How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Universal Studios Hollywood

"I discovered a compact but surprisingly full-featured theme park tethered to a working movie and television studio that dates back to the early 20th century; what began as a 1964 tram tour has grown into a two-level park with top-notch attractions, live entertainment, and immersive lands that make it doable in one day with minimal preplanning. Guests enter on the upper lot and can take the quarter-mile Starway down to the lower lot, and I appreciated how the park balances big thrills (like lower-lot coasters and Jurassic World — The Ride) with family-friendly fare, roaming characters, seasonal events such as Halloween Horror Nights and Grinchmas, and nighttime spectacle like the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle. Ticketing uses dynamic pricing (one-day general admission starts at $109, two-day at $149), with Universal Express packages from about $189 and VIP experiences from $349; affordable annual passes begin at $159 for California residents. Practical notes I found useful: daily parking starts around $30, nearby partner hotels (Hilton Universal City and Sheraton Universal) offer perks, the Studio Tour is a 60-minute, ever-changing behind-the-scenes tram experience (and trams are being upgraded to electric), and the official app is essential for up-to-date wait times and show schedules." - Carly Caramanna Carly Caramanna Carly Caramanna is a theme park and travel journalist who has spent her professional career in New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Yahoo Lifestyle, Insider, The Points Guy, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines