Expert: Steve Summers - 8/11/2006

Question
My wife and I (in our 50's) will be in L.A. for a few days next month and plan on going to Universal.  Is there enough of a difference between what we'll see on the tour there versus what we would see at, for example, Warner Brothers, to make it worthwhile to go to both?  (We don't plan on going to any TV taping due to  time spent waiting in line, the time of day, and the fact that we didn't see anything much anyway via Audience Unlimited's web site for the days we'll be in the area).

Also, we will be staying at the Renaissance in Hollywood and will have a car, which we plan to use to drive down to Santa Monica one afternoon or early evening. We might consider taking a few hour tour (though we are so close to the Walk of Fame, etc. we wouldn't need that as part of any tour), or maybe we would just drive around some ourselves, taking in the best/most interesting areas to drive through (Sunset Blvd. Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Brentwood ?), possibly on the way to Santa Monica.  If we do decide on a tour is there a specific one or company you would recommend?  If we just do some driving around, are there any specific streets/routes/areas that you can suggest?

We certainly appreciate any advice.

Thanks so much,
Jerry

Answer
Hi Jerry,

There is a significant difference between the two tours, but I'm not sure that I would advise you to go to both. Years ago, Universal made a decision to go for the whole "theme park" effect, with rides, shows, and restaurants to entertain guests throughout the day. Warner, on the other hand, is a more intimate tour where you basically stick to how tv shows and movies are made. Since time is limited, I would suggest just going to one, depending on your preference.

As for tours, I always recommend Starline Tours. They have a myriad of tours at www.starlinetours.com. I'm sure that you can find a tour to suit your fancy there. The nice thing about these tours is that they give you a lot of interesting information and history that you wouldn't necessarily discover on your own. You could certainly go for a drive down Sunset Blvd, for example, but you could pass right by a significant site without knowing it. Driving down Wilshire Blvd is a lot more interesting when you have someone to point out the significant Art Deco architecture. Having been a tour guide myself at one time, I believe that you will get much more out of the experience if you take a guided tour, even past something you can see yourself.

Have fun,

Steve