The Real Los Angeles Tours has a 2019 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame award
We have Los Angeles tours for all budgets: free self guided tours, group tours from just $30 pp & private tours from just $180 per group.
Our expert guides create entertaining & engaging tours, which will transform your understanding & appreciation of L.A.
We get off the beaten track to reveal the hidden beauty of Los Angeles, making your visit a truly memorable & enjoyable experience.
Our Los Angeles Tours Calendar
Our Story
The inspiration for The Real Los Angeles Tours came when I visited Europe in 2012 and discovered a guided walking tour. In the past I would wander the streets with a guidebook, but I realized that a walking tour is 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 important 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 new city I visited.
I looked for a tour of L.A. like that when I returned, but all I saw were bus tours of Beverly Hills mansions (most of which never had a star living in them) and Rodeo Drive, which is a tiny part of Los Angeles. So, as an Angeleno who loves to travel and loves my home city, I felt compelled to start a company, offering visitors totally different tours, that would reveal a much more interesting side of the city. I was also excited to create eco-friendly tours, which I could use to raise money for environmental causes.
We started in 2013 with one tour of downtown, the LA: Wild West to Now tour, and I was the only guide. Since then we’ve grown a lot – we now have eight tours, covering different parts of Los Angeles, and six guides. In all that time, though, one thing has never changed: our mission, which is to give our guests a genuine and entertaining experience of the real Los Angeles. Let us be the highlight of your trip.
Damien, founder of The Real Los Angeles Tours
Our Guides
Dante
I’m very excited to be a guide for The Real Los Angeles Tours. I guess you could say I have a pretty dynamic background, in addition to being a tour guide I’m an actor, screenwriter, published writer and award-winning filmmaker. I also guided tours in New York City for several years. The L.A. story is an incredible one, that reaches back through time and rushes rapidly towards its future. I'm passionately dedicated to sharing this story with you and giving you an enriching, fun and fully fascinating tour of Los Angeles.
Silvie
I was raised trilingual (English, Danish and German) in Denmark, leaving when I was just 19 years old, curious to discover the world and wanting to build multicultural bridges. My first destination was Los Angeles and I spent five super fun years here, before leaving on more globetrotting adventures. I lived in Australia, Singapore and several European countries, but the lure of L.A. drew me back in 2011 and now I'm finally ready to hang up my boots. I'm always eager to share my passion for the secret spots of the city I love and call home.
Terry
I've done many things in my time, including being a stand-up comedian, a musician and a financial advisor, but one thing I've always loved to do in my time off is travel. I've visited every US state and over 25 countries. My last big trip was a month in New Zealand. What do my vacations have in common? Well, I've taken a tour in almost every place I've been. I strongly feel that experiencing a city on a guided walking tour, with someone who has a passion for it, is the best ways to connect with the heart of that place and its people.
Damien
I'm from the UK and I majored in History at the University of London. Travel has always been one of my biggest passions and I lived in Germany, Spain and Australia, before moving to L.A. in 2008. Since then I really feel like Los Angeles has become my home. I love its dynamism and multiculturalism, the many cultural offerings it has, the friendly nature of most people here and, of course, the weather. In many ways the reason for founding The Real Los Angeles Tours was to give visitors the chance to fall in love with L.A. like I did.
Vicky
Hi! Like many people you meet here I'm a transplant, moving to L.A. from the great state of Iowa in 2015. I got the travel bug when I was 19 years old, traveling to Italy with my best friend. Since that first excursion I've returned to Europe twice and backpacked around most of the continent, in addition to traveling extensively around the United States, Central and South America. Next on my list is Asia and Japan. I enjoy sharing my passion for travel and my love for Los Angeles with all who come on my tours.
Stuart
One thing I really love about L.A. is the sheer variety of its various neighborhoods. I live in DTLA in an old hotel that's been converted into apartments, so I'm always reminded of the city's fascinating history. That's made me passionate about uncovering its hidden treasures; two areas of particular interest are gangsters and the Golden Age of Hollywood - which have more in common than you may think! I moved here from the UK, where I was a successful composer, in 2013, but my heart now belongs to the city of angels.
Got questions about Los Angeles or California?
Both L.A. Info and our blog, The Los Angeles Lowdown, are dedicated to answering those queries to help you make the most of your trip here.
Need help finding things to do and places to go while you’re here? Check 12 Things to Do in California, 15 Things to Do in LA and 10 Things to Do in Hollywood. Bringing the family? Then look at 10 Things to Do in LA with Kids to get some great ideas for activities that will keep everyone entertained.
Not sure where to stay during your trip to L.A.? Read Where to Stay in Los Angeles. As well as listing some interesting and/or historic hotels and guest houses around the city, it also gives advice on the best neighborhoods to base yourself to make the most of your stay.
Wondering how to get around Los Angeles? Thinking of renting a car? To help you we’ve written a guide: How to Use Public Transport in LA (as you can guess from the title, depending on your plans, you don’t necessarily need a car).
And finally we have information to make things easier once you’re here, such as Where to Eat in Los Angeles, Where to Drink in Los Angeles and, very importantly, Tipping in the U.S., because we know that the American custom of tipping can be very confusing for visitors.
Whatever your questions, we have the answers.