LA Private Tour: Beverly Hills & Venice – 40+ Landmarks

Three neighborhoods, three completely different sides of Los Angeles, all in one day.

A private Los Angeles tour through Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach (4 or 6 hours) with a live English-speaking guide and dedicated vehicle. You'll see 40–55 landmarks including Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Santa Monica Pier, Route 66, Venice Canals, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard, with flexible pacing and 40+ photo stops tailored to your group. The 4-hour option covers Beverly Hills and Santa Monica; the 6-hour adds Venice Beach and its artistic neighborhoods.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Venice

• Begin at Novikov Beverly Hills
• Visit Beverly Cañon Gardens
• Pass by Montage Beverly Hills hotel
• Stop at Erewhon market
• See Avra Mediterranean restaurant
• Walk along Beverly Drive boulevard
• Visit Il Pastaio restaurant
• Visit Nate'n Al deli
• Stop at Pura Vida café
• Stop at Alfred Coffee
• Walk Rodeo Drive entrance
• Pass by House of Bijan boutique
• Pass by Cartier boutique
• Pass by Gucci boutique
• Pass by Louis Vuitton boutique
• Pass by Van Cleef & Arpels boutique
• Walk Rodeo Drive Walk of Style
• See classic Rodeo Drive streetscape
• Pass under Two Rodeo archway
• Explore Two Rodeo shopping area
• Walk along charming pedestrian passage
• Pass by Beverly Wilshire hotel
• See Beverly Wilshire hotel entrance
• View iconic Rodeo Drive intersection
• Visit Beverly Gardens Park
• See Beverly Hills Sign
• Explore Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
• Visit Santa Monica Place mall
• Walk Tongva Park
• See Camera Obscura building
• View historic Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
• Walk Ocean Avenue coastal bluffs
• Visit Palisades Park
• See end of historic Route 66 sign
• Explore Santa Monica Pier
• See Pacific Park Ferris wheel
• Pass by Looff Hippodrome carousel
• Walk Santa Monica State Beach
• Visit Santa Monica's Original Muscle Beach
• Travel along Marvin Braude Bike Trail
• Arrive in Venice Beach neighborhood
• Explore Venice Beach Boardwalk
• Visit Venice Skatepark
• See Venice Muscle Beach outdoor gym
• View iconic Venice sign on Windward Avenue
• Walk Ocean Front Walk promenade
• Walk Windward Avenue beneath Venice sign
• Explore Venice Canals neighborhood
• Visit Carroll Canal section
• Cross Venice Canal pedestrian bridges
• Lunch break at Gjelina restaurant (optional)
• Visit Venice Art Walls murals
• Stop at Erewhon Venice store
• Walk Abbot Kinney Boulevard shopping street
• Enjoy coffee at Intelligentsia Coffee Venice

The Experience

Start in Beverly Hills where the tour moves between celebrity restaurants like Il Pastaio and Nate'n Al, hidden gems like Beverly Cañon Gardens, and the luxury flagships of Rodeo Drive—Cartier, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Van Cleef & Arpels, and the exclusive House of Bijan. You'll walk past the Beverly Wilshire (the hotel from Pretty Woman), stand at Two Rodeo's European-style archway, and see why this neighborhood became a global symbol of glamour. The guide shares stories about the designers, the architecture, and the celebrities who shaped the street, while you stop for photos at the Beverly Hills Sign beside the lily pond.

From there, the route heads west toward the coast. Santa Monica brings a shift in atmosphere—less about luxury boutiques, more about California's classic beach culture. You'll see the Santa Monica Pier with its solar-powered Ferris wheel, walk the Third Street Promenade where street performers draw crowds, explore Palisades Park's ocean overlooks, and stand at the end of Route 66, the "Mother Road" that connected Chicago to the Pacific. The Looff Hippodrome's hand-carved carousel, the Camera Obscura hidden in the trees, and the Marvin Braude Bike Trail all show a different side of Los Angeles—one built on history and public spaces rather than private wealth.

On the 6-hour option, Venice Beach completes the picture. The boardwalk's street performers and murals, the Venice Canals' quiet pedestrian bridges and waterfront homes, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard—described by GQ as "the coolest block in America"—reveal Venice's artistic, free-spirited identity. You'll see where bodybuilding legends trained at Muscle Beach, walk past the Venice Skatepark, and discover why this neighborhood has appeared in hundreds of films. The guide points out the creative energy that sets Venice apart from both Beverly Hills' formality and Santa Monica's polish. A stop at Intelligentsia Coffee or an optional lunch at Gjelina (one of Los Angeles' most celebrated restaurants) gives you time to absorb the neighborhood's rhythm before heading back.

The vehicle stays with you throughout, so you move between neighborhoods without the fatigue of public transit or the stress of driving unfamiliar streets. The guide adjusts the pace based on traffic, your interests, and how long you want to linger at photo spots. You get personalized recommendations for where to eat, shop, and explore after the tour ends, plus insight into which landmarks appeared in famous films and what the architecture actually means. This is not a bus tour with set stops and a fixed schedule—it's a private experience built around what your group wants to see.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• live English-speaking guide sharing stories about architecture, celebrity culture, and local history.
• 40–55 iconic landmarks across Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach.
• 40+ curated photo opportunities at Los Angeles' most recognizable locations.
• flexible pace tailored to your group's interests.
• personalized recommendations for restaurants, cafés, and local experiences after the tour.
• choice of 4-hour tour (Beverly Hills and Santa Monica) or 6-hour tour (all three neighborhoods).

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Friendly Local Guides

Is this one for you?Choose the 4-hour option if you're visiting Los Angeles for the first time and want to see the highlights of Beverly Hills and the coast without a full day commitment. Pick the 6-hour tour if you want to experience all three neighborhoods—the glamour, the beach culture, and the artistic energy—and have time to absorb each one's distinct character without rushing between stops.

Top questions

What's the difference between the 4-hour and 6-hour tour?

The 4-hour tour covers Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, hitting Rodeo Drive, the Beverly Wilshire, the Santa Monica Pier, Route 66, and Palisades Park. The 6-hour tour adds Venice Beach, including the Venice Canals, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, the boardwalk, and Venice Skatepark, so you experience all three neighborhoods' distinct personalities.

How many stops and landmarks will we actually visit?

The tour showcases 40–55 landmarks depending on which option you choose, traffic, and how long you spend at each location. You're not rushing through a checklist—the guide tailors the pace to your group, so you might spend extra time at Rodeo Drive or linger at a photo spot if that's what interests you.

Is this tour just driving past things, or do we actually get out and walk?

You'll walk through the neighborhoods and stop at landmarks, but the vehicle handles the distances between Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and Venice, so you're not exhausted by the time you reach the beach. Most of your time is spent on foot exploring each area—Rodeo Drive, the Santa Monica Pier, the Venice Canals—while the car eliminates the commute stress.

What if I want to eat lunch or grab coffee during the tour?

The guide can recommend restaurants and cafés along the route, and on the 6-hour option there's time for an optional lunch break at places like Gjelina in Venice or coffee at Intelligentsia. The flexible pace means you're not locked into a rigid schedule.

Will the guide tell us about the celebrity culture and film locations?

Yes. The guide shares stories about the celebrities and films connected to each stop—the Beverly Wilshire's role in Pretty Woman, the restaurants where paparazzi wait for actors, the Venice locations that appeared in Baywatch and other productions—plus insider perspectives on why each neighborhood developed the way it did.

What should I bring or wear?

Comfortable shoes, sun protection, sunglasses, and water are recommended. Los Angeles has year-round sunshine, and you'll be walking through neighborhoods with limited shade in some areas. The vehicle is air-conditioned, so you'll have breaks from the heat between stops.