If you like options, this is your kind of pass. The Go City London Explorer Pass trades a tight schedule for credits you redeem across 90+ attractions, landmarks, museums, and tours.
I like that it’s built for real sightseeing flow: hit a major sight, grab a snack nearby, then swap to a museum without “wasting” unused time. I also love the instant digital delivery and the way the Go City app helps you plan, sync your pass, and figure out what needs a reservation.
One thing to keep in mind: the most popular places can require reservations, and some time sinks are outside your control (crowds and even traffic on sightseeing bus routes). If you want stress-free entry, build in buffer days.
London Explorer Pass at a glance: key takeaways
- 2–7 credits let you choose exactly how many stops you want to pack in
- 90+ attraction choices include big-name sights like the Shard, Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey
- 30 days from first use means you can pace yourself instead of rushing day-by-day
- The Go City app is the brain of the trip for syncing and up-to-date access info
- Reservations are common for top entries, so don’t leave planning to the last minute
In This Review
- London Explorer Pass: How the Credits Actually Shape Your Trip
- Value Math: When $72 Beats Buying Separate Tickets
- The Go City App: Your Real Superpower for Easy Entry
- Your Credit Strategy: Picking the Right Mix of Icons and Breaks
- The Big Names That Are Worth Spending Your Credits On
- The View from The Shard
- Tower of London
- Westminster Abbey
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- Tower Bridge
- Museums, Palaces, and Gardens: How to Build a Calm Day
- Thames Cruises and Big Bus Time: Fun Views, Realistic Timing
- City Cruises 24 Hour Thames River Pass
- Hop-On Hop-Off London Bus (Big Bus Tours)
- Shakespeare’s Globe, Tours, and Football Stadium Stops
- Timing the 30 Days: Don’t Spend Credits Faster Than You Can Enjoy Them
- Price, Choice, and What It Feels Like on a Real Day
- Should You Book the London Go City Explorer Pass?
- FAQ
- How many attractions can I book with the London Go City Explorer Pass?
- How long is the Explorer Pass valid?
- How do credits work?
- How do I use the pass at the attractions?
- Do I need reservations?
- How many attractions are included?
- When do I get access to the pass?
- Can I cancel after booking?
- Can I book now and pay later?
- Where is the meeting point?
London Explorer Pass: How the Credits Actually Shape Your Trip

The whole idea is simple: you buy a London Explorer Pass with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 attractions you can redeem. One attraction visit = one credit. That credit system matters because it’s how you avoid overspending while still hitting the highlights.
For me, this turns London sightseeing into a choose-your-own-adventure. You’re not stuck committing to a rigid “must-do-everything” itinerary. Instead, you can build a day around what you want most—architecture one day, a museum the next, a fun tour when you’re tired of standing in line.
The best part is that you don’t have to use all your credits at once. Your Explorer Pass is valid for 30 days starting from your first attraction visit, so you can spread things out across the pace you actually travel at.
Value Math: When $72 Beats Buying Separate Tickets

The pass is priced at $72 per person (for this Explorer Pass option), and the headline promise is you can save up to 50% compared with buying individual tickets. Now, up-front value depends on how you’ll use it.
Here’s the practical way I’d think about it:
- If you plan to do just a couple major anchors (say one “wow” view + one classic landmark), a pass like this often pays off fast.
- If you spread your credits across museums and historic sites, you’re usually buying “expensive-feeling” tickets in one shot.
- If your plan is mostly low-cost activities, you might end up not using enough of the pass to feel the savings.
That matches what I’d expect in real life: this works best when you choose the big hitters you’d otherwise pay full price for—then you let the pass handle the rest.
Also note the design: it’s not just “entry.” It’s entry plus flexibility. After an attraction, you can still go shopping or switch gears to another nearby stop without worrying you’ll lose value.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in London
The Go City App: Your Real Superpower for Easy Entry

The pass is digital, and the Go City app is where the trip becomes smooth. You get the credits package digitally, and you’re meant to follow the instructions in your booking confirmation to sync your Explorer Pass with the app.
Once synced, the app becomes your planning and access tool. It helps you with attraction information and a digital map, and it also supports the “what do I do next?” part—especially for places that require reservations or have particular entry instructions.
In day-to-day terms, I love this because it reduces the “paper chase.” You’re not juggling separate ticket emails for each attraction. You’re scanning one pass package, and you’re using the app to confirm the right timing.
One practical tip: when your schedule is tight, check the app before heading out. Opening hours and access instructions can shift, especially during holidays.
Your Credit Strategy: Picking the Right Mix of Icons and Breaks

With 2–7 credits, you’re choosing a number of visits, not a theme. So you should build a mix that avoids decision fatigue.
A solid approach is to anchor each day with one major draw, then use the remaining credits for something that complements it. Example combos you might love:
- Big views + a landmark you can walk to (less transit time, more sightseeing)
- A cathedral + a nearby museum (same general area, lower stress)
- A historic tour + a river cruise (walking day, then an easier day)
You’ll find the pass includes a lot of “pair-friendly” attractions around London—plus a few that clearly act as reset buttons when your legs need a break.
For families and groups, the variety helps too. There are serious sights, but there are also games, food tours, and fun stops.
The Big Names That Are Worth Spending Your Credits On

If you only pick a few, go after the items that deliver the “I’m really in London” feeling.
The View from The Shard
This is one of the most iconic ways to orient yourself. A high viewpoint helps you understand London’s layout quickly, and it’s a great payoff if you’re the type who likes to connect streets to stories.
You can also read our reviews of more city tours in London
Tower of London
This one is a classic for a reason: it’s a concentration of London history in a walkable site. It’s also the kind of attraction where you can easily lose track of time, so don’t schedule it back-to-back with something equally big the same day.
Westminster Abbey
If you want a landmark that feels central to the city’s identity, this is it. Plan for lines and give it space in your day. It’s also a strong “first trip to London” pick.
St Paul’s Cathedral
St Paul’s gives you both architecture and the satisfaction of seeing a defining London church. It’s often an easier “match” with other nearby stops because it anchors your day visually.
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is short, but it’s a powerful photo-and-structure stop. It also works as a bridge between bigger “musts” like the Tower of London and river experiences.
Museums, Palaces, and Gardens: How to Build a Calm Day

One reason people like a credit pass is that you can swap between high-energy sights and slower, more thoughtful visits.
Here are some pass options that fit well into a balanced itinerary:
- Kensington Palace: a palace visit that feels distinctly royal without being the same kind of place as the big “historic fortress” sites.
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: if you want greenery and space, Kew is the kind of stop that actually changes your pace.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich & Prime Meridian: it gives you a “London plus science/history” angle and a satisfying sense of place.
- Cutty Sark: a ship-focused stop that breaks the pattern if you’ve been doing cathedrals and palaces all week.
- Florence Nightingale Museum: a smaller, theme-driven museum option that can be great if you want something less crowded than the biggest museum brands.
- London Transport Museum: perfect when you want the city through its own history lens.
- Freud Museum London: a more specific interest stop—ideal if you like museums with a clear personality.
In my view, these are strong uses for your credits because they help you avoid a “constant standing and rushing” trip. Even if you’re only using a few attractions, mixing at least one museum or garden visit tends to make the whole trip feel more rounded.
Thames Cruises and Big Bus Time: Fun Views, Realistic Timing

If you’ve ever tried to move around London during peak hours, you know it can slow you down. The pass includes sightseeing that reduces stress: City Cruises 24 Hour Thames River Pass and a 2-day Hop-On-Hop-Off London Bus tour (Big Bus Tours).
City Cruises 24 Hour Thames River Pass
A river cruise is a smart use of a credit because it’s travel that’s also sightseeing. Instead of squeezing a lot of stops into the same day, you get a relaxed way to take in views.
Hop-On Hop-Off London Bus (Big Bus Tours)
This can be excellent for first-time orientation—especially if you want flexibility without constantly planning routes. It’s also family-friendly.
Two honest considerations:
- Your time can stretch because of London traffic, which affects bus travel.
- At major stops, entry flow can sometimes be slower for certain pass types, so build a buffer if you’re stacking multiple big attractions in one day.
In other words: use the bus and cruise to reduce effort, but don’t treat them like a magic teleport.
Shakespeare’s Globe, Tours, and Football Stadium Stops

If you want London to feel more like a living city—not just monuments—this pass includes options that add personality.
- Shakespeare’s Globe Exhibition & Theatre Tour: great if you want the theatre world side of London, not only the museum side.
- Brit Movie Tours / Brit Music Tours / Brit Icon Tours: these give you themed walking/touring energy (the key is that you’ll be choosing your story, not just your location).
- Up at the O2 and other fun venues: useful if your itinerary includes one day where you want something lighter.
- Chelsea FC / Arsenal / Tottenham Hotspur / Wembley / Twickenham stadium tours: these are ideal if your group has sports fans, or if you simply want a different kind of London tour.
Even if you don’t care about the specific topic, themed tours help you spend time more efficiently because they turn “sightseeing” into “something you’re actively doing.”
Timing the 30 Days: Don’t Spend Credits Faster Than You Can Enjoy Them

The pass being valid for 30 days from first use is one of its best features. It means you can plan around real life: jet lag, weather, crowds, and the inevitable day where you just want to wander.
A strategy I recommend:
- Pick your first attraction early so you start the clock sooner (only if that matches your trip).
- Front-load reservations for the biggest, most popular options.
- Leave at least one “flex day” so you’re not forced to rush.
Also, give yourself time for queues. Even with convenient entry, major places like Westminster Abbey and Tower of London can take longer than you expect. If you stack too tightly, you’ll feel it.
For most popular activities, reservations may be required. When the app shows you need one, treat it like a real to-do item, not a suggestion.
Price, Choice, and What It Feels Like on a Real Day

This pass is at its best when you use it as a guide to your priorities:
- If you want iconic London: choose Shard / Tower / Westminster / St Paul’s / Tower Bridge style anchors.
- If you want variety: mix in Kew, Greenwich, a transport museum day, then a cruise.
- If you want fun and stories: add Shakespeare’s Globe, themed tours, and games like crazy golf.
The pass is also helpful if you’re traveling with mixed interests. Credits make it easier to say yes to one person’s top choice while still meeting everyone else’s priorities.
As for value: you’re buying savings potential plus convenience. Some people end up not feeling the discount if they don’t use enough of the credit value, or if they choose only attractions that cost less individually. If you truly intend to use 4–7 major stops, the odds are better you’ll feel the benefit.
Should You Book the London Go City Explorer Pass?
Book it if you:
- Want 2–7 major attractions without locking into a rigid itinerary.
- Plan to do several “top sights” like the Shard, Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s, or a Thames cruise.
- Like the convenience of one digital pass via the Go City app.
Skip it (or reconsider the number of credits) if you:
- Mostly want free or low-cost activities.
- Hate planning in advance, since popular attractions often need reservations.
- Want a perfectly timed, no-wait schedule every day.
If you’re visiting London for the first time or you want a “greatest hits” approach with flexibility, this pass is one of the more practical ways to do it.
FAQ
How many attractions can I book with the London Go City Explorer Pass?
You can choose 2 to 7 attractions, depending on the pass option you buy. Each attraction visit uses one credit.
How long is the Explorer Pass valid?
Your Explorer Pass is valid for 30 days from your first attraction visit.
How do credits work?
Each attraction visit counts as one credit, and you can redeem your credits against entry to the available attractions in the program.
How do I use the pass at the attractions?
You’ll use the Go City app, which you should sync with your Explorer Pass using the instructions in your booking confirmation, and then scan your pass at participating attractions.
Do I need reservations?
The most popular activities require reservations, so you should reserve in advance to avoid disappointment.
How many attractions are included?
There are 90+ options across historic landmarks, top museums, tours, and fun activities.
When do I get access to the pass?
You get instant delivery of a digital sightseeing credits package.
Can I cancel after booking?
Yes. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Can I book now and pay later?
Yes. You can reserve now and pay later (book and pay nothing today).
Where is the meeting point?
The meeting point may vary depending on the specific option you book.





























