Hop on Hop off Bus Tours in Los Angeles

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Los Angeles, the “City of Angels,” beckons to visitors with countless attractions. In the infamously car-centric city, getting around to all the sites can be a challenge. With so much to see in the city, Los Angeles hop-on hop-off bus tours are an ideal way to learn about the city while reaching the best locales.

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Authors

Ioannis Pelegrinis

Lindsay Donaldson

Here's all you need to know about hop-on hop-off bus tours, one of the most exciting sightseeing tours in Los Angeles.

What are the most popular Los Angeles hop-on hop-off bus tours? What do they cost?

City Sightseeing - Starline Tours

Travel to more than 40 places around L.A. on a City Sightseeing Tour. Ideal for your first day in town, make the full loop to learn the layout of the town. Then, make a second loop once you’ve decided which locales you’d like to visit!

City Sightseeing - Starline tours have created three color-coded routes that circulate through different parts of the city. The three routes have some common stops where you can change to a different route if you choose.

Red Route

Immerse yourself in LA’s film culture with a ride through Hollywood, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills on City Sightseeing - Starline’s Red Route. The loop, which consists of 15 stops, begins at the Dolby Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and ends at Pantages Theater on Hollywood and Vine.

Cruise down Sunset Boulevard past Dolby and TCL Chinese Theaters, Guitar Center’s “Rock Walk” and the Laugh Factory. Spy Whisky A Go Go, where the biggest rock bands have graced the stage.

Take a break from star searching with stops at La Brea Tar Pits and the Original Farmers’ Market on Fairfax. Pause on Melrose for some shopping and a famous Pink’s hot dog. Near the end of the loop, pass by Paramount Studios and several stops that can get you close to Griffith Observatory and Universal Studios.

Timetable

The Red Route circuit begins at 10 AM, with the last full loop beginning at 4:30 PM. It takes about 2 hours to make the complete loop. Buses on the Red Route run approximately every 45 minutes, but can take up to an hour due to the notorious L.A. traffic.

Yellow Route

Soak up LA’s beach vibes on the Yellow Route through Century City, West LA and Santa Monica. Starting on Ocean Avenue, there are 15 stops total on this route, with 11 in the city circuit and 4 more in a connected Venice Beach offshoot.

Oggle the sprawling campus of University of California - Los Angeles and Century City, a concentration of workspaces for some of the world’s most creative minds. In Santa Monica, hop off for foodie experiences and the fun of Santa Monica Pier. Roll into laid-back Venice Beach for a pause on the sands.

Time Table

The Yellow Route makes its first circuit at 9:30 AM and begins its final circuit at 4:13 PM. The loop takes 2 hours. Buses come every 45 to 60 minutes.

Purple Route

Check out Downtown LA, an underrated corner of the metropolis. The Purple Route will introduce you to great shopping, theaters and civic buildings that have played important roles in the city’s history. The Dodgers Stadium is just a short walk away from the Chinatown stop.

Hop aboard the bus at Dolby Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and head south toward downtown. Pass by Koreatown, the Staples Center, and L.A. Live and Grammy Museum. Great shopping awaits you in the Fashion and Jewelry Districts. Use your pass to get to a show at the Walt Disney Concert Hall or the Los Angeles Theater.

Time Table

The Purple Route takes 2 hours and 15 minutes to make the full loop. The first tour starts at 9:10 AM, at the Union Station/Pueblo/Olvera St Stop, while the last circuit begins at 3 PM. You can also access the Purple Route at Dolby Theater from 10 AM onwards.

Tickets

You can purchase 1-day, 2-day and 3-day City Sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus tickets. One-day tickets are available for one route or as passes covering all three routes. Two- and three-day passes are valid for all routes.

One-route, one-day tickets for adults cost US$39 per adult and US$28 for children (aged 3 to 11). Family packages cost US$128 for two adults and up to three children, while kids under 3 can ride for free. One-day tickets for all three routes are US$49 per adult, US$35 per child and US$150 per family.

Two-day tickets cost US$59 for adults, US$44 for children, while family passes are US$189. Three-day tickets cost US$82 for adults, US$57 for children and US$249 for families.

Big Bus Tours

Big Bus Tours offers two distinct routes, with a high level of customer satisfaction to draw you in. Their Hollywood and Beach routes give you access to LA’s top landmarks, and some multi-day passes include free bike rental. Big Bus Tours run every day, except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.