Experience Hollywood Magic at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour

One of the great things about living in California is the sheer amount of things for families to do. We love to get away to the Los Angeles area for all it has to offer, and we decided to make our last visit there all about movies and Hollywood. One of the highlights of our trip was the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It's fun and fascinating, and a must-visit during your family's Hollywood experience!

The tour takes place at Warner Bros'. legendary studio and back lot in Burbank. The whole experience is well organized and everyone we met on the tour was super knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Tours start with a brief indroductory video after which you meet your tour guide, board a tram, and head off for your Hollywood experience.

On the tour you'll wind through almost every part of the famous Warner Bros. back lot. If you experience a sense of deja vu during your back lot tour, there's a good reason for that — an enormous number of well-known Hollywood movies and TV shows were and are shot here, from The Maltese Falcon, Rebel Without a Cause, and Blazing Saddles to Grease Live, Friends, and Gilmore Girls.

Got a favorite movie or TV location you want to see or know more about? Make sure you ask your tour guide and he or she will be happy to point it out. It's also fun to be able to get out of the tram on the back lot and walk around. All the "buildings" on the lot are façades that can be easily modified to suit whatever production is currently filming there. Warner Bros. is an active studio, so during the week you may see filming in action and even catch a glimpse of a star or two!

When you're done with the back lot you'll stop at the Warner Bros. Archives, where there's a great display of original costumes and props from productions like the Harry Potter series, including the new Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and the DC cinematic universe with familiar characters like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. Don't miss the chance to "try on" the Sorting Hat and see which Hogwarts house you belong in.

On the Deluxe Tour, you can visit the amazing prop department warehouse, which contains a bewildering array of furniture, artwork, and decor, all of which have been used in countless film and television productions. You can sit behind the president's desk on the Oval Office set from The West Wing, say "hi" to a whole gang Agent Smiths from The Matrix, and even see the original piano and "Rick's Café Américain" sign from Casablanca. The prop warehouse contains over 450,000 objects in 200,000 square feet spread over four different levels. Tourgoers only get to visit one floor of the building, but it's chock full of movie and TV history.

You'll also see the studio's collection of original Batmobiles, including the one used in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman, the Tumblers used in the Christopher Nolan Batman movies, and of course the one from the 2022 The Batman.

Depending on what day of the week it is, you might be able to visit a soundstage on your tour. On one visit we were able to enter the 1936 Stage 1 soundstage, the scene of many historic movie productions including Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Rebel Without a Cause, Strangers on a Train, Bonnie and Clyde, and Cool Hand Luke. Stages have placques on the outside showing what movies and TV shows they've been used for over the years.

The tour wraps up at the studio's Stage 48, which includes exhibits that take you through every step of the filmmaking process, from screenwriting and casting to editing and special effects. You can explore classic costumes from a wide range of Warner Bros. movies that included Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford and even ride a Batcycle or Nimbus 2000 broom in front of a green screen or recreate a scene from The Hobbit at the forced perspective table.

While you're there, don't forget to get a photo of the family sitting on the couch in the original "Central Perk" set from Friends. In the Legacy Room you can see more awards and iconic props from classic movies like Dirty Harry, The Music Man, and Blade Runner.

Stage 48 is also home to a café modeled after the Central Perk, where you can get coffee, pastries, and snacks. You exit through the Studio Store, which offers an array of souvenirs and apparel, including almost every Harry Potter item you can think of! We had a fantastic time on the tour, and can't wait to visit again, hopefully when we can see some filming in action. To learn more about the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood visit www.wbstudiotour.com.

If You Go

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is located at 3400 West Riverside Drive in Burbank. Tickets start at $69 for adults and $59 for children ages 5–10. Children under 5 are not allowed on the tour. The guided portion of the studio tour lasts one hour, and visitors are welcome to spend as much time as they like on the self-guided part at Stage 48. Plan on spending at least two hours on the tour. Tours leave within 30 minutes of your scheduled time. Parking at the studio's parking structure costs an additional $15 per car.

Coffee, drinks, and food can be purchased at the on-site Starbucks adjacent to the tour lobby as well as at the Central Perk Café at Stage 48. Restrooms are available at the tour lobby, Stage 48, and the Warner Bros. Archives — your tour guide will announce the availability of bathroom breaks.

Where to Stay

During our visit we stayed at the Magic Castle Hotel in nearby Hollywood. The experience here was, well, magical! A former 1950s Hollywood apartment building, the Magic Castle Hotel is ideal for families, and most rooms are one- or two-bedroom suites with full kitchens. Other amenities include a 24/7 heated pool, a poolside terrace for outdoor dining, free sodas and soft-serve ice cream, unlimited free snacks like candy bars, popcorn, and chips, free laundry, and a really nice continental breakfast. There's also a Popsicle hotline near the pool. Pick up the phone and a white-gloved attendant will bring you a Popsicle on a silver platter.

The atmosphere here is really fun, the service is super friendly and helpful, and the location is fantastic. We can't wait to come back again on our next trip to LA! The Magic Castle Hotel is located at 7025 Franklin Avenue (one block up from Hollywood Boulevard), Los Angeles 90028. Learn more about it and make reservations at www.magiccastlehotel.com. You can also call them at (323) 851-0800.

As the name implies, the hotel is right next door to the famous Magic Castle, the private clubhouse for the Academy of Magical Arts that hosts the worlds' most talented magicians. You can't visit unless you secure an invitation from a member or if you stay at the Magic Castle hotel. If you want to go, make sure you ask them to arrange for tickets when you make your reservation, since they're subject to availability. Evening dinner shows at the Magic Castle are strictly 21+, but their weekend brunch is family friendly. Learn more about the Magic Castle at www.magiccastle.com.

Disclosure: The Warner Bros. Tour Hollywood provided us with tickets for our visit.