Los Angeles is one of the most vibrant cities in North America—there’s always something new to experience—but for all the trendy boutiques, restaurants, and clubs that open and close each year, L.A. glamor always circles back to the same thing: the movies. For a first-time visitor, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the Hollywood tours on offer, and residents are usually jaded by the idea of listening to some hack point out names on the Walk of Fame. But there is one tour we do recommend: capped at eight guests each, Philip Mershon’s intimate, two-hour walking tours along Sunset Boulevard, aided by rare photographs and decades of meticulous research, recreate in technicolor detail the century-long birth, rise, and demise of major film studios, radio and TV networks, and record labels. Philip’s storytelling skill is matched only by his zeal for the subject, making this walking tour the ideal window onto a world as exciting as any epic of the silver screen.

 Tours start at 1500 Vine St., (statue in front), Los Angeles, CA 90028