Tour guide was very knowledgeable however there was a lot of talking and watching an iPad with zero time allotted for pictures or time to explore the areas you were in. Other than that it was ok. I give it 3 stars. read more

Aloha folks! I had the chance to check out the Paramount Studio Tour. Ever since I saw the movie "Sunset Boulevard", I've wondered what it would be like going beyond the iconic studio gates. Well ..my wish was granted as I took the standard tour. It was 2 hours filled with historical information regarding the movies and television shows that I grew to love. From shows like Happy Days, Glee and Laverne and Shirley to movies like Sunset Boulevard, Grease and many others. Our guide, Lauren did a great job escorting our group throughout the sites of the studio. She shared many interesting facts and stories and answered all of our questions. My favorite portion of the tour was the New York set. It was fun walking through the diner set from Glee and getting the opportunity to enter one of the large soundstages that have been used in many movies. I highly recommend this tour if you're in Hollywood. read more

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The Paramount Pictures Studio Tour is an incredible experience and easily one of the highlights of visiting LA. Walking through a real, working studio where so many iconic films and TV shows were made gives you a deep appreciation for Hollywood history. Seeing legendary stages from classics like Breakfast at Tiffany's, Rosemary's Baby, The Hunt for Red October, and more recent productions like This Is Us makes the history feel tangible and alive. The backlot streets, sound stages, and exhibits are immersive, and the tour guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the studio's legacy. This tour strikes the perfect balance between nostalgia and modern filmmaking. If you love movies, television, or storytelling, this is an absolute must. read more

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In our experience, this is the best studio tour in Los Angeles for the true aficionado of the history and technical aspects of the cinematic industry. They even gave us a nice, collectible guest identification badges with our names printed on them. And, perhaps the highlight of the pre-tour--they allowed us to actually hold an Oscar trophy. Very well organized and an amazingly courteous and knowledgeable staff. read more

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Obviously we had to do at least one studio tour during our Hollywood trip, so we eventually settled on Paramount Pictures. We arrived shortly before our time slot and were presented with snazzy identification badges. From there, we were told to wait in a cool area with a few props (TARS from Interstellar!) and a video showing off Paramount's releases. The tour eventually started in earnest and our tour guide was great. He was friendly and possessed a palpable enthusiasm for the studio and its history. It was cool to be shown around by somebody with an obvious passion for the movies. We were driven around the lot in a cool little golf cart and shown historical things and various backlots. It was all pretty nifty and it was fun driving by productions in progress. I will admit, though, I was disappointed we didn't get to see any working sets. We did drive by a couple of Doctor Odyssey sets and that was neat, but I was really hoping we'd get to walk onto a set or two. Still, I'm glad we did the tour and I had fun for its duration. read more

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Amazing! Loved this. We paid the lowest tour amount and only 4 people were in our group. Our tour guide, Anise, was soooo lovely and nice. Very knowledgeable about the studio. read more

Paramount Studio Tour - Tours Near Me - Los Angeles, California

When you go on a studio tour it is so fascinating to learn the history behind some of your favorite films. Paramount studio truly is a piece of Hollywood history and a must see for anyone that loves the movies read more

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My mom and I went here today 2/2/26 and we had a fantastic time. We arrived for the first tour and there were only four others in our group. Jose was our tour guide and he was spectacular. Full of information and let ask all the questions we wanted. He also played "paparazzi" for any pictures we wanted to take of ourselves. It was a great experience and there was so much information to absorb and photos you can take. I highly recommend this tour especially if you love movies like we do. Jose deserves to be recognized for how amazing he is. 10/10 + read more

Best studio tour we've ever gone on! Our guide was the best and spent a great time giving us details and listening to what each of our interests were within our party to tailor the tour to us. Going through the studio, soaking up the history, and seeing the places where our favorite shows and movies were made was mind blowing. And especially seeing the former desilu area!!! Would definitely do this tour again! read more

Paramount Studio Tour - Tours Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I loved this tour sooo much It was so cool to seee the studio lot Our tour guide was amazing I also went to the Warner Bros tour but this studio tour was a smaller group so it felt much more intimate which I liked!! Highly recommend visiting read more

We were with another couple that booked this tour. Looking for the best tour they said this tour gave more information and gave the best tour. We went in Nov. and the weather was great! We had the perfect and very knowledgeable tour guide. We went into the props room and to buildings that were just used the front of the building for movie sets. We had a props manager come by and told us about the movies that were played in each building. We were standing Breakfast at Tiffany's and he said tomorrow it will be another set. I highly recommend this tour. read more

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We enjoyed the Paramount Studio tour! Having done the Universal, Walt Disney, and Warner Brother tours, this tour was smaller and more intimate. Our guide Andrew was great! Large parts of the tour were focused on the history of the lot and the Golden Age era, which Andrew was very passionate about and knowledgeable. Our small group of 2 (+ another couple) spent lots of time in the Matlock & Rookie sound stages, as it was really interesting to see a working sound stage and all the ins and outs. Andrew was very knowledgeable and was able to answer every single question that came his way! We spent a lot of time here asking about sound stages, how they are rented out and run, the different roles of those on set, it was great. It was fun going through the New York set and seeing the Prop Department, though it was much smaller than I expected. Very Star Trek heavy, as that is one of their main franchises. Nice and clean Coffee Bean stop about 3/4th through the tour along with a small gift shop, with lots of Yellowstone, Godfather, and Mission Impossible merchandise. Besides that it was mostly Paramount Studios branded merchandise. Overall this tour was a basic level into the film world, though Andrew made it special! For those who have done other studio tours you may have heard similar things, but it's special to be at the only remaining film studio in Hollywood! Always fun to hold an Oscar, and glad to get photos in front of the gate. Bummed that the main gate was closed to take photos in front of, but it was cool seeing the Mission Impossible event be set up! Glad to check this off our list. read more

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Saw zero sound stages. Got interesting history, tour guide was very pleasant but a lot of tour was sitting on a road in the lot and watching random video clips on her iPad. Too much time in the film archive looking at boxes and canisters of film. Props we viewed were mostly of very old and obscure movies. Same wi th the prop room. Very little to see if recent historic hits for the studio. Spent time looking at and hearing about old costumes and prop jeeelry that no one knew if ever worn by a star or even used in a movie. Why??? Did see two stars randomly walking on studio road. Disappointing overall. Would not recommend. read more

I did a solo Premier Tour on a Friday in August. Going solo has its perks, as I was invited to sit at the front of the cart with our tour guide extraordinaire, Angel, who was amazing from start to finish! I've read that the quality of the tour can sometimes depend on the guide; since I did the premier tour, presumably the guides are of a slightly higher caliber and Angel was definitely no exception. The tour is very well structured and ran like clockwork. The tour was for seven of us (I didn't know the others) and the bonus of the premier tour is [we] got a little extra behind-the-scenes access which I would highly recommend. I can definitely understand how a general tour would be less interesting, because those extras are definitely what made the tour super special. You can see some stuff from the prop department, some set pieces used in films, some of the props and costumes used, and explanations about how they are made and how certain things came about. Really informative and interesting. Study up on which Paramount film is your favorite, as Angel will cater a little bit of extra info specific to your favorite films. read more

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Going to Paramount Studio tour with me! Interesting tour seeing many active sets and historic backlots. read more

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Oh man... I know this tour varies dramatically based on your tour guide, but boy I got a dud on my tour. He hadn't even watched current or previous seasons of shows currently filming on the lot! What the heck?! We saw the outside of a lot of soundstages, but nothing that we'd actually recognize. They were setting up for a special event that evening, so we didn't get to see any of the New York Backlot. But we spent a ridiculous amount of time in the movie theater where they show screenings. Um, why? It's also really disappointing that they charge an additional $24 for parking to do the tour. read more

We did the VIP tour and it was well worth it! It was just a group of 7 of us with an excellent guide, Lauren. She was incredibly knowledgable about the studio and its films and shuttled us in a golf cart to meet craftsmen who discussed their work and answered our questions. We saw a TV show in production, behind-the-scenes sets and had a delicious lunch in the executive dining room. We also got a free, printed pic in one of the iconic spots on the lot and a poster. read more

I really enjoyed the Paramount Studios Tour. Like majority of the reviews say it's perfect for film history lovers since the focus is more on storytelling and Hollywood history than active sets or live production. Overall, a great choice if you're more into history than behind-the-scenes action. Nonetheless a great experience- thank you Allison! read more

My family of 4 enjoyed our studio tour on 2-8-25 with our tour guide Levi. Levi was extremely knowledgeable and made the 2 hour tour memorable and entertaining. I highly recommend this tour. We hope to be back! read more

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Decided to try out the Paramount studio tour a week after going to the Warner Bros. tour and although this one was certainly different, it was still a great time and will open your eyes to the technical aspects and history of the inner workings of film and television! We came here on a Wednesday, and it was pretty quiet in terms of people attending the tour, but it probably gets busy on the weekends. Parking is $22 in Lot A right across the entrance, so super easy! Immediately, the vibe of this tour felt much more upscale and intimate than the tour at WB which felt pretty theme park-y. We were given a badge that denotes our status as guests and our tour guide Ricardo led our small group of 7 onto a cart and were given earpieces so that we were able to hear him better. Won't go too in-depth about the specific spots, but we were able to visit a soundstage as well as many other iconic spots that are on the lot. This tour definitely offers a lot of history and stories in comparison to the WB tour, so hardcore cinephiles like me might enjoy that aspect of this tour better. As a fan of vintage films and midcentury America, hearing all the quirky stories about Audrey Hepburn, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Bronson, etc. were fascinating to me! You get more of a sense that you're transported to the golden age of Hollywood on this tour for sure; the epitome of feeling nostalgia for a period you never lived through! In my opinion, this particular tour wasn't as energetic and family-friendly as the WB tour and I would have preferred not to carry the clumsy listening devices, but it wasn't a big deal. I think the technical aspects of the tour could be improved on but overall, it was a solid experience. The gift shop was laughably small and contained mostly overpriced Paramount branded apparel, but there is a Coffee Bean located right in the gift shop so it's a good place to grab a cold drink! The Paramount studio tour is definitely worth a visit if you're interested in a more intimate and in-depth look into the history of film and television. Although I think there are some aspects of the tour that can be improved on, the overall experience was fun and a great way to spend a free day! read more

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My favorite back lot studio tour. I took it back around 2006 and in 2023. It has gone from a small department to much more. They have stepped up the quality of the tour a lot. A couple of things to remember. If there are any striking departments, it will limit people on the lot. Also, summer tours will be more open to sight seeing as many shows are on hiatus. Both tours, I never spotted an actoron the lot. This is for a tourist that enjoys the stories of Hollywood; specifically, the golden era. Billy was an awesome guide the day we went. He was knowledgeable about Hollywood and how we got to 2023. read more

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BE AWARE, the carts you'll spend most of the tour riding around in seat seven, but the last row of seats faces backward, and if you're stuck there -- like I and my out of town guest were -- you'll miss most of the sights the guide points out. If I did this again I would ask at check-in how many are in my group and either ask to go with a later/smaller group or be prepared to race to the cart to get a front-facing seat. Our guide Mason was very good, but the tour was rather repetitive. Riding between sound stages as Mason reeled off the names of shows and movies shot in them. Best parts were going onto the set of a current cop show ("Don't touch anything!"), with Mason explaining how they do the "magic"; seeing the giant outdoor "swimming pool" C.B. DeMille used to part the Red Sea and hearing how he did it; seeing the old buildings and stars' dressing rooms (from the outside) and taking photos in a Star Trek lifter. You will see plenty of workers scuttling about, but probably not any stars. That said, the tour was mostly Mason lecturing the group on studio history, which was very interesting, and showing videos on an iPad that my friend and I could not see for the most part because we were facing BACKWARD, dang it. Being in the studio setting for this was nice, I suppose, but could all be covered in a documentary I could watch without having to crane my neck 180 degrees. read more

I booked the tickets online. Their parking is $22 and cash only. After parking, you just walk across the street and you're at the studio. Once in, you pass through security and then you get your tickets at the front. They look at everyone's ID at your party and give you a tour pass (which you can keep as a souvenir!) They take small groups and we had 6 people in our group. The tour was 2 hours. You'll ride a golf cart around the area and then there are parts where you will get off and view certain areas. You'll also get an earpiece so everyone can hear your tour guide. Our tour guide was Ashley and she was amazing! She was very knowledgeable about our questions and provided great facts I never knew about. I've learned so much on this tour and loved everything about it! Service: 5+/5 Tip(s): - Parking is $22 on weekends and cash only - Everyone in your party needs to bring their ID read more

If you love tv/movies - studio tours are definitely something you should do. I love to see the sets and anything behind the scenes. My goal is to go to all the studio tours in LA. I've only done the Warner Bros one and this one (Paramount) so far. If you've never been here, I'd recommend it. But would I go again? Mmmm not sure. It's cool. We got to see the Dr. Phil sound stage/set. I would have loved to see a different one or another one in addition (I don't care for Dr Phil). If they did special tours like WB occasionally does, I'd go back. I feel studio tours are generally a one time kind of thing but are very entertaining. The tour guide was really nice and knowledgeable about everything he showed us that day. Gave us tidbits about all sorts of things all around the lot. I felt the tour was really thorough and we made sure to tip him at the end for a job well done. There's plenty of photo ops and the cart ride is really fun. (If you sit in the back backwards - hold on for dear life). Those were the best seats. read more

Oh Paramount Studios! Now I love doing studio tours because they are super cool to see! Parking: Parking is honestly super easy to find for this tour. They have a secured parking lot that costs $20 to park in. It's located right across the street from the entrance to the tour. It looks like they have some street parking but most of the nearby parking has a 2 hour limit (the tour itself is 2 hours). So honestly just use the parking lot they offer. Entrance: Once you cross the street you'll see the entrance. You might do what I did an go to the wrong one accidentally. If that happens they will guide you to the correct one. Once inside the building you will check in, go through security, and then get to relax in a very cool room until your tour starts. This room has some costumes, Oscar's, and other fun memorabilia in it. This is also where you will meet your tour guide! Once everyone has arrived you're off to the golf cart and now the fun begins. Tour itself: Now the tour will hit so many spots. What I love is they all have iPads. So after they tell you about they movies that were filmed in an area, they will show you clips from the movies. This studio has so many different elements to it. It will amaze you how many different areas they have that can be used. Since you are on a golf cart with only 7ish people, it makes it super easy to walk around with your tour guide. Now our tour did get to visit a sound stage. We saw the Dr. Phil stage. Now I'm not a huge fan of his show. However it was so awesome seeing how it is set up! Truly a cool experience even if you don't watch it. I was lucky enough to have Siobhan as my tour guide. She was so nice and extremely knowledgeable! She also provided us random fun facts in places that you're not expecting. She is a great tour guide! Prop warehouse and gift shop: So this tour will finish at the prop warehouse and a small gift shop. The prop warehouse has a ton of items used in several movies and tv shows. It is honestly so awesome!! Definitely be ready for a fun experience. The gift shop is honestly not super huge. It is a very small shop with not a lot to offer for merch. Which was good for me cause I wasn't tempted to buy anything. Overall I loved this tour. I would recommend this tour if you want to visit a working studio lot. Hopefully you get Siobhan too! read more

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The studio tour was amazing, our tour guide Noa was phenomenal! Really recommend taking this tour if you're in LA! Super informative and great photo ops! Thank you for a wonderful experience!! read more

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Fun studio tour! Tiana our tour director did a fabulous job! Lots of interesting sites to see. Golf cart takes you around along with flat area walking. read more

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We've been on a few different studio tours in the L.A. area and in London, and what we've gleaned is that your guide has everything to do with the experience. Today, Elias gave our small group a crash course in all things Paramount (without crashing thanks to skillful driving), and it was delivered with so much heart, knowledge, and humor. He even took photos for both groups and pointed out Rookie-centric lot highlights when he learned my daughter watches the show. We couldn't have asked for a better guide--and Paramount certainly made a great choice when they chose him as an ambassador for the brand. An aside: Paramount, please add a clip of Duckie lip-synching to "Try a Little Tenderness" so Pretty in Pink is represented in that wonderful welcome center montage, and it'll be absolute perfection. Thank you for a great day! read more

I opted for the low tier tour and was pleasantly surprised. It's cool to see such pieces of film history interwoven into all the current productions and daily life of the studio. Kate was our tour guide for the day and she did a tremendous job. I had a ton of fun. Highly recommend. read more

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Alright, so, I have taken this tour 3 more times since my review in 2022, and it COMPLETELY has to do with the tour guide. I've had a couple of guides that cared SO MUCH about certain productions, that they just gave us the tour based on their favorites. However, we had one tour guide that I hope to have for every tour, as long as she stays on the lot. And that was: Alexis (this is not a paid ad, nor do I know Alexis, personally). We were back on the lot in November, 2023, and Alexis listened to what we liked, and thought of SO MUCH detail and fun facts that made everything new and exciting - and really made us feel like "insiders". If you are a resident of LA who attends these tours more than once because everyone and their mom wants to go when they visit (and I do NOT blame them!), let your tour guide know, tell them what you've seen before and what you are interested in learning more about. And, if possible, request Alexis :) PS - If Paramount wants to start some kind of Local Ambassador program...I'm happy to be an active volunteer. So much magic and legacy to share! read more

We got a group of friends together to buy out an entire tour time and have it to ourselves (it only takes 7 people to do that), and since we're all movie buffs, our tour guide Chris (originally from Carmel) catered to our interests -- giving us a very thorough history of Paramount Pictures, its founders, and its evolution throughout the decades. I'd actually taken the Paramount studio tour back in 2016, but this tour felt entirely different! Paramount encourages the guides design their own tour -- including the route and the multimedia images and videos they show on their iPads (which they didn't have back in '16), so my second time was still a unique experience. I loved the big blue tank with the painted blue sky behind it, where Moses parted the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments. And I was thrilled to see the former dressing rooms of Elvis Presley and Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta from Grease. We were even standing in the same spot where Fonzie pulled up in a Season 1 episode of Happy Days! And one special spot behind the medic's office BLEW MY MIND! (I don't want to give away what was shot there -- take the tour!) PRO TIPS: - Arrive a little early because there's some great stuff to look at after you go through security while you're waiting to meet your tour guide (like screen-used costumes). - There are a couple of bathroom stops along the way, but I was glad I'd gone ahead of time. - They provide free water bottles to keep you hydrated, even on a hot sunny day. - There's usually plenty of shade in the spots where you get off the golf cart. - Bring your camera/charge your phone! There are lots of photo opps. - The studio store closes early on weekends, so make sure you get the chance to visit before your tour if you have a tour time scheduled later in the day. Taking this tour actually made me want to go back and take one of the nighttime spooky tours they do around Halloween and maybe even the VIP tour (which includes lunch and some additional stops, from what I understand). read more

Went on the 3 hour Premier tour and Billy was an amazing tour guide! He was so knowledgeable about Paramount's history and famous stars. I enjoyed getting to see costumes, jewelry, props from classic films as well as check out the film archives. Ended the tour at the studio store and then was escorted off the lot. Easy parking across the street. Fun afternoon! read more

Can't believe this studio is 65 acres! Accidently entered the studio lot and was directly across the street to Lot A. Be prepared for security check as guard will require bags, purses open for inspection. Front attendant was personable and the guide was super passionate about the studio, shows and movies. I liked the waiting area and the wall with the history (something to kill the wait time). I liked the adjoining room with the trophies and the huge 100 year pictures of numerous celebrities. The "red carpet" area was a treat. Our group was taken to the gift shop as we were one of the last tours and they wanted to ensure we had a chance to visit the shop before it closed. We were carted around the lot and walked into a few structures. The guide had a few movie clips which was helpful when viewing the staging area. The studio tour wasn't was I expected. Perhaps because I am used to live, tapings and the energy from those. However, at least I crossed this off my list. read more

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I had a wonderful tour with my family! It was so nice to learn the history of the oldest studio in Hollywood. My favourite parts were going on the sound stage and the backlot. Had a blast and learned a lot! Levi was my tour guide, and he was stellar, so much knowledge in that brain of his!! Thanks! read more

Cody was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and fun. I highly recommend springing for the VIP if you at all care about movies. Do the VIP and ask for Cody. She's the best. read more

We experienced the VIP Tour option and it did not disappoint. If requesting a guide is an option, Rocco is your choice hands down. You can tell that he is passionate and truly cares about the experience that you'll get vs. getting through the tour. He went above and beyond the expectations of this tour and we appreciated his time in giving us more than what was expected. (You can tell he did research off the clock to enable himself to answer questions that are fired at him). We left Paramount getting our $$ worth. Telling you what you'll see would rob you of this experience. TAKE THE VIP TOUR...you won't regret it. We booked online...quick and easy! Rocco personalizes his tour through engagement with each member of the tour. The group is 7 or smaller, thus keeping with the flow of the tour and meeting the timeline. Lunch was fantastic. Stops into areas where employees would stop their work to address the group was a nice touch. Historical facts were dropped throughout the tour and you get to know Paramount and all the changes it has been through. A LOT of history is within the walls of the property. Things we didn't know were interesting to us and fans of Paramount movies will learn more "behind the scenes" as the tour progresses. Although we didn't get "star struck", we were extremely pleased with this tour and Rocco made this happen for us. Mahalo, Rocco ! We hope to see your name in the credits someday! ~ Jules Kam/Jason Nobriga Aloha from the 50th State... read more

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Zoe was our guide yesterday for a group of 6 adults. What a fun way to spend 2 hours on a Sunday! We were not disappointed with the immense and rich history we were surrounded by. Zoe provided us with a ton of information, was clearly knowledgeable about the Studio and super friendly - everything that added up to a great morning. Highly recommend taking the Studio Tour - and if you are fortunate enough to have Zoe as your guide, you will surely have a great experience! read more

Everyone has done the Universal Studios tram tour which is terrific and is both part tour and part ride. The Warner Brothers tour is also excellent, although pricey. The Paramount tour is very good. It's different than the Warner tour in that there is a bit more walking involved and it is perhaps more personal. We were in a group of just our family and one other family and it really felt like a private tour. You really can't beat that. Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. She was perfect for our group. We were informed that you get to go into more sound stages during the weekend tour but you'll probably never see a celebrity on a weekend. On weekdays, you might see a celebrity (but probably not) but you'll go into fewer sound stages. So you make the call. Parking is simple. It's across the street in a pay lot. The guard at the parking lot was very helpful and directed us where to park and enter for the tour. Before the tour started, we got to hold a real Oscar and I'll never forget how heavy (8 1/2 pounds) it was. It's much heavier than you think. No complaints at all, although the Paramount gift store is pretty lackluster. Overall, the Warner tour is probably more entertaining and polished, but if you have already done Warner, give this one a try. read more

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I was excited for this tour, but alas it lacked in many ways. Our tour guide Christian was great, and he did the best he could with what he had to work with. It's $65/person and I would say it's not really worth that price. If it were like half that I'd be more inclined to say to give it a shot if you're a big movie buff. It's 2 hours long and you're on a golf cart that can hold up to 7-8 guests. We lucked out and had almost a private tour so our cart wasn't full. There is an actor's strike going on and it was a Sunday so the lot was pretty dead. No one was working on the lot and no filming was going on. I guess the nice part of no filming going on was that they didn't cut out parts of the tour due to filming but even with seeing everything that we could it still lacked in many ways. You go around the backlot on a golf cart and you stop outside soundstages and mostly just look from the outside and the guide tells you what was filmed there. They let us go into 2 empty soundstages and we were able to walk around the New York set and a few interior parts of the New York set which was sort of cool I suppose but nothing amazing. Nothing was being filmed, no actors around, and mostly just standing around looking at stuff from the outside while the tour showed stuff on an ipad. Not a lot was being filmed as a lot of the shows were canceled and not much was being set up to be filmed due to the strikes. Also, a lot of stuff they talk about on the tour are older films and so if you're a fan of more modern stuff 90s shows/movies to now you won't find much. At one point we just stood outside in this empty parking lot that the tour guide showed us was once used for water scenes and then another part where we stood behind a soundstage in this alleyway that was once used for a Tom Cruise film. I didn't have super high expectations of being able to walk into stuff that was being filmed but I would've liked to see some soundstages with actual sets built out. They did show us a prop room which was kind of neat but it was mostly star trek and transformers stuff, so if you aren't into that stuff it isn't that interesting. I'd skip this one and do the warner brother's tour. Warner's brothers has more recognizable intellectual property and had a whole area to take pictures with set pieces and was more better crafted for a tourist, even if the sets you took pictures in weren't the real sets. Also, there just isn't much by the studio to do afterwards unless you want to move your car after paying $22 to park already. Would I do it again or recommend it to someone? Probably not, unless they go on a weekday and there is active filming going on, but still they probably wouldn't allow you near any of the action. If you want to be near the action you would be better off signing up to be in the audience of a show. At least that way you're in an active soundstage plus that's free to do so most of the time. Maybe if you're a big movie buff it could be worth it, but I found it rather bland and not exciting. Again, it had nothing to do with our tour guide, he is given a script and a route he must take and tried his best. He was a nice guy who made great conversation. Also, I wish they would allow us to bring a coffee on the golf cart. They made me throw away my starbucks but i saw tour guides with coffees on their carts. I would understand not being able to bring it into the soundstages or the prop warehouse but we were mostly outdoors so I'm not sure why they were so strict about it. Gift shop was ok, nothing amazing. They also had a coffee bean inside the gift shop. I've kinda been just checking off these studio tours when I have the time, it was at least a nice day to be out on a golf cart and I learned some movie history. read more

When booking a studio tour at Paramount, there are two tours offered - the Studio tour and the VIP tour. This review is of the VIP Tour. What a great experience! After researching the various studio tours in the L.A. area and having done the Warner Brothers Studio Tour, we were looking for a more immersive tour experience. We found that with the Paramount Studios VIP Tour. This tour has limited spots available, so booking in advance is not only recommended...it is necessary. This is not the tour that will be available if you wake up in your L.A. hotel and think to yourself "I want to do a studio tour today". We booked a couple of weeks ahead of our visit. On the day of our visit, there were numerous groups going on the standard tour but the VIP tour was limited to 12 people - 6 per tour guide/cart. I'd been told the VIP tour is a more personal tour with many more details and visits to places the standard tour does not go. This was absolutely the case! Parking was a breeze at their private lot across the street from the studio. Our tour guide (the fabulous Anna Karen) met us at 9:15 - 15 minutes ahead of our tour time - to say hi, to let us know she would be our guide and to let us know she was waiting for 2 more people to arrive before we would be departing. We were ready to go by 9:40. The first thing on the tour was to pose for photos in front of the Paramount logo while holding an actual Oscar from the Academy Awards (ours was the Oscar for special effects achievement for 1953's "War of the Worlds"). That done we headed to our cart to begin the tour. Anna Karen took us to the famous Bronson Gate where we posed for another photo and she began to tell us about the origins of the studio. We walked about the front part of the studio and discovered all the history behind what we were seeing. After getting back in our cart, she drove us on a sightseeing tour of the sound stages. Next was one of my favorite parts of the day - walking onto a sound stage and touring the set it had inside. We were allowed to walk onto the sets of "The Company You Keep" - an ABC spy show (no photos allowed - you had to leave your personal items with the sound stage guard). Anna Karen explained how the sets would be used, how the techs could make it morning, daytime or nighttime based on the lighting they used to come through the windows and lots of other details. This, I understand, is not part of the standard Studio Tour and was one of the big reasons we chose the VIP Tour. Back in the cart, we made our way to the Sign Shop. We were able to tour the sign shop, view their work, see work in action and chat with one of the Sign Shop team members. Leaving there we headed toward the Dining Room - one of the studio's onsite restaurants/commissaries. Lunch was included in our tour and we enjoyed a very tasty meal prepared by one of the Paramount Studios chefs. Back in the cart after lunch, we toured the side of the studios that were formerly RKO then Desilu before becoming part of Paramount. We saw the exteriors of Lucy & Desi's dressing rooms which were attached to the soundstage where "I Love Lucy" was recorded. After that we toured the entire City Backlot on the cart, then we parked, got out and walked around the entire backlot under the direction of Anna Karen (who also provided little tidbits about the facades and what they had appeared in). The tour finished up at the Archives Building (where they are converting old movies to digital to preserve them) and the Prop Warehouse where we were able to see props used in movies from the classics to the modern age. Highly recommend the VIP Tour - well worth the money and your time if you are a big fan of how movies and television shows are made! PS - we were told that filming can definitely affect what they can and can't show you on the tour - if there's major filming happening on the backlot, they will not take you there on the tour, etc. Be prepared that your experience may not exactly match mine based on what's happening at this very real, very busy Hollywood studio! read more

Paramount Studio Tour - The famous Bronson Gate - Tours Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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