Bus tours Hollywood California: Open-top views of celebrity homes

Cruise Hollywood’s star-studded streets in a private open-top bus just for you

You get a private open-top bus with your own guide and driver through Hollywood, the Hills, celebrity neighborhoods, Rodeo Drive, and Sunset Strip. The tour includes the Golden Era history, a high viewpoint over Los Angeles, film locations, and stories about the music scene. No crowds, no fixed stops. You move at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each3 stops

1. Hollywood15m
2. Rodeo Drivepassing by
3. Sunset Strip10m

Private Hollywood sightseeing tour

• Tour guide introduces old Hollywood glamour
• Visit highest view of Hollywood Hills
• See movie star homes and film locations
• Cruise along Rodeo Drive shopping street
• Hear stories about Sunset Strip

The experience

You're sitting in an open-top bus that's just for you and whoever you brought along, and the guide is pointing out the house where some actor you half-recognize used to live. It's not the Colosseum or the Eiffel Tower. It's Los Angeles, which means the glamour is real but also kind of strange, because you're looking at where people actually live and work, not ruins. The tour starts in Hollywood proper, where the guide walks you through the Golden Era of the movies and the old studio system, then heads up to the Hollywood Hills for the highest view in the area. From there you can see the whole sprawl: Universal Studios, the other studios, the expensive neighborhoods spreading out like a grid of money.

After the viewpoint, the bus takes you through the celebrity neighborhoods: the kind of streets where the houses sit behind gates and the cars in the driveways cost more than most people's homes. You'll pass film locations (Pretty Woman was shot on Rodeo Drive, which is the point of stopping there anyway), and the guide knows which corners have the fancy cars parked regularly. Rodeo Drive itself is the most expensive shopping street in L.A., and the description makes it clear: you're not there to buy anything, you're there to see where the rich and famous eat, shop, and walk. It's a private Hollywood bus tour, so there's no crowd of thirty people fighting for the same photo angle. It's just your group and the guide, which changes how you experience it.

The last stop is Sunset Strip, where the guide tells you about the music history: the rock and roll legends, the clubs, the old and new famous places. The guide mentions that sometimes you'll actually spot someone, which is the kind of thing that makes people book this instead of just driving past on their own. The whole thing moves at your pace, not a schedule, because it's private. If you want to linger at one viewpoint or ask about a specific house, you can. If you want to move on, the driver goes. That flexibility is what separates this from the tour buses that stop every fifteen minutes whether you're ready or not.

What’s included

• Your day includes private transportation in an open-top bus with your own guide and driver.
• You'll visit Hollywood and learn about the Golden Era of movies, drive to the highest viewpoint in the Hollywood Hills overlooking Los Angeles and the studios, pass through celebrity neighborhoods and film locations, cruise Rodeo Drive to see where the wealthy shop and eat, and hear the history and stories of Sunset Strip.
• The tour is paced to your group's interests.
• You move at your own speed, not a fixed schedule.

Information

Lasts 1h 30m–2h, runs every day except Wednesday at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30, from US$ 390 per group, with a live guide in English and French, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except WednesdayDepartures at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30Another time? ›

GroupPrivate6 group tours ›

Live guideEnglish and FrenchOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.3 with pickup ›

Book up to1h before

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by openbustourscom,llc

Is this one for you?Right for families or small groups who want to see Hollywood's main landmarks without the crowds of a shared tour bus. The open-top format and private guide mean you can ask questions and linger at viewpoints, though expect to spend several hours on the road. That's what covers all four neighborhoods in one outing.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

175 verified traveler reviews

5 ★175

4 ★0

3 ★0

2 ★0

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is the bus really open-top?

Yes, it's an open-top bus, which is why the views of the Hollywood Hills and the neighborhoods are unobstructed.

Can I bring small children or infants?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and specialized infant seats are available.

What if I don't have a car? How do I get to the starting point?

Public transportation options are available nearby, though the tour itself is private transportation once you board.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the tour.

Will I actually see celebrities?

The guide mentions that rock and roll legends still roam Sunset Strip and you might spot someone, but there's no guarantee. You will definitely see where celebrities live and shop.

Is this suitable for people with mobility issues?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though you will be on an open-top bus and moving between neighborhoods.

What's included in the price?

Private transportation is included. The tour covers Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills viewpoint, celebrity neighborhoods, Rodeo Drive, and Sunset Strip with a guide.