What are real Los Angeles tours?

Our guests are interested, curious people who want an authentic experience of Los Angeles. That’s why we do walking tours and cycling tours and use the Metro, because it’s the best way to see and learn about LA – and the most eco-friendly too. Since we began our Los Angeles tours in 2013 over 20,000 guests have joined us on more than 2,000 tours and we’ve been awarded TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence every year. This is what we do:

LA in a Day Tour: We’re pioneers of the all day Metro and walking tour of Los Angeles. We start the day in Hollywood, then we jump on the B Line to DTLA (for lunch at Grand Central Market), before ending the tour in downtown Santa Monica in time for sunset (10am daily).

The Real Hollywood Tour: On our tour of Hollywood you’ll learn the neighborhood’s fascinating history and see its hidden corners, so you truly discover the myth and the place (10am daily).

Santa Monica & Venice Bike Tour: Just a fantastic Los Angeles experience – cycling the beautiful beach neighborhoods, visiting hidden spots and learning all of the area’s history (10am daily).

LA: Food + History + Design Tour: Experience the best of Los Angeles – the great food we have here in SoCal, the fascinating history and the beautiful architecture and design (midday Sunday).

Central Downtown LA Tour: We were the first company to offer daily tours of historic downtown, where Los Angeles was founded in 1781. Join us and discover the vibrant heart of LA (1pm daily).

Mount Hollywood Hike: Griffith Park is home to the Hollywood Sign and is an LA gem. Take a hike with us to the top of Mount Hollywood, see the sign and visit Griffith Observatory (3/4pm daily).

Hollywood Speakeasy Bar Tour: Join us on a journey back to Golden Age Hollywood. You enjoy era-appropriate cocktails in some of the area’s best bars as we tell you stories from its past (6pm Friday).

DTLA Murder Mystery Ghost Tour: From infamous unsolved murders to being home to several serial killers, downtown has some incredibly horrible history. We go on a noir investigation (6pm Saturday).

All of our experiences can be booked as private tours.

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The Real Los Angeles Tours has over 1,000 reviews on different platforms, over 90% of which are five stars.

Los Angeles Tours

We have Los Angeles tours for all budgets: free self guided tours, group tours from just $40 pp & private tours from just $275 for a group of up to 10.

Los Angeles Tours

Our expert guides create entertaining & enlightening tours, which will transform your understanding & appreciation of LA & California

Los Angeles Tours

We get off the beaten track to reveal the hidden beauty & history of Los Angeles, meaning you have a truly memorable & enjoyable experience.

The Real Los Angeles Tours Calendar

Our Story

I love travel. In the past there was nothing I enjoyed more than visiting a city and getting lost wandering its streets. However, during a trip to Europe in 2012, I discovered a guided walking tour and realized that it’s a much better way get to know a city. I got a quick history lesson, saw most of the best sights and was able to ask all the vital questions I had (like where to have lunch) from a local expert. It was the highlight of my trip and I began doing walking tours in every city I visited.

When I returned to Los Angeles I looked for a walking tour, but all I found were bus tours of Beverly Hills, which isn’t where the “stars” live nowadays, and Rodeo Drive, where locals like me never go. So, as a historian, traveler and lover of LA, I decided to start a new company, offering totally different tours, that would allow both visitors AND Angelenos to properly experience this amazing city and learn its fascinating history. I was also passionate about creating eco-friendly tours, to raise money for environmental causes.

The Real Los Angeles Tours launched in 2013 with one tour and I was the only guide. Since then we’ve grown a lot – we now have eight tours and ten guides and in 2020 we launched Real San Francisco Tours. However, one thing has never changed and that’s our mission, which is to give our guests a genuine and entertaining experience of the real Los Angeles. Join us on a tour and we promise you'll have an amazing time and really get to know the city.

– Damien, founder of The Real Los Angeles Tours

Morning & all-day tours

BOOK
LA IN A DAY TOUR

10am daily, Pantages Theatre

$110 pp (inc Metro travel)

8 hours

BOOK THE REAL HOLLYWOOD TOUR

10am daily, Pantages Theatre

$40 pp, under 12 y.o. free

2 hours

BOOK SANTA MONICA & VENICE BIKE TOUR

10am daily, Santa Monica

$70 pp (inc bike rental)

2 hours

BOOK LA: FOOD + HISTORY + DESIGN TOUR

12 midday Sunday, Union Station

$80 pp (inc food)

3 hours

Afternoon & evening tours

BOOK CENTRAL DOWNTOWN LA TOUR

1pm daily, Grand Park

$50 pp, under 12 y.o. free

3 hours

BOOK MOUNT HOLLYWOOD HIKE

3pm Winter/4pm Summer daily, Griffith Park

$50 pp (inc bottle), 7-12 y.o. free

3 hours

BOOK HOLLYWOOD SPEAKEASY BAR TOUR

6pm Friday, Pantages Theatre

$80 pp (inc food)

3 hours

BOOK DTLA MURDER MYSTERY GHOST TOUR

6pm Saturday, Pershing Square

$50 pp

3 hours

Our Team

Got Questions about Los Angeles or California?

LA INFO

If you’re a visitor looking for specific information related to your trip here, such as where to staywhere to eata list of the best family activities in Los Angeles or how to navigate the city using public transport, be sure to check LA Info. We also have general information about the U.S., including answering that most vital of questions for all foreign visitors - how much do I tip?

INSIDE LA

The Los Angeles Lowdown is designed by us to take you inside LA, whether you’re visiting or you live here. From current-affairs inspired articles on Southern California’s history, to our suggestions on the best events being held in Los Angeles every month, via inside information on authentic and fun experiences, we give you the essential lowdown on the city of Angels.

Whatever your questions about LA, we have the answers.