Travel

Starline Tours

Starline Tours of Hollywood and Los Angeles

By Kayte Deioma, About.com Guide

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Starline Tours dominate the LA guided bus tour market. They have a variety of tours from which to choose. The quality of Starline tours is variable depending on the guide. Some are outstanding; others are mediocre. Considering that they are the biggest tour company in town, they have a reputation for being somewhat unorganized, and not terribly service oriented. Tours with hotel pick up and drop off can be several hours longer than advertised. The Walk of Fame CityiPass includes one 2-hour Starline tour.

1. Movie Stars Homes Tour

The Movie Stars Homes Tour can be a fascinating glimpse into the lifestyles of the rich and famous or a really boring couple hours depending on the guide. Some have great personal Hollywood stories, others have a more memorized spiel.

2. The Grand Tour of Los Angeles

The Grand Tour is a good way to cover a lot of territory. The driver points out highlights between stops, but does not get off the bus with you. You get dropped off at Grauman's Chinese Theatre (if you didn't start there), Rodeo Drive, The LA Farmer's Market, the La Brea Tar Pits, and historic Olvera Street in downtown Los Angles, with anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes to explore each location. It also passes through Hollywood Boulevard and the Sunset Strip, Melrose, Beverly Hills, Wilshire Blvd and Chinatown. The Grand Tour is also available with a pre-recorded headset in Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.

3. The Hollywood Double Decker Fun Tour and Hollywood Trolley Tour

The Hollywood Double Decker Fun Tour and Hollywood Trolley Tour are the least expensive because they stick to Hollywood. These two tours have a live guide. Dress warm if it's cool out. It's windy up there.

4. Hop-on Hop-off Double Decker Fun Tours

Hop-on Hop-off Double Decker Fun Tours come in 24 hour and 48 Hour tickets that are good on three different tour loops with more than 50 potential stops. A connector shuttle connects the different loops. Each loop is about 2 hours if you don't get off, so if you do all three loops, the tour takes at least 6 hours plus connector time. This tour covers Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the Fairfax district, Downtown and Universal City with hop-on hop-off stops including Grauman's Chinese Theatre, The Grove/Farmers Market, Walk of Fame, Route 66, Rodeo Drive, Paramount Studios, Universal CityWalk and more. It's faster than taking a city bus to the same locations with the added benefit of narration between locations, albeit recorded.

5. The City Tour by Night

Grauman's Chinese Theatre - Mann's Chinese Theatre

The City Tour by Night, narrated by your mini-bus driver, takes you through Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, Beverly Hills, Downtown, and Universal City, with a ride up to Mulholland Drive. The tour takes a break for you to walk around or dine at Universal City Walk. Advertised as 4 hours, it may take significantly longer depending on nightly event traffic and hotel pick up and drop offs.

6. Combo Tours

You can save money by buying certain tours in combination including the Grand Tour and Movie Stars' Homes Tour, or the Deluxe Movie Stars Homes and Trolley Tour.

Starline also offers "tours" to LA area theme parks and attractions, which basically consist of providing transportation from specific hotels and theme park tickets, but you're on your own at the theme park or attraction, such as a Disneyland Ticket with Transportation from LA Hotels.