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How to Take Advantage of Multi-Attraction Travel Passes

By U.S. News & World Report

When you’re visiting a city for the first time, it can be overwhelming to decide what attractions to see, when to see them and how to purchase all the tickets you need. Multi-attraction passes can not only help you save some money on admission tickets to top sights, but also reduce the stress of trip planning. This type of sightseeing pass, which is available in many major cities around the world, allows you to purchase discounted tickets to a variety of attractions at once, in some cases slashing more than half off the regular price.

But with a variety of options out there, knowing which passes are best suited for your trip and vacation goals is essential to optimize benefits and savings. Before you invest in multi-attraction passes, read this primer.

[See: 16 Free Things to Do in the Top Affordable U.S. Destinations.]

Types of Passes

With a selection of multi-attraction passes to choose from, it’s important to think about your trip objectives. Do you want to see as much as you can? Do you want to spread out your sightseeing or squeeze it all into a few days with the rest of the time more relaxed? How long will you be visiting?

There are several reputable companies offering prepaid attraction passes, including CityPASS, Go City Card from Smart Destinations Inc. and Leisure Pass North America LLC, which offers the New York Pass and Philadelphia Pass. The Leisure Pass Group also offers options for many of Europe’s popular cities, such as Paris, London and Dublin. But keep in mind, each attraction pass works a little differently and affords different advantages.

CityPASS offers entry to fewer must-see attractions in each city, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York City, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta. Each city has a selection of about four to six attractions per pass and you typically have nine days to use the passes. Savings average at about 40 percent to 50 percent off full attraction prices. CityPASS costs range from around $50 to $100, with the exception of the Southern California CityPASS, which costs $341 for adults, and includes a three-day Park Hopper ticket to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure, a ticket to SeaWorld San Diego and a ticket to LEGOLAND California, yielding a savings of $140 per person. It’s also valid for 14 days, giving you a little more time to fit everything in.

The Go City Card is the most flexible option of the bunch, offering an all-inclusive pass with entry into more than 20 attractions for a choice of one, two, three or five days — and a savings of up to 55 percent. The Go City Card’s Explorer pass, which is good for 30 days, allows you to choose three or five attractions, while their Build Your Own Pass option lets you hand-pick any number of attractions from a long list, making it well-suited for travelers who only want to see a couple of attractions during their trip at a discounted price.

If checking out a variety of attractions is a top priority for you, the New York Pass and the Philadelphia Pass grant access to numerous sights, with more than 80 attractions to choose from in the Big Apple and more than 40 attractions in Philadelphia; however, you are limited to selecting a pass for one, two, three or five days. Many European passes work similarly. The Paris Pass, for example, offers access to 60 of the City of Light’s top attractions, including the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe for 44 euros for children, 79 euros for teens and 129 euros for adults (for a two-day pass).

[See: 10 Top Budget-Friendly Disneyland Hotels for Frugal Families.]

The Upsides

The biggest perk of these passes is the savings they afford. They free up more of your budget to spend on other expenses during your vacation, such as dining and accommodations. Some passes even include discounts on dining and shopping to help travelers trim additional travel costs.

The passes can also be a major time saver, eliminating the wait time required to purchase individual tickets. Many of these passes allow you to skip lines, giving you more time to do other activities. The Omnia Card, for example, which provides access to sites within Vatican City and Rome, grants holders “fast track” entry to the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Coliseum, saving visitors more than four hours of waiting time during peak travel periods. Meanwhile, the Southern California CityPASS offers a “fast pass” entry at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks just like regular park tickets.

Many multi-attraction passes also include packages with transportation costs rolled in, which can be especially helpful in European cities where public transit may be difficult to navigate. Having the transportation component of your trip included in the pass cost is also helpful if you’re exploring a new city. The New York Pass, for example, includes the Big Bus Tour, which in addition to being a sightseeing tour, lets you hop on and off the bus at many sites across the city, as does the Go London Card. Meanwhile, the Paris Pass gives you unlimited travel on the métro, buses and RER express trains, as does the Omnia card, which gives you unlimited access to Rome’s public transit system.

Mobile accessibility is another added perk of multi-attraction tickets, as many passes are available digitally so all you have to do is open the pass on your mobile device to have it scanned. That’s a few less essential travel documents to keep track of and potentially lose while on the go.

The Downsides

While there are few disadvantages to using these passes, there are several points to consider. Unless you buy a pass that gives you at least five days to spend visiting attractions, you’ll likely find yourself feeling rushed, but taking advantage of transportation options can help you prevent fatigue. On the other hand, many of the passes that are good for longer periods of time limit the number of attractions you can see, and you may find that there are additional sights that you would like to experience. If you opt for this type of pass, consider using tickets for the most expensive attractions and paying out of pocket for other sights on your itinerary to maximize savings.

[See: 10 Top Value Summer Vacations for Families.]

Planning in advance, and considering factors such as the age of your travel companions, the length of your visit and the typical cost of admission tickets versus multi-attraction passes, will help you determine which option is best for your needs, trip preferences and goals.

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How to Take Advantage of Multi-Attraction Travel Passes originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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