Boston tickets, harbor cruises and Go City passes

The short answer

Start from what you want to do. For one indoor venue, there are four single-venue tickets. For time on the water, there are three Boston Harbor cruises with different purposes. For Revolutionary-era history on foot, there is one guided Freedom Trail walk. If you plan to see several paid attractions, the two Go City passes are the alternative to single tickets. Six Flags New England is not in Boston at all, so treat it as a separate day.

One venue, one ticket

The New England Aquarium Ticket is admission to the aquarium on Central Wharf. SkyGate's option gives entry with a smartphone ticket scanned at the entrance, with adult, child (3 to 11) and infant tickets.[1] The aquarium lists the Giant Ocean Tank, the Penguin Colony, the Shark & Ray Touch Tank and the Atlantic Harbor Seals, gives its address as 1 Central Wharf, and recommends buying tickets in advance.[2] See the New England Aquarium page on XTOUR.

The View Boston Observation Deck Ticket is general admission to the observation deck at the top of the Prudential Tower. SkyGate's single Admission option covers several indoor and outdoor viewing levels in the Prudential Tower, and the listing says re-entry is not permitted once the ticket is scanned.[3] The operator gives its address as 800 Boylston Street and says the entrance is in the Prudential Center next to center court.[4] See the View Boston page on XTOUR.

The Museum of Illusions Boston Ticket is general admission to illusion rooms, holograms and hands-on puzzles, shown as a smartphone voucher at the museum entrance at 200 State Street. SkyGate's listing sells adult (13 and over) and child (5 to 12) tickets and says children under 5 go free.[5] XTOUR could not read the museum's own website, so its hours are not given here.

The Museum of Ice Cream Boston Ticket has four options: standard admission on weekdays or at the weekend, and VIP Anytime Entry with fast-track entry on weekdays or at the weekend. The standard options warn that entry may involve a wait under capacity limits, and every option asks the booker to bring photo ID.[6] The operator lists the Sprinkle Pool and unlimited ice cream, gives its address as 121 Seaport Blvd, and says last entry is 90 minutes before closing.[7] SkyGate's page gives 115 Seaport Boulevard instead; XTOUR follows the operator.[6]

The Freedom Trail on foot

The Boston Freedom Trail Small Group Walking Tour is the guided way to walk the trail. The Freedom Trail Foundation describes a 2.5-mile trail linking 16 historic sites, starting at Boston Common and ending at the Bunker Hill Monument or USS Constitution.[9] SkyGate's option walks through Downtown and the North End from Boston Common to Copp's Hill Terrace and says it views all 16 official landmarks; it does not say which sites are entered, so treat them as stops. The meeting point is on Boston Common next to the Boston Foundation Monument, across from 50 Beacon Street, and the listing asks you to arrive 15 minutes early.[8]

Three harbor cruises, three purposes

The Boston Harbor Historic Sightseeing Cruise is a one-hour narrated cruise; SkyGate's page says it passes the USS Constitution, the Bunker Hill Monument and the Boston Tea Party Ships. Those landmarks are seen from the water, not visited, and the listing says seating is indoors and on open-air decks.[10]

The Boston Harbor Whale Watch Cruise goes out of the harbor by high-speed catamaran to Stellwagen Bank Marine Sanctuary with onboard naturalists.[11] NOAA places the sanctuary east of Boston between Cape Ann and Cape Cod.[12] The listing says cruises run in open-ocean conditions that weather may affect, and that children under 3 need a ticket booked directly with the operator.[11]

The Boston Harbor Signature Dinner Cruise is the evening option, with a buffet dinner and onboard entertainment. Its option text says it runs 2 hours from Sunday to Wednesday and 3 hours from Thursday to Saturday, and the listing says boarding is at Commonwealth Pier in the Seaport District. It sells one ticket type valid from age 3, with no child ticket.[13]

The historic cruise and the whale watch give only 1 Long Wharf as their page address, and neither names its operator.[11][10]

Go City: a set number of choices or unlimited days

The Go City Boston Explorer Pass is sold with 2, 3, 4 or 5 choices, each valid for 30 consecutive days after first use.[15] The Go City Boston All-Inclusive Pass is sold for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days, and SkyGate's listing says it is valid for that many consecutive calendar days once activated.[14] Go City's own page puts it the same way: the Explorer lets you pick a fixed number of things over 30 days, while the All-Inclusive lets you visit as many attractions as you like each day.[16]

A pass is an entitlement, not an itinerary. SkyGate's sample lists for both name the View Boston Observation Deck, a Freedom Trail Walk Into History Tour, a Historic Sightseeing Cruise and Fenway Park tours, among others. XTOUR has not checked whether those are the same operators as the single products above, and the listings point to the Go City app and guidebook for the current list and any reservations.[15][14] XTOUR's reading: the Explorer suits a short, fixed list of must-sees spread over a few weeks; the All-Inclusive suits packing many visits into consecutive days.

Six Flags New England: a separate day out

The Six Flags New England Ticket is a one-day theme-park ticket sold in three options named for date tiers: Off-Peak, Regular and Peak. Every option sells one ticket type from age 3, and the listing asks you to check the park's own site for hours, closures and ride restrictions.[17] OpenStreetMap places the park at 1623 Main Street in Agawam, Massachusetts, while the operator gives its location as Springfield, MA.[19] The operator lists 12 roller coasters and Fright Fest on select nights from 26 September to 1 November.[18] See the Six Flags New England page on XTOUR.

How to choose

• Marine life: the New England Aquarium Ticket.
• A view over the city: the View Boston Observation Deck Ticket.
• Photo-led indoor fun: the Museum of Illusions Boston Ticket, or the Museum of Ice Cream Boston Ticket if you want the ice cream and the VIP fast-track choice.
• Revolutionary history with a guide: the Boston Freedom Trail Small Group Walking Tour.
• An hour on the harbor: the Boston Harbor Historic Sightseeing Cruise; whales: the Boston Harbor Whale Watch Cruise; an evening out: the Boston Harbor Signature Dinner Cruise.
• Several attractions: the Go City Boston Explorer Pass for a fixed number, or the Go City Boston All-Inclusive Pass for unlimited visits over consecutive days.
• Roller coasters: the Six Flags New England Ticket, as its own day.

Before you book

• Museum of Ice Cream options split by weekday or weekend and by standard or VIP entry; the booker needs photo ID.[6]
• Confirm the boarding pier for the historic cruise and the whale watch with the seller.[11][10]
• For a pass, check the Go City app for the current attraction list and reservation rules before you plan around any one venue.[15][14]