How To Choose a Hollywood Tour

Los Angeles movie studio tours aren’t the only way to learn how your favorite films were made—you can get a similar experience by visiting Hollywood movie locations with an insider. From hot dog joints to historic hotels, see the settings for some of Hollywood’s most memorable scenes, and be sure to ask your guide about their film industry experiences.

If you’re curious about the golden age of cinema, join a walking tour of historic Hollywood Boulevard and movie palaces that will take you to flashy 1920s movie theaters and tell you how the world-famous boulevard came to be. At the Dolby Theatre, you can even see where Hollywood’s biggest stars have accepted Academy Awards.

While it’s exciting to glimpse the iconic Hollywood Sign from afar, there’s a good reason why hiking there is recommended on nearly every LA travel itinerary. A short guided hike to the Hollywood Sign gets you up close to the 43-foot-tall (13-meter-tall) letters, setting you up for perfect photos both behind and in front of the sign. Though you’ll work up a sweat huffing into the Hollywood Hills, you’ll also get beautiful city views stretching from Sunset Boulevard to Santa Monica.

Alternatively, to experience Griffith Park at golden hour, join a Griffith Observatory sunset hike, which gives you a bird’s-eye view of Hollywood’s landmarks and free time to enjoy the observatory’s astronomical exhibits.

If you only have one day to see the highlights of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and the beaches beyond, a full-day Los Angeles sightseeing tour is the best way to maximize your time. Hop on a coach and see the city from the coast to the hills, starting with skate parks and street art at Venice Beach and ending with a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard—all without braving LA traffic on your own.

If budgeting isn’t a concern, a private best-of-LA tour lets you customize the itinerary to your tastes, or use your limited time to focus solely on Hollywood’s 20th-century origins and present-day landmarks.

Los Angeles is a driving city, and locals might argue that the most authentic way to experience it is by car. No need to head to the rental agency—just book a tour that lets you drive to the Hollywood Sign in a Ferrari. With your guide riding shotgun, you can focus on the thrill of driving a sports car rather than the hassle of parking it.

If you want to enjoy the wind in your hair but feel more comfortable in the passenger seat, choose a classic convertible tour of LA that stops for photos along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and regales you with stories about the City of Angels.

The celebrity homes tour is ubiquitous in LA, which means it’s easy to find one that suits your interests and budget. A shared celebrity homes tour by open-top minivan points out movie-star mansions along Mulholland Drive and other exclusive locales. A private celebrity homes tour, meanwhile, shows you prime real estate in a more inconspicuous luxury vehicle.

If you’re hoping to spot a celebrity heading to set, try your luck at one of LA's top-rated studio experiences. On the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, you can see the Central Perk café from Friends and literally go behind the scenes at Hollywood backlots and sound stages.

Feasting and sightseeing go hand in hand on a Hollywood food tour, which can spotlight the neighborhood’s immigrant-driven cuisine. Between tastings of Thai, Middle Eastern, and other global specialties, listen to your guide’s stories about local landmarks such as the El Capitan Theatre.

For a taste of Hollywood nightlife, join a speakeasy bar tour and find out where movie stars drank during Hollywood’s golden age. Hop from a hidden bar in the Pantages Theatre to an old-school dining institution favored by Hollywood executives—no lines or reservations necessary. Or join a party bus with stops at popular bars while you wander through Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, and Santa Monica Boulevard.

If ghost stories and true crime podcasts are your entertainment of choice, a haunted Hollywood walking tour is right up your alley. Experience Hollywood attractions in an eerier light, from the Capitol Records Building to the TCL Chinese Theatre, as you stroll the neighborhood by night and hear about its haunted history from your guide.

You may decide that you need a drink to take the edge off those creepy tales—that’s where a cocktail and true crime tour comes in. Sip wine and spirits at legendary Hollywood haunts, such as the hotel bar frequented by Marilyn Monroe, while learning about the killers and criminals who darkened LA’s history.

Most visitors to Hollywood Boulevard look for their favorite celebrity’s name in gold, but you can also get your own star on the Walk of Fame—at least for a photo op. This quick, kid-friendly activity allows you to create a custom nameplate for a Walk of Fame star, then pose for pictures to take home.

If your kids would rather snap photos next to wax figures of movie stars and Marvel characters, reserve Madame Tussauds Hollywood tickets and explore at your own pace. A celebrity homes tour and Universal Studios Hollywood™ admission package, on the other hand, keeps the whole family occupied for a full day.

There’s no need to blow your savings on guided experiences in LA; some of the best bus tours in Hollywood cost US$30 or less. Save time and money on an affordable open-top bus ride that takes you past all the Hollywood headliners, plus celebrity homes and the Sunset Strip, in just two hours.

If you’d rather explore on foot, choose a shared walking tour that gives you an overview of the area’s attractions without offering admission. That way, you can decide what tickets and passes are worth purchasing later.

If you don’t mind heights, the most efficient way to explore Hollywood—and escape LA’s gridlock traffic—is to book a helicopter tour. Get a unique vantage point of the sprawling city as you fly over the Hollywood Sign, Sunset Boulevard, and the A-lister mansions dotting the surrounding hills.

As thrilling as the ride itself is the sheer amount of ground you’ll cover. While it normally takes an hour to drive from downtown LA to Malibu, you’ll be able to see the entire City of Angels from east to west in 35 minutes.