Burbank is one of the easiest places in Los Angeles to keep children happy: the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Griffith Park's zoo and free train museum, hiking trails that start at the end of residential streets, and a famous bakery where the queue is half the fun. It is compact, flat and far less hectic than Hollywood, and it sits right next to Universal Studios. Here is our local guide to things to do in Burbank with kids, written from our Inn in neighbouring Valley Village, where many of the families who stay with us use Burbank as their playground for the week.
See how movies and TV are made
Burbank calls itself the Media Capital of the World, and for once the slogan is fair. Warner Bros., Disney, Nickelodeon and a long list of production companies have lots here, and the one you can actually walk onto is the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, which despite the name is in Burbank. Guides drive small groups around the backlot in carts, past sound stages and exterior sets, with stops for props, costumes and interactive exhibits. It is 7.4 miles from our front door, and children old enough to recognise a few films or series get the most out of it. Our packing guide on what to wear to the Warner Bros Studio Tour covers the practical side, from comfortable shoes to the walk between stages.
The Walt Disney Studios lot is also in Burbank, but it is a working studio with no public tour, so admire the famous water tower from the street and save the Disney magic for Disneyland, 37 miles away.
Just over the city line in Universal City is Universal Studios Hollywood, 4.9 miles from the manor. The Studio Tour tram, Super Nintendo World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter make it a full day for most families. We keep a separate guide to things to do near Universal Studios with kids for when you want a lighter day around it.
Griffith Park: the zoo, the trains and a lot of lawn
Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, and its northern edge sits right against Burbank. The attractions on this side are the ones made for young children.
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens. A full-size zoo with elephants, gorillas, giraffes and a children's area, laid out on a hillside, so bring the stroller for the uphill stretches. It is 8.3 miles from the manor.
- Travel Town Museum. A free outdoor museum of retired steam and diesel locomotives and railcars that children can walk around and, in several cases, climb aboard. A miniature train circles the grounds. For many of our youngest guests this beats the theme parks.
- Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum. Next to Travel Town, a volunteer-run club that offers rides on scale trains on weekends. Check their calendar before you go, as it is run by volunteers.
- The Autry Museum of the American West. Opposite the zoo, with galleries on cowboys, Native American cultures and Hollywood westerns. Good for a hot afternoon when everyone needs air conditioning.
The rest of the park, including Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign trails, is on the far side of the hills. If older kids want a hike with a view, our trail-by-trail guide on how hard the Hollywood Sign hike is will help you pick the right route.
Get outside: trails, parks and a bike path
Burbank backs onto the Verdugo Mountains, and several trailheads begin at the top of ordinary residential streets.
- Stough Canyon Nature Center. A small nature centre with exhibits on local wildlife and a trail that climbs into the hills behind it. Shorter out-and-back walks suit little legs; the full climb rewards older children with views over the whole Valley.
- Wildwood Canyon Park. A quieter canyon with picnic tables near the entrance and trails that connect to the ridge. Go early in warm months; there is little shade higher up.
- Johnny Carson Park. A green, creek-side park across from the studios, with playgrounds, open lawns and a pleasant loop path. A good spot to let children run after a tour.
- Chandler Bikeway. A flat, paved path along a former rail line through Burbank's residential heart, popular with families on bikes, scooters and strollers. Its western end lands in North Hollywood, a short drive from our Inn.
Weekends in the Valley have their own rhythm, and we round up our favourites in things to do in the San Fernando Valley this weekend.
Indoor days and rainy days
Burbank handles bad weather, which is rare, and very hot afternoons, which are not.
- Pickwick Gardens. A long-standing Burbank institution with an ice rink and a bowling alley under one roof. Public skating sessions and family bowling make it the standard answer when someone asks what to do with kids on a hot August afternoon.
- Burbank Town Center. A large indoor mall with a cinema, food court and the usual shops, useful for a forgotten swimsuit or a cool hour between activities.
- Burbank Central Library. A welcoming children's section for a quiet half hour and story time with the locals.
- Universal CityWalk. The open-air promenade outside Universal Studios is free to enter, with a cinema, restaurants and plenty of neon for an evening stroll even if you are not visiting the park that day.
Where to eat with children in Burbank
Two Burbank institutions are worth the detour on their own.
- Porto's Bakery and Cafe. The Cuban bakery on Magnolia Boulevard is a local legend. Potato balls, guava and cheese pastries and cakes that children press their noses against the glass to choose. Expect a line; it moves fast and nobody minds.
- Bob's Big Boy. The 1949 coffee shop on Riverside Drive is the oldest surviving Bob's Big Boy and a registered historic landmark, with the giant Big Boy statue out front. Burgers, shakes and a slice of mid-century Los Angeles.
The Magnolia Park district around Porto's is lined with vintage clothing and toy shops that older kids find more interesting than any mall.
Where to stay: a private house instead of a hotel room
Burbank's hotels cluster near the airport and the studios, and they do a fine job. But families who want a kitchen, a garden and a pool of their own tend to look at houses in the neighbourhoods just west of Burbank: Toluca Lake, Studio City and Valley Village. That is where our Inn is.
The Inn at The Enchanted Manor sits on a quiet cul-de-sac in Valley Village, minutes from the 101 and 405 and an easy drive from Burbank airport. The grounds cover more than 18,000 square feet, with a saltwater grotto pool with three waterfalls and no harsh chemicals, a raised Jacuzzi, a thatched gazebo bar with a barbecue, a lava-rock fire pit, an outdoor fireplace on a private patio and fairy lights strung through the trees. Children have their own playhouse, a miniature version of the main house with two twin beds, a fireplace and cable TV. Inside, there is a large living room with a fireplace, a queen Murphy bed, a full kitchen, and an octagonal breakfast room with French windows that look out onto the pool. We provide a crib, a high chair, toys and games, and there is laundry for the inevitable pile of swimsuits.
For bigger families, the Secret Room, a finished attic behind a bookcase with four twin beds reached by a ladder, is the part children talk about for years. It suits older kids and agile adults rather than toddlers. With the Great Room opened too, the Inn sleeps up to six. As Malaya G. told us: "My kids didn't want to get out of the pool. They loved the secret room behind the book case."
Rates are $575 per night Monday to Thursday and $595 Friday to Sunday, with a two-night minimum and $50 per person per night for guests beyond two. Our guide to where to stay in Los Angeles with kids compares the options in more detail.
Celebrating a child's birthday while you are here
The manor is also an event venue, and children's parties are one of the things we love hosting most. Birthdays, baptisms and family reunions use the lawns, the pool and the gazebo bar, and on request we can arrange clowns, storytime, magicians and face painting. You bring your own caterer and your own beverages, so there are no venue food and drink packages to pay for. Our events page has the details for gatherings of up to 100 guests.
Plan your Burbank week from the Inn
If a week of studio tours, trains and zoo animals sounds right, with a private pool and a fire pit waiting at the end of each day, we would love to host your family. Call or text Georgia at (213) 999-3050, email stuntlady@me.com, or see photos and availability on the vacation rental page. Georgia lives on the property and will happily point you to the best-kept secrets in Burbank once you arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Warner Bros. Studio Tour good for kids?
Yes for children old enough to recognise a few films or series. Guides drive small groups around the Burbank backlot in carts with stops for props and costumes. It is 7.4 miles from the Inn at The Enchanted Manor.
Is Travel Town in Griffith Park free?
Entry to Travel Town Museum is free; there is a charge for the miniature train ride. It sits on the Burbank side of Griffith Park, near the Los Angeles Zoo, which is 8.3 miles from the manor.
Can you tour the Disney studio in Burbank?
No. The Walt Disney Studios lot is a working studio with no public tour. You can see the water tower from the street, and Disneyland is 37 miles from the manor.
Where can a family stay near Burbank with a pool?
The Inn at The Enchanted Manor in Valley Village sleeps up to six and has a saltwater grotto pool with three waterfalls, a Jacuzzi and a children's playhouse. Rates are $575 per night Monday to Thursday and $595 Friday to Sunday, with a two-night minimum.
How far is Universal Studios from Burbank?
Universal Studios Hollywood sits just over the city line in Universal City. From the Inn in Valley Village it is 4.9 miles, and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank is 7.4 miles.
