Reel to Real: Hollywood & DTLA Tour

Overview

Want to experience more of the real Los Angeles? On this tour you'll start the day in Hollywood and learn all about how and why the movie business first moved to this small town in the Wild West. There's a lot of history hidden in plain site in this most famous of neighborhoods and you'll learn about it all, as well as see the many iconic buildings that dot the storied Boulevard.

Next you'll take the subway (ticket included) to downtown. This is where the city began in 1781 and it's the largest historic downtown of any major city in America. It has a lot of beautiful architecture, but it's definitely not a museum - it's the most dynamic and interesting part of the city (with the best restaurants and bars too).

* Tour starts 10am daily
* Travel on Los Angeles Metro included in ticket price
* There’s a big range of food options and all types of diet can be accommodated (vegan, gluten-free etc)

City: Los Angeles

Sun 23 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $100.00

Make a reservation

Sun 23 Feb

Starting at $100.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

We donate $1 for every guest to a non-profit, Climate Cents.

We'll show you how to use the LA Metro - the easiest and cheapest mode of transport here.

Travel on Los Angeles Metro is included in ticket price.

Tour Guide.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Aim to get to the meeting point 10-15 minutes early. If you’re late you may miss the tour.
This tour is not recommended for children under 15 y.o.
By making a booking for this tour you agree to be bound by The Real Los Angeles Tours terms of service.
This is a walking tour and we move at a reasonable pace. If you have mobility issues please book a private tour via our website.
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides

What To Expect

Hollywood Walk of Fame

On the Hollywood leg of the tour we go back in time to when the name first appeared on maps in the 1880’s, then we’ll tell you how and why the start-up movie industry first moved to this small farming town in the early twentieth century. By walking the streets of Hollywood you’ll get the chance to discover the many hidden historic sites in the area (such as the oldest house in Hollywood, where Charlie Chaplin’s kids went to school), as well offering you the best up close and personal experiences of such icons as the Walk of Fame, the Capitol Records Building, the Egyptian Theater, the Dolby Theater (the home of the Oscars) and the TCL Chinese Theater.

Civic Center

We take the Red Metro Line to the heart of the city where the tour emerges in Grand Park, an oasis in the middle of the Civic Center. From there we stop at the Music Center (where we check out the famous Walt Disney Concert Hall) and the Broad Museum.

Downtown Historic District

Every week hip new restaurants, bars, Apple stores, creative offices and apartment blocks are opening in the area. Many people don’t realize it’s also the best-preserved historic downtown of any major city in America (with some of the best architecture in the world, including many beautiful examples of the Beaux Arts, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, modern and post-modern styles).

Grand Central Market

What better place for lunch than this venerable institution(its over a hundred years old)? If you're a foodie you'll be in paradise and even if you're not you'll love the choice and affordability.

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Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews (4)

biancabW745QB

Jun 2021

So I booked both tours separated and paid then separated but apparently they become one once you book them. We show up to the Pantages theater was asked, but what we didn't realize is that there is more than one in LA and we end up in the wrong one. We just followed googles maps and didn't realize until it was too late. We tried calling but their phone number goes straight to a voice message, so we emailed explaining so happened and asking if we could reschedule. They took forever to reply and never asked if we would still like to take the second tour, which we went too and nobody was there. We waited for 45h and nobody showed up. So we end up loosing $160 dollars because they reply to out emails saying it was our fault and that they wouldn't refund us because we left offensive reviews. I'm sorry if the truth hurts, but your customer service is TERRIBLEEEEE. DON'T BOOK WITH THEM IF YOU THINK SOMETHING IN YOUR TRIP COULD GO WRONG, THEY ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A EASY WAY TO BE CONTACTED. THEIR OFFICE DOESN'T EVEN EXIST. I'm sure the tour would've been great. I was super excited, but it is what it is. Thank your for helping me have a good time in LA 😊 This is a picture of me waiting for the tour that never happened

Response from Host

Dec 2022

Unfortunately, these guests missed their tour completely. There is a detailed description, a link to a Google Map marker and a photo of the meeting point on our website, where they booked, and in the confirmation email that they received after booking. No other guests have reported issues of the type that they described - there is NO other Pantages Theater in LA, other than the one where the tour begins. It should also be pointed out that the photo the guest has posted here is NOT of any of our meeting points either. We also explain on the website and in the confirmation email that it is the guests' responsibility to be at the meeting point on time, and that if they're late they will probably miss the tour. All guests agree to that when making a purchase. This is simply because there's nothing that WE can do to guarantee that guests will show up on time at the meeting point. We did offer to reschedule (despite the fact that our policy is that there are no refunds or exchanges within 48 hours of a tour), but the guests didn't take us up on it and subsequently threatened us with reviews of this type if we didn't issue a refund. Unfortunately there's nothing more that we can do.

kfieldstu

Dec 2019

My Mother came to visit in October and I booked this tour for us to both get to explore the city together. On both segments of the combined tour we were joined by one other couple which made the experience even more intimate which we appreciated. We learned SO MUCH from Damien during our tours and Terry as well. They were full of interesting stories and history about the rise and development of Hollywood and LA. We saw some truly spectacular architecture and ate some delicious food at our lunch stop. Not to mention we were constantly entertained by our guide’s stories and humor. The waking portions are not arduous by any means, and yet Damien has curated these unique experiences where you leave feeling that you know more about LA then Angelenos that have been here forever. I would HIGHLY recommend this above any other walking tour. It’s a fun time for all ages (me - 32, Mom - 69). It is truly rare to find tour companies that place so much thought and care into every guests individual experience. Make your investment worthwhile here.

MelL710

Mar 2019

We did this tour, as we thought it would give us a better sense of what LA has to offer. It's a walking tour, so we get to see things we actually want to, make pit stops, etc. whereas on a bus, it's just driving around. We started off in Hollywood, doing the Hollywood tour portion, with Vicky. We learned a lot about the history of Hollywood: the buildings, the people, the movies. It was wonderful to see and learn about the historic components of the city. The tour continued with Damien and we explored more of LA. He took us to some really fun, hidden gems such as a theater transfrmed to jewellery store. The theater components still remain and it's super cool so see these elements. Another fun gem is the Intercontinental hotel. I'll let you figure that one out. The tour ends in Santa Monica. From there, we needed to find our way back home (as we parked in Hollywood, near the beginning of the tour). It's very important to know this and have a plan to get home. Thankfully, Damien was heading back and helped us with the metro pass and our way back home. It just wasn't expected, but very important to mention. It's really the only negative we encountered on this tour and it didn't ruin the experience - simply an inconvenience. Strongly recommend this tour - the amount of walking is maybe 4-5 miles, but the experience is amazing. Just plan ahead to be "abandoned" in Santa Monica (since the tour starts in Hollywood).