Starline Tours

Starline Tours has been showing visitors around Los Angeles since 1935, and its open-top buses and vans are a familiar sight on Hollywood Boulevard. The company's guest services office is in the Ovation Hollywood complex at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, at the heart of the Walk of Fame, which makes it an easy starting point for a first day in the city.

The best-known product is the Original Hollywood to Beverly Hills Celebrity Homes Tour, which lasts about two hours and drives past the neighbourhoods where film and music stars have lived, with commentary from a guide. Other options include hop-on hop-off tours of Los Angeles, a Hollywood night tour that includes Griffith Observatory, a full-day tour covering Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, the city centre and the beach, and private custom tours for groups.

For many first-time visitors, a sightseeing tour is a practical way to get their bearings in a city that is spread out and hard to navigate without a car. The full-day tour in particular strings together sights that would otherwise take a lot of driving and parking.

The tours suit first-time visitors, families and travellers without a car, as well as anyone short on time. Celebrity home tours involve looking at gates and hedges more than stars, so go with realistic expectations and enjoy the drive through the hills. Bring sun protection and a layer on the open-top buses, which can feel cool once the sun goes down.

Service notices appear on the company's website, including changes to hop-on hop-off services around holidays, so check the latest information before you travel. Tickets can be bought online in advance, which helps on busy days. If you want to see a lot in a single day, the full-day tour is the most efficient option, while the celebrity homes tour is a shorter introduction that fits into a morning or afternoon alongside the Walk of Fame.

For questions, Starline lists a guest services phone line, a toll-free number and the email [email protected]. Operators are available during business and tour hours, and callbacks can be requested through the contact form. The Hollywood/Highland station on the Metro B Line is right beside the office, and the TCL Chinese Theatre and Dolby Theatre are a short walk away.