Bus Tours in Hollywood

[emen822]

We will be spending two days in Hollywood before our cruise in April. Were thinking about taking one of those bus tours around Hollywood. Are they worth it? We will have a rental car so I'm wondering if we could do something on our own. Will be staying at the Sportsmens Lodge in Studio City. TIA!

[figgy3]

We took a Hollywood bus tour last year when we were in town for a convention. We are originally from the LA area (south bay), but had never spent any time in Hollywood, so thought it would be a fun way to kill a few hours. Truthfully, I thought it was pretty cheesy- and certainly nothing we couldn't have done on our own. It consisted of parking the bus on a side street while we walked down the street to Grauman's chinese (outside only), Kodak theater (outside only) and other outside only places. Then the tour guide let us wander around on our own for about half an hour - just enough time time to grab a very forgettable lunch of sorts. The only good thing about it was that had we gone on our own it might have been difficult to find parking, but I don't think it justified the "walk down the street" tour.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Really emen822...

The only ones that are not cheesy, and are really exceptional (so I'd even recommend these to figgy3 next time they are up in the Hollywood area) are Red Line Tours.

 

This walking tour is great:

Hollywood Behind The Scenes

http://www.redlinetours.com/redline/hbs.php

 

For a driving tour this is the best one in Los Angeles:

Hollywood Movie Star Experience

http://www.redlinetours.com/redline/hmse.php

 

All the rest are the same basic cheese, driving by things you can see yourself.

 

[Cruisin' Chick]

Probably depends on where the tour will be going. If you have a car and did lots of research, and have someone you trust navigating you about (just about nothing ticks off a native Angeleno to be driving behind someone who is trying to drive and read a map or directions at the same time), then it may be worth your while to do it yourself. On the other hand, if you're spending much of the time trying to find parking and then trying to keep track of how long you have at that meter...

 

What sights does this bus go to?

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Also, if you want to drive around yourselves (which you can do fairly easily)...

 

Here's my own personal driving tour...

Start at the Hollywood sign from your hotel...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=404640

My way gets you the closest that you can possible get.

No actual tour bus can get anywhere near this close.

 

Then from there start on my Taste of LA Driving Tour:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=511653

You can stop as long as you want at all the various sights, restaurants, shopping along the way!

You could take an entire day with stopping and exploring on this tour.

 

See if any of those work for you.

;)