Bus Tours Los Angeles Hollywood: 6 Options Worth Booking

The best bus tours Los Angeles Hollywood visitors can book fall into three types: open-air celebrity homes rides for a quick two-hour look, hop-on hop-off passes for flexible days, and full-day city tours that add the beach. For most first-timers, a two-hour open-air tour from Hollywood Bus Tours ($44) or Hollywood City Tours ($45) is the best value. Big Bus Tours suits you if you want a 24 or 48-hour pass. Another Side Tours suits you if you would rather share the ride with a few people than a full bus load.

LA is spread out, traffic is heavy, and parking near the Walk of Fame is a chore. Dozens of listings promise the same Hollywood Sign, Rodeo Drive and celebrity homes, and they differ in ways that matter: how long you stand at each stop, whether the bus is open-air, and where it departs. This article compares six options on route, format, price and fit. Then it covers price ranges, whether a bus tour is worth it, and what to check before you pay.

We have run guided tours across Los Angeles since 2007, so we list ourselves first. We run small-group and private tours rather than big-bus tours, and we say so below. Every other pick is a bus operator, described by what it publishes. Fares change, so confirm the current price on the booking page.

1. Another Side Tours: small-group alternative to a bus

Another Side Tours is the pick if you want the Hollywood and Beverly Hills route without a full bus. It runs semi-private and private tours, so it is not a bus tour in the usual sense. It solves the same problem: seeing the sights without driving or parking.

What you get

The Los Angeles Tour is a semi-private three-hour tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It covers Mulholland Drive, the Hollywood Sign and Rodeo Drive, and the guide explains the film, music and luxury history behind each place. For more ground, the LA Highlights Tour runs about seven hours and adds Santa Monica, Venice Beach and a lunch break at the Farmers Market.

• Famous Hollywood Tour: private, about 2 hours, with the Hollywood Sign, Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre.
• Ultimate Hollywood & Homes Tour: private, about 4 hours, with landmarks and celebrity homes.
• Hollywood Walking Tour: about 90 minutes on foot, including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Walk of Fame and the El Capitan Theatre.

Who it suits

Groups of three or more, families who want to ask the guide questions, and visitors who dislike waiting at stops get the most from these tours. A small group keeps the pace unhurried, and a guide can explain the history behind a landmark instead of just naming it.

A small group costs more per seat, but it removes the waiting and the crowd.

The trade-off is cost and flexibility. Prices sit well above a bus seat, most tours need at least two guests, and the LA Highlights Tour needs three. If you only want a cheap ride past the Walk of Fame, a bus fits better.

Price and timing

Prices are per guest and drop with group size. Tickets are final and non-refundable, and there are no cancellations within seven days of the tour. An optional Tour Protection add-on costs 10% at booking and lets you cancel or reschedule up to 3 hours before the tour.

• The Los Angeles Tour: $149 per guest, about 3 hours, daily at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Save $10 per guest for 3 or more.
• LA Highlights Tour: $249 per guest, about 7 hours, daily from 9 AM to 4 PM, minimum 3 guests. Save $15 per guest for 3 or more.
• Famous Hollywood Tour: $199 per guest, private. Ultimate Hollywood & Homes Tour: $249 per guest, private.
• Hollywood Walking Tour: $75 per guest.
• Pick-up and drop-off on the semi-private tours: $20 per guest within 5 miles of the office.

2. Hollywood Bus Tours for open-air celebrity homes

Hollywood Bus Tours is the strongest all-round choice for an open-air celebrity homes ride. It departs from both Hollywood and Santa Monica. It sells a two-hour open-air tour, a half-day city tour and a 7.5-hour combo.

What you get

The two-hour tour from Hollywood passes Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip. It includes a 10 to 15 minute photo stop at the Beverly Hills sign. A live English guide narrates, and an app-based audio guide in 10 languages is available. Celebrity homes are listed as homes you "may see", so no sighting is promised.

• Half-day tour (5.5 hours): Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive for 30 minutes, Santa Monica Pier for 45, the Grove and Farmers Market for 60, and Griffith Observatory for 30.
• Combo (7.5 hours): the half-day route plus the celebrity homes tour.
• Santa Monica departures: a 3.5-hour celebrity homes tour and a 2-hour Malibu tour.
• Departure points: 7044 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood and 1447 Ocean Ave in Santa Monica.

Who it suits

First-time visitors and families fit best, since children’s fares are low and the Hollywood departure sits on Hollywood Boulevard. That makes it a natural start if you plan to see the Walk of Fame anyway. Travelers who speak Spanish, French, Japanese or another supported language can follow the audio guide.

On the half-day tour, the Hollywood Sign is seen from the Griffith Observatory viewing area, so expect a distant view. Stop lengths are fixed, and a 45-minute stop at the pier goes quickly.

Choose this one for the classic celebrity homes loop, and check the stop times before the half-day version.

Price and timing

Fares are listed by age group, with babies under three nearly free.

• Two-hour tour from Hollywood: $44 ages 12+, $34 ages 3 to 11, $5 ages 0 to 2.
• Santa Monica celebrity homes tour (3.5 hours): $59 ages 12+. Malibu tour (2 hours): $39 ages 12+.
• Half-day tour: $79 ages 12+, $69 ages 3 to 11.
• Combo: $118 ages 12+, $94 ages 3 to 11, a $10 saving over booking separately.
• Private open-air van for 13 seats: $499 for the first two hours, then $199 per extra hour.

3. Big Bus Tours for top-deck hop-on, hop-off

Big Bus Tours is the best pick if you want to hop on and off at your own pace from the top deck of an open-top double-decker. Its Hollywood Loop covers the Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign sights and Beverly Hills.

What you get

The Hollywood Loop is the main route, and a beach shuttle connects it to the coast. The 24-hour pass covers two routes, so you can see Hollywood and the beaches without a transfer by car. The 48-hour pass adds a 30-minute walking tour of the TCL Chinese Theatre and a bike rental offer.

• Hollywood Loop: Walk of Fame, Hollywood Sign views, Beverly Hills.
• Beach shuttle: links the loop to the coast.
• 48-hour pass extras: TCL Chinese Theatre walking tour and a bike rental offer.

Who it suits

Visitors staying a few days near Hollywood get the most from a pass, because the bus doubles as transport between sights. People who want to photograph Hollywood Boulevard from above will like the top-deck view.

A hop-on pass is transport with commentary, so it pays off only if you ride it often.

Hop-on hop-off has a catch: you depend on the bus schedule. Reviewers of LA hop-on passes mention long waits at route changeovers. An open-top bus offers little shade, and August is LA’s hottest month, averaging 77°F.

Price and timing

The fares below come from a reseller’s published page. Check Big Bus Tours’ own site for current prices.

• 24-hour pass: $59 ages 12+, $49 ages 3 to 11, free under 3.
• 48-hour pass: $75 ages 12+, $65 ages 3 to 11, free under 3.
• Choose 24 hours for one day in Hollywood and 48 hours if you also want the beach shuttle and a second day of riding.

4. City Sightseeing Los Angeles for flexible passes

City Sightseeing Los Angeles suits you if you want a longer pass or an after-dark option. It sells 24, 48 and 72-hour hop-on hop-off passes with 360-degree panoramic views and a route through Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and Venice.

What you get

The pass reaches the coast as well as Hollywood, so one ticket can cover Hollywood Boulevard in the morning and Venice in the afternoon. Beyond the pass, it sells two fixed-price tours.

• The Original Hollywood to Beverly Hills Celebrity Homes Tour: offered in English and Spanish.
• Hollywood Night Tour starring the Griffith Observatory: a different view of Hollywood after dark.
• Passes: 24, 48 or 72 hours.

Who it suits

A 72-hour pass is the longest option in this list, so it fits visitors on a three-day stay who want a ride between neighborhoods. The night tour fits travelers who already did the daytime route. It suits you if the Observatory’s city view is the part you care about.

Pick the longest pass only if your hotel and plans sit on the route.

As with any hop-on pass, check the timetable and the last departure before planning a late return, and confirm where each stop is relative to your hotel.

Price and timing

The two fixed-price tours are published; passes vary by tier, so check the booking page for the current fare.

• Celebrity homes tour: $49.
• Night tour: $50.
• Marketplace listings for LA hop-on hop-off tours start around $59 per adult, a useful benchmark for a 24-hour pass.

5. Hollywood City Tours for a simple two-hour loop

Hollywood City Tours is the simplest option on this list. Its Original Hollywood Tour is an open bus ride of about two hours for $45, departing daily from Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier.

What you get

You get a short guided ride through Hollywood, with an open bus giving clear views up at the buildings and hills. The company also runs the Grand LA Tour, about seven hours with four iconic stops, for visitors who want a full day.

• Original Hollywood Tour: about 2 hours, open bus.
• Grand LA Tour: about 7 hours, 4 iconic stops.
• Departures: Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier, daily.

Who it suits

Visitors with a tight schedule fit best, as do travelers staying in Santa Monica who do not want to commute to Hollywood first. A two-hour ride fits between lunch and dinner.

If you have one free afternoon, a two-hour loop gets you the sights without the commitment.

Four stops across seven hours should leave more time at each than a six-stop full-day tour, but ask for the exact stop lengths when you book. A short tour also gives you only a taste of Hollywood.

Price and timing

• Original Hollywood Tour: $45, about 2 hours.
• Grand LA Tour: check the current fare, and compare it with the roughly $95 to $109 that full-day LA city tours list on Tripadvisor.
• Start at the departure point closest to your hotel.

6. Starline Tours for a full day with beach stops

Starline Tours is the pick for one long day that combines Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, the city and the beach. Its published full-day tour pairs Beverly Hills, the Santa Monica Pier and the Farmers Market on a single ticket.

What you get

Starline lists multiple Hollywood celebrity bus tours, and its full-day option is the long one. It runs from Hollywood to the Observatory, through Beverly Hills, then to Santa Monica and the Farmers Market. That is the same core route most competitors offer, which makes the price and the departure point your deciding factors.

• Hollywood and Griffith Observatory.
• Beverly Hills and the city.
• Santa Monica Pier and the Farmers Market.

Who it suits

Visitors with only one day in LA and no car fit best. You see the main sights without driving or parking, and lunch at the market is part of the day.

A full-day tour trades depth for coverage, so pick it only if you cannot spare a second day.

Seven-plus hours on a bus is tiring in summer, so check whether the bus is air-conditioned, where it departs, and how long each stop lasts. Reviewers of full-day LA tours often praise air conditioning on hot days.

Price and timing

Starline publishes fares by tour on its tours page, so check the current price there. As a benchmark, full-day LA city tours on Tripadvisor list from about $95 to $109 per adult. Half-day tours (5 to 6 hours) list from about $59 to $69. Book the morning departure if you want time for the beach before dusk.

How to choose and what Hollywood tours cost

The right bus tour depends on how many hours you have and how many sights you want, not on which company has the loudest ads. Match the format to your day, then compare fares in the table below.

Price ranges by tour length

The ranges below combine the operator pages above with Tripadvisor listings for adult fares. They show what a typical tour of each length costs.

Here is a worked example for four adults. A two-hour open-air bus tour at $44 costs $176 in total. The Los Angeles Tour, semi-private for about three hours, is $149 minus the $10 group discount, so $139 each, or $556 for four. You pay about $95 more per person for a smaller group and more time. Families with young children save on a bus, since ages 3 to 11 pay about $34.

Are Hollywood bus tours worth it?

Yes, if your goal is to see several far-apart sights in a few hours. A bus removes the parking problem, and one Tripadvisor reviewer noted that a rideshare covering the same stops would have cost much more. Guides matter most: reviews praise guides for history and humor and criticize those who push tips or drive badly.

They are not worth it if you only want the Walk of Fame. It sits on Hollywood Boulevard and is easy to walk. Our 90-minute Hollywood Walking Tour is $75, and one bus operator sells a self-guided walk for $9. Do not book a bus tour mainly for celebrity sightings, because homes are viewed from the street and operators say you may see them.

Checklist before you book

• Departure point: pick the one nearest your hotel, and allow time for LA traffic.
• Open-air or enclosed: open-air gives better views, while an enclosed, air-conditioned bus is more comfortable on a 104°F day.
• Stop lengths: thirty minutes at the Santa Monica Pier was too short for one reviewer.
• Language: check whether live guides and audio guides cover your group.
• Cancellation terms: read them before paying, since policies differ by operator.
• Season: July and August are busiest, November is quietest, and February is the wettest month.

Picking your Hollywood tour

For a quick, low-cost first look, book a two-hour open-air tour. For flexibility across several days, buy a hop-on hop-off pass and read the timetable first. For one long day with the beach, choose a full-day city tour. If a bus is the wrong fit, because you want fewer people, a custom stop, or your own guide, a semi-private or private tour is worth the extra cost.

Pick the format first, then compare the fare and the departure point. If you want help matching a tour to your group, you can compare our small-group Los Angeles tours and choose the length and route that suit your day.