Dearly Departed's Hollywood Tragical History Tour

My friends and I did this tour last Friday, Friday the 13th. I've been meaning to do it for a few years. I'm so glad I finally cashed in on that idea! I was nervous at first but the tour was not creepy or dark as I suspected. In fact, you learn a lot about Hollywood history, movie star homes/history of homes, architecture, and crimes. The tour guide, Brian, was AWESOME! He is very enthusiastic about his job. Go very sober and attentive..he is a ball of energy and talks very fast. I enjoyed his sense of humor and zeal in this most interesting tour. He makes the tour interactive so you aren't just sitting and listening. Brian earned extra points with me by offering the front seat to anyone who gets carsick. I appreciate this because those who are not prone to being carsick often overlook this and leave the carsick person awkwardly asking to be in the front. I was his co-pilot. The van hold 13 or 14 and was probably comfortable but who knows, I had the front! I would recommend this tour for any visitor OR native. No, just because you are from LA does not mean you are too cool or above taking a tour of your own town. Plus, you don't get out of the van (except for a restroom stop mid way through at the bathroom George Michael made famous) so noone will see you. Your secret is safe with Brian.

Driver was late because of a flat and was very apologetic. This tour was informative. We saw more than just what was expected. Guide was knowledgable about many different areas and answered all our questions.

This was an excellent tour if you are into the macabre, but even if you aren't there were plenty of Old Hollywood sites (Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio's Old House) and new Hollywood sites (bathroom that George Michael made famous). Without a doubt the best part of the tour was the tour guide, Scott Michaels. He is clearly passionate about his work and he goes out of his way to answer any question and is incredibly knowledge about old and new Hollywood. The only thing I would have liked, that was not included would have been a tour of the one of the cemeteries (although we did pass the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and were informed about who was interred), but an extra hour or so might be too much for some.

I took my mom, sister and 16 year old daughter, and all of us thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Brian was a great tour guide. He was very informative and definitely knew his Hollywood history. We live in Southern California, but have never done anything like this and are glad we did. We highly recommend this to anyone that would like a tour of Hollywood.

My daughter and I went on the Dearly Departed Hollywood Tragical Tour while visiting the SoCal area. Brian was our tour guide and he was so much fun!! We saw homes/locations where crimes actually took place, as well as several celebrity homes, which I didn't expect but really enjoyed. The tour was 3 hours long and very much worth the price. Brian is extremely knowledgable and not only gave us tons of information, he also interacted with our group which made it extra fun! He obviously loves his job and does it well! I would definitely recommend a Dearly Departed Tour (we wanted to go on the Helter Skelter Tour but it didn't fit into our schedule). Treat yourself to a tour...and prepare for an great time!

Either an open top van or some kind of plexiglas bubble canopy would be nice to improve visibility for those on the opposite side of attractions.

I was visiting my son in Los Angeles. I'm from New York. He asked what activities we should do. I said whatever you want. He chose the Dearly Departed Tour. I was happy because it was something we wanted to do Thanksgiving 2008, but it was full the day we wanted to go. He reserved our spots and I was excited. A friend of ours came to see me from San Diego, we told her where we going the next morning and she immediately got on the computer and reserved a spot for herself. We arrived early at the Farmers Market and got great seats in the front. I sat next to our wonderful driver and narrator, Richard, he was great. He explained everything and allowed the guests to interact with him. The 3 hour tour went by too quickly, I couldn't believe it was over. I recommend this tour to people of all ages, maybe not anyone under 13. It was nicely done with the audio and Richard adding personal experiences, I am so glad we went . My son felt exactly the same way and so did our friend, but I'm sure she will write her own review. We plan to do more tours with Richard and the company he works for, this was very enjoyable. Thank you for allowing me to have a say about my experience. Keep up the good work. P.S. It was worth every penny and very reasonable.

I purchased the tickets for myself and my best-friend, it was a birthday gift for her. We had the best time ever. We got to Hollywood a couple hours early. Had breakfast and then walked around Hollywood Blvd. Our DDT guide was Brian he was brilliant! So much detail so much fun. His best advise was "Even if you live in the Los Angeles area take a tour". SO RIGHT!!! The bus was clean, and the widows are large which makes for viewing points of interest a plus. Thanks we had a great time!

My wife and I took the Dearly Departed Tour on 10/5/11 and were very pleased with the experience. Our guide, Brian, was extremely enthusiastic, personable, knowledgeable, and best of all, fun. Although the focus was on the "Dearly Departed" information, we also felt like we got a nice insiders tour of Hollywood too. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will definitely take the tour again if we ever make it back to the area. Additionally, we accidentally left our camera on the tour bus but didn't realize it until a couple hours later. Brian went out of his way to bring it to us, which we really appreciated. Truly, good people giving great service; highly recommended!

unique and entertaining. full of fantastic information and hollywood history. A great way to get to know LA even if you live here! Our tour guide was fun and upbeat.