Sony Studios is one of the world's most famous studio lots, this walking tour gives you a rare glimpse of old Hollywood's glory days and an insider's view of a state-of-the-art motion picture studio. Not only is this the studio where the Yellow Brick Road once wound through Munchkin Land, it is also the place where the agents from "Men In Black" battled aliens from outer space and Spider-Man catapulted from skyscraper to skyscraper. Dynamic tour guides will shed light on the film and television production process by taking you to various soundstages and by sharing tales of days gone by. You may even have the chance to visit the sets of the hit game shows "Jeopardy!" or "Wheel of Fortune."
Tip: Advance reservations for the studio tour are highly recommended. See the Sony Studio Tour web page to find out how to get tickets.
Getting there: From LAX, a bus ride takes 60-90 minutes each way (including transfers). From the terminal at LAX, take Lot C Shuttle to LAX Transit Center. Proceed to Dock #3 and take Santa Monica Bus 3 to Lincoln Bl / Washington Blvd. Get a transfer coupon on bus #3 so you can use it on the next bus. Take Culver City bus #1 to Washington Blvd / Madison Av, then walk to Sony Pictures Plaza. (Use MTA's Trip Planner to find the best route for your departure time.)
MTA's Metro Trip Planner displays schedules and fare information for LA metro buses and trains. It's fast and easy to use. Simply visit the MTA's website at Metro.net and you'll find the Metro Trip Planner on the top right side of the home page.
MTA's Metro Trip Planner
Time estimate: The tour takes around two hours, plus travel time. So you will realistically need at least a 5 hour layover for this excursion. Don't forget to allow an additional hour to get through security and walking through the terminal at LAX.
