CALIFORNIA58 TRAVEL · Updated October 17, 2026. Independent visitor guide. Ticket offerings and prices are subject to change; check the seller before paying.

Los Angeles is not one single sightseeing district. It is a vast county with world-famous movie studios, major museums, beaches, sports venues, neighborhoods and surprisingly good free places to explore. The challenge is not finding things to do; it is choosing a realistic route that does not waste your vacation in traffic. This guide compares the real 2026 Los Angeles CityPASS packages with a do-it-yourself itinerary, and explains when a Southern California theme-park ticket makes more sense.

Affiliate disclosure: California58 may benefit when readers follow the clearly identified partner route through RusCali and make an eligible purchase. The booking relationship belongs to the linked publisher. We do not claim that a purchase on CityPASS is commissionable for California58. Our editorial recommendations are based on itinerary fit, not commissions.

Los Angeles CityPASS prices in October 2026

The official Los Angeles CityPASS product combines a studio anchor — Universal Studios Hollywood, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, or both — with three additional attractions chosen from the participating list. Its current advertised adult options are:

  • Warner Bros. Studio Tour + three attractions: $109 for adults, $96 for children ages 5–9.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood + three attractions: from $157 for adults, from $138 for children ages 5–9. Universal admission can vary with the chosen date.
  • Universal Studios Hollywood + Warner Bros. Studio Tour + three attractions: from $210 for adults, from $188 for children ages 5–9.
  • CityPASS currently lists a $2 processing fee per ticket. Different attractions use different child age ranges; a ticket label is not a substitute for checking admission rules.

These are CityPASS package prices, not the value of every attraction in Los Angeles. ‘Save up to’ comparisons on the seller’s website use selected published ticket prices; promotional deals, free child admissions and the specific three attractions you choose can change the actual savings. CityPASS offers a nine-consecutive-day period starting with first use or the earliest reservation, subject to its booking conditions.

The two big studios: which should you prioritize?

Universal Studios Hollywood is the more theme-park-centered day, combining movie-themed rides and shows with a behind-the-scenes Studio Tour. It is physically located in Universal City, north of Hollywood. Budget a substantial part of a day, and plan traffic and parking ahead. The pass covers the standard one-day general admission specified by CityPASS, not every premium ticket or special event.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood is the stronger choice when you want a studio-lot and production-history experience rather than a ride-focused theme park. CityPASS describes an hour of guided touring plus approximately two hours of self-guided exploration. Warner Bros. does not admit children under five to its studio tour; the age rule matters if you are traveling with a toddler. Both studio options require reservations under current CityPASS rules.

Six additional Los Angeles attractions you can choose from

Madame Tussauds Hollywood. This is a short, indoor stop if you want celebrity culture and Hollywood photo opportunities. It works well alongside other Hollywood-area sightseeing, but the stand-alone price is much smaller than a flagship studio ticket. A reservation is required.

Starline Tours. CityPASS lists a daytime Hollywood hop-on/hop-off route or a Hollywood night tour. It is useful for first-time visitors who want a narrated orientation without driving themselves, but tour pickup locations and reservation times can dictate the day. Verify which tour variant is included.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. A practical outdoor choice for families, located in Griffith Park. The site is spacious, so take walking shoes and check conditions on very hot days. Zoo admission does not make Griffith Observatory or its planetarium shows part of CityPASS.

SoFi Stadium Tours. A stadium experience in Inglewood for sports fans and visitors interested in modern event venues. The advertised tour takes roughly an hour to 75 minutes. Access to the field or other tour areas depends on operational and event conditions; reservation is recommended.

GRAMMY Museum. A compact downtown stop for music fans, with permanent and changing exhibitions. Before counting it as a ‘saving,’ check whether any members of your group already qualify for free or reduced-price admission.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. A strong choice for science-minded families, with natural-history exhibits, Nature Gardens and interactive spaces in Exposition Park. It pairs logically with other attractions nearby but is far from the film studios in typical road traffic.

What CityPASS does NOT include

A museum or landmark appearing in a California58 travel story is not automatically included in CityPASS. Important free and separate-ticket examples include the grounds and views at Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Sign viewpoints, the Getty Center, Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, the Broad and many neighborhood walks. Some places have fees for parking, exhibitions, reservations or services even when basic admission is free. Do not choose a package expecting Disneyland or an unrelated attraction to be included: Disneyland belongs to a separate Southern California CityPASS program.

A realistic three-day Los Angeles itinerary

  1. Day one — Hollywood or Universal City: Reserve Universal Studios Hollywood if it is your anchor and use the rest of the day there. Do not promise yourself four additional far-away attractions afterward. Finish with a scenic Hollywood-area stop if time and traffic permit.
  2. Day two — studio, zoo or film culture: Reserve Warner Bros. Studio Tour if it is in your package. Afterward, choose a geographically compatible activity such as the Griffith Park area. If the package includes only one studio, explore local neighborhoods or outdoor attractions instead.
  3. Day three — museums and neighborhoods: Combine the Natural History Museum with a separate Exposition Park activity, or choose the GRAMMY Museum and downtown. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood deserves its own travel allowance.

The best no-pass attractions for a broader LA trip

For a first visit, do not sacrifice the city’s best free experiences just to ‘use up’ a purchased pass. Plan a sunset view from Griffith Observatory or another established viewpoint; walk part of the Santa Monica coastline; spend time at a museum with a free general-admission policy; and explore a neighborhood restaurant scene. Check public-transit and parking options on the day. Los Angeles County covers a large area, and two sites that look adjacent on a map may be a long drive apart.

When the Southern California CityPASS makes more sense

Los Angeles CityPASS is not the same product as Southern California CityPASS. The latter combines a chosen Disneyland Resort or Universal Studios Hollywood anchor, or both, with two more choices such as LEGOLAND California, SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego Zoo or Safari Park. Disneyland is in Anaheim in Orange County, while LEGOLAND is in Carlsbad in San Diego County. This is a regional road-trip proposition, not a single-city sightseeing day.

The current official Southern California ticket page lists, for example, Universal Studios Hollywood plus two attractions at $229 for adults, a Disneyland two-day one-park-per-day plus two attractions option at $379, and other bundles with different prices. These regional packages are valid for fourteen consecutive days from first use, subject to ticket-specific conditions. Verify exact ages, park reservations, blackout dates and add-on costs before paying.

Is a pass cheaper? Do the arithmetic

First write down the three additional attractions you truly expect to enter, add their current individual admission prices for your exact dates and ages, then add the relevant Universal or Warner Bros. price. Compare that total with the final pass price including any processing charges. If your plan is Griffith Observatory, beaches, the Getty Center and neighborhood walks, an expensive multi-attraction ticket may be the wrong purchase. If you definitely intend to visit a major studio and three paid venues, it deserves a closer calculation.

Family and accessibility planning

Remember that the CityPASS children’s age bracket is not uniform across partner venues, that Warner Bros. Studio Tour has a minimum age, and that some museums admit children for free. Families should check stroller policies, sensory-access information, ADA services, rest areas and the amount of time standing or walking at each stop. Visitors without a rental car should check the transit routes to Universal City, Hollywood, Exposition Park and Inglewood separately rather than rely on a single cross-city itinerary.

Reservations, refunds and day-of-visit checklist

  • Check required reservations immediately after buying: Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Madame Tussauds and Starline Tours currently require them; SoFi recommends reservations.
  • Reserve your preferred date before building the rest of your travel itinerary around it.
  • Use the My CityPASS app or browser portal to manage tickets and attraction rules.
  • Verify whether parking, special exhibitions, premium experiences and seasonal events cost extra.
  • Review seller refund conditions and time limits before buying; a generic return-policy heading is not a promise about your particular ticket.
  • Check the final checkout total, and keep confirmation and ticket QR codes accessible offline where practical.

Who should buy, and who should skip it?

Likely fit: a first-time visitor planning one or both paid studio experiences plus three additional paid attractions, with at least a few full sightseeing days. Probably not: a beach-focused trip, a short layover, a family with very young children who cannot use one of the studio products, or a return visitor interested mostly in free attractions. The cheapest day in Los Angeles is often a carefully planned non-pass day.

Official product and policies: CityPASS current ticket details · CityPASS affiliate disclosure and program information. Check official attraction websites for the date you plan to visit.

More California58 context: Los Angeles County travel coverage and the travel booking guide. Availability and internal page locations may change; use the site search if a route has moved.

Continue planning a California trip

Read California58’s independent guides to Los Angeles attractions, San Diego attractions and San Francisco attractions. These are different ticket programs; do not assume admission purchased for one city works in another.

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