Having read a few reviews we decided to take a tour rather than to self navigate into LA and find parking etc. we were collected from the hotel and we're sharing the tour with another family.
We were taken to a couple of spots in LA: the Capitol record building - where we were able to hop out, before hopping back in to the next location. This turned out to be the Hollywood boulevard where we parked and walked a couple of blocks down the boulevard. we got good pics of the Hollywood sign for the shopping mall attached to the gourmands CHINESE theatre; the Oscar theatres, and associated Hollywood sidewalk stars - both old and new names. We also popped into the Roosevelt hotel too.
We were dropped off at farmers market for lunch, which is a mix of all kind of eateries, with share seating set out similar to market. We only had an hour, which was a little rushed given the place was unfamiliar with lots of local style eating that all our group wanted different from and everything was cooked fresh. Therefore we had limited time to view the small stalls/shops that were mixed in amongst.
After our lunch stop we had a brief look at a couple of old Hollywood homes. I would have preferred a little longer in this area, but time didn't permit. Effectively we drove around a short block to see a couple of old Hollywood star homes. I guess security prevents taking any further to see other beautiful homes. Bizarrely the mother of the other family on the tour with us lived locally when growing up, so asked for the driver to take a short detour to view her old home. Then proceeded to reminisce to her family about her times growing up in the area. Nice for them I guess.
We drove through the valet stand at the Beverley Wiltshire (I think) and saw some amazing cars parked. We made a brief stop at McDonald's for a restroom break and pick up drinks for the return trip back to the hotel.
Our driver was able to share some facts and trivia about the areas and places we visited, and offered bottled water. (Which would have benefited from ice in the cooler to chill it down a little). Overall we were on the tour about 7.5 - 8 hours, but quite a chunk of that time is spent travelling into/out of LA.
I have mixed feelings whether the trip offered value for money or not. we paid $120 each which include tax and gratuity. Lunch and drinks we bought ourselves. It was nice for everyone to be sightseeing, rather than having someone driving. Plus our driver obviously knew the area very well. We also didn't have to think about directions or find places to park. Overall we enjoyed our day, but with some planning I guess we could have spent longer at the places we wanted to see more of.
My kids never believe people actually read my reviews. So if this was helpful to you on your travels, please give me a helpful vote. It's always nice to point out that people rely on others reviews when making choices in unfamiliar locations.