CityPASS: Experience the USA’s Top Attractions in World-Class Cities

There’s much to see and do in Atlanta, a metropolis retaining its Southern charm while teeming with excitement and top-notch attractions.

The nine-hectare Pemberton Place is a center of activity with relaxing, manicured grounds and three must-see CityPASS attractions. At the Georgia Aquarium, marvel at the 38 million-liter aquarium, and learn about whales, sharks, otters, penguins and other marine creatures. Quench your thirst for pop culture by visiting the World of Coca-Cola to learn the history of the soft drink and even take advantage of the chance to create your own concoction. Step inside the Center for Civil and Human Rights, which focuses on the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s and fast-forwards to current global human rights issue.

Pass through Centennial Olympic Park and the famous Fountain of Rings, and find two more CityPASS sites just a few blocks away. At the College Football Hall of Fame, learn the traditions of one of the USA’s favorite pastimes on and off the field. Nearby, see how a news broadcast comes together during a CNN Studio Tour at the cable giant’s headquarters.

Take a walk on the wild side at two attractions outside the city. Immerse yourself in an interactive world of prehistoric dinosaurs, natural phenomena and more at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, and get to know mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and other species from around the world at Zoo Atlanta, home to North America’s largest population of gorillas.

Get educated in Boston, a bustling harbor city steeped in history. Stroll the cobblestone streets, soaking up the culture amid famous landmarks, open-air marketplaces and bustling wharfs.

Get your bearings on a Boston Harbor Cruises sightseeing boat tour, where you’ll hear about the American Revolutionary War, see lighthouses and gaze at the city skyline with some of its buildings dating to the 1700s. On land, climb the Skywalk Observatory to catch New England’s best views – 360 degrees of Boston and beyond from 50 stories high.

Immerse yourself in an aquatic adventure at New England Aquarium, where you’ll find a four-story Caribbean coral reef and its 1,000 inhabitants. Watch seals, sea turtles and sharks, touch a cownose ray and get an up-close look at three species of penguins – 80 in all – living in the penguin colony.

Visit the Museum of Science, where there are more than 700 interactive exhibits. Watch a 4-D movie (featuring all the capabilities of a 3-D film plus in-theater special effects), see dinosaur fossils and witness a Van de Graaff generator re-creating lightning indoors. Opt for a trip to the Harvard Museum of Natural History on the hallowed university campus to see plant and animal specimens from around the world.

Choose your adventure in Chicago, a Midwestern gateway to culture where you’ll marvel at the architecture, views of Lake Michigan and nearly limitless dining options.

Find sweeping vistas in the John Hancock building at the 360 Chicago Observation Deck, 305 meters above the Magnificent Mile, the 13-block stretch of Michigan Avenue with 460 stores, 275 restaurants and 60 hotels. Zoom up 94 floors on a fast elevator, then see exhibits about the city’s history and try TILT, a moving platform that tilts you downward over the cityscape below.

More thrills await at Skydeck Chicago atop the Willis Tower. If you dare, step out onto The Ledge’s enclosed glass balconies 103 floors high. See 80 kilometers around you, browse interactive exhibits and watch the “Reaching for the Sky” movie.

The Lake Michigan waterfront features more attractions. See amazing sea creatures at the Shedd Aquarium, look to the stars at the Adler Planetarium, explore natural history exhibits at The Field Museum and admire more than 300,000 works of art at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Farther south on the lakeshore, you’ll find the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Explore more than 37,000 square meters of exhibits at the Museum of Science and Industry to see robots, engineering marvels, submarines, flight simulators, rainforests and so much more.

This big international city in the big state of Texas offers large-scale adventures. Get a bird’s-eye view – day or night – from 143 meters up in the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck and take in 360-degree views of the surrounding city and landscape. Try one of the zoom cameras or telescopes for an closer look. Grab a bite to eat at the casual Cloud Nine Café or opt for the fine dining elegance of the revolving Five Sixty.

Get presidential and see museums dedicated to John F. Kennedy (the 35th U.S. president) and George W. Bush (the 43rd). At The Sixth Floor Museum in the former Texas School Book Depository, learn about Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 in the spot it took place. At the George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum, see highlights and artifacts of his eight years in office and stroll the six-hectare urban park grounds.

Experience a living science lesson in 11 permanent exhibit halls at the five-story Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Designed to spark curiosity, the museum features hands-on exhibits traversing the spectrum from fossils and anatomy to sports, 3-D animation and space.

Go outside and explore the Dallas Zoo, where you can see 2,000 animals across 43 hectares, and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, which is awash with colorful plants in 19 garden areas.

In the USA’s fourth largest city, you’ll find a global community that thrives amid a metropolitan scene, country adventures and world-class attractions.

Catch up on the latest space news and see rocket scientists in action at Space Center Houston, where the Smithsonian Affiliate offers more than 400 things to see and do. Step inside a spacecraft, touch a real moon rock and take a tram tour of the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Look in on sea creatures at the Downtown Aquarium, an entertainment complex featuring a 1.9 million-liter aquarium in addition to species living in swamp, reef, shipwreck and rainforest habitats. Meet about 6,000 other animals – including primates, elephants, amphibians, birds, big cats and giraffes – living in a variety of ecosystems at the Houston Zoo.

Seeking thrills? Ride a roller coaster at the Kemah Boardwalk, then stroll the waterfront amusement park to shop, eat, play games and watch live entertainment.

A trio of Houston museums adds to the fun: Explore entertaining and educational exhibits at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, see world-famous art at the Museum of Fine Arts and let youngsters learn and play at the Children’s Museum of Houston.

The USA’s biggest city beckons visitors to explore of its landmarks, museums, harbors and neighborhoods. Start your NYC trip with a boat tour to see the Statue of Liberty and the New York skyline. Choose a cruise to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, where you can walk the grounds surrounding the iconic symbol that has welcomed people to the USA since 1886. Or, hop aboard a Circle Line sightseeing cruise for incredible views of the Statue and the city’s famous skyline.

Get bird’s-eye views of the city and its boroughs from the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Smartphone apps are available at both sites to help guide you through the experience.

Museums should also be on any New York City must-see list. Don’t miss viewing models of sea and land creatures at the American Museum of Natural History, admiring more than 2 million works of art at the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art, learning about the fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001, at the 9/11 Museum & Memorial, marveling at the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture of the Guggenheim Museum, and going into a real helicopter or submarine at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Notice all of the colonial architecture in the historic district? That’s just an inkling of the roots of this historic city, where the U.S. Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed, that is now a modern, vibrant metropolis.

Start your visit at the One Liberty Observation Deck, open every day of the year for 360-degree views of the city. Interactive touch-screen monitors give you the scoop about attractions and sites around you.

Get to know the history of the “City of Brotherly Love” via the Big Bus Company and Philadelphia Trolley Works. Get on and off the bus or trolley whenever you want at 27 stops as knowledgeable guides share insider stories about places like Reading Market Terminal, the “Rocky” steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the U.S. Mint.

Make time for family fun, too, at a trio of noteworthy attractions. The Franklin Institute science museum features a memorial to inventor Benjamin Franklin, an IMAX theater, Escape Rooms and the Mirror Maze, in addition to traditional educational and interactive exhibits. At the Adventure Aquarium, touch an invertebrate, see hippos swim underwater and watch 850 species in a 2.8 million-liter ocean habitat. At the Philadelphia Zoo, attend a zookeeper talk, walk along winding trails and see more than 1,300 animals wandering the 17 hectares.

In this magnificent city positioned between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, you can see the most famous bridge in the world, visit a thriving wharf marketplace and sample rousing nightlife and culture.

Do your own sightseeing by using CityPASS for unlimited rides via cable cars and trolleys operated by Muni (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency). You can also opt for a narrated water adventure tour on the Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise. Sites on the itinerary include the Golden Gate Bridge and Alacatraz Island, and nearby communities such as Sausalito and Tiburon.

In beautiful Golden Gate Park, wander more than 400 hectares, and step inside two fascinating museums, the California Academy of Sciences, which houses an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and rainforest, and the de Young Museum, filled with a European and American art collection that spans 4,000 years.

On the waterfront, see sea lions barking and basking in the sun at Pier 39. Learn more about underwater creatures at Aquarium of the Bay, which houses 20,000 marine animals typically found in local waters, and let your imagination go wild at the Exploratorium, a museum where touching and tinkering is encouraged at 600 interactive exhibits.

Nestled in every corner of this progressive Pacific Northwest city are places to explore. Get an introductory glimpse of Seattle by joining a tour offered by Argosy Harbor Cruises. Take in views of the Cascade and Olympic mountains and city skyline as a guide relays information about Elliott Bay, Puget Sound, local history and iconic attractions, such as the Seattle Aquarium, home to an Underwater Dome with 360-degree views.

Marvel some more at the city skyline, the Pacific Ocean and the mountain ranges from atop the 184-meter-tall Space Needle, a beacon for tourists that is recognized as the symbol of Seattle. Download the app to help guide your visit. Pose for a selfie on the deck, and use a telescope to zoom in on Mount Rainier, which rises 4,392 meters above sea level.

At Chihuly Garden and Glass, under the shadow of the Space Needle, be amazed at the beauty of colorful blown glass and gorgeous trees, plants and flowers. Soak up the whimsy of MoPOP, where you can step into the annals of U.S. pop culture via music, memorabilia and exhibits. Satisfy your curiosity at the Pacific Science Center, where you can see a planetarium show, watch an IMAX movie and learn about dinosaurs.

End your visit with an outing at the Woodland Park Zoo with its special focus on conservation leadership and engaging experiences.

A Southern California vacation means perpetual smiles for the whole family. This is the land of sunny days and theme park thrills, made especially accessible with CityPASS.

No trip to California is complete without a stop at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, both in Anaheim. Get around the classic Disneyland Resort on the monorail or railroad. See why attractions like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, the Mad Tea Party and the Haunted Mansion still stand the test of time. See Mickey, Minnie Mouse and other characters, and check out the spectacular shows that only the pros at Disney can deliver. In the nearby Disney California Adventure Park, find attractions and entertainment in seven areas inspired by famous Disney, Marvel and Pixar creations: Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, Grizzly Peak, Paradise Pier, Pacific Wharf, Avengers Campus and Hollywood Land.

See wonders of the marine world at SeaWorld San Diego, where you can also enjoy thrilling shows, rides and ocean-themed activities. Follow up with a visit to LEGOLAND California, a resort that includes a theme park with shows and more than 60 rides, plus a water park, aquarium and hotel.

As an extra treat, work in visits to the famous 40-hectare San Diego Zoo, home to 3,700 rare animals, or its Safari Park, where the Africa Tram takes patrons through open fields roamed by 2,700 animals.

Beautiful Gulf of Mexico beaches and the Florida sunshine lure visitors to the Tampa Bay region, which also features a plethora of fun and enlightening attractions.

Learn about sea creatures living in local waters by visiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where Winter the dolphin who inspired the “Dolphin Tale” movies lives. Watch her play as you walk through an underwater viewing tunnel. In downtown Tampa, the Florida Aquarium is home to 20,000 animals. Learn about coral reefs, and let children splash outside in the water park.

Ride a fast roller coaster, watch a stage show starring Elmo of “Sesame Street” fame, and then see elephants, tigers, gorillas and other animals at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Join the Serengeti Safari and hand-feed a giraffe or entice lorikeets with a cup of fruit nectar. See more exotic animals at the Lowry Park Zoo, which operates a hospital for manatees, and learn about Florida’s other native animals, including alligators, Florida panthers, Key deer, black bears and red wolves.

Get hands-on in the largest science center in the southeastern USA at the Museum of Science & Industry, which features a planetarium and offers interactive and educational experiences inside and outdoors. At the Chihuly Collection in downtown St. Petersburg, be awed by a permanent collection created by world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. Watch glass blowers work next door in the Morean Arts Center.