Film and TV location tours since 2019

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The Hollywood Sign on the brushy slope of Mount Lee, with a park path below

Destination guide

Los Angeles film location tours: Hollywood on the street

Five days or one long day in the city where most of the movies you grew up on were made, with a tour leader who lives in the city and knows its traffic.

  • 2 tours
  • from $189 per person
  • Best months Mar to May, Sep to Nov
  • 5 filming locations
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The United States

Los Angeles on screen

Los Angeles is a working film town, not a museum of one. On any weekday there are crews on the streets of Downtown, trucks parked along Hollywood side streets and soundstages busy in Burbank and on Melrose Avenue. That makes it the easiest place in the country to stand where a scene was shot: the buildings are still there, most of them are public, and many still get rented out for new productions.

Our Los Angeles trips mix two things. First, the public places that keep turning up on screen: the Chinese Theatre, Griffith Observatory, the Bradbury Building, Angels Flight on Bunker Hill and Union Station. Second, the studios' own public tours, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank and the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour on Melrose Avenue, for which we book your tickets. Lena Kowalski, who lives in Los Angeles, leads both the five-day tour and the day tour, and she plans each day around traffic, which in this city is half the job.

The filming locations below, on the map.Map: Esri, OpenStreetMap contributors

Filming locations

Where Los Angeles shows up on screen

The green copper pagoda roof of the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard at dusk

01

Hollywood Boulevard and the Chinese Theatre

The Chinese Theatre opened in 1927 as Grauman's Chinese, and its forecourt holds the handprints and footprints of stars going back to the late 1920s. Premieres still happen here, with the red carpet rolled down the boulevard. The street itself is on screen often: Vivian works this stretch in Pretty Woman (1990), and for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) the production dressed several blocks of the boulevard back to 1969, old storefronts and cars included. Today it is loud and crowded, with costumed characters asking for tips for photos. We walk it early, when the stars of the Walk of Fame are easier to read, and point out the Egyptian Theatre, which opened in 1922, and the Capitol Records Building a block north.

  • Hand and footprints in the Chinese Theatre forecourt
  • The Walk of Fame before the crowds arrive
  • The Egyptian Theatre, open since 1922
Best time
Early morning, any month

Tours that visit Hollywood Boulevard and the Chinese Theatre

Griffith Observatory and its lawn with the obelisk above the lights of Los Angeles at dusk

02

Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory sits on the south slope of Mount Hollywood and has been on film almost since it opened in 1935. In Rebel Without a Cause (1955) James Dean's character watches a planetarium show here and fights on the terrace outside, and a bust of Dean now stands on the west lawn. The Terminator (1984) begins with Arnold Schwarzenegger arriving by the observatory at night, and in La La Land (2016) Mia and Sebastian dance up into the air of the planetarium. Entry to the building and the telescopes is free, and the Hollywood Sign is in clear view from the terraces. The observatory is closed on Mondays, and parking on the hill is hard, so our van drops you at the door.

  • The James Dean bust on the west lawn
  • The view of the Hollywood Sign from the terrace
  • Sunset over the Los Angeles basin
Best time
Late afternoon to sunset, October to May for clear air

Tours that visit Griffith Observatory

Iron railings, open elevator shafts and the glass skylight of the Bradbury Building atrium

03

The Bradbury Building

From Broadway the Bradbury Building looks like a plain brick office block from 1893. Inside is a skylit court of iron railings, open-cage elevators and marble stairs that film crews have loved for decades. Blade Runner (1982) used it as the home of J.F. Sebastian, dark and flooded with rain, and The Artist (2011) used its staircases for one of its key scenes. It also appears in (500) Days of Summer (2009). The Bradbury is still a working office building, so visitors may stand in the lobby and climb to the first landing, and that is it. Keep voices low and do not block the stairs. Grand Central Market is across Broadway, and Angels Flight, the short funicular from La La Land, climbs Bunker Hill from its back door on Hill Street.

  • The iron court and open elevators from Blade Runner
  • The marble stairs from The Artist
  • Grand Central Market for lunch
Best time
Weekday mornings, all year

Tours that visit The Bradbury Building

Rows of leather armchairs under the iron chandeliers of the Union Station waiting room, Los Angeles

04

Union Station

Los Angeles Union Station opened in 1939, the last of the great American railroad stations, and it is still busy with Amtrak, Metrolink and Metro trains. Its waiting room, with leather armchairs, a tiled floor and a wooden ceiling, is one of the most filmed rooms in the city. In Blade Runner (1982) the station served as the police headquarters, and in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) the old ticket hall became the court where Scarecrow sentences Gotham's rich. Crews rent it often, so parts of the station are sometimes closed for a shoot. We walk through with Lena, then cross Alameda Street to Olvera Street, the oldest part of the city, for a taco lunch.

  • The 1939 waiting room and its armchairs
  • The old ticket hall from The Dark Knight Rises
  • Olvera Street across the road
Best time
Late morning, all year

Tours that visit Union Station

Angels Flight orange arch on Hill Street with the funicular cars climbing Bunker Hill

05

Angels Flight, Bunker Hill

Angels Flight is a short funicular railway that has carried people up Bunker Hill since 1901. Its two cars, Sinai and Olivet, are counterbalanced on the steep slope, so one climbs as the other comes down. The railway was moved half a block and reopened in 1996, then closed for several years and reopened again in 2017, and it still runs for a small fare. In La La Land (2016) Mia and Sebastian ride it together, one of several scenes the film shot in Downtown. The lower station is on Hill Street, across from Grand Central Market, and the Bradbury Building is a block away on Broadway, so we see all three on the same Downtown morning. The ride itself takes about a minute.

  • The cars Sinai and Olivet, as seen in La La Land
  • A one-minute ride up Bunker Hill
  • Grand Central Market at the foot of the line
Best time
Weekday mornings, all year

Tours that visit Angels Flight, Bunker Hill

Los Angeles film location tours for 2026 and 2027

Price per person sharing a double room; day tours per person. Flights to the start city are not included.

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2 tours

Getting around

How our tours get around Los Angeles

01

A van with a driver who knows the freeways

Los Angeles is spread over 500 square miles, and transit to most film locations is slow. On our tours a professional driver handles the freeways in a Mercedes Sprinter, drops you at the door at Griffith Observatory and the studios, and waits nearby while you walk.

02

Walking the dense parts

Hollywood Boulevard, the Downtown Broadway district and Bunker Hill are best on foot. We walk 2 to 3 miles on those days, at an easy pace, with stops for coffee and shade.

03

Studio lots on their own tours

Inside the Warner Bros. and Paramount lots you travel with the studios' own guides by tram or cart. We book the tickets, get you there early and collect you at the gate.

04

Metro when it is faster

Union Station and Downtown are linked to Hollywood by the B Line subway in about 20 minutes. On free afternoons Lena shows you how to use it with a TAP card.

What is included

What our Los Angeles tours include

In Los Angeles

  • Tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank
  • Tickets for the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour on Melrose Avenue (five-day tour)
  • A Mercedes Sprinter van with a professional driver for every transfer
  • Lena Kowalski, our LA tour leader, on every day of the tour
  • Central hotel in Hollywood, a short walk from the Walk of Fame
  • Planned stops at the Bradbury Building, Angels Flight and Union Station
  • Sunset at Griffith Observatory

On every tour

  • Central hotels with daily breakfast on trips of two days or more
  • A named Scenes Found tour leader with the group from the first day to the last
  • Airport transfers on the first and last day of the tour
  • Hotel taxes, parking, park entry and local guide fees
  • Our 24/7 line while you travel, in every time zone

Not included: flights to the start city and home, meals not listed, drinks, tips and travel insurance. Each tour page lists exactly what is in the price.

Best time to go

Best time to visit Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a year-round city. March to May and September to November are the best months: days of 70 to 80 F, cool nights, and clear air for the view from Griffith Observatory. June often starts gray at the coast (locals call it June Gloom) and clears by noon. July and August are hot inland, 90 F and more in Burbank, while the beach stays near 75 F. Winter is mild, 65 to 70 F by day, with a few rainy days between December and February; this is also when the studios are quietest and the lines shortest.

  1. Jan: good months
  2. Feb: good months
  3. Mar: best months
  4. Apr: best months
  5. May: best months
  6. Jun: good months
  7. Jul: good months
  8. Aug: good months
  9. Sep: best months
  10. Oct: best months
  11. Nov: best months
  12. Dec: good months

Best monthsGood monthsNo departures

Practical

Los Angeles at a glance

Best months
Mar to May, Sep to Nov
Airport
LAX, about 15 miles from Hollywood, 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 by road depending on traffic; Burbank airport (BUR) is 20 minutes from Hollywood
Getting around
Our van and driver for transfers; walking in Hollywood and Downtown; the Metro B Line between Hollywood and Union Station
Time zone
Pacific Time, 3 hours behind New York
Weather
Dry and mild: 65 to 70 F in winter, 75 to 85 F in summer, hotter in the valleys
Filming today
Productions shoot on LA streets all year; permits are issued through FilmLA, and you will often see crew trucks and parking signs announcing a shoot
Location etiquette
If you meet a working set, stay behind the crew and do not film the actors; inside the Bradbury, keep to the lobby and keep quiet
Book ahead
Studio tour tickets sell out on holiday weekends; we book them as soon as you confirm your seat
Tipping
18 to 20 percent in restaurants; tips for your tour leader and driver are at your discretion
What to wear
Layers: mornings and evenings near the coast are cool, afternoons inland are warm. Comfortable shoes for the studio lots, which are large.

FAQ

Los Angeles tour FAQs

More on the FAQ page, or call +1 (323) 641-2870.

Do your tours go inside the studios?

Yes, on the studios' own public tours. We book tickets for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank and the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour on Melrose Avenue. Their guides take you around the lots; we have no special access beyond the public tour.

Will we see a film being shot?

Maybe, but nobody can promise it. Studio tour guides show you stages that are in use when they can, and crews shoot on public streets most days. If we pass one, Lena will tell you what you can and cannot do.

Do you visit celebrity homes?

No. We do not go to private homes, and we do not run star-home tours. Our tours are about the places where films were made, almost all of which are public.

Can I see the Hollywood Sign up close?

The sign stands on protected land and you cannot reach it. The best legal view is from Griffith Observatory, which we visit, and from the Hollywood and Highland area.

Is Los Angeles traffic as bad as they say?

On weekday afternoons, yes. We plan the days to drive against the rush, stay in central Hollywood, and put the longer drives, like Burbank and Downtown, at times when the freeways move.

Is the day tour enough, or should I take five days?

The day tour covers one studio tour, Hollywood Boulevard and Griffith Observatory. The five-day tour adds Paramount, Downtown, Angels Flight and Union Station, and gives you free time at a gentler pace.

Can I join if I am already staying in Los Angeles?

Yes. On the day tour we pick up at central hotels in Hollywood and West Hollywood or at a meeting point. On the five-day tour you can skip the airport transfer and meet the group at the hotel.

Nearby

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Travel guides

Los Angeles guides to read before you go

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Know before you go

Filming location etiquette: how to be a welcome visitor

Private homes, small businesses, residents, photos, live shoots and tipping. Our founder spent eleven years asking neighbors for permission to film. Here is what she learned about the other side.

Marisol Vega ·  · 5 min read

Planning

Hollywood studio tours compared: which lot to pick

Four public studio tours in Los Angeles, four very different mornings. What each one is like, how long it takes and how to choose, from a tour leader who has done them all many times.

Lena Kowalski ·  · 4 min read

Planning Los Angeles?

Tell us when you can travel, who is coming and the films and shows you love. A travel advisor replies within one business day with dates and prices.

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