Burbank
Burbank, one of the major cities in LA County, is packed with activities. If you're a movie fan, you're in the right place with both NBC and Warner Brothers studios located here. The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts is a haven for artists of all kinds, and there are also many museums, concert venues, parks and other activities to partake in while visiting this area.

Originally, the area where Burbank now resides was part of two huge Spanish land grants. The city of Burbank as it is known today was founded in 1887, after a Dr. David Burbank moved to the area from New Hampshire, bought land from the two ranchers for the price of $1 an acre. He quit dentistry, found an interest in Real Estate and began developing the land. Mainly a farming area, this area of California developed many vineyards, cattle and sheep farms, and grew produce of every kind. The city continued to grow rapidly, especially after motion picture production became a cornerstone of the city's business, as it is to this day.

To see exactly how a television studio operates, the best tour you can take is through the NBC studios. The network claims that it is the only studio to 'open up its doors to you', so this is definitely the place to take advantage of the laid back, open house attitude. The tour offers a peek into Jay Leno's studio, the set of some of daytimes most famous soap operas, and even a chance to see the stars' cars in the parking lot! For those who really want to see how shows are taped, tickets can be purchased to be an audience member for shows such as the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

The Luther Burbank Center for the Arts is a quality complex housing some of the best performances and galleries in Burbank. The theatre here hosts various music, dance and drama events, and tickets for these can be purchased either at the theatre or by phone once reaching Burbank. The Center also is home to the wonderful Contemporary Art Museum, which hosts shows by local, national and international artists. The museum also has a sculpture courtyard for larger works.

Need to take a rest? One of the most well known parks in the city is in memory of one of the most well known television hosts of all time, Johnny Carson, who helped put Burbank on the map. Johnny Carson Park is perfect for a picnic in the afternoon, and it also has a great playground for the kids that was donated by Jay Leno himself, who took over Johnny Carson's job as host of the tonight show after his retirement.