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Los Angeles: Hop-on Hop-off Bus & Santa Monica Beach

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration1h 40m–2h

Audio guideEN · CM +1

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two Routes, Your Own Pace: Hollywood & the Beach from an Open-top Bus

You board an open-top bus with a digital ticket on your phone, choose between the Hollywood Loop (TCL Chinese Theatre, Sunset Plaza, Paramount Studios, Melrose) or the Beach Shuttle to Santa Monica Pier and Venice, hop off and on as many times as you want over 24, 48, or 72 hours, and listen to recorded commentary in your own language. The app shows you where the next bus is, and you skip the 30-minute theatre tour if you'd rather keep moving.

1h 40m–2h

Step-by-step itinerary

Start at Big Bus Welcome Center
Visit TCL Chinese Theatre
See Guitar Center Rock Walk
Stop at The Comedy Store
Explore Sunset Plaza and West Hollywood
Visit Beverly Gardens Park
Shop at Beverly Center
Explore Museum Row
Visit Farmers Market and The Grove
See Melrose District
Stop at Paramount Studios
Visit Hollywood and Vine
Take Beach Shuttle from Beverly Gardens Park
Arrive at Santa Monica Pier
Visit Santa Monica Beach and Pier
Explore Venice Boardwalk and Main Street

The Experience

Earbuds go in, and the bus pulls away from the curb—that's when you realize you're not locked into a schedule. The open-top double-decker lets you see the whole sprawl of Los Angeles at once: the Hollywood Walk of Fame stretching out below, the hills rising behind it, the light hitting the street in that particular California way. You've got a 24, 48, or 72-hour pass, which means you hop off at TCL Chinese Theatre or Sunset Plaza whenever something catches your eye, then catch the next bus when you're ready to move on. The recorded commentary comes through in multiple languages, so you're not dependent on a guide's mood or a fixed narrative—you control what you listen to and when.

The Hollywood Loop hits the places people actually want to see: the Comedy Store, Guitar Center's Rock Walk, Beverly Gardens Park, Museum Row, Farmers Market and The Grove, Melrose District, Paramount Studios. Then there's the Beach Shuttle, a separate route that peels off toward Santa Monica Pier and Venice Boardwalk, so you're not choosing between the hills and the ocean—you do both. The app tracks buses in real time, which sounds small until you're standing on a corner in West Hollywood trying to figure out if you just missed one or if it's two minutes away. Download it before you board, activate your ticket on your phone, and you're done with paper vouchers.

The TCL Chinese Theatre walking tour is optional—30 minutes if you want it, skippable if you don't. Wheelchair access is built in, and the bus company asks for 24 hours' notice if you need specific arrangements. Infants can stay in a stroller or sit on a lap; service animals ride free. The whole thing is designed so you're not herding a group or keeping pace with anyone else's energy level.

What’s included

24, 48, or 72-hour hop-on hop-off bus pass.
open-top double-decker bus on 2 routes (Hollywood Loop and Beach Shuttle).
digital recorded commentary in multiple languages with earbuds provided.
Big Bus Tours app for live bus tracking, ticket storage, and mobile activation.
optional 30-minute TCL Chinese Theatre walking tour.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Big Bus Tours - USA

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to see the main Los Angeles landmarks without renting a car or committing to a fixed itinerary—the two routes and flexible pass let you spend as much time as you want at each stop, and the app removes the guesswork about when the next bus arrives.