Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

Paramount Pictures is the last major film studio still headquartered in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, and its lot on Melrose Avenue has been home to film and television production for about a century. The Studio Tour lets visitors through the gates of this working lot, offering a closer look at how productions are made than a theme-park experience can.

The standard Studio Tour is a two-hour guided ride by cart, offered daily with morning and afternoon departures. Guides share the studio's history and its current productions as you travel between stops, which include the Bronson Gate, the arched entrance seen in many films, the New York Street backlot, where city streets are recreated for filming, and the prop warehouse. Because this is an active lot, the route can change depending on what is being filmed that day.

Guests must be ten or older, and anyone aged 18 or over needs government-issued photo identification. Booking in advance is strongly advised, as tours are limited in size and popular dates sell out. The studio also offers other tour options from time to time; check its website for the current range and any special experiences.

The tour suits film and television fans, older children and teenagers with an interest in how screen stories are made, and visitors who want something more grounded than a theme park. It is a good contrast with Universal Studios Hollywood, which combines a studio tour with rides, and with the Warner Bros. tour in Burbank.

Plan to arrive early to allow time for check-in and security. Wear comfortable clothes, as there is some walking at stops, and bring sun protection in summer, since much of the tour is outdoors. Photography rules vary on a working lot, so follow your guide's instructions, particularly near active sets. Many visitors find that the stories guides tell about famous productions, and about the people who worked on the lot over the decades, are as memorable as the sets themselves, so come with questions.

The studio is on Melrose Avenue between Hollywood and Hancock Park, a short drive from Hollywood Boulevard. Larchmont Village, with cafés such as Go Get Em Tiger, is a few minutes away for a coffee before your tour, and Providence, one of the city's top fine dining restaurants, is a few blocks west along Melrose for a special dinner afterwards.