Save Big On LA’s Top Attractions

When planning a comprehensive Los Angeles itinerary, the costs can quickly add up – especially if you want to experience the city’s premier theme parks and cultural attractions. That’s where the Los Angeles CityPASS becomes an invaluable investment, offering significant savings while streamlining your attraction planning.

What is the Los Angeles CityPASS?

The Los Angeles CityPASS is a multi-attraction ticket package that provides admission to some of LA’s most popular destinations at a substantially discounted rate. Rather than purchasing individual tickets at each venue, you buy one pass that covers multiple attractions, saving both time and money. The pass is valid for nine consecutive days from your first attraction visit, giving you flexibility to explore at your own pace.

Choosing Your Package

The Los Angeles CityPASS offers three main ticket configurations, each designed to accommodate different interests and travel styles. We opted for the premium package: Universal Studios Hollywood + Warner Bros. Studio Tour + 3 Additional Attractions.

Package Options and Pricing

For adults (ages 10+), the three packages are priced as follows:

• Universal Studios Hollywood + 3 Attractions: from $156 (save up to $140.64 or 47%)
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour + 3 Attractions: $109 (save up to $109.64 or 50%)
• Universal Studios Hollywood + Warner Bros. Studio Tour + 3 Attractions: from $209 (save up to $163.64 or 44%)

For children (ages 5-9), the savings are also impressive, with the top package starting at $187 (saving up to $152.64 or 45%).

Note that there’s a $2 processing fee per ticket, but this is negligible compared to the overall savings.

Our Selected Attractions

With the premium package, we gained admission to both major studio experiences plus three additional attractions. Here’s what we chose and why:

The Two Theme Parks

Universal Studios Hollywood

This world-famous theme park offers the iconic Studio Tour, thrilling rides based on blockbuster films, and immersive experiences like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The LA CityPASS includes 1-Day General Admission, covering all rides, shows, and the World-Famous Studio Tour. If purchased separately at the box office, adult admission is $154, making this a significant portion of the pass’s value.

One crucial note: Universal Studios Hollywood requires advance reservations, and you must select your visit date at the time of purchase. This date must fall within your nine-day validity period.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

For film enthusiasts, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour provides an authentic behind-the-scenes experience at a working Hollywood studio. The ticket includes one hour of guided exploration followed by two hours of self-guided discovery, allowing you to explore soundstages, backlots, and iconic sets at your own pace.

The tour offers a more intimate, authentic studio experience compared to Universal’s theme park atmosphere – both are worth experiencing if you’re passionate about entertainment history. We particularly enjoyed our enthusiastic guide’s commentary on the Studio Tour, and sitting on the replica Friends couch in Central Perk café!

Our Three Additional Attractions

From a selection of seven options, we chose three museums that we felt offered a great combination of cultural value and unique LA experiences:

La Brea Tar Pits and Museum

This genuinely unique Los Angeles attraction offers something you cannot experience anywhere else in the world. The La Brea Tar Pits are active paleontological excavation sites located in the heart of urban LA, where Ice Age fossils continue to emerge from asphalt seeps.

Your CityPASS admission includes an impressive collection of fossils recovered from the tar pits, including saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and mammoths. It’s educational without being overly academic, making it engaging for visitors of all ages.

We found it fascinating to watch the scientists cleaning fossils through the glass walls of the Fossil Lab. Paleontologists are working on specimens from Project 23, a treasure trove of fossils uncovered during the building of a LACMA parking lot in 2006.

Parking, the 3D Theater and Ice Age Encounters show are not included and must be paid for separately.

Madame Tussauds Hollywood

Located on Hollywood Boulevard near the famous Chinese Theatre, Madame Tussauds offers a fun, interactive experience with remarkably lifelike wax figures of celebrities, historical figures, and fictional characters. The City Pass admission ($36.99 value) includes access to all wax museum exhibit zones plus the Marvel Universe 4D cinema experience.

While some might consider wax museums touristy, the Hollywood location is particularly well-curated, featuring figures relevant to the entertainment industry. It’s also perfect for social media content and makes for an entertaining hour or two. Reservations are recommended.

After touring the exhibit, head up to the Rooftop Restaurant & Bar where you can have a drink sitting next to icons such as Marilyn Monroe and The Rock.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

For those seeking substantial cultural enrichment, the Natural History Museum delivers exceptional value. Your admission ($18 for adults) includes all permanent exhibits, the Nature Gardens, and the interactive Nature Lab. The museum’s collection spans natural history, cultural artifacts, and scientific specimens, with particularly strong dinosaur and gem exhibits.

Located in Exposition Park near USC, this museum pairs well with other neighborhood attractions and provides a comprehensive educational experience that easily justifies several hours of exploration.

Alternative Los Angeles CityPASS Options

The CityPASS also includes these attractions as alternatives:

• Starline Tours (Hollywood/Red Route Hop-On Hop-Off Tour or Hollywood Night Tour)
• Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
• SoFi Stadium Tours
• GRAMMY Museum

Each offers distinct value depending on your interests – sports fans might prefer SoFi Stadium, while music lovers would enjoy the GRAMMY Museum.

How the CityPASS Works

Purchase and Activation

When you purchase from citypass.com, you’ll receive an email shortly afterward with individual tickets for each person in your party. You can print these or keep them digital. The tickets are valid for one year from purchase date, giving you flexibility in planning your trip.

The nine-day validity period begins on the first day you visit an attraction. For packages including Universal Studios Hollywood, you must select your Universal visit date at purchase, which must fall within your nine-day window.

Making Reservations

Several attractions require advance reservations:

• Universal Studios Hollywood (required)
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour (required)
• Madame Tussauds Hollywood (required)
• Starline Tours (required)

SoFi Stadium Tours recommend reservations but don’t require them.

We strongly recommend making reservations as soon as you receive your tickets for the best availability.

Using the My CityPASS App

The My CityPASS app (available at my.citypass.com for iPhone, Android, or web browser) is essential for managing your trip. The app allows you to make all required reservations in one place, view current attraction hours and locations, access interactive maps, and discover exclusive partner discounts.

Download the app immediately after purchase and book your reservations right away – popular time slots at attractions like Universal Studios Hollywood fill quickly, especially during peak seasons and weekends. The app keeps all your confirmation details, digital tickets, and travel information organized in one convenient place, eliminating the need to juggle multiple booking systems or printed papers.

Practical Considerations

Visiting Multiple Attractions Per Day

There’s no limit to how many attractions you can visit in a single day, allowing you to maximize your time if you have a packed schedule. However, with nine consecutive days of validity, you likely won’t need to rush.

Parking

The City Pass does not include parking at attractions, so check individual venue websites for parking information and fees. The Natural History Museum, for instance, has paid parking in Exposition Park.

One-Time Admission Only

Each attraction can be visited once with your CityPASS. You cannot return to the same venue multiple times unless you purchase separate admission.

Group Considerations

If your travel party wants to split up and visit different attractions, contact Customer Care before making any reservations. In cities with reservation requirements, reservations are initially made together for all tickets in an order.

Is the Los Angeles City Pass Worth It?

The financial savings are undeniable. Our package – Universal Studios Hollywood + Warner Bros. Studio Tour + 3 Attractions – cost $209 per adult compared to a regular price of $372.64, saving $163.64 (44%). For families, these savings multiply across multiple tickets.

Beyond the monetary value, the CityPASS Los Angeles offers convenience. Having all your major attractions pre-purchased eliminates the need to queue at box offices or navigate multiple booking systems. The My CityPASS app centralizes all your reservation needs and attraction information.

The nine-day validity period provides comfortable pacing without feeling rushed. This timeframe works particularly well for week-long Los Angeles visits, allowing rest days and flexibility for other activities not included in the pass.

Final Recommendations

The Los Angeles CityPASS is particularly valuable if you’re planning to visit both major studio experiences. The combination of Universal Studios Hollywood and Warner Bros. Studio Tour alone represents significant value, and the three additional attractions essentially become heavily discounted add-ons.

Choose your additional three attractions based on your genuine interests rather than trying to maximize purely mathematical value. While the La Brea Tar Pits, Madame Tussauds Hollywood, and Natural History Museum worked well for our itinerary and hotel location, your preferences might differ.

Make reservations immediately after purchase, especially for weekend visits during peak tourist seasons. Popular time slots fill quickly, particularly at Universal Studios Hollywood.

For visitors planning a comprehensive Los Angeles experience with a focus on entertainment history and cultural attractions, the CityPASS eliminates much of the planning stress while delivering substantial savings – making it an intelligent investment in your Los Angeles adventure.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit citypass.com/los-angeles-vx.

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