LOS ANGELES - In the sprawling City of Angels, it's often difficult to navigate the freeways and run-together neighborhoods to find the heart of a place which celebrates personal tastes. LA offers a rainbow of choices when it comes to shopping, touring landmarks, dining in the latest trend restaurant, catching a glimpse of a star or seeing a show.   As one of the top ten LGBT destinations for 2013 according to Out Now, the largest LGBT marketing specialist, Los Angeles is on many "must go" lists. And GayTravel.about.com says there is so much to see and do, it would take more than a week to explore.  But where to start?

A new LGBT Itinerary from Starline Tours, LA's most trusted tour company, provides an insider's guide to experiencing the many LGBT faces of LA. Using the Starline CitySightseeing Hop-on Hop-off service, LGBT visitors not only enjoy touring the city from the unique viewpoint of an open-top double-decker bus, but, if so inclined, have the chance to pick up a decent tan along the way! With this new itinerary, LGBT visitors can cover a week's worth of excitement in 48 hours and go back home with unforgettable memories from one of the world's most dynamic and LGBT-friendly cities.

The LGBT Itinerary features many locations of interest to LGBT travelers, along with the corresponding Hop-on Hop-off tour routes and stops numbers, and is downloadable from the Starline CitySightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off website at www.citysightseeinglacom/itineraries, where a discounted 48-hour unlimited ticket may be purchased in advance.

Here are some of the faces of Los Angeles featured in the LGBT itinerary, with stops spread out along the main Starline Hop-On Hop-Off tour routes:

Museums - Located  in the heart of Hollywood is the Hollywood History Museum (Red Route, Stop 1) where Marilyn Monroe's million dollar honeymoon dress is exhibited along with the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. The museum also features Max Factor's original "color rooms" where Marilyn became a honey blonde and Lucille Ball a famous redhead.

The ONE Archives Gallery & Museum in West Hollywood  (Red Route, Stop 6) features rotating LGBT exhibits, and is the largest repository of LGBT materials the world. Los Angeles is also home to the recently-acquired archives of gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is the largest art museum in the Western U.S. (Red Route, Stop 10.)

Landmarks - The Los Angeles Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles (Purple Route, Stop 33)  is of interest from both an architectural & performance perspective. The three original performance spaces remind visitors of the Lincoln Center in New York, but the standout is the newer Walt Disney Concert Hall, home to LA Philharmonic and an architectural masterpiece by LA-based architect Frank Gehry. Free audio tours of the Concert Hall are offered most days from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Looking for a dramatic backdrop for a photo?  This is the place.

The TCL Chinese Theatre in the heart of Hollywood (Red Route, Stop 1) is most famous for the display in the forecourt of the hand and footprints of stars such as Judy Garland and Cary Grant, with new star prints are added regularly. But the Chinese-style architecture itself, both inside and out, is remarkable and the main theatre has recently been converted to an IMAX Theatre, making it a great place to catch a movie.

Alternatively, walk down Hollywood Boulevard to the Egyptian Theatre, where the Hollywood premiere was born.  that was built in 1922. A supporter of the LGBT annual Outfest film festival, the theater is also the home of American Cinematheque and regularly features contemporary independent and classic films. (Red route, Stop 1).

Star-Gazing - For some literal star-gazing, stroll along the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Red Route, between Stop 15and Stop 1) and snap a selfie by your favorite star on the sidewalk. Stars from the LGBT community include Melissa Etheridge, Jodie Foster, Ellen Degeneres, Jane Lynch, Neil Patrick Harris, Ricky Martin and Elton John.  Starline's Twitter feed (#starlinetours) will let you know if a star ceremony is scheduled, and the public is always welcome.

But if you would rather grab a glimpse of a star around town, hop aboard the TMZ Hollywood Tour.  This "show on wheels" cruises the thirty-mile zone in search celebrities, who often treat their bus fans with a wave, shout out, or even climbing aboard and posing for pictures.  Alternatively see where the stars live on the world-famous Starline Movie Stars' Homes Tour. This popular tour cruises along the residential streets in open-top vans for maximum stargazing possibilities and features over 40 celebrity homes. Reserve tickets in advance for either tour at www.starlinetours.com or ask about availability at any Starline sales location (Red Route, Stop 1).

Shopping - Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood (Red Route, Stop 6) has many boutiques squarely aimed at the LBGT customer, with the Los Angeles Sporting Club being the largest of these with 4,000 square feet of contemporary men's fashions. For all the latest brand offerings Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (Red Route, Stop 7) provides an unrivalled range of options, with the added bonus of a chance to rub shoulders with celebrities shopping, pushing strollers, lunching, heading to yoga, and generally living the LA lifestyle. But for shoppers in search of great bargains and deals, the Los Angeles Fashion District in Downtown Los Angeles is a must-do. (Purple Route, Stop 42)

Eats, Drinks and the Scene - One of the most concentrated populations of the LGBT community can be found in West Hollywood, where gay residents count for 40% of the population and there are a plethora of bars & restaurants frequented by the LGBT community to be found.  Here can be found The Abbey (Red Route, Stop 6) which was voted "Best Gay Bar in the World'' by MTV's Logo TV network. Grab a meal or drink in the live show. The Standard Hotel, featured in "Sex in the City" is a great place to feel the West Hollywood vibe, and take in cocktails by the pool.

For some serious food-bud stimulation visit Street (Red Route, Stop 13) a restaurant owned by celebrity chef and LGBT activist Susan Feniger.  International cuisine at this top-rated establishment includes menu items inspired by street food from around the world, and it's a mecca of who's who - including Feniger herself.   For the more traditional, the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles (Purple Route, Stop 40) features opulent public spaces from the 1920's, and the soaring Rendezvous Court serves one of the best Afternoon Teas in Los Angeles. Historically this hotel was one of the only places gays were able to gather openly throughout the 20th century.

Beach lovers will not want to miss the unofficial gay beach of Los Angeles located at Will Rogers State Park. To get there rent a bike from Blazing Saddles on Santa Monica Pier (Yellow Route, Stop 57) and peddle along the coastal bike path.

More itinerary suggestions on LA shopping, dining and sightseeing while enjoying the Starline CitySightseeing Hop-On, Hop-Off Tour can be found at www.CitySightseeingLA.com.  All these itineraries are provided to assist visitors in planning their day and seeing the most of Los Angeles without the hassle of driving and parking.  A Starline CitySightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off 48-hour unlimited ticket is $59 USD for adults and includes complimentary admission to Madame Tussauds Hollywood if purchased in advance online at www.citysightseeingla.com . This museum guarantees plenty of star sightings who will pose endlessly for photos.   For more information, call toll free 1-855-452-4676 or 1-323-580-6155. The entire 100-mile route of the CitySightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off tour is fully narrated in nine languages and delivered via personal headsets for crystal clear, informative touring.

The Starline Hop-On Hop-Off ticket is also a passport to savings at many museums and attractions along the routes.  Called the "Show and $ave" program, simply present a valid Hop-on Hop-off ticket to participating locations, noted on the brochure or online, for immediate discounts and offers.

About Starline Tours

Hollywood's number one celebrity tour company, Starline Tours, is the oldest and largest tour company in Los Angeles, having pioneered the famous Movie Stars' Homes Tour in 1935.  A full range of sightseeing tours of Los Angeles and Southern California is available. Starline Tours has been featured on Ellen, American Idol, the Muppet Movies, Iron Man 3, NBC's Today Show, as well as newspapers and travel magazines from around the world.  Starline Tours operates the Grand Tour of Los Angeles in nine languages, and the world's largest Hop-On, Hop-Off tour with Starline's CitySightseeing Double-Decker buses offering comprehensive tour narration in nine languages via personal headsets. The open-top Movie Stars' Homes Tour and TMZ Hollywood Tour, recommended by travel agents worldwide, are visitor favorites and operate daily. Tours to theme parks, movie studios, San Diego and Tijuana are available, with pick up from more than 250 hotels in the Los Angeles.  With locations throughout Hollywood, a new Visitor Welcome Center at Hollywood & Highland and a sales box office at (Grauman's) TCL Chinese Theatre at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, the company also has a sales office on Santa Monica Pier, starting point for the Malibu Movie Stars' Homes Tour, a new Santa Monica Terminal at 11857 Santa Monica Boulevard, and in Anaheim at the Travelodge across from Disneyland Resort.  The company is privately owned, will celebrate its 80th anniversary in 2015, and is operated in conjunction with TourCoach - the company's Bus Charter division. For reservations, visit www.starlinetours.com or call toll free 1-800-959-3131 or direct at 1-323-463-3333. 

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Contacts:   

Starline Tours, Susan Wilson, Publicist, 602-996-4242,susanwilson129@gmail.com,

Philip Ferentinos, Director, Starline Tours, 323-785-6707, philip@starlinetours.com