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Hollywood and Beverly Hills tours

The best Hollywood bus tours

Open-air buses past celebrity homes, full days with the beaches, small-group vans and tours from Santa Monica: here is how to pick a Hollywood and Beverly Hills tour, with honest advice on value for money, hot or cramped vehicles and how much of the homes you really see.

By the Things to Do in Los Angeles editorial team 8 tours compared Prices checked 22 October 2026

See our 8 picks
A straight street lined with tall palm trees and parked cars under a blue sky in Beverly Hills

Short answer The best Hollywood bus tour for most visitors is the open-air bus through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the celebrity-home streets, from €29 and rated 4.5 from over 2,900 reviews. It runs 2 hours or longer, depending on the option you pick. If you want the beaches too, take the full-day tour from €82. If you want a smaller group and hotel pickup, take the 5-hour small-group tour from €79.

Keep one thing in mind. Most famous homes sit behind gates and hedges. You see streets, gates and a few rooftops, not the stars. The tours are best as a fun drive with stories, not as a way to meet anyone.

Our 8 picks for a Hollywood and Beverly Hills tour

Four open-air bus tours first, then a full day, two small-group options and a tour that starts in Santa Monica. All are bookable on GetYourGuide.

Hollywood and Beverly Hills tours compared: price, length and what is included

Hollywood and Beverly Hills tours compared: price, length and what is included
Tour From Duration Group size Pickup Free cancellation Who it suits Why we picked it
Hollywood, Beverly Hills and celebrity homes by open-air bus 4.5 (2,901) €29
per person		 2 - 5.5 hours Private option available Pickup available (option) Yes, up to 24 hours in advance First-timers who want the classic tour The most-reviewed tour here: 4.5 from over 2,900 reviews, at one of the lowest prices.
Full-day LA tour: Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beaches 4.8 (1,435) €82
per person		 7.5 - 9 hours Private option available Pickup available (option) Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Visitors with one day and no car Rated 4.8 from over 1,400 reviews, and it covers the coast as well as Hollywood.
2-hour open-air bus tour of celebrity homes 4.1 (1,690) €28
per person		 2 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Budget travellers staying in Hollywood One of the cheapest tours here, from €28, with almost 1,700 reviews; the rating (4.1) is lower, so expect a basic tour.
Hollywood and Beverly Hills guided bus tour, up to 13 people 4.3 (453) €36
per person		 2 hours Standard group: Up to 13 people Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Visitors who want a smaller bus Groups are capped at 13 people, and it meets on Hollywood Boulevard.
Hollywood and Beverly Hills tour from Santa Monica 4.7 (311) €46
per person		 3.5 hours Standard group: Up to 13 people Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Visitors staying near the beach Rated 4.7 from over 300 reviews, and you skip the drive to Hollywood on your own.
Small-group city tour with hotel pickup 4.9 (198) €79
per person		 5 hours Standard group: Up to 12 people Pickup included Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Couples and families who want pickup The highest rating in this list (4.9 from almost 200 reviews), with pickup included.
Celebrity homes by open-top coach, small group 4.5 (210) €19
per person		 2 hours Not stated Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance The tightest budget The lowest price here, from €19, with 4.5 from over 200 reviews.
Celebrity homes and lifestyle tour with photo stops 3.9 (192) €35
per person		 2 hours Standard group: Up to 28 people Meet on site Yes, up to 24 hours in advance Photo-hunters It builds in photo stops; the rating is the lowest here (3.9 from 192 reviews), so book it for the stops, not the comfort.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.

Quick pick: cheapest, best for celebrity homes, best full day, best with pickup

Here is the short version. Each line names one tour from the list above.

  • Cheapest: the small-group open-top coach, from €19 for 2 hours.
  • Best for celebrity homes: the open-air bus tour, from €29, with over 2,900 reviews.
  • Best full day: the full-day tour with the beaches, from €82, rated 4.8.
  • Best with pickup: the small-group city tour, from €79, with pickup from selected hotels.
  • Best if you stay at the beach: the tour from Santa Monica, from €46.

Open-air bus tours with celebrity homes

An open-air bus tour is the cheapest way to see Hollywood and Beverly Hills with a guide. Most last about 2 hours and start on Hollywood Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard. You sit up high in an open bus, so the views are good and the air moves.

The downside is the sun. There is little shade on an open bus at midday. Bring a hat and sunscreen, or book a late-afternoon slot.

Is a celebrity homes tour in LA worth it?

A celebrity homes tour in LA is worth it if you enjoy stories and big views. It is not worth it if you hope to see stars. Many homes are hidden behind walls, gates and tall hedges. The guide tells you who lives or lived where, and you see the street and the gate.

Guides on Hollywood and its sights

Full-day tours: a Hollywood city tour with Beverly Hills and the beaches

A full-day Hollywood city tour is the best choice if you have one day and no car. The full-day tour in our list lasts 7.5 to 9 hours. It stops at Hollywood Boulevard, Griffith Observatory, Beverly Hills, the Farmers Market at The Grove, Santa Monica and Venice Beach.

Lunch is not included. The stops are self-guided, so you explore on your own and meet the group again.

Small-group Beverly Hills tours and Santa Monica departures

A small-group Beverly Hills tour is better if you dislike big buses. The small-group city tour takes up to 12 people and picks up at selected hotels in Hollywood and Downtown. Two of the open-air tours also cap the group at 13.

If you stay near the beach, the tour from Santa Monica saves you the trip into Hollywood. It meets at the Santa Monica Visitor Center and lasts 3.5 hours.

What you will see: Hollywood Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip

Most tours cover the same core: Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame, the Sunset Strip, the streets of Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills. Some add a stop for the Hollywood Sign or the Beverly Hills sign. Check the "includes" list of your tour for its stops.

Rodeo Drive

Rodeo Drive is the luxury shopping street of Beverly Hills. Its own website calls it three blocks of luxury, fashion and hospitality. Most tours drive past it; some give you time to walk it.

Mulholland Drive

Mulholland Drive is a winding road through the Hollywood Hills. The most-reviewed open-air tour lists it in its highlights, along with the Sunset Strip.

Things to do in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

The main things to do in Beverly Hills are simple: walk Rodeo Drive, take a photo at the Beverly Hills sign and look at the big homes on the palm-lined streets. The tour from Santa Monica stops at the sign.

Bus tour or private tour? Prices and trade-offs

A bus tour is the better deal for most people. It costs from €19 to €36 per person for about 2 hours. A small-group or full-day tour costs about €79 to €82, but adds pickup, more stops or a smaller group.

Some tours also offer a private option on their booking page. That makes sense for families or groups who can share the price. Check the price for your group size when you book.

What about the TMZ tour in Hollywood?

The TMZ tour in Hollywood is run by the TMZ show itself and is not sold here. Its own site lists a 2-hour bus tour from $49 for adults, and it says celebrity sightings are not guaranteed.

Seeing Hollywood on your own

You can see a lot of Hollywood on your own. The Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard is free to visit. Griffith Observatory is free to enter and gives one of the best views of the Hollywood Sign. What you can't do well on foot is Beverly Hills and the hills: they are spread out, and that is where a tour helps.

Hollywood Forever tour

Hollywood Forever is a cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard where many film stars are buried. Visitors are welcome from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. A walking tour called "Cemetery of the Stars" runs on set dates for $35 per person and lasts about 2.5 hours.

Practical: where tours start, pickup, timing, what to bring

Most bus tours start on Hollywood Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard, in central Hollywood. Pickup is included only on the small-group city tour, and it is an option on the full-day tour and the most-reviewed bus tour. The comparison table shows each tour's pickup line.

Arrive 15 minutes early at the meeting point. Traffic in Los Angeles is slow, so give yourself extra time. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen for an open bus, and a light jacket for an evening ride.

How to pick a good Hollywood tour

  1. Read the rating and the count together

    A 4.5 from 2,900 reviews tells you more than a 5.0 from 5. The comparison table shows both.

  2. Pick the right seat time

    Open buses get hot at midday. A morning or late-afternoon slot is cooler and the light is softer for photos.

  3. Expect gates, not stars

    The homes are real, but most are hidden. Book for the stories and the views, and you won't be let down.

  4. Check the cancellation line

    Most picks show free cancellation on their booking page. Check the exact cut-off there before you pay.

  5. Tip your guide

    Tips are not included on most of these tours. Tour pages say a tip is customary in the US for good service.

Hollywood tours: questions and answers

How much does a hollywood tour bus cost?
A Hollywood bus tour costs from €19 to €36 per person for about 2 hours on GetYourGuide. Small-group and full-day tours cost about €79 to €82.

How to tour hollywood on your own?
Walk Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame, then go up to Griffith Observatory, which is free, for the Hollywood Sign view. For Beverly Hills and the hills, a tour or a car is easier.

How long do the tours last?
Most open-air bus tours last about 2 hours. The tour from Santa Monica takes 3.5 hours, the small-group city tour 5 hours and the full-day tour 7.5 to 9 hours.

Where do tours start, and is hotel pickup included?
Most start on Hollywood Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard. Pickup is included on the small-group city tour and is an option on the full-day tour and the most-reviewed bus tour.

Are there photo stops, and how long are they?
Some tours stop, others only drive past. The tour from Santa Monica gives you 30 minutes on the Walk of Fame and stops at the Beverly Hills sign and a Hollywood Sign overlook.

More Hollywood and Beverly Hills tours, live

More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.

Live prices and availability from GetYourGuide load here.

Facts checked on 22 October 2026 against: Rodeo Drive, official site · TMZ Celebrity Tour, official site · Hollywood Forever Cemetery, visiting · Cemetery of the Stars walking tour · Griffith Observatory, visit · Metrolink: Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Written by the Things to Do in Los Angeles editorial team.