Behind-the-Scenes Studio Tours in LA
Shipped guides tend to lump every studio experience into one line, but the four major Los Angeles studio tours are different products with different ages, lengths and prices. Sorting them out first saves a wasted morning at the ticket window.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
At 3400 Warner Blvd in Burbank, the standard tour runs three hours: an hour on a guided golf cart through backlot sets and soundstages, then two hours self-guided through Stage 48’s Script to Screen exhibit, the Friends fountain set and Harry Potter props. Adults 11 and up run roughly $70 to $79, with online pricing seen as low as $66 and as high as $101 depending on date, so treat any single number as a starting point, not a quote. Children 5 to 10 run about $60, and children under 5 are not permitted on the tour at all. Bring government photo ID if you are 18 or older. Check Warner Bros. tour dates directly at wbstudiotour.com ; tour search results are also on Viator if you want to compare add-ons.
Paramount Pictures Studio Tour
At 5515 Melrose Ave, Paramount is the only major studio still operating in Hollywood proper. The standard tour is two hours by golf cart and on foot through historic soundstages and the New York Street backlot, priced around $71 per person. It is restricted to ages 10 and older, with government ID required for adults. Confirm current departures at paramountstudiotour.com .
Sony Pictures Studio Tour
In Culver City at 10202 W Washington Blvd, Sony’s two-hour walking tour covers the historic Columbia/MGM lot, including sets used for The Wizard of Oz and live tapings of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Tickets run about $55, restricted to ages 12 and up, and tours operate Monday through Friday only, with parking free in the Overland structure. Details at sonypicturesstudiostours.com .
Universal Studios Hollywood
Universal folds its Studio Tour into general park admission: a 60-minute narrated tram ride through 13 city blocks of backlot, the Psycho house and the Fast & Furious set, alongside the rides and Super Nintendo World. General admission is dynamically priced, roughly $109 to $155 or more online depending on date, so never expect one flat gate price. See current tiers at universalstudioshollywood.com .
The verdict
If your group includes a child under 5, Warner Bros. is off the table and Universal’s tram tour, bundled into general admission, is the only option. For anyone 10 or older wanting the most intimate lot experience, Paramount beats the bigger Warner Bros. crowds. For where to stay near Burbank or Hollywood, compare hotel options on Booking.com . Pair a studio morning with the walking tour of downtown LA for the afternoon.
Before you go
Every studio tour requires advance online booking; showing up at the gate without a reservation, especially at Warner Bros. and Paramount, routinely means no tour that day.