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Santa Monica Open Bus Tour

TourTruth score 9.1 out of 10

ExcellentTop 3% in Santa Monica

298 reviews · Rated on 1 provider · How we score

  • Santa Monica
  • 3 hrs 30 min
  • Updated November 1, 2026

See Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Mulholland Drive, and the Sunset Strip on a 3.5-hour open-air bus tour from Santa Monica.

About this tour

Set out from Santa Monica’s Ocean Avenue and watch Los Angeles unfold from an open-air bus. This 3.5-hour Santa Monica Open Bus Tour travels through Century City and Beverly Hills, with a 30-minute stop at the Beverly Hills Sign and a drive past the famed Beverly Hills Hotel.

In Hollywood, enjoy 30 minutes to explore the Walk of Fame, TCL Chinese Theatre, and Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards. Then follow Mulholland Drive through the Hollywood Hills, where celebrity homes and familiar filming locations line the route. The ride continues down the Sunset Strip, passing music venues tied to rock ’n’ roll history, before returning to Santa Monica.

With a live English-speaking guide and no additional purchases or entrance fees required during the tour, this Santa Monica Open Bus Tour makes it easy to take in several of LA’s best-known neighborhoods in one outing. Meet at the kiosk at 1541 Ocean Ave. and settle in for a scenic city ride.

Highlights

  • Cruise from Santa Monica through Beverly Hills and Hollywood
  • Stop at the Beverly Hills Sign for 30 minutes
  • Explore the Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre
  • Ride Mulholland Drive through the Hollywood Hills
  • See the Sunset Strip’s legendary music venues

What's included

Included

  • No further purchases or entrance fees required during the tour

Ratings on each provider

The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.

Important information

  • Meet at the kiosk at 1541 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica
  • Infants and small children can ride in a stroller
  • Service animals are allowed
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers or travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

How this score is calculated

This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 4.96 from 298 reviews. We place that rating among all Viator ratings and weight it by its review count. If the tour is found on another provider later, both ratings are combined.

How the score works and rating distribution in Santa Monica
  • Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
  • Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
  • Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
  • The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 9.1. Top 3% in Santa Monica means it ranks in the top 3% of tours in Santa Monica by this score.

Provider rating distribution in Santa Monica

How many tours in Santa Monica have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.

  • GetYourGuide
  • Viator

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