Hollywood & Beverly Hills: Celebrity Homes Open-Air Bus Tour

Two Hours on the Hollywood Hills, Seeing Where the Industry Actually Lives

You stand on an open-air bus for under two hours, passing the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dolby Theatre, and Sunset Strip while a live guide points out celebrity homes and filming locations from Mulholland Drive down through Beverly Hills. The small group size (max 18) means better sightlines and photos. Audio guide available in nine languages. Bring your own headphones or purchase them for $5.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each9 stops

1. Hollywood Walk of Famepassing by
2. Dolby Theatrepassing by
3. Hollywood Sign10m
4. Rodeo Drivepassing by
5. Whisky a Go Gopassing by
6. Sunset Strippassing by
7. Laugh Factory Hollywoodpassing by
8. TCL Chinese Theatrepassing by
9. Mulholland Drivepassing by

Hollywood and Beverly Hills sightseeing

• Pass Hollywood Walk of Fame
• See Dolby Theatre
• View Hollywood Sign and LA skyline
• Drive through Beverly Hills neighborhoods
• Pass Beverly Hills Hotel
• Cruise along Rodeo Drive
• Pass Beverly Hills Sign
• See Whisky a Go Go on Sunset Strip
• Drive along Sunset Strip
• Pass Laugh Factory comedy club
• Return via Hollywood Boulevard
• Pass TCL Chinese Theatre
• View Mulholland Drive and celebrity homes

The experience

Hands grip the metal rail as the open-air bus climbs away from Hollywood Boulevard, and suddenly the street noise drops behind. That's the moment you realize you're not watching Los Angeles from a car window. You're standing in it, the wind carrying the smell of eucalyptus and exhaust as the guide points out a house half-hidden behind gates on Mulholland Drive. The bus holds eighteen people maximum, which means you're not packed shoulder-to-shoulder with fifty others fighting for a view. You can actually see what's being pointed out, and more importantly, you can take a photo without someone's head in the frame.

The tour moves through the geography of Hollywood in a way that makes sense: you start at the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard, where the handprints in concrete are real and the crowds are real, then head up into the hills where the actual money lives. Rodeo Drive comes next (the three-block stretch in Beverly Hills where a single storefront costs more than most houses), and then the bus climbs higher, following Sunset Strip past the Whisky a Go Go and the Laugh Factory before reaching the overlooks where you can see the Hollywood Sign and the whole Los Angeles basin spreading out below. The live guide shares stories about filming locations and the history of the place, and there are 4K videos and drone footage of celebrity homes on screens so you're not just looking at gates and walls. An audio guide is also available in nine languages through a smartphone app if you prefer that instead, though you'll need to bring headphones or buy a pair for five dollars.

The whole thing takes under two hours, which matters if you're a first-time visitor trying to hit the main landmarks without spending your whole day on a bus. You see the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars happen, the Beverly Hills Hotel (the pink one), and the neighborhoods where the actual celebrities live, not the tourist version of Hollywood, but the real geography of how the entertainment industry is laid out across Los Angeles. The open-air design is the whole point. A regular tour bus window would cut your view in half.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a live English-speaking guide, open-air bus with unobstructed views, a free Hollywood Walking Tour with Walk of Fame star locator, onboard entertainment with Hollywood movie clips, and access to an audio guide app available in nine languages.
• Headphones are required if you use the app.
• Bring your own or purchase them for $5.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour without audio guideGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00

Tour including audio guideGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 10:00, the last at 16:00Audio guide in nine languages via app: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Russian. Runs on your phone through a free app; headphones are required, so bring your own for better quality or buy them for $5.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 2h, runs every day, 7 start times, from US$ 22.33 per person, with a live guide in English and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day except Saturday: 10:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00Saturday: 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00Another time? ›

GroupUp to 182 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Audio guideSpanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.2 with pickup ›

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

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 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by VIP Hollywood Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're visiting Los Angeles for the first time and want to see the main Hollywood and Beverly Hills landmarks in under two hours without arranging your own transport or timing: the fixed route and small group size mean you get the highlights and better photos than a standard tour bus.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

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.

How long is the Hollywood celebrity homes tour?

Under 2 hours total, covering Hollywood Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Sunset Strip, and the Hollywood Hills.

What's included in the tour?

Live English-speaking guide, open-air bus seating, Hollywood Walking Tour with Walk of Fame star locator, onboard movie clips, and access to a multi-language audio guide app.

How many people go on each tour?

Maximum 18 guests per bus, smaller than typical Hollywood sightseeing tours.

Do I need to bring headphones?

Only if you want to use the audio guide app, which is available in 9 languages. You can bring your own or buy a pair for $5.

What attractions do you see?

Hollywood Walk of Fame, Dolby Theatre, Hollywood Sign, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills Hotel, Sunset Strip, Whisky a Go Go, Laugh Factory, TCL Chinese Theatre, and Mulholland Drive overlooks.

Can I use public transportation to get to the tour?

Yes, public transportation options are available near the tour departure point.

Are there interactive elements on the tour?

Yes, the bus features 4K videos and drone footage of celebrity homes shown on screens during the tour.