Burbank Travel Guide

The “Media Capital of the World” is, in fact, a small city nestled in California’s San Fernando Valley (known as “The Valley” to locals) in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Just a few miles northeast of Hollywood, Burbank is home to a plethora of big wig media and entertainment companies, among them Warner Bros., Disney, ABC, and NBC.

Although most of these studio headquarters are closed to the public, this is the place to catch a taping of some of the most popular shows on television, including the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. NBC Studios and Warner Brothers, however, do offer studio tours that take visitors behind the scenes. Although NBC’s tour is the better bargain by far, the iconic Warner Brothers tour, conducted from twelve-person carts that putt around the grounds, is not to be missed.

Entertainment in Burbank is big business, and the locals you run into here are likely to be connected in some way to big motion picture and television studios. People generally choose to live in Burbank for its small-town feel and proximity to Hollywood’s nightlife and “scene.”

“Beautiful downtown Burbank,” also known as the Burbank Media Center, is the best bet for visitors looking to shop, take in a movie, or have a bite. The oldest remaining Bob’s Big Boy (a classic California burger institution) location is here in Burbank too, near the Warner Brothers Studio main gate. It’s a prime location for some celebrity stalking.

Where to Go in Burbank