For our very last day in L.A. we wanted to do something that only L.A. could offer, a tour of a major movie studio. The one which looked the most promising was Universal Studio in University City just north of downtown.

The park has a variety of rides, shows, and a real working movie studio complete with its own tour. There is also lots of shops, restaurants and an all-new cinemas at CityWalk. Universal Studios Hollywood is very family-friendly and is typically packed in the Summer season. When we visited, there were folks in the park, but there was absolutely no wait for any of the attractions!

The first thing we did was the studio tour. It was quite the fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the "magic" of movie-making. The huge fire several years ago burnt down a large part of the Universal Studio's famous backlot. They have been making great progress in rebuilding it all. The buildings are, of course, all facades. Still, the level of details are quite amazing.

Another attraction of note was WaterWorld. The show was full of death-defying stunts, awesome explosions, and fantastic special effects. Our only suggestion is if you bring a camera, sit in the "splash-free" sections. Otherwise, you WILL get wet :-)

Being a theme-park, photo opportunities were everywhere. Costumed-characters can be found strolling through the park and were always happy to stop and pose for snaps.

The three hours we spent at Universal Studios went by in a blink. We did quite a bit in those hours, but there were still plenty left of the park that we did not get to experience. The next time we go, we will start out earlier and plan to stay for the entire day. [Permalink] -Universal Studio Tour