The best studio tours in the Los Angeles area are the ones that match your time and budget. Warner Bros. in Burbank is the best all-round pick for most first-time visitors. Universal Studios Hollywood suits families who want a full theme-park day. Paramount suits film-history fans who want to stay in Hollywood proper, and Sony is the cheapest option for teens and adults. A good pick is a working lot, a clear price and a tour length that fits your day.
The trouble is that every studio sells its tour differently. Universal bundles the tram ride into park admission, Sony turns away children under 12, and Warner Bros. mixes guided and self-guided time. Those differences decide whether a tour fits your trip, and they are easy to miss until you reach the checkout page.
This article compares four tours on price, length, what you see and how to book. At Another Side Tours we have run guided Los Angeles tours since 2007, and we pair the Warner Bros. lot with city sightseeing, so we know how visitors fit a studio visit into a short trip. Prices below are published rates that change, so confirm them on each studio’s booking page.
1. Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
Warner Bros. is the best pick for most visitors because it pairs a guided ride through a working backlot with a self-guided exhibit you can pace yourself. It sits in Burbank and takes about three hours.
What you see
The tour starts with a guided tram and cart ride through active backlot streets, so you may pass a production in progress. You then explore Stage 48 on your own, where props from Friends, Harry Potter and DC are on display, including a Batmobile and the Batpod.
Two upgrades change the experience:
- Deluxe Tour: a three-hour guided tour, a visit to the Property Department, lunch at the Commissary Fine Dining Room, and a drink and snack at the Central Perk Café from Friends.
- Classics Tour: films and TV series shot on the backlot from the studio’s early days through the 1970s.
Price, length and who it suits
Standard tickets start at roughly $70 to $79 depending on the date, and premium or TCM-branded tours cost more. Book in advance and head to the tour center on Warner Boulevard, not the main studio gate.
If you want the lot plus a city tour, we sell three combos for the Warner Bros. tour. Each is booked as two separate tours, and the studio portion runs about two hours:
- Warner Bros. Studio & Segway Tour Combo: $225 per guest, semi-private, with a Beverly Hills Segway tour and $15 off per guest for parties of 3 or more.
- Los Angeles Tour & Warner Bros. Studio Tour Combo: $199 per guest, a 3-hour city tour plus the studio, which you can take on different days.
- Los Angeles Highlights & Warner Bros. Studio Tour Combo: $249 per guest, a 7-hour highlights tour plus the studio.
Choose Warner Bros. if you only have time for one studio tour.
2. Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour
Universal’s Studio Tour is the most famous of the group, but you cannot buy it alone. The 60-minute narrated tram ride is included with theme-park admission, so you are planning a full park day.
What you see
The tram rolls through Universal’s working backlot, hosted on video by Jimmy Fallon. Stops and sights include:
- The Jaws shark and King Kong 360
- The Psycho house and Bates Motel
- The Boeing 747 crash site built for War of the Worlds
- The Jupiter’s Claim set from NOPE and the collapsing bridges
The VIP Experience swaps the standard tram for a special trolley that lets you get off in areas closed to the public. It also adds a guide, front-of-line ride access, a private lunch and valet parking.
Price, length and who it suits
Park admission starts at about $109 online, while gate prices run closer to $169, so buy ahead. The tram itself is one hour, but the visit fills the day. It suits families with young children, since the park adds rides and Super Nintendo World, and it is the weakest choice if you want a quiet, close look at a lot.
Universal is a theme-park day with a studio tour inside it.
3. Paramount Pictures Studio Tour
Paramount is the pick for film-history fans. It is the last major studio still in Hollywood proper, and the tour runs about two hours.
What you see
Founded in 1912, Paramount is the longest-operating studio in Hollywood. Guides walk you through soundstages, the Prop Warehouse and the New York Street backlot, which can double for ten different New York neighborhoods. Expect strong history and small groups.
The VIP Tour runs 4.5 hours. It adds access to the archives and production facilities, a catered lunch on morning tours or champagne and hors d’oeuvres in the Prop Warehouse on afternoon tours, parking and a souvenir photo.
Price, length and who it suits
The standard tour costs about $71 and runs daily. Wear comfortable shoes, and check on the booking page whether your slot runs by cart or on foot. It suits travelers staying near Hollywood who want depth over spectacle, and it is a good second studio after Warner Bros.
Paramount trades spectacle for history, and it is the one to pick if you love old Hollywood.
4. Sony Pictures Studio Tour
Sony is the cheapest major-lot tour, but it has two firm limits: it runs weekdays only, and it admits ages 12 and up. It takes two hours on foot in Culver City.
What you see
The walking tour covers the historic former MGM lot, where The Wizard of Oz was shot. It passes soundstages used for Men in Black and Spider-Man. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are still taped here, so you may be near a live production. The lot also holds a studio museum and the Breaking Bad RV.
The 3-hour VIP Tour runs weekdays at 11:00 a.m. It adds museum access, a three-course lunch, a souvenir photo and a discount at the studio store.
Price, length and who it suits
The standard tour costs $50 to $55 depending on the source and date, and the VIP Tour costs about $200. Reserve ahead, because the small groups sell out. It suits teens, adults and game-show fans on a weekday schedule. Families with younger children should look elsewhere.
Sony offers the best price per hour, if everyone in your group is 12 or older.
How to choose and book a studio tour
Pick by group, schedule and budget, then book directly with the studio or an operator you trust. The table puts the four tours side by side.
Side-by-side comparison
| Tour | Typical price | Length | Format | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Bros. | $70 to $79 | About 3 hours | Guided tram and cart, self-guided Stage 48 | Book ahead |
| Universal | From about $109 (park admission) | 60 minutes | Narrated tram inside the park | Full-day ticket |
| Paramount | About $71 | 2 hours | Guided lot tour | Wear comfortable shoes |
| Sony | $50 to $55 | 2 hours | Walking tour | Ages 12+, weekdays only |
A family of four at the higher listed prices pays $316 at Warner Bros. (4 x $79), $284 at Paramount (4 x $71) and $436 at Universal (4 x $109). Sony costs $220 (4 x $55), but only if all four are 12 or older. The Burbank lot of Walt Disney Studios has no public tour. Only D23 members can book a limited walking tour there.
Which one to pick
Match the tour to your situation:
- One afternoon, first visit: Warner Bros.
- Young kids who want rides: Universal.
- Old Hollywood and a short ride from your hotel: Paramount.
- Tight budget and a free weekday: Sony.
Weekday slots are easier to get at every studio. Confirm the current price and age rules on the booking page before you pay.
Choose the tour for who is coming, then check the price.
Pick your studio and plan the rest
Warner Bros. is the safest single choice, Universal is a full day out, Paramount rewards history fans, and Sony is the budget weekday option. Compare prices and age limits first, then book early.
A studio tour covers only a few hours of a Los Angeles trip. If you want guidance around it, see our small-group Los Angeles sightseeing tours and pair one with a studio visit.
