Independent guide
Big Bus Los Angeles: routes, stops and tickets
Independent guide, not operated by or affiliated with Big Bus Tours.
We list 5 Big Bus ticket options in Los Angeles, from 1.5–2.5 hr. Big Bus Tours Los Angeles is listed as the operator of the service, with a Wilshire Boulevard address in the Miracle Mile area. This guide covers 2 routes, its 17 distinct stops, when to ride and who it suits, then lines up the tickets.
- Routes2
- Stops17
- Tickets5
Route and stops
- Hollywood Loop (Red Route)
- Beach Loop (Blue Route)
A daily loop from Hollywood Boulevard through West Hollywood and Beverly Hills toward the Fairfax district, then back through Melrose. The stop list comes from a single listing, so confirm current stops before relying on it.
Hollywood Loop (Red Route)
Show all 13 stops
A coastal loop from Beverly Gardens Park out to Santa Monica and Venice. Listings say it runs only at select times, so check availability for your date.
Beach Loop (Blue Route)
Big Bus tickets in Los Angeles
Want to see every hop-on hop-off bus in Los Angeles, not just this one? Compare hop-on hop-off tours in Los Angeles.
What riders say
Across these tickets travellers rate Big Bus Los Angeles 4.2 out of 5 from 1,436 reviews.
This was a great tour and our guide Jason was awesome (Even though he thinks In-N-Out is better than Whataburger🤣). We had a great time on this tour and would highly recommend!
Great way to spend a few hours after getting in town. Craig was very knowledgeable. Highly recommend.
Great tour! Saw a lot and tour guide was funny and knowledgeable. The bus was clean and comfortable.
Best time to ride
Los Angeles has a dry climate with mild weather for most of the year, so the open-top deck works in most seasons. Coastal mornings in late spring and early summer can be overcast, so late spring afternoons and autumn tend to give clearer views toward the beach and the Hollywood sign.
Who it suits
- Families
- The Hollywood loop covers the Walk of Fame area and the TCL Chinese Theatre, and the beach loop adds Santa Monica Pier. Sitting on the bus avoids long drives between sights.
- Couples
- The beach loop reaches Santa Monica and Venice for a seaside afternoon, while the Hollywood loop passes the Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills.
- Seniors
- Riding the loop avoids parking and long transfers between neighbourhoods. Accessibility details were not confirmed, so check with the operator.
- First-time visitors
- The two loops split the city into Hollywood and Westside beaches, which gives a quick overview of a very spread-out city.
Tips before you go
- The first stop on the Hollywood loop is the Big Bus Visitor Center on Hollywood Boulevard.
- Beverly Gardens Park is the link between the two loops, so it is where you change between the Red and Blue routes.
- The beach loop is listed as running at select times, so confirm it operates on your travel day.
- A listing gives up to about two hours for the main tour if you stay on board.
- Stop numbering and stop lists differ between sellers, so check the current map.
Sights along the way
TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sunset Strip, Beverly Gardens Park, The Grove, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Boardwalk, Paramount Studios.
Top-ranked in Los Angeles: Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, Hollywood Sign, Sunset Strip, Griffith Park. All things to do in Los Angeles.
Why take the bus in Los Angeles
The case for a sightseeing bus here is about geography. Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the coast are all well-known names, but they are spread across a wide basin. Arranging rides or parking between them eats time, and a first-timer rarely knows which pockets are worth the effort. A loop gives you a quick overview and a way to sample several areas before deciding where to spend longer.
The open-top format suits the climate. The weather is sunny and mild most of the year, so an upper deck is usually pleasant, though late spring can bring a grey coastal haze, which makes afternoons a better bet than early mornings if the sea views matter to you.
Walking is the better choice in the compact clusters. The Hollywood Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Dolby Theatre and Hollywood itself sit close together and are best explored on foot at your own pace. The same goes for Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills, which make a natural stroll of their own. Using a bus to hop between a few hundred metres of sidewalk would be a waste.
The bus earns its place when you want to link those clusters, or reach the Sunset Strip and the Farmers Market area without arranging transport. A walking tour is a different proposition: typically led by a guide on foot over a fixed stretch, it offers more storytelling in one neighbourhood but far less range. If your priority is breadth, the bus wins; if you want depth in Hollywood alone, a guided walk or a self-guided wander fits better.
The metro is worth considering for point-to-point trips on a day when you have a single destination in mind. A bus loop makes more sense when the goal is variety rather than speed.
How the routes work together
There are two routes, and they divide the city in a way that is easy to remember: one stays around Hollywood and the central neighbourhoods, the other heads to the coast.
It is the one that delivers the classic film-city sights. Used on its own it gives a full picture of central Los Angeles.
The Blue Route, the Beach Loop, goes from Beverly Gardens Park out to Santa Monica and Venice. It calls at Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Beach, the Venice Boardwalk and Main Street in Santa Monica. If your day is about sand and seaside atmosphere, this is the route to focus on.
Beverly Gardens Park is the hinge. It appears on both routes, so that is where you switch from one to the other. A traveller who wants both Hollywood and the beach can ride the Red Route to that park and change there.
A few sights fall outside what the stops reach. The Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park and Griffith Observatory have no stop within walking distance, so plan a separate way to reach them. The Venice Boardwalk stop is about 450 metres from Venice Beach, a short walk, and the Farmers Market stop is about 250 metres from the Los Angeles Original Farmers Market.
A sample day on the bus
For a half-day built around the Red Route, start in Hollywood in the morning. Spend the first stretch on foot around the Walk of Fame, the TCL Chinese Theatre, where the Dolby Theatre is only about 100 metres from the stop, and the surrounding streets. These are the busiest spots, so the earlier part of the day is usually the calmer time to wander them.
Board at the Chinese Theatre stop and ride west. The Sunset Strip stop is a good place to get off briefly if you enjoy the atmosphere of its signs and nightlife history, even by day. Stay on for West Hollywood and the Beverly Hills side, then get off at the Farmers Market / The Grove stop for lunch. The Original Farmers Market is a casual place to eat, with food from a variety of vendors, which suits groups who cannot agree on a cuisine.
In the afternoon, rejoin the loop and ride back through Melrose and past Paramount Studios to Hollywood and Vine, which is right by the Walk of Fame. That brings you back to where you began, with a feel for how the neighbourhoods connect.
For a coastal alternative, take the Red Route to Beverly Gardens Park, change to the Blue Route and spend the afternoon at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Boardwalk. Late spring afternoons and autumn tend to give clearer beach views. Two full days would let you do the Hollywood loop one day and the beach the next, with Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign arranged separately.
Booking advice
Start by deciding which of the two routes matters most to you. If the answer is Hollywood and the central neighbourhoods, the Red Route covers it. If you want the coast as well, look for a ticket that lets you ride both, and read the ticket page carefully to see what each option covers.
Pick the length that matches your plan. If you want to spread two routes across a day and add time on foot, choose one that gives you room. Because stop lists can vary between sellers, compare the maps before buying.
Also think about who is travelling. Families with children may prefer the Red Route alone, as it keeps the day compact. Anyone with specific accessibility needs should look at the details on the ticket page before choosing.
Sights worth the stop
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is the obvious start: the stars are set into the pavement along Hollywood Boulevard, and the Hollywood and Vine stop is right beside it. The TCL Chinese Theatre, with its handprints and footprints in cement, is a stop in its own right, and the Dolby Theatre is a short stroll from it.
The Sunset Strip stop puts you on one of the city's best-known boulevards. Further along the loop, the Farmers Market is a relaxed pause for food and people-watching.
On the coast, Venice Beach is known for its boardwalk, and Santa Monica Pier is the traditional seaside landmark. Both suit an unhurried afternoon.
Some of the most photographed places need separate planning. Griffith Observatory and Griffith Park are known for hiking trails and views toward the Hollywood Sign, and the Observatory is a favourite spot for city views. Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills work well as a walking area of their own.
More on Los Angeles sightseeing
Questions about Big Bus Los Angeles
How many routes does Big Bus run in Los Angeles?
Listings describe two loops: the Hollywood Loop (Red) and the Beach Loop (Blue).
Where does the Hollywood loop start?
At the Big Bus Visitor Center on Hollywood Boulevard, according to listings.
Does the bus go to Santa Monica?
Yes, the Beach Loop is listed as serving Santa Monica Pier and Santa Monica Beach, then Venice Boardwalk.
Does the bus stop at The Grove?
One listing names Farmers Market / The Grove as a stop on the Hollywood loop.
Does the Beach Loop run every day?
Listings say it runs only at select times, so confirm for your date.
How many Big Bus ticket options are there in Los Angeles?
We list 5 Big Bus ticket options in Los Angeles, lasting 1.5–2.5 hr, rated 4.2 out of 5 across 1,436 traveller reviews.
Route and stop details checked 2026-10-13; routes and times change with the season, so confirm on the ticket page before you travel.