Things to do / Travel Guide
The southern California coast is known the world over for being an entertainment mecca. Indeed, taking a look at places like Universal Studios Hollywood and NBC Studios are experiences that TV and movie fans simply can't pass up. In addition, you'll have the chance to tour NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and also to see some of your favorite products being made at area factories, from RV's to cigars to olives to guitars and more.
Behind-the-scenes and factory tours are typically family-friendly activities good for a short and interesting diversion from a region's mainstream tourist activities. Generally inexpensive, visitors are often given free tastes and samples. Note that some tours have irregular hours and admission restrictions. Click on the individual icons for more practical information.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours in Los Angeles
At Universal Studios Hollywood, the theme park's world-famous studio back lot tour lets you “Ride the Movies.” The 1.5-hour tour ride features celebrity hosts (on video screens), like Whoopi Goldberg, who guide you on a journey through blockbuster movie sets that recreate the action right before your eyes. The tour is included in the admission ticket to Universal Studios theme parks. The next best thing to attending the Academy Awards ceremony is touring the Kodak Theater, in Hollywood, where the annual event is held.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours around Burbank
In Burbank, just north of Los Angeles, Warner Bros. Studios and NBC Studios offer visitors the opportunity to tour the back lots and sets where some of the country's most popular shows and movies are filmed. Kids will surely be humming the “Animaniacs” theme song to themselves as they tour the “Warner movie lot,” and the set of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” at NBC is a “must see” for any late-night TV fan.
Just east of the studios, in Pasadena, sits NASA's JPL, one of the world's foremost scientific research facilities. There you can learn about how rockets are launched and how robots are built and programmed to explore outer space.
Factory Tours in the Valley
The San Bernardino Valley, east of Los Angeles, is the home of the Alfaleisure RV company, whose two sites in Chino and Ontario offer factory tours that'll rev your engines as you learn how RVs are made. You can squeeze a bit more into your day in the Ontario area at the Graber Olives Factory, where you'll surely be im“pressed” with their production process and maybe even enjoy a little snack.
Factory Tours in the San Diego Area
Further south, in the San Diego area, the Cuban Cigar Factory will delight you with sensational sights and smells; witness the age-old process of turning tobacco into superb stogies in the heart of the city. And if it's music you prefer, go ahead and marvel at the acoustic guitar-making process at El Cajon's Taylor Guitars. More suited for children, the Bates Nut Farm offers an educational farm experience and some more snacking opportunities.
Behind-the-Scenes and Factory Tours in San Diego, Laguna Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Southern California
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