3 Best Sights in The Valley, Los Angeles

A theme park with classic attractions like roller coasters and thrill rides, Universal Studios Hollywood also provides that unique brand of thrill you get from the magic of the movies, with tours of sets and movie-themed rides. Unlike other amusement parks, this one is centered around the biggest blockbusters, with rides like Jurassic World – The Ride and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey as well as worlds like the brand-new Super Nintendo World, which boasts the fun and highly interactive Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge and is, in and of itself, a game---exactly the kind of experience that Super Mario fans truly enjoy. If you're in town in October, the park's Halloween Horror Nights is a must-visit, featuring mazes full of monsters, murderers, and jump scares.

The world-famous Studio Tour takes you around the Universal backlot, home to working soundstages and exterior sets where many popular movies and shows have been filmed. During the tram tour, you'll witness King Kong save you from massive predators, see the airplane wreckage from War of the Worlds, ride along with the cast of the Fast and the Furious, and have a close call with Norman Bates from Psycho.

The tram ride is usually the best place to begin your visit, because the lines become longer as the day goes on.

Geared more toward adults, CityWalk is a separate venue run by Universal Studios, where you’ll find shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and movie theaters.

Tour an actual working studio, visit hot sets, and marvel at the costumes and props from the biggest blockbusters at Warner Bros. Studios. The exterior sets and soundstages here have been used to film some of the most famous TV shows and films in Hollywood, making a visit here a vital part of the Los Angeles experience.

After a short film on the studio's movies and TV shows, hop aboard a tram for a ride through the sets and soundstages used for classics such as Casablanca and Rebel Without a Cause. You'll see the bungalows where Marlon Brando, Bette Davis, and other icons relaxed between takes, and the current production offices for famous directors. You might even spot a celeb or see a shoot in action—tours change from day to day depending on the productions taking place on the lot. Finally, you can spend a couple of hours pretending like you're part of your favorite shows and movies, whether it's at a working replica of Central Perk from Friends or taking part in a Sorting Hat ceremony from the Harry Potter movies.

In only a few years, North Hollywood's performance arts hub has grown from the residential home of aspiring actors who frequent a few small theaters and several chain restaurants to a completely revitalized district that boasts its own, albeit small, collection of new coffee shops and restaurants, bars serving up craft beer, and colorful street art.