Tours in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is one of those cities you think you've known forever without ever having set foot there, having been the setting for so many movies and series. Read on to learn how to discover the city and its surroundings.
1. Hollywood tour
If it's your first time in the dream factory and you don't know where to go or what to do because the city is so huge, the Hollywood tour is the best way to make the most of your trip and see the highlights of Los Angeles in a group of maximum 23 people.
So if you don't have a car, avoid traffic, or don't want to use public transportation, I recommend hopping on this bus and exploring the entire Hollywood area in just two hours accompanied by a guide who will tell you all the secrets and anecdotes about the City of Stars.
It is available in English and Spanish. Since this Hollywood tour is short, you'll have part of the day to enjoy other Los Angeles activities at your own pace.
Itinerary
This tour will take you by bus to the most important sights of Los Angeles. Along the way, you'll make several stops to see the famous Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame with its more than 2000 stars and honor your favorite artists. On this tour, you'll also see landmarks like the Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood & Highland complex, which is known as the home of the Academy Awards.
Then reach the Hollywood Sign, the giant white nine-letter sign on Mount Lee Hill that has become one of Los Angeles' landmarks since it was installed in 1923 for an advertising campaign. During the tour you will learn from a guide about its fascinating history and why it became a symbol of popular culture.
The next stop on the Hollywood tour is Mulholland Drive, the home of celebrities, where you can admire the exclusive mansions and fabulous views from the observation decks along the street built in 1924.
At the end of this tour, there is nothing better than a trip to the most exclusive shopping street in Los Angeles: Rodeo Drive. It is world famous as one of the most expensive and luxurious areas in the United States. Although the prices are not for every budget, a visit to this glamorous corner of the city is worthwhile.
Recommendation
If you're visiting Los Angeles as a family, you'll be interested in this tour because it allows you to see several sights aboard a bus with child seats that are also accessible to strollers, so kids can rest between rides.
Duration
The tour lasts about 2 hours.
2. Half day tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills in a limousine
If you want to experience the true Hollywood lifestyle, the Hollywood and Beverly Hills half-day tour is just for you. Feel like a celebrity as you board a limousine to visit the city's most famous landmarks such as West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, the Sunset Strip and much more.
A guide will accompany you aboard the limousine and introduce you, in English or Spanish, to the culture of Hollywood stars and the main sights during a 2-hour and 30-minute tour. During the tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills neighborhoods, you can stop to have a drink, shop or visit a particular attraction.
Itinerary
This limo tour allows you to see iconic places in Los Angeles without the crowds, as z. B. enjoy the places associated with the entertainment industry, such as the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard, and the movie-loving atmosphere. Also, the Chinese Theatre, where the most important films premiere, the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards are held, and the Capitol Records Tower, an icon of modern architecture.
Other stops on the tour include Rodeo Drive, Melrose Place and Sunset Trip, three areas filled with stores, restaurants, nightclubs, live music venues and shopping malls where you can buy souvenirs of your stay in Los Angeles and enjoy the city's best cuisine.
During the limo tour you can also visit the Hollywood Sign, the famous white Hollywood sign you know from countless movies and series, and take photos for your social media.
Recommendation
The half-day tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills is wheelchair accessible, both the transportation and the surfaces are wheelchair accessible, so most travelers can participate, including the youngest, who must be 14 years old or younger.
Duration
The tour lasts about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
3. Private guided tour of Los Angeles
If you're looking for a more intimate Los Angeles sightseeing experience, where you and your group of up to 7 people decide when the tour starts, what you want to see, and how long you stay at each sight, I recommend a private Los Angeles tour that lets you see the city at the pace that suits you best, with all the comforts of home, just like an Angeleno.
On this 3-hour private tour, you'll learn the history of the most famous places in Los Angeles, including those that aren't in the guidebooks. A perfect mix of the most touristy and the less visited places with no other tourists in the picture.
Itinerary
The vehicle will pick you up for free within a 4 mile radius of Hollywood Boulevard. Sit back and turn on your camera to immortalize the best views of Mulholland Drive or the Universal City Overlook, to capture the hustle and bustle of the Walk of Fame, and to take photos of two of Los Angeles' most famous signs: the Beverly Hills Sign or the Hollywood Sign.
This private tour of Los Angeles is the only one of its kind with a stop at the Hollywood Sign on a secret walking tour!
Afterwards, stroll down Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive through two of the hottest neighborhoods in the City of Stars. Here you will find some of the best restaurants and most exclusive stores in L.A. Who knows if you won't run into one of your idols and ask for an autograph?
If your passion for movies brings you here, on this private tour of Los Angeles you will also have the opportunity to visit locations such as Greystone Mansion and Park, which has been featured in several movies and music videos, or Spadena House, the little house from Hansel and Gretel that children love to see.
If music is your reason for traveling to Los Angeles, you'll love a visit to Laurel Canyon. Starting in 1965, this neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills was home to numerous young musicians who have become true legends today: Jim Morrison, Eric Clapton, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and The Mamas & The Papas are just some of them. Follow their footsteps through Laurel Canyon!
Recommendation
This private tour of Los Angeles is perfect for those who want to explore the city at their own pace and in their own group, comfortably and without crowds. It is offered in English, Spanish, French, Russian and Armenian!
Duration
The approximate duration of the tour is 3 hours.
4. 3-day tour of the California coast: Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Carmel
If you already know the city of Los Angeles and this time you have something different in mind, I suggest a 3 days and 2 nights tour by van or bus along the West Coast with stops in Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Carmel, which includes 2 nights of accommodation and a guide for the driver. It's a great opportunity to see some of California's coolest coastal towns and beautiful landscapes.
Day 1: Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
The starting point for this tour is Los Angeles. On the first day you will head north, and the first stop is Santa Barbara. Here you can visit a Spanish colonial mission to learn about the importance of these enclaves to the social development of the region.
Then it's on to Solvang, a small town founded by Danes with typical northern European architecture and a few restaurants, breweries and bakeries.
Return to the car and drive the famous 17 Miles Drive (part of Route 1) along the California coast and enjoy the beautiful scenery. The scenic drive is well worth it before reaching the town of Carmel, where you will have some free time before returning to your hotel to rest after a long day.
- Accommodation: San Francisco – La Quinta Inn & Suites
- Meals: Not included
Day 2: San Francisco
San Francisco is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the United States, and the tour on Day 2 will show you why. The tour starts with a short drive from Fisherman's Wharf along the famous bay, under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz Island.
Afterwards, return to the pier for a drink and join a city tour visiting Chinatown, downtown Sausalito, and the top of Twin Peaks for the best views of San Francisco.
- Accommodation: Modesto – Best Western Palm Court Inn (in winter Monterey Hotel / Holiday Inn)
- Meals: Breakfast
Day 3: Yosemite or Monterey
Depending on the time of year you visit California, Day 3 of this tour will take you on a different route.
In the summer, start your day by visiting the farms in the San Joaquin Valley until you reach Yosemite National Park. Have your camera ready to capture this natural wonder with its 1.200 square miles of lakes, giant redwood forests, crystal clear rivers and waterfalls to photograph.
Stop at El Capitan, Bridal-Veil Falls and Half Dome, Yosemite's landmark and a great challenge for hikers. Finally, from the Yosemite Tourist Center, take a pleasant walk to the highest waterfalls in North America: Yosemite Falls, 730 meters high.
In winter, start your day with a tour of Monterey, including the pier and Cannery Row. Then head to the famous Hearst Castle, built by Julia Morgan, California's first female architect, for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.
Hearst Castle is a temple of opulence and excess, with rooms housing spectacular works of art. Visiting this palatial estate in November or December is very special, as you will have the opportunity to see the house decorated in the American style for Christmas. The tour ends with an evening return to Los Angeles with a suitcase full of souvenirs.
Recommendation
So if you are traveling with a group of four or more or want separate rooms, I recommend making separate reservations.
Why I like this tour
This is a short tour that allows you to see some of California's most outstanding tourist attractions in just 3 days, as well as the development of the state since its beginnings. Moreover, ecotourism is combined with the visit of some cities, giving you a pretty complete experience on your trip to California.
5. Santa Barbara, Solvang and Hearst Castle Day Tour from Los Angeles
If you are in Los Angeles and spend several days in the city, you can use your stay to explore other sights and places of interest. This 12-hour van or bus tour from Los Angeles, with a professional tour guide, takes you through Santa Barbara, through the Danish-influenced town of Solvang and to the magnificent castle of famed 20th-century publisher William Randolph Hearst.
Itinerary
Leave the Hollywood glamour behind and embark on an adventurous journey to Santa Barbara to visit the beautiful beaches, harbor and historic Spanish colonial mission established there to missionize the Chumash Indians.
Afterwards, drive to Solvang, a town of Danish origin near Santa Barbara and in the Santa Ynez Valley, a popular wine growing area in California. Here you can find a replica of the Little Mermaid monument of Copenhagen. Before heading to Hearst Castle, you can browse the Danish stores and sample the delicious food.
The last stop on this tour is a visit to the home of William Randolph Hearst, a spectacular palace filled with works of art, where you can also learn some of the most curious stories about the region's upper class who frequented the home in the last century.
On the way back to Los Angeles, you will have the opportunity to review the best moments of the trip and view all the pictures on your camera. An unforgettable experience.
Why I like this tour
It is a quick way to visit several interesting places in California while staying in Los Angeles. If you're interested in architecture, this is a great way to learn about the style and history of different eras, from Spanish colonial architecture at the Franciscan Mission to Danish court architecture at Solvang to the Spanish architecture of the Andalusian cathedrals that inspired the Casa Grande at Hearst Castle.
6. San Diego Day Trip from Los Angeles
San Diego is one of the most important cities in the United States, bordering Mexico and best embodying the Californian spirit. The city's history, beaches, parks and climate make it a highly recommended place for a day trip to San Diego by van or bus from Los Angeles accompanied by a professional guide.
Discover the most important historical and scenic attractions of San Diego in just 13 hours. See the elegant seaside community of La Jolla, explore the beautiful surroundings of Coronado Island, stroll through San Diego's historic district and experience the opportunity to board the aircraft carrier USS Midway, a museum ship that was the largest in the world until 1955 – feel like a real Marine!
Itinerary
The tour starts with a drive south to La Jolla Inlet, the new Beverly Hills, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the California coastline. We then head to San Diego to continue the tour at Seaport Village, one of the must-see sites of the aircraft carrier USS Midway.
The San Diego tour continues to Coronado Island, home to the famous Coronado Hotel, the largest wooden building in the United States, which has served as a movie set on several occasions.
Before ending the tour in San Diego and returning to Los Angeles, you will have 2 hours to visit Old Town, where in the 18. The first Spanish city on the West Coast was founded in the sixteenth century. This historic district has several original buildings that you can visit on a walking tour, as well as the Bazaar Del Mundo market, considered one of the best places to buy a souvenir for your visit to San Diego.
Why I like this tour
San Diego offers everything you'd expect from a big city, plus spectacular beaches lapped by the Pacific Ocean. The mild climate and relaxed atmosphere make the city an ideal place to spend fun and free time. This tour is the perfect end to a trip to Los Angeles.
Isabel's Travel Tip
Looking for the best view of San Diego? At the Coronado Island viewpoint overlooking San Diego Bay, you can enjoy the extraordinary city skyline and take a selfie!
7. Day trip to Palm Springs and outlet shopping at discounted prices from Los Angeles
Palm Springs is located in the heart of the Sonoran Desert in Southern California and is known for its spas and hot springs, luxury hotels, golf courses and as the home of legendary artists such as Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.
On this 12-hour tour from Los Angeles by bus or van, accompanied by a professional guide, you'll have the opportunity to discover all that Palm Springs has to offer, including the breathtaking desert scenery, the luxurious homes of celebrities, the Living Desert Zoo, and the high-end shopping district of "Rodeo Drive" in Palm Desert. In the brand stores of the Desert Hills Premium Outlets you will find the best bargains.
Itinerary
The Palm Springs tour leads from Los Angeles into the desert. Upon arrival, a guided sightseeing tour is on the agenda, which includes sights such as golf courses, celebrity mansions, and the Palm Springs cable car, which offers breathtaking aerial views of the city and the near-vertical cliffs of Chino Canyon.
If you're traveling to Los Angeles with your family, the next stop on the tour is a must for the kids: the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, a biodiverse zoo and botanical garden where you can see a variety of animals.
Then hop in the vehicle to visit Palm Desert's "Rodeo Drive" and Desert Hills Premium Outlets, where you can shop before returning to Los Angeles.
Why I like this tour
This day trip to Palm Springs is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and explore the slower pace of life in this affluent California desert city that has enchanted artists such as Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand and Marilyn Monroe.
And in the luxury brand outlets of the Desert Hills Premium Outlets, such as Prada, Versace, Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana, you can find real bargains – a shopping paradise in California!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Los Angeles known for?
Home to Hollywood and Universal Studios, Los Angeles is known for its extensive film activities. The most famous places in the city are Venice Beach, the Sunset Strip, Rodeo Drive, the numerous theme parks and the many rooftop bars spread all over the city.
Which tour of Los Angeles should I take?
The experience with the best reviews by far is the 6-hour tour of Los Angeles, with over 470 reviews and a 4-star rating. Part of the appeal of this tour is how comprehensive it is. It will show you all the major sights of Los Angeles, making it a highly recommended place to visit, especially for those visiting Los Angeles for the first time.
Do you have any tips for experiencing Los Angeles like a local??
Considering the size of Los Angeles, it's best to rent a car to experience the city like a local. We recommend Thai Town, Echo Park and Korea Town, where you will experience unique impressions in the city.