Summer season is fast approaching and families are looking for things to do with the kids. Today I’ll be talking about a SoCal attraction located in Burbank that’s not as well known as say a Disneyland or its direct competitor/neighbor Universal Studios, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour Hollywood. Full disclosure this is not a theme park and doesn’t have rides, so it’s not a full day experience but for tourists looking to maximize their trip to Los Angeles this is a great thing to do with your family if you want to squeeze in multiple activities in one day.

I love movies and movie trivia so I’m definitely the prime audience for this experience. In fact they have a specialty tour (which I sadly didn’t do this time) that is Turner Classic Movies themed focusing on classic film history at the studio. The tour I did participate in is the basic tour which still features great movie locations as well as some fan favorite TV sets. I had previously done this tour before but found my recent visit superior, though both were fun, comparable days.

One thing that set apart my most recent visit was the opportunity we were given to see a live set. Our group was allowed access to stroll inside a sound stage for a show currently in production, “All American”. While I don’t watch the show I found the set itself (a very realistic home) very impressive to see, especially the forced perspective backyard that looked like it has a full swimming pool that’s just an optical illusion. Last time we were able to visit Stars Hollow from “Gilmore Girls” and it is usually part of the tour, unfortunately due to actual filming we weren’t allowed to see it. Not being a fan of “Gilmore Girls” I was okay with that as it gave us an opportunity to visit their New York street which I preferred to see. If you are a “Gilmore Girls” fan I would check to see when it becomes available again on the tour.

The tour ends with two different interactive exhibits, the first is a photo-op area that features Central Perk from “Friends” and sets from “Big Bang Theory”, as well as some activities that explain the magic of movie making. You then take a shuttle to the final interactive exhibit that features the world of DC Superheroes and Harry Potter, which is honestly the highlight for me. I love seeing their superhero costume displays, especially the Christopher Reeves/Michale Keaton costumes and their Batcave section. The Batcave is a very immersive area that has multiple Batman vehicles on display which are always magical to see in person.

Overall this is a very reasonably priced tourist attraction in Los Angeles that will make any cinephile happy. It isn’t a full day activity which would work with a busy schedule for families visiting the area. Children must be over 5 in order to participate and as far as being a sensory friendly activity there are minimal issues that I found. My son has very mild sensory problems so he didn’t find anything that bothered him. Near the Batman sections there is an Aquaman display that had kind of a spooky Trench Monster that scared my son a little but it is easily avoidable. I’d especially recommend this to large family groups as the trams are small and your group would essentially be getting a private tour. While this isn’t a theme park it is a very easy to do, half day activity that will please pretty much your entire family, there is very little waiting, no loud noises, no crowds, and just a fun relaxed time. If you’re interested in booking a tour or getting more info click here.