Best Hollywood studio tours offer film and TV fans the chance to step behind the scenes of some of the world’s biggest productions, from blockbuster franchises to beloved sitcoms and award-winning dramas. Whether you’re hoping to explore real backlots, walk through working soundstages, or see famous props and costumes up close, each Los Angeles studio tour offers something completely different.
From the action-packed Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour to the behind-the-scenes experiences at Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, Paramount Pictures Studio Tour, and Sony Pictures Studio Tour, these are the four major studio tours every movie lover should consider. For me, it was no different …it was a major bucket list goal of mine to visit each studio tour for the quintessential Hollywood experience. There was no place that was going to do Studio Tours better, and for sure Los Angeles didn’t disappoint!
Of course, each tour is different, so I’ve compiled the list for you – here’s what each one is known for, the productions you’ll see along the way, and which tour might be the best fit for your next trip to Hollywood!
Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour
The Universal Studios Hollywood Studio Tour combines a working film studio with theme park attractions, taking guests through one of the world’s busiest backlots while showcasing some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster productions. Along the way, you’ll experience famous attractions inspired by Jaws, Jurassic Park, King Kong, Fast & Furious, Psycho, Nope, and The War of the Worlds, alongside outdoor sets that continue to appear in television and film productions.
For me, this is hands down the BEST Hollywood studio tour – I’ve done it twice in Los Angeles & once in Florida, and it never gets old. Personally, there’s so much nostalgia when it comes to the productions they feature, it’s all SO well executed, and with it offering a sit-down respite from an overall hectic theme park day, you truly feel like you can let go, let loose, and let your imagination run wild! This is truly one of the best Hollywood studio tours!
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
Warner Bros. offers the most in-depth behind-the-scenes experience of the four tours, giving visitors access to real soundstages, backlots, production departments, and one of Hollywood’s largest collections of original props and costumes. Productions featured include Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls, Harry Potter, DC, Batman, Abbott Elementary, and numerous current Warner Bros. television productions.
If it’s not Universal, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is the next one I recommend people go to. I mean, you CANNOT beat the picture on the famous Friends couch!
Sony Pictures Studio Tour
Located on the former MGM lot in Culver City, Sony Pictures gives visitors a fascinating look at one of Hollywood’s most historic studio campuses. The tour highlights productions including Breaking Bad, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, Spider-Man, The Wizard of Oz history, Seinfeld, and many of Sony Pictures’ film and television productions.
This is the last tour I went on, and it makes sense that I left it to the end, because a lot of the main productions they headline, I haven’t really been a long-time fan of, so I didn’t really get that magical feeling – but, it was still a cool experience to immerse myself in the experience.
Paramount Pictures Studio Tour
As the oldest major film studio still operating in Hollywood, Paramount Pictures offers a walking tour through its historic lot, where classic Hollywood history meets modern filmmaking. Visitors can explore iconic streets, soundstages, and production areas while learning about films and series, including The Godfather, Forrest Gump, Mission: Impossible, Gladiator II, Dexter, and numerous classic Paramount productions.
I loved the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour, and as you can see, went a bit snap happy. I was truly a kid in the candy store, and loved learning a lot more cool BTS about some iconic film and TV series.
Have you experienced the best Hollywood Studios Tours? Tell us which one was your favourite!