Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Los Angeles

A brief history of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour

Tours have been going around the Warner Bros. Studio backlot since the early 1950s and 1960s. Back then, they were just a casual walkthrough for friends and VIPs and were sometimes even run by founder and film mogul Jack Warner himself.

The studio tour entered the mainstream in 1972. That's when an official guided route around the studios was put on sale. It cost just $3 to reserve and aimed to showcase the technical side of filmmaking. An estimated 15,000 people a year took up the offer, and the studios had a team of a dozen guides at hand.

Bigger changes came in the noughties. A total rebranding and the addition of large-scale exhibits added whole new dimensions to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. On top of that, the Deluxe Tour turned the experience into a full day on the set for the most dedicated of film buffs.

What are the highlights of the Warner Bros. Studio Tour?

The Warner Bros. Studio Tour is all about going behind the scenes to see how those big Hollywood blockbusters are actually made. It's also about setting foot in hallowed film-making territory, where you'll encounter some of your favourite scenes and iconic props.

The standard Studio Tour lasts 3 hours. It has both guided and self-guided parts but covers some of the main draws in the attraction. Top of that list is the Stage 48: Script to Screen exhibit. It's an immersive odyssey through the whole process of cinema, from casting to postproduction. You also get to make a pitstop at Central Perk Café, where a laze on the Friends sofa awaits.

Film aficionados of the highest order might want to plump for the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Deluxe edition. It's the full shebang with all the bells and whistles. You get everything that the standard tour includes, along with a glimpse of the Batmobile collection, complimentary drinks, a magical jaunt through the Harry Potter exhibit, and a superpower hit of the DC Universe.

Good to know about the Warner Bros. Studio Tour

The location of the tour is the site of the working Warner Bros. Studios. They're in Burbank, a part of northern LA that's right below the iconic Hollywood Sign. It's easy to reach using a combo of public transport routes. Take the train to North Hollywood and then switch to the 501 bus that arrives just outside the attraction.

Photography isn't allowed in some areas of the studio backlot because it's an active film set. Just be sure to ask your tour guide where it's okay to snap your souvenir shots. Both of the main tours are offered in English and Spanish. They also run no matter the weather, 7 days a week (except on Christmas Day).