do in San Antonio, and you get to pick four of them.
So, it’s very easy to determine in advance whether you will get the most bang for your buck out of this San Antonio attractions pass. I will do that for you at the end of this post! As part of this trip, Visit San Antonio provided me with a complimentary CityPASS. As always, all opinions here are my own.
How Much Does the San Antonio CityPASS Cost?
The San Antonio CityPASS costs $59 for adults (ages 12+) and $49 for children (ages 3-11).
The pass is a no-brainer for adults, but depending on the ages of your children, you will need to add up the savings and decide for yourself based on what San Antonio attractions interest you and the price for children and teens a la carte. I will help you with those calculations below!
What San Antonio Attractions Are Included With the San Antonio CityPASS?
When purchasing the San Antonio CityPass, you get to choose four places from the following list of eight.
- Witte Museum
- Go Rio River Cruises
- San Antonio Zoo
- The DoSeum
- Tower of the Americas
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- The Alamo: Exhibit and Church
- San Antonio Museum of Art
The CityPASS San Antonio, Texas, options are truly varied and have something for most ages. I also want to point out that the San Antonio CityPASS options are relatively close together.
For example, the San Antonio Zoo, the DoSeum, the botanical gardens, and the Witte Museum are all located north of downtown and within minutes of each other.
On the other hand, the Tower of the Americas, river cruises, and the Alamo are all downtown and within walking distance of one another.
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The San Antonio Art Museum is located between the two, not far from the Historical Pearl, which was once an old brewery, now transformed into a top-notch dining and gathering space. I was so impressed with the Hotel Emma when I stopped by The Pearl, and I want to stay there on my next trip to San Antonio, Texas.
So, below is a better look at each of the San Antonio attractions CityPASS offers.
Witte Museum
I was very impressed with this San Antonio museum. It’s on the smaller side but it had wonderful exhibits. You should budget around 2-3 hours for this museum, which pairs well with the nearby San Antonio Zoo.
While at the Witte Museum, I particularly enjoyed the current Fiesta exhibit that showcases past Fiesta Queen dresses. However, if you are traveling with kids or teenagers, they will probably prefer the Naylor Family Dinosaur Gallery and the McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery.
Regular Admission Price:
- $16 Adult (ages 18+)
- $15 Children (ages 13-17)
- $11 Children (ages 4-12)
- FREE for children 3 and under
Go Rio San Antonio River Cruise
A San Antonio River cruise is a must in San Antonio, Texas. The Riverwalk is unique, and the Go Rio cruises are fun for all ages. It’s definitely one of the top things to do in San Antonio.
There are various starting points, and the cruise lasts about 35 minutes. Knowledgeable guides narrate the trip and point out some fun San Antonio landmarks and history.
These popular cruises run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, so you can enjoy them during the day or in the evening. I will say that daytime cruises make seeing some of the San Antonio sights easier!
Regular Admission Price:
- $14.50 Ticket (ages 8+)
- $8.50 Children (ages 1-5)
- $8.50 Senior (age 65+)
- $12.50 Local Resident
- $11.50 Military
San Antonio Zoo
Enjoy the warm Texas sun and spend a half day at the San Antonio Zoo. Home to over 3,500 animals, this is the perfect one-size-fits-all activity for families with younger and older kids.
Tickets start at the prices below. This single activity can easily make up over half of your San Antonio CityPASS cost! So, purchasing a CityPASS makes sense if you plan to visit the San Antonio Zoo.
Regular Admission Price:
- $31.99 Adult (ages 12+)
- $27.99 Children (ages 3-11)
- $26.99 Senior (age 65+)
- $26.99 Military
- FREE for children 2 and under
The DoSeum
I haven’t been to this place, and I wish I had been able to bring Abby and Jake there when they were younger! This two-story children’s museum is full of interactive exhibits incorporating play and hands-on learning. It’s no surprise that The DoSeum is consistently rated one of the top San Antonio activities for kids!
The Semmes Foundation Spy Academy and the Zachry Innovation Station are great for grade school kids. Your little ones will love exploring Little Town and the Sensations Studio. There is also a fantastic outdoor playground, a great activity if you need a break from the summer heat.
Regular Admission Price:
- $18 for all ages (2+)
- FREE for children under 1
Tower of the Americas
Located in HemisFair Park, the Tower of the Americas gives you an incredible 360-degree view of San Antonio from 750 feet above. Your tickets also include a 4D Theater Ride.
I recommend this activity for older kids, teenagers, and adults. Consider making a reservation at the revolving restaurant at the top, Chart House. Or, if you are traveling exclusively with adults, pop into the lounge and enjoy a cocktail with a view.
Or, stop by Box Street Social for a really fun brunch and then let the kids play at the park.
Regular Admission Price:
- $18.50 Adult (ages 13+)
- $14 Children (ages 4-12)
- $15 Senior
- $15 Military
- FREE for children 3 and under
San Antonio Botanical Garden
This 38-acre park is an oasis in such a big city! Kids can burn off steam in the Family Adventure Garden, and adults will love the beautiful trails. The San Antonio Botanical Garden changes with the seasons, so there is always something new to see and appreciate.
Prices vary for weekdays vs. weekends, so factor that into your decision!
Weekday Admission Price:
- $18 Adult (ages 13+)
- $13 Children (ages 3-13)
- $16 Military
- FREE for children under 3
Weekend Admission Price:
- $22 Adult (ages 13+)
- $16 Children (ages 3-13)
- $30 Military
- FREE for children under 3
The Alamo: Exhibit and Church
The Alamo is another one of those places that you must visit on your first trip to San Antonio! It’s one of the most visited attractions in San Antonio, Texas.
Admission to the Alamo grounds is actually free. The CityPASS includes admission to the Alamo Exhibit, which I found fascinating! Legend Phil Collins and other enthusiasts donated their incredible collections, which are on display for us to enjoy. My Dad, who is local to San Antonio, was with me when we visited, and we both loved roaming through it together and talking about the items on display.
I would say that this is better for older kids and adults. So, you want to use up one of your four selections on this one with little kids who may enjoy the children’s museum or zoo more.
It also includes a reserved ticket to the Alamo Church. The tickets are free either way but require advance reservations, which you can make with your CityPASS.
So, the below prices are essentially for the Alamo Exhibit.
Regular Admission Price:
- $14 Adult (ages 13+)
- $10 Children (12 and under)
San Antonio Museum of Art
The San Antonio Museum of Art is a beautiful art museum, and if traveling with Abby, I would likely choose it! We would pair it with lunch at Trattoria, their restaurant overlooking the San Antonio River.
This is geared toward older children and adults, and kids are free. So, again, save your young children’s CityPASS selections for something more kid-friendly. However, the pass provides excellent value here for adults!
Regular Admission Price:
- $22 Adult
- $12 Student
- $17 Senior
- $17 Military
- FREE Children (12 and under)
What is the Best 4 Choice Combo For San Antonio’s CityPASS?
As you can see, the CityPASS choices in San Antonio are fantastic! You can easily pick four that your group will enjoy.
If you have little kids, my favorite combo would be the DoSeum, the San Antonio Zoo, the Witte Museum, and a river cruise. For that example, the San Antonio CityPASS would save you almost $17 for a 10-year-old and almost $12 for an adult.
In another example, you have 3 adults and choose the art museum, zoo, Tower of the Americas, and a river cruise. In that scenario, each adult would save $28! This is a great deal, even if you were planning to do just three of the above.
With this San Antonio city pass, you won’t have to figure out what to do in San Antonio because any of these four activity combos would be great. It would be hard to find a combo that didn’t save you money.
Plus, it keeps your tickets organized in one spot. The CityPASS app is straightforward to use!
Purchase Your San Antonio CityPASS
If you are ready to purchase your San Antonio CityPASS tickets, click the link below! Tickets are delivered electronically, and the best way to manage them is via the CityPASS app.
Click here to buy a San Antonio CityPASS Direct!
Click here to purchase a San Antonio City Pass from Get Your Guide!
Where to Stay in San Antonio, Texas?
I recommend the greater downtown area if you want to stay somewhere central to these San Antonio CityPASS attractions.
On my recent visit to San Antonio, I stayed at the Omni La Mansion del Rio in a room overlooking the San Antonio Riverwalk. It was wonderful and a place that I personally recommend!
A few other popular San Antonio hotel options for families are:
Or, if you want to stay further out and venture downtown as needed, I have heard excellent things about the Hyatt Regency Hill Country and the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country.
Book Your Trip to San Antonio
Not only were the people friendly and the hospitality wonderful but I was impressed with the positive growth I witnessed firsthand in San Antonio. There is so much positive momentum and a rich culture. San Antonio is a great, family-friendly Texas travel destination!
And if you can, time your visit with any of their many annual festivals and celebrations. On my recent trip to San Antonio, I got to experience Fiesta San Antonio. You can read all about it in this article that I wrote for Kids Are A Trip!
To learn more about San Antonio, visit www.visitsantonio.com
More Family Travel Tips & Inspiration
If you enjoyed this San Antonio travel blog post, you’ll enjoy the rest of my content. I write firsthand about places our family has visited, sharing valuable travel tips, photos, and information along the way!
Check out the travel section of my blog and here are some travel posts you may enjoy reading!
- Things to Do on 30A
- Planning a Trip to Europe
- Visiting Xcaret in Mexico
- Finding the Best Family Rentals
- Using AirTags to Track Kids
PIN: Is the San Antonio CityPASS worth it?
