Perfect 5 ½ Hour LA & Hollywood Tour from Santa Monica

Recommended by 91% of travelers

Santa Monica, USA

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

5 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.7

· Amanda_C ·

Sep 2025

This tour was amazing, good value for money, got to see so much. Tour guide Bee is an asset to the company. Her knowledge, wit and funny comments were brilliant. We got to see Rodeo drive, Beverly hills, Hollywood, walk of fame... it was perfect. Highly recommend. The company were so good I booked a Malibu trip the next day with them

· Anita_W ·

Sep 2025

Driver Bee was so knowledgeable and FUN! So many great places we traveled to! Well worth it! Any longer tour would have been too long.

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Overview

Visit many of Los Angeles’s highlights and landmarks on one fun and convenient outing. Learn about LA history and culture—its historic filming locations and crime scenes, celebrity homes and trendy restaurants—from a narrator as you traverse the city in a convertible bus. Stops include the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, a farmer's market for lunch, and the Hollywood Sign.

Perfect for first-time visitors to LA who want to get a feel for the city
Experience Los Angeles’s top highlights on a four-stop convertible bus tour
Stop for lunch (at your own cost) at one of LA’s famous farmer’s markets
Pick-up from select Santa Monica and Venice hotels adds convenience

What's Included

Live commentary on board
Professional guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
Safe Luggage Storage Available

Cost of Lunch Not Included

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

***PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR PICKUP TIME- IT IS PRIOR TO THE TOUR DEPARTURE TIME*** Pickup times vary based on hotel you are located. --Marina Del Rey Hotels are picked up 30-40 minutes before tour start time. --Venice Beach Hotels pickup 20-30 minutes before tour start time. --Local Santa Monica Hotels are picked up roughly 20-30 minutes before tour start time. Please call us with any questions.

Meeting point

1654 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
Please arrive 15 minutes early for check in. Meet us at Poseidon Surf Shop, just a block south of the Santa Monica Pier on Ocean Ave.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Meet your guide near Santa Monica Pier or enjoy the convenience of hotel pickup if you've selected a package with transfers. The first stop is the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign, offering great photo opportunities. Next, stop by the famous Chinese Theater, before cruising along the Sunset Strip. A stop at Rodeo Drive lets you explore the famed fashion district frequented by celebrities.

As you journey through LA, pass by noteworthy venues like The Roxy, and the Hollywood Bowl. Enjoy live commentary throughout the tour, giving you stories you’d miss otherwise—including the inside scoop on filming locations, celebrities, history, and culture.

Take a lunch break at a local farmer’s market, where you can sample various cuisines at your own expense. Then, your tour concludes back at your initial meeting point or at your hotel, wrapping up a day filled with LA's highlights.

Surf City Tours

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Hollywood Walk of Fame

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Hollywood Sign

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

TCL Chinese Theatres

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

SUR Lounge (Pass By)

Sunset Strip (Pass By)

Rodeo Drive

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Viper Room (Pass By)

Whisky-a-Go-Go (Pass By)

The Roxy (Pass By)

Hollywood Bowl (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
Walking is Recommended at stops, but not required.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Foldable wheelchair can be stored on vehicle, however wheelchair lifts are unavailable and passenger must be able to get in and out of vehicle with assistance from family, friends.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 52 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 1,125 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Unfortunately the tour...

Bruce_R, Jan 2026

Unfortunately the tour guide never showed so we were left stranded at our hotel pick up. We still have not heard from this tour guide even though we have repeatedly tried to contact them. So I would not recommend.

Chad was our guide. He...

Lynda_B, Oct 2025

Chad was our guide. He was amazingly knowledgeable and very entertaining. I think everyone on the van had a really good time!

Get to know the neighborhood

eveline_l, Sep 2025

You’ll get lots of fun facts and scenery. Drive past beverly hills, homes, a very American marketplace with stores and food. Time went by quickly! Was great fun. The ‘jokes’ however are conservative in nature: not really lhbtiq friendly/women empowering. But he… maybe that’s USA?

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you!

Guests

Frank_N, Sep 2025

The guide was very knowledgeable, which you would expect. But he incorporated many improvisations that made the tour so much more informative and interesting!

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you!

Fun fun fun!

Anita_W, Sep 2025

Driver Bee was so knowledgeable and FUN! So many great places we traveled to! Well worth it! Any longer tour would have been too long.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for your kind words!

Great driver, great tour...

Nancy_M, Sep 2025

Great driver, great tour for seeing all the Hollywood/Beverly Hills highlights in a half day tour. Nice to have time at a few locations without having to wait for another bus.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you! So happy to hear you had a great time.

Loved this tour

Amanda_C, Sep 2025

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you! Bee sure is a brilliant asset. Happy to hear you had a great time.

Preferably a longer tour

mark_m, Aug 2025

A little rushed for our liking and arrived back 30 minutes early. Needed more time on hollywood boulevard

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your feedback! We will assess to make sure we are providing the best tour possible.

The family's first visited to Cali ever!

Cathy_C, Aug 2025

The travel with Surf City is informative, narrator is funny, he knows Hollywood and has meet some of the stars and that makes it interesting.

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your review!

Highly recommend

Daisy_R, Aug 2025

This was the perfect way to see all of the key tourist sites in LA! We really enjoyed having time to stop and explore at a few of the sites. We were able to walk around Rodeo drive, have lunch at The Grove and a couple of other stops. Much better than the hop on hop off tours where you have little to no guidance. Tour guide was funny and had interesting facts all throughout the trip. Great way to spend the day

Response from Host, Aug 2025

We’re so happy to hear you had such a great experience!

Great way to see LA sites in half a day

Faye_M, Jul 2025

We did the 5.5 hour tour from Santa Monica. Stops included the LA walk of Fame - about an hour plus the Farmers market - an hour and Rodeo drive (about half an hour). Drive throughs included the Hollywood sign, Hollywood hills houses and Sunset boulevard. Our guide was lovely but it was hard to hear with the LA traffic so I would recommend the tour company use headphones or install speakers towards the back of the vans.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your review! We appreciate your input.

Best tour of Los Angeles Santa Monica Hollywood etc

Kenneth_H, Jul 2025

Josh was excellent . He went about and behond to show us the most important iconic areas of Los Angeles area. He was very knowledgeable and great driver around the hills to show us breathtaking views of the area

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you! Josh sure is a stellar guide!

Our guide was very...

Terri_B, Jun 2025

Our guide was very knowledgeable and had a lot of fun facts he shared with us. He was fun to spend time with. It was a great way to see so much of the city and determine areas we wanted to go back to and spend more time.

Response from Host, Jun 2025

Thank you for your review! We’re happy to hear you had a great time!

Great for families with teenagers!

Merritt_T, Jun 2025

Loved this tour! Just the right amount of time for our family of 4 with 2 teens. I was concerned that with something longer, they’d be bored. Instead they were engaged the whole time and had great fun!

Response from Host, Jun 2025

We’re so happy to hear both the adults and teens had a great time on the tour!

Bea was a great tour guide

Ken_M, May 2025

This was a fantastic tour. Great spots visited and Bea was very knowledgeable about the area. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, May 2025

Thank you so much for the kind words! We’re thrilled you had a fantastic time and enjoyed the stops along the way. We’ll be sure to pass your compliments along to Bea. She will be so happy to hear it. Hope to see you on another adventure soon!

Great tour from start to...

Craig_A, Apr 2025

Great tour from start to finish. Bee was an amazing guide. Very informative and very funny! She went out her way to make everyone comfortable. Would definitely recommend this tour with this company! Thanks Bee, Craig and Alison (the Scottish and English couple!) 😃

Response from Host, Apr 2025

We’re thrilled you had a great time from start to finish. Bee is truly one of a kind. We’re lucky to have her! We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words. Wishing you all the best from sunny LA!

Miss leading

Luz_V, Apr 2025

It was not pleasant, we were very disappointed, the "guide" was not helpful even though he wanted a $20 tip per person, like a tip is not something u have to earn. Now he knows he's way around LA, but didn't deliver on what we sign for, Hollywood sign and walk of fame.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

We’re really sorry to hear your experience didn’t meet expectations. Our guides are trained to provide a fun, informative experience, and it sounds like we missed the mark for you. While gratuities are always optional and never required, we agree. They should reflect great service, and we’ll make sure to address this internally. Our tours do include views of the Hollywood Sign and stops at the Walk of Fame, so we’d love to learn more about what happened during your tour so we can make things right. Please feel free to reach out to us directly. We truly appreciate your feedback and the chance to improve.

Very Disappointing tour

Judy_L, Apr 2025

Very far from Hollywood sign and location did not have a clear view to take pictures. Outdoor electrical Cables impeded the clear view. Not much time (30) spent on the Walk of Fame. Too much time spent on viewing celebrities home that were not even visible due to the front lawn landscape and hidden entrances. The tour guide made a few inappropriate remarks, such as high school girls skirts, “ the higher the grade the shorter the skirt. Oh well, if you have it they can flaunted”, further talking too much about gay community or people and badging political figures. This was a vacation event, not a political one or sexual orientation tour. The sign suggesting a $20 per person tip is not appropriate.

Response from Host, Apr 2025

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re very sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. We understand how important it is to have clear views of the Hollywood Sign and a balanced itinerary, and we’ll take your comments into account as we continue improving our routes and timing. We also sincerely apologize for any comments made by the guide that made you uncomfortable. Our goal is always to create an inclusive, respectful, and enjoyable experience for every guest, and we’ll be addressing this internally to ensure our tours meet that standard. Lastly, we appreciate your feedback regarding the tipping sign—it’s meant only as a suggestion and we never want anyone to feel obligated. We would love the opportunity to make this right by offering you a free tour. Please reach out to us directly so we can personally arrange it for you.

Significant experience in a short time.

MayelCristina_Y, Apr 2025

It was a fascinating experience because our guide has a great domain about this city's most critical aspects. I made a great friend on the tour and had a great time. I highly recommend it

Response from Host, Apr 2025

We’re so happy you made a friend and enjoyed your tour!

An Unforgettable Experience with the Amazing Kent!

Vania_B, Mar 2025

Kent made our day! He is not only highly professional but also incredibly fun. His deep knowledge of history, recent events, and the local economy made the tour both engaging and insightful. He drives exceptionally well and does everything with passion. Kent went above and beyond, providing fantastic recommendations for places to visit. Booking this tour was our best decision, and we were truly lucky to have him as our guide. One of the things that impressed us the most was his great memory—he even remembered where each of us was from and made thoughtful mentions throughout the tour. It was worth every penny, and I highly recommend Surf Safaris Tours to anyone looking for an unforgettable experience! Thank you, Kent! A big hug from Marin and San Jose!

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you so much for the amazing review! We’re thrilled to hear Kent made such a lasting impression. His passion, memory, and thoughtful touches truly make tours unforgettable. We’ll make sure he sees your kind words. Sending a big hug back from all of us at Surf City Tours!

So much fun

Dava_B, Mar 2025

Great time had by all 14 of us! Such a great way to see LA. Able to get on and off bus. Tour guide was very entertaining

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Sounds like an amazing time! We’re so glad your group enjoyed exploring LA with us. Thanks for choosing Surf City Tours!

5 1/2 hour LA tour

Steven_D, Jan 2025

Geo our guide was amazing. Learnedso much about history of areas we visited. Wonderful sense of humor.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you! Gio sure is a pro.

Bee was great ! Nice general tour of the area in short time

Patty_S, Jan 2025

Bee was a great tour guide , she was funny and very knowledgeable. She was obsessed with celebrities which made it so enjoyable because her excitement was contagious.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you! Bee is truly a joy to be around!

Truly perfect... great...

Cathleen_B, Jan 2025

Truly perfect... great stories and bit of everything... celebrity houses...walk of stars... farmers market

Response from Host, Jan 2025

¡Gracias por tus comentarios!

Awesome

Rachel_L, Dec 2024

Fun to visit beautiful places in the area of LA. I would do it again. It is great for the price, the tour guide knows a lot about the city.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you!

Loved the tour

DJayaseelan_D, Dec 2024

The guide Jeo was very friendly and helpful. We had a wonderful city tour. We were picked up from our hotel, though it wasn’t a place of pickup.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you!

Good!

Luisa_H, Dec 2024

Really good trip and a funny guide Kelly told us a lot about the movies, actors and celebrities. But it was just 4,5 instead of the 5,5h. So one hours less than what you paid for. Maybe it was because of less traffic

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for your feedback!

Excellent tour, so many great stops!

Kimberly_p, Dec 2024

This tour was great ! We got to see so many highlights of LA! Bee was an awesome tourguide, very knowledgeable and has done her research! We did this mid December, so because it’s an open top vehicle it gets pretty chilly even mid day, I’d take a blanket perhaps. To be fair the van isn’t something that is luxury and was older, but it did what was intended and doesn’t take away from the tour itself just preparing you.

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you! Bee sure is awesome.

Hollywood etc

Steven_B, Dec 2024

Very knowledgeable guide who went out of his way to accommodate requests, especially from myself , including rest room stops and being able to find the Hollywood star I wished to find !

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you!

Hollywood Tour

Benjamin_J, Dec 2024

Our Tour Guide was very informative with a great sense of humour. Our family enjoyed the experience whilst travelling all around LA.

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Thank you for your kind words! We’re so glad to hear that your family enjoyed the tour and that your guide’s humor and knowledge added to the experience.

Likely to Sell Out