I recently went to Universal Studios Hollywood to celebrate a friend’s birthday and then went back with my sister a few weeks later. We had an absolute blast! It has been years since I’ve been there and it was fun to see all the changes and felt nostalgic to see what has remained the same.

First things first. The park is divided into two sections. Theres the upper lot and the lower lot. I recommend hitting up all your must do attractions in one lot before heading to the other. It takes about 5-10 mins to get from one lot to the other. Limiting traveling between lots will give you more time for rides, finding characters, and seeing shows.

My favorite area has to be The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Butterbeer, wands, and spells… OH MY! Being in this world is like taking a small peak into the magical land of Harry Potter. Reading the books growing up I’ve imagined what it would be like to wander the streets of Hogsmead and now I can make that a reality, magical spells included! My  favorite ride in the park also happens to be in this world, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey! It feels like a real life ride through the books. (*SPOILER ALERT!*) You come face to face with a dragon, the whomping willow, and demeanors all while following Harry around some of the memorable places near Hogwarts.

Some of the rides I highly recommend going on are the Studio Tour, Jurassic Park, Transformers, and the Revenge of the Mummy. I also recommend seeing the Water World show. Rumor has it that the live show will be closing to make room for an expansion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to include Diagon Alley. So go see the show while you still can!

There are plenty of options for dining in and around the park. If you are looking for a sit down restaurant you will have to go outside of the park to the City Walk. The dining options in the park are an order and take to a table type of dining. I usually go to the Jurassic Cafe on the lower lot. It has chicken strips, burgers, and salads.

If you can go during the off season, on a weekday (preferably Tuesday or Wednesday) you can do pretty much the entire park in one day. If you go during the weekend or during the peak season you may need a few days as wait times for attractions will be longer, limiting how many you can go on in a day.

I have a great time every time I go and can’t wait until I have the opportunity to go again!