Touring the Warner Brothers Studio

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It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that I am a big fan of film and television locations. I’ve run all over England looking for Harry Potter locations and went on a studio tour for The Walking Dead. On my first trip to Los Angeles in 2011, I was fascinated by the Old Hollywood venues and the golden age of movies. While many are now filmed in my hometown of Atlanta, I knew I wanted to go on a studio tour for my most recent visit.

Deciding which one proved to be difficult as I love both classics and modern hits. The big three are Paramount, Universal, and Warner Brothers. Since I’d spent a lot of time at Universal Orlando, I opted against it. And while Paramount is incredible, Warner Brothers has been the filming location for so.many.hits including Friends, Big Bang Theory, Full House, and Gilmore Girls.

Warner Brothers made their first movie in 1918 and was behind early hits like Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, and Rebel Without a Cause. They’ve won countless awards, including for Atlanta-filmed classic Driving Miss Daisy. The tour itself starts with a short film showcasing these greatest hits.

From there, we went on a driving tour around the backlot where we recognized many locations, including from the CW Network’s shows. We saw Luke’s from Gilmore Girls, which was also used as a coffee shop in Hulu’s Veronica Mars reboot. Certain streets were constructed to resemble gritty New York, colorful San Francisco, or the wild west. We saw the massive stages, including the Stage 16 water tank, and the lot’s own gas station and fire department.

There are a few stops along the way where we got out but one that fascinated me was the props department. Every single item featured in a show or movie has been carefully cataloged according to what it has appeared on and what it is reserved to be used on. This includes the president’s desk from The West Wing.

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Another incredible area is the exhibits. The Harry Potter exhibit includes costumes and props from the original films as well as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The series has been leased to Universal, which is why you’ll see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at their parks. There are also exhibits on newer films like Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and the original Batman films.

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The tour ends at the most popular stop: Central Perk. They’ve recreated a real coffee shop for fans to grab a bite as well as the set for the coffee shop to take souvenir photos in. There are also exhibits on the writing process, exhibits on new films like A Star is Born and Crazy Rich Asians, and Harry Potter-themed photo ops.

The gift shop also has souvenirs on their most popular shows and movies. I really enjoyed my tour and would certainly recommend it for visitors to LA!

If You Go

The Warner Brothers Studio Tour is located at 3400 Warner Blvd, Burbank, California, around 20 minutes drive from downtown Los Angeles. I spent $20 on a Lyft to Burbank but if I’d had a car, it was about $15 to park. You can also take the Metro Red Line to the North Hollywood Station and then transfer to bus or rideshare, which takes around an hour. There are a number of restaurants nearby including the iconic Bob’s Big Boy.

Ticket prices vary based on extras. The studio tour starts at $69, while the classics tour is $79. There is also a five-hour-long tour that goes even further behind the scenes for $295. Book your Warner Bros. Studios Tour with Optional Transportation here. Some places do not allow photos, so be aware. I paid for my own tour.