We got a one-day pass. Great value for the money, fill a whole day easily, better to walk than ride the shuttle during peak times.
THE EXPERIENCE: The basic admission includes the major stops: governor's palace, capitol building, and museums. Group tours only of the governors palace and capitol, but can explore the grounds of the palace and surrounding structures on your own (from the outside). Also can walk from capitol to museums and/or back to governor's palace and visitor's center, making stops along the way at black smith's shop, etc, and a couple of restaurants available. Also some areas you can just meander through (backyards behind the homes facing the street, etc). My child was bored by the capitol tour, so we ducked out of it early. It was a cold day but very pleasant overall.
PANDEMIC SAFETY: It's better to walk than ride the shuttle during peak times because there's no social distancing guidance/markers on the shuttle and the driver does not limit the number of people riding. The walk really isn't bad though, as long as you do it at your own, leisurely pace, and there are plenty of opportunities to walk on grass, dirt, or cobblestone, to go easy on your feet/knees/shins. Recommend wearing comfortable boots with flexible soles that you don't mind getting muddy (and can keep water out to some extent). We noticed one staff member not wearing her mask properly and it was clearly on purpose, but we didn't worry because it was outside and she never got close to us. Otherwise, everyone was properly masked.
ICE SKATING: Beware if you do the walk down Duke of Gloucester St with kids! There's an ice rink just as you are about to make the right turn back towards governor's palace/visitor's center and they sell not-very-good-at-all hot chocolate. The kiddos will beg you to spend the extra $ and you might come out of it with sore muscles like I did, LOL.
That said, the ice rink is well-staffed with people to help you up if you fall; one staff member even stopped me on the way into the rink to check my skates- she had observed that they should be tighter for safety- and in the process noticed that one of the clasps was broken (I couldn't tell) and not only switched out the skates for me, but helped me put the new ones on, making sure that they fit just right!
The ice wasn't very smooth, which made it harder to skate if you know what you're doing, but harder to fall if you don't. The center of the rink was smoother than the edges. Not a big rink by any means, but few enough people for the size that it felt safe even during pandemic. Though I cringed when dishing out the extra $ knowing I'd be rewarded with pain, it really was a nice way to wrap up our visit.
I recommend skipping the hot chocolate at the ice rink though.