Los Angeles: Beverly Hills, Santa Monica & Griffith Observatory Half-Day

Four LA Landmarks in One Half-Day Without Eating Your Whole Schedule

You board a climate-controlled bus and visit four LA landmarks: Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, either Santa Monica Pier or Hollywood Walk of Fame (depending on your start), The Grove and Farmer's Market, and Griffith Observatory, with 30 to 60 minutes at each stop. An 11-language audio app guides you through the tour, and you return to your starting point when it ends. The whole experience runs four to five hours, leaving the rest of your day open.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Hollywoodpass by
2. Sunset Strippass by
3. Rodeo Drivepass by
4. Hollywood Walk of Fame45m
5. Santa Monica Beach and Pier45m
6. Petersen Automotive Museumpass by
7. La Brea Tar Pitspass by
8. Los Angeles County Museum of Artpass by
9. Los Angeles Original Farmers Market1h
10. Melrose Avenuepass by
11. Griffith Parkpass by
12. The Greek Theatrepass by
13. Griffith Observatory30m

Half-day Los Angeles city highlights

• Begin tour at Hollywood or Santa Monica
• Pass by Sunset Strip and West Hollywood
• Stop 30 minutes at Beverly Hills Sign
• Explore Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive
• Stop 45 minutes at Santa Monica Pier or Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Stop 60 minutes at The Grove and Farmers Market
• Stop 30 minutes at Griffith Observatory
• Return to starting location

The experience

The bus is already rolling when you settle in: your driver pointing out the Sunset Strip's billboards and explaining which clubs still matter, which ones don't. This is the half-day tour that actually stays half a day, not the seven- or nine-hour versions that swallow your afternoon and your evening. You pick your starting point: Hollywood Walk of Fame or Santa Monica Pier. From there, the route unfolds in four stops, each one long enough to actually look around, short enough that you're not standing in a parking lot waiting for stragglers.

First stop is Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive: thirty minutes to walk the palm-lined blocks, see the exotic cars parked outside the boutiques, grab a photo at the Beverly Hills sign. Then you're back on the bus heading to either the Santa Monica Pier (if you started in Hollywood) or the Hollywood Walk of Fame (if you started in Santa Monica). Forty-five minutes to explore, which is real time, not rushed, not endless. The pier has the ocean and the amusement park. Hollywood Boulevard has the stars embedded in the sidewalk and the old theaters. After that, The Grove and the Original Farmer's Market for an hour. It's a lunch stop, so you can eat or just wander the market stalls and the outdoor mall. Last is Griffith Observatory, thirty minutes to stand on the overlook and see the city spread below you, the Hollywood sign visible if the light is right.

The bus itself is climate-controlled, which matters in LA heat. Your guide is a driver who knows the city, not a microphone operator reading facts. If you're departing from Hollywood, the tour comes with an 11-language audio app. You download it before you leave, pick your language (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Russian, Italian, Catalan, Korean, Japanese, or Chinese), and follow along on your phone. It's pre-recorded, so you're not waiting for a live guide to finish a sentence. You move at your own pace through each stop. Children under eight get a car seat included. You end where you started, which means no scrambling to figure out how to get back to your hotel.

The whole thing takes about four to five hours on the bus and at stops combined. That leaves your morning or your evening free, depending on which time slot you book. It's the only half-day option in Los Angeles that hits all four of these spots without a hotel pickup eating another hour.

What’s included

Your tour includes a climate-controlled luxury bus with an expert driver-guide, entry to all four stops (Beverly Hills, Santa Monica Pier or Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Grove and Farmer's Market, and Griffith Observatory), a free multilingual audio app in 11 languages (when departing from Hollywood), a car seat for children under eight, and return transportation to your starting location. Lunch is not included, but the Farmer's Market stop gives you time to purchase food.

Options for this experience

2 options

The trip originates in Santa MonicaGuide in English · 10:00 and 11:00This excursion starts and finishes in Santa Monica and features a 45-minute stop in Hollywood, along with an optional Audio Guide offered in 11 languages. Meeting point: 1447 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA

The journey kicks off in HollywoodGuide in English · 10:00 and 11:00Departing from Hollywood, the route visits Santa Monica Pier, The Grove/Farmers Market, and Griffith Observatory, with an optional Audio Guide available in 11 languages. Meeting point: Hollywood Visitor Center, 7044 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 11:00

Book up toStart time

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

GroupUp to 32

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish, Spanish, 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.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Hollywood Bus Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see four major LA landmarks in a single morning or afternoon without losing your whole day to a tour: the half-day format and fixed four-stop route mean you get the highlights without the seven-hour commitment or hotel pickups that eat extra time.

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

Do I need a live tour guide, or is it just the audio app?

The driver is live and knows the city. The audio commentary is pre-recorded and available in 11 languages through an app you download on your phone. You listen at your own pace during the tour.

How long is the tour?

About four to five hours total, including time on the bus and at the four stops. It's the only half-day option. Most LA city tours run seven to nine hours.

Can I choose where to start? Hollywood or Santa Monica?

Yes. If you start in Hollywood, your second stop is Santa Monica Pier. If you start in Santa Monica, your second stop is the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You return to your starting point at the end.

Is lunch included?

No. The Grove and Original Farmer's Market is a one-hour stop where you can buy food, but meals are not included in the tour price.

What languages is the audio guide available in?

English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, Russian, Italian, Catalan, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. The app is free and you set it up during check-in.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You meet at either the Hollywood Walk of Fame or Santa Monica Pier, depending on which you choose as your start point. The tour does not include hotel pickups.

What if I don't speak English?

The audio app works in 11 languages. You can follow the tour in your preferred language through your phone.