The best hollywood bus tours double decker pick for most first-time visitors is a City Sightseeing Los Angeles hop-on hop-off pass. It has the most stops, 24 to 72 hour tickets and free cancellation. Big Bus Tours suits you if you want a second hop-on hop-off operator to compare. A Hollywood Open Bus Tour or LA Double Decker ride suits you if you want a fixed, narrated loop at the lowest price. A celebrity homes combo suits you if the stars’ houses are the whole point.
Los Angeles is spread out, parking is expensive and traffic is slow, so a double-decker looks like the easy answer. Traveler reviews of these buses tell a more mixed story, with repeated complaints about long waits at transfer stops, late starts and hot lower decks. This article compares five options by how they work, what the tickets cost and who each one suits. Then it shows you how to decide and what to expect on the day. Prices are the starting prices listed by operators and on Tripadvisor in 2026, so confirm them at checkout.
Another Side Of Los Angeles Tours has guided visitors around Hollywood and Beverly Hills since 2007. We run private and small-group guided tours, not double-deckers, so we have no bus to sell you. That lets us say plainly where a hop-on hop-off bus works well and where it falls short.
1. City Sightseeing Los Angeles hop-on hop-off
How it works
City Sightseeing Los Angeles, run by Starline Tours, operates open-top double-decker buses on two main loops. The red Hollywood route passes the Dolby Theatre, RockWalk, Rodeo Drive and the Academy Museum, LACMA and Petersen Automotive Museum area. The yellow Santa Monica route runs from Beverly Hills to the beach. Stop 7 is the transfer point between the loops, and buses wait there so you can switch. On Sundays that stop moves to 444 Rexford Drive.
The Hollywood loop runs 10:00 to 16:30 and the Santa Monica loop 9:30 to 16:13, with a bus roughly every 45 minutes. Three express shuttles add options: a DTLA Hotel Express, a Beach Direct Express and a Griffith Observatory Express with a 30-minute photo stop. The observatory shuttle is included in your ticket and is the best way on this tour to see the Hollywood Sign. The shuttles are currently scheduled through 31 December 2027, and there is no service on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
A hop-on hop-off bus is only as good as its timetable, so plan your day around the 45-minute gap.
Price and tickets
Tickets come in 24, 48 and 72 hour versions, valid on any day within 12 months. Children aged 3 to 11 pay $43 for the 24-hour pass. You can cancel for free up to 24 hours before your travel date, and a mobile voucher works. Starline’s own site lists a standard pass from $50, so prices shift by channel and date.
| Pass | Adult price | Cost per day |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | $57 | $57.00 |
| 48 hours | $72 | $36.00 |
| 72 hours | $85 | $28.33 |
A 72-hour pass costs about half as much per day as the 24-hour pass. Buy the length you will really use, not the longest one.
Who it suits
This is the safest first choice for first-time visitors who want flexibility across Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the coast. Most buses have free Wi-Fi. The double-deckers are wheelchair accessible, and dogs in carriers are allowed.
Skip it if you have only one short afternoon. Hop off twice and you can spend most of that time waiting for the next bus.
2. Big Bus Tours Los Angeles
How it works
Big Bus Tours runs open-top hop-on hop-off buses on two routes with stops near the main Los Angeles landmarks. The operator lists daily operation from about 10:30 in the morning to 3:15 in the afternoon. Reviews refer to a red and a blue route, plus a changeover point where you switch between them.
That changeover is where reviewers say things go wrong. Several describe waits of up to an hour, a bus that stopped for a long break in Beverly Hills, and a tracking app that showed buses that never arrived. Other travelers had a smooth day. The experience seems to depend heavily on the day, the traffic and which driver you get.
Check the last departure before you hop off, because a missed final bus costs more than the ticket.
Price and tickets
Tripadvisor lists the open-top hop-on hop-off ticket from $59 per adult, with free cancellation on most bookings. Reviewers mention 48-hour passes, so longer tickets exist. Child prices and pass lengths vary by date, so check the booking page.
Buy through the operator or a major booking platform, not from street sellers on Hollywood Boulevard. One reviewer reported a double charge after buying from a mobile seller on the Walk of Fame.
Who it suits
Pick Big Bus if its stops sit closer to your hotel than the City Sightseeing stops do, or if you want to price two operators against each other. Open the live timetable first. Then plan no more than two or three hop-offs, because the gaps between buses can eat your day.
It is a poor fit if your schedule is tight, such as a conference break or a flight that evening. A fixed-time tour is safer then.
3. Starline hop-on hop-off plus celebrity homes
How it works
Starline Tours is Hollywood-based and says it has more than 80 years in the business. This ticket pairs a one-day hop-on hop-off pass with its Original Celebrity Homes Tour. It is the same operator family as item 1, sold as a bundle. You ride a guided celebrity homes tour from Hollywood into the Hollywood Hills and Beverly Hills, then use the pass on the double-decker loops.
Starline’s pass includes a pre-recorded audio guide in nine languages. The celebrity homes ride is the part with a live guide, so most of the storytelling comes from that tour.
Price the combo against the plain pass, so you know what the celebrity homes add-on actually costs.
Price and tickets
On Starline’s own site the combo is $86 per adult and the standalone pass $50, so the celebrity homes tour adds about $36. Tripadvisor lists bigger bundles that pair a hop-on hop-off pass with another attraction. These are starting prices per adult:
| Bundle | From (adult) |
|---|---|
| Celebrity Homes and Lifestyle Tour + hop-on hop-off | $79 |
| Celebrity Homes Tour + hop-on hop-off | $86 |
| Hop-on hop-off + TMZ Hollywood Celebrity Tour | $99 |
| Warner Bros. Studio Tour + 24-hour hop-on hop-off | $112 |
| Universal Studios + hop-on hop-off (2 days) | $161 |
Who it suits
Choose a combo if celebrity homes are the main draw and you want one booking for both the guided ride and the bus. The studio bundles suit film fans who already plan to visit a lot.
Reviewers do say the buses can feel dated, and some report poor air circulation. Look for a morning departure in summer, and take water.
4. Hollywood Open Bus Tours
How it works
Hollywood Open Bus Tours sells a guided two-hour tour on an open-top bus. It is a fixed loop with a live guide, not a pass you hop on and off. Reviewers describe a route through Hollywood and into the hills for celebrity homes, with a driver-guide who talks throughout.
Opinions turn on the guide. Many reviewers praise a funny, well-informed driver and say two hours was the right length. One reviewer reported a photo stop on a busy road and a tour heavy on the guide’s own stories. Another said a Sunday ride had lighter traffic and more stops. Narrow hillside roads are part of the route, so listen to the driver’s safety briefing.
A live guide can make or break a fixed tour, so read recent reviews for the season you travel.
Price and tickets
Tripadvisor lists the tour from $39 per adult, with free cancellation. One traveler reported paying $60 each, so check the final price and any add-ons at checkout. Because the tour is a single ride, there is no multi-day pass to compare.
Who it suits
It suits visitors who want a short, narrated introduction to Hollywood and its celebrity neighborhoods for little money. It also fits a half-day gap between other plans.
It does not suit you if you want to wander Santa Monica or Venice Beach, since it is not a hop-on hop-off pass. You also won’t get a close view of the Hollywood Sign, only a roadside photo stop.
5. LA Double Decker
How it works
LA Double Decker, which trades as The Big Red Bus Company, runs narrated Hollywood tours on an original double-decker bus. It is based in Hollywood, and its site lists a phone line for questions and bookings. The format is a guided ride with a live narrator, rather than a pass with a long list of stops.
The company also lists a two-tours-in-one option, so you can ride two different tours without paying twice. Ask when booking which route each tour takes and how long it lasts, because the site gives few route details.
The cheapest ticket is only a bargain if the route covers the places you came for.
Price and tickets
The tours page lists $25 per adult and $20 per child aged 3 to 11. Its two-tours-in-one combination is listed at $55. These are the lowest posted prices on this list. Call or check the site for current times and availability before you travel.
Who it suits
Pick it if price matters most and you want a guided ride rather than a self-managed pass. Families with small children may like the lower child price and the shorter format.
Think twice if you want a wide route or a free-roaming pass. With fewer listed stops and little route detail online, it is a narrower product than the hop-on hop-off passes.
How to choose and when a bus tour is worth it
Side-by-side comparison
Choose by format first, then price. Hop-on hop-off passes give freedom across the city. Fixed narrated loops give a quick overview for less money.
| Option | Format | Starting price (adult) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Sightseeing Los Angeles | Hop-on hop-off, two loops plus shuttles | $57 (24 hours) | First-timers, multi-day stays |
| Big Bus Tours | Hop-on hop-off, two routes | $59 | Comparing a second operator |
| Starline combo | Celebrity homes tour + pass | $86 | Celebrity homes fans |
| Hollywood Open Bus Tours | Fixed 2-hour guided loop | $39 | Short, low-cost intro |
| LA Double Decker | Narrated tour | $25 | Tight budgets, families |
Are Hollywood bus tours worth it?
Yes, if you want orientation and open-air views. No, if you want depth or a tight schedule. Los Angeles is large, and a bus every 45 minutes between 10:00 and 16:30 means three hop-offs can cost about 2 hours 15 minutes of waiting (3 × 45 minutes). The cost is real but modest. A family of four on City Sightseeing 24-hour passes pays $200 (2 adults at $57 plus 2 children at $43).
Weather and crowds matter too. Tripadvisor’s monthly data shows June to August as the busiest months and November as the quietest, and February as the wettest with six days of rain. Use this checklist:
- Sit on the top deck in the morning, and bring sunscreen and water.
- Take the first departure, and note the last bus before you hop off.
- Check live bus tracking, but keep a taxi or rideshare as a backup.
- Book through the operator or a major platform, not a street seller.
- Choose free-cancellation tickets, such as City Sightseeing’s 24-hour policy.
A bus tour is a good way to see Los Angeles, but it is a poor way to understand it.
When a guided tour fits better
A bus fits you less well if you want stories, a Hollywood Sign photo stop or no waiting. Our tours trade the open top for a guide who stays with you. The Famous Hollywood Tour is a private two-hour tour of Hollywood and the Sunset Strip for $199 per guest, or $174 each for parties of three or more. The Los Angeles Tour is a semi-private three-hour tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills for $149 per guest. It drops to $139 each for parties of three or more, and pickup adds $20 per guest within 5 miles of our office. For four guests that comes to $556, against $200 for the bus passes. The extra money buys a guide, a set schedule and no hop-off waits. The Hollywood Walking Tour is $75 per guest for about 90 minutes.
Our terms are stricter than the bus passes. There are no cancellations or refunds within seven days of the tour date, though an optional Tour Protection add-on for a 10% fee allows rescheduling up to 3 hours before. Book as far ahead as you can.
Pick the bus that matches your day
Choose a hop-on hop-off pass if you have a full day or more and want freedom. Choose a fixed narrated loop if you want a short, cheap overview. Choose a combo if celebrity homes are the point. Whatever you book, check the last departure time and keep a backup plan for the ride home.
If you would rather skip the timetable and see Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the coast with a local guide, look at our small-group Los Angeles sightseeing tours and pick the route and length that suit your trip.
