Search "Hollywood bus tour" and you get a wall of listings with prices ranging from $30 to nearly $2,000, with almost no explanation of what separates them. That gap is exactly why you’re here. Hollywood bus tours prices vary this much because you’re not comparing one product, you’re comparing open-top double-deckers, small group vans, private cars, and even limo service, each with a different route, guide quality, and pickup situation.
This guide breaks down nine real options so you can match a tour to your budget and what you actually want to see, whether that’s the Walk of Fame, celebrity homes in Beverly Hills, or a studio lot combo. We pulled current pricing so you can treat this as a straight los angeles bus tour tickets comparison instead of guessing from marketing photos.
Below, you’ll find each tour’s price, duration, group size, and what’s actually included, from bare-bones hop-on-hop-off routes to private guided tours with pickup included. We’ll also flag where the cheap option is genuinely fine and where paying more actually buys you a better experience, so you can book once and skip the buyer’s remorse.
1. Another Side Tours private Hollywood experience
Another Side Tours built its Hollywood itinerary around a simple idea: skip the crowded double-decker and get a guide who actually stops the vehicle when something interesting comes up. This is the option for travelers who read "bus tour" and cringe at the thought of standing shoulder to shoulder with fifty strangers snapping photos of a star on the sidewalk. Instead, you get a small private vehicle, a local guide, and a route that adjusts to your pace instead of a fixed schedule.
Price
Pricing runs from $75 per person on the semi-private walking-based Hollywood tours up to custom private vehicle quotes that typically land between $400 and $900 depending on group size and vehicle type, with group discounts kicking in for parties of three or more. Larger custom experiences, including combo tours with studio lot add-ons or limousine upgrades, can reach into the $1,996 range for full-day, full-group bookings.
| Tour format | Group size | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-private walking/photo tour | Up to 10 | $75-$120 per person |
| Private small group vehicle tour | 2-6 guests | $400-$900 total |
| Custom/luxury full-day experience | Up to 14 | $1,200-$1,996 total |
The price difference isn’t about the route, it’s about whether you’re sharing the vehicle with strangers or not.
Duration & route
Core Hollywood experiences run between 90 minutes and 3 hours, covering the Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, the Hollywood Sign viewpoints, and Sunset Strip. Extended versions push toward 4 to 7 hours, folding in Beverly Hills celebrity homes, Rodeo Drive, and sometimes a studio lot stop. Because the vehicle is private, the guide can reroute around traffic or linger somewhere you find interesting, something a fixed hop-on-hop-off loop simply can’t do.
What’s included
Every tour includes a certified local guide, hotel or short-term rental pickup and drop-off within the covered service area, and narration that goes beyond names and dates into the actual history and gossip behind the landmarks. Segway and e-bike variants exist for guests who want a more active experience, and limousine upgrades are available for special occasions.
Who it’s for
This fits travelers, couples, and families who want a curated, unrushed experience and don’t mind paying more than the $30-$60 hop-on-hop-off buses. It’s also the strongest pick if you’re short on time and want a guide who tailors the route to your interests rather than sticking to a printed map, and it consistently comes out ahead of bigger bus operators on TripAdvisor and Viator review counts for exactly that reason.
2. TMZ celebrity tour
The TMZ celebrity tour takes the tabloid brand’s on-camera energy and puts it on an open-air bus, mixing scripted comedy bits with real celebrity gossip and scandal stories tied to specific addresses around Hollywood. It’s less a history lesson and more a live taping, with hosts who perform bits and play video clips on onboard screens as you pass relevant landmarks.
Price
Tickets typically run $60 to $65 per adult, with children priced slightly lower and no group discount structure comparable to smaller operators. Because seating is first-come on a large bus, you pay the same rate whether you’re solo or booking for six, which makes it a worse deal than private guided tours for families or groups of three or more.
A flat per-seat price sounds simple until you realize a family of four pays more than a private van holding the same group.
Duration & route
Runs last about 2 hours and depart from a fixed Hollywood location near Hollywood & Highland. The route loops through the Hollywood Hills, Sunset Strip, and parts of Beverly Hills, with commentary focused on scandal locations, paparazzi run-ins, and TV/tabloid history rather than architecture or studio background.
What’s included
Guests get a seat on the open-top double-decker, a live host, video segments, and narration built around TMZ’s news archive. No pickup is included, no food or drink is provided, and there’s no option to customize the stops.
Who it’s for
Suited to reality-TV and celebrity-culture fans who want entertainment over education, and to solo travelers or couples comfortable sharing a bus with strangers. Skip it if you want context on architecture, film history, or a quieter, guide-led pace, since that’s better served by smaller private tours.
3. Hollywood Bus Tours LA celebrity homes tour
Hollywood Bus Tours LA runs a straightforward operation built around one theme: driving past the gated homes of famous names in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and the Hollywood Hills. It’s a mid-size bus outfit, smaller than the big double-decker brands but still a shared-seating experience rather than a private one, and it markets itself specifically around celebrity homes tours rather than general sightseeing.
Price
Adult tickets run $45 to $55, with discounted rates for kids under 12 and occasional online booking deals that shave a few dollars off. There’s no meaningful group discount tier, so a family of five pays close to full price per seat, unlike the tiered structure you’ll find in Hollywood bus tours prices from smaller private operators.
Shared-seat celebrity tours price by the seat, not the group, so bigger families rarely save.
Duration & route
Tours last roughly 2 to 2.5 hours and depart from a central Hollywood pickup point near the Walk of Fame. The route winds through Beverly Hills mansion streets, past the Playboy Mansion and homes tied to past and present stars, then back through Sunset Boulevard.
What’s included
Expect a live narrating guide, a printed or digital map of celebrity addresses, and occasional photo stops where the bus pulls over briefly. There’s no hotel pickup, no food, and no customization of the route.
Who it’s for
Good for solo travelers, couples, and casual sightseers who want the celebrity homes angle without paying private-tour rates. Families or groups wanting flexibility, pickup, or a quieter pace should look toward smaller private options instead.
4. Starline Hollywood sightseeing tours
Starline Tours has been running Hollywood sightseeing buses since 1935, making it the oldest and most recognized name in the category. It operates a fleet of open-top double-deckers alongside smaller sedan and van options, so it actually spans multiple price tiers under one brand rather than sticking to a single format.
Price
Basic double-decker Hollywood loops start around $45 to $50 per adult, while combo packages bundling a studio tour or Universal Studios add-on push into the $120 to $180 range. Private sedan tours through Starline run closer to $300 to $600, depending on group size and duration. These tiers make Starline one of the clearer illustrations of how hollywood bus tours prices scale with vehicle type rather than route alone.
Same brand, three different price tiers, because the vehicle changes more than the sights do.
Duration & route
Standard sightseeing loops run 1.5 to 2 hours, covering the Walk of Fame, Sunset Strip, and Beverly Hills star homes. Combo tickets extend the day to 4 to 8 hours once you add a studio lot or theme park stop, with departures from Starline’s Hollywood Boulevard hub.
What’s included
Expect an onboard narrator, hop-on-hop-off privileges on select passes, and audio commentary in multiple languages on the double-deckers. Combo tickets bundle separate admission tickets, though hotel pickup is only available on the private sedan tier, not the standard bus routes.
Who it’s for
Suited to first-time visitors who want a recognizable, long-running operator and don’t mind the shared double-decker format. Travelers wanting a private, pickup-included experience should skip the standard bus tier and book Starline’s sedan option or a dedicated small-group operator instead.
5. Hollywood City Tours grand LA tour
Hollywood City Tours markets its "grand" itinerary as a full-city sweep rather than a Hollywood-only loop, pairing a mid-size bus with stops that stretch well past the usual Walk of Fame circuit. It sits in an odd middle spot: bigger than a private van operator, smaller than the double-decker giants, and priced to match that in-between position.
Price
The grand tour runs $70 to $95 per adult, with kids’ tickets around $10 to $15 cheaper and no meaningful discount for booking larger groups. That puts it above the basic celebrity-homes buses but below most private guided tours, making it a middle-tier pick within the wider spread of hollywood bus tours prices covered in this guide.
Paying more than a basic loop only makes sense if the extra stops actually match what you want to see.
Duration & route
Expect 3.5 to 4 hours on the road, covering Hollywood Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Pier, and a drive-by of Venice Beach. Departures come from a fixed downtown Hollywood pickup point, and the extended route is the main reason this tour costs more than the shorter celebrity-home loops.
What’s included
Guests get a live guide narrating throughout, a few short photo stops at Santa Monica and Rodeo Drive, and bottled water on some departures. Hotel pickup isn’t standard, so you’ll need to make your way to the meeting point yourself, and there’s no option to skip or reorder stops.
Who it’s for
This suits travelers who want to cover Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the beach cities in a single outing without booking three separate tours. It’s less ideal if you specifically want deep Hollywood context or a private pace, since the broad route trades depth for breadth.
6. City Sightseeing LA hop-on hop-off bus
City Sightseeing LA runs the classic hop-on hop-off model: one ticket, multiple loops, and the freedom to jump off at any stop and catch a later bus. It’s a different value proposition than the fixed-route tours above, since you’re buying flexibility and multi-day access rather than a single guided outing, which changes how you should think about hollywood bus tours prices for this category.
Price
A 1-day pass runs $50 to $60 per adult, while 2-day and 3-day passes climb to roughly $70 to $90, giving you repeated access across multiple days of your trip. Kids’ tickets are discounted, and there’s no group rate, so families pay per seat regardless of party size.
Hop-on hop-off passes reward multi-day sightseeing, not one-and-done trips.
Duration & route
Buses run on a continuous loop roughly every 20 to 30 minutes, and a full circuit without stopping takes about 2 hours. Routes typically cover Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and downtown LA, with some passes bundling a separate beach cities line that adds Santa Monica and Venice.
What’s included
Every ticket includes unlimited re-boarding for the length of the pass, onboard audio narration in several languages, and open-top seating for photos. There’s no live guide interaction, no hotel pickup, and no food included, so it’s a self-directed experience built around the bus schedule rather than a person.
Who it’s for
Budget-conscious travelers spending several days in LA and wanting to see multiple neighborhoods at their own pace will get the most value here. Skip it if you’re short on time or want deep historical context, since the audio narration can’t match a live guide answering your actual questions.
7. Big Bus Tours Los Angeles
Big Bus Tours runs the other major hop-on hop-off network in the city, competing directly with City Sightseeing LA on the same open-top double-decker format but with its own route mix and pass tiers. Global brand recognition is the main draw here, since Big Bus operates in dozens of cities worldwide, so if you’ve used it in London or Rome, the LA version will feel familiar.
Price
Standard 1-day tickets run $55 to $65 per adult, with premium passes bundling a night tour or beach cities extension climbing to $85 to $100. Multi-day passes exist but cost noticeably more than City Sightseeing’s equivalent tiers, so this option rarely wins on pure value within the spread of hollywood bus tours prices covered here.
Brand recognition costs more here than the route itself justifies.
Duration & route
A full loop takes roughly 2 to 2.5 hours, covering Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and West Hollywood on the core route, with an optional beach cities extension reaching Santa Monica. Buses run every 25 to 30 minutes at peak times, though weekday frequency can stretch longer, which matters if you’re planning a tight schedule around multiple stops.
What’s included
Tickets include unlimited re-boarding for the pass duration, multilingual audio commentary, and open-top seating. Some premium tiers add a walking tour or a discounted night bus, but there’s no live guide, no pickup, and no food included on any tier, keeping it closer to City Sightseeing’s model than to a guided experience.
Who it’s for
Big Bus suits travelers already loyal to the brand from other cities or those who specifically want the beach cities extension bundled into one pass. Anyone comparing pure value against City Sightseeing LA will usually find the latter cheaper for similar coverage, and anyone wanting live narration should look at a guided small-group tour instead.
8. Full-day Viator sightseeing bus tours
Viator acts as a booking marketplace rather than a single operator, bundling full-day bus itineraries from several LA companies under one platform with reviews, instant confirmation, and free cancellation windows. If you’d rather compare los angeles bus tour tickets side by side in one place instead of hunting through individual operator sites, this is the fastest way to shop the category.
Price
Full-day packages typically run $90 to $150 per adult, with some premium listings bundling Universal Studios or Warner Bros admission climbing past $200. Kids’ pricing varies by listing, and a handful of operators offer small group discounts, but most Viator listings price per seat rather than per group.
Buying through a marketplace gets you reviews and refund protection, not necessarily a better price.
Duration & route
Most full-day listings run 6 to 8 hours, covering Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Downtown LA, and often a beach cities detour to Santa Monica or Venice. Departure points vary by which operator fulfills the booking, so you’ll get exact meeting details only after checkout, which can be frustrating if you’re planning a tight schedule around hotel pickup.
What’s included
Inclusions depend entirely on which underlying operator you book, but most full-day listings bundle a live guide, multiple photo stops, and sometimes lunch or a museum admission ticket. Read the listing carefully, since some options are shared double-decker buses while others are small-group vans, and the price difference reflects that gap more than anything else.
Who it’s for
This suits travelers who want to compare several operators’ full-day itineraries at once and lean on verified reviews before booking. It’s less ideal if you want a guaranteed private vehicle, since you won’t know the exact vehicle type until you dig into each individual listing’s fine print.
9. Luxury private SUV and limousine tours
At the top of the spectrum sit luxury SUV and limousine tours, built for travelers who want the private-guide model but with a bigger vehicle, a bar setup, and a red-carpet feel. Another Side Tours and a handful of boutique operators run this tier, swapping the standard sedan or van for a stretch SUV or classic limousine while keeping the same live guide and flexible routing you’d get from a private tour.
Price
Expect to pay $800 to $1,996 for a full group booking, depending on vehicle size, tour length, and whether you add a studio lot or celebrity homes combo. Smaller limo packages built around a 2 to 3 hour window start closer to $600 to $900, while full-day luxury experiences with multiple stops push toward the top of that range. Compared to the rest of the hollywood bus tours prices in this guide, this tier charges for privacy and comfort, not extra sights.
You’re not paying more to see different landmarks, you’re paying for the vehicle and the pace.
Duration & route
Most bookings run 3 to 7 hours, covering Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Sunset Strip, with route order adjustable on request. Guides can swap stops for celebrity homes, a specific restaurant, or a photo location you found on Instagram, since nothing about the itinerary is fixed.
What’s included
Guests get door-to-door pickup, a professional chauffeur, a live guide, and amenities like bottled water or champagne on select bookings. Some packages fold in a limousine upgrade for special occasions like anniversaries or proposals.
Who it’s for
Suited to couples celebrating an occasion, small groups splitting the cost, or anyone who wants the private-tour experience with extra polish. Skip it if budget matters more than presentation, since a standard private vehicle covers the same ground for less.
Picking the right tour for your trip
Nine options, one real decision: how much do you value privacy and pace versus a lower per-seat price? If you’re traveling solo or splitting a trip across several days, a hop-on hop-off pass from City Sightseeing or Big Bus covers a lot of ground cheaply. If you want a guide who actually answers your questions and adjusts the route on the fly, a private tour wins every time, especially once you’re traveling with three or more people and the per-seat math on shared buses stops making sense.
Run your own numbers against the tables above before booking. Match the tour to your group size, your timeline, and whether you actually want a live guide or just a good view from an open top. If you’d rather skip the comparison shopping altogether, book a private Hollywood tour with a guide who plans the day around what you actually want to see.
