If you were hoping to visit Stars Hollow for the Gilmore Girls holiday tour, we’re sad to report that Warner Bros. Studio will not be producing the Gilmore Girls holiday tour this winter season. This post has been updated for 2021-22.
Hi Wendy! Unfortunately, Gilmore Girls Holiday will not be produced this year. We hope to bring it back in the future! However, the Gilmore Girls backlot sets are still part of the tour on our Midwest Backlot subject to availability due to possible production.
— WB Tour Hollywood (@wbtourhollywood) November 4, 2021
WB Midwest Street Backlot Sets
As the tweet reads, the Gilmore Girls sets are located on the Midwest Street backlot and available to view as part of the Studio Tour which is open again. You’ll definitely be able to get your photo on the famous Stars Hallow gazebo. I’m not sure if you’ll have access to Lorelai’s house even though it was steps away from the “Anytown USA” lot.
Gilmore Girls Holiday Tour – 2018
In 2018 Wendy and I headed up to Burbank a few days after Christmas for lunch at Lorelai Gilmore’s house as part of the Warner Bros. Studio tour. Our love for Gilmore Girls has been well-documented here on the blog, and we knew we couldn’t miss this limited event opportunity.
The Gilmore Girls Holiday Tour was a limited engagement event and usually operated from late December to early January. *WB Studios will not product Holiday Lunch at Lorelai’s for 2021*
Can You Visit Stars Hallow?
Stars Hollow, Connecticut is a fictional town that only exists on the Warner Bros. backlot. When rewatching the series, I can’t believe that we stood in the Stars Hollow town square or that we sat on Lorelei’s front steps.
Is the WB Studio Tour Worth It?
There are several tour options, including the Studio Tour, the Classics Tour, the Deluxe Tour. The Gilmore Girls tour is considered an “event and special feature” and is included as part of the three tours. Unfortunately, you cannot purchase tickets just for the Gilmore Girls portion.
We chose the Studio Tour ($69/adult and $59/child) which is a 2-hour guided tour plus a one-hour self-guided tour. Stops include various backlots and sound stages, the DC Universe exhibit, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Batman Batmobile Collection, Stage 48, the Friends Central Perk set, The Big Bang Theory sets and the studio store.
The Stars Hollow set is the very last stop on the tram tour. We first visited Desperate Housewives’ Wisteria Lane, tried on the sorting hat from Harry Potter, accepted an Oscar, grabbed a coffee at Central Perk and twiddled our thumbs during several DC Universe exhibits we weren’t particularly interested in.
There is a lot to see on the WB Studio tour. Sure, not everything is for everybody but it’s certainly worth the price of admission if you take advantage of all the offerings and any special events.
Purchase tickets here.
What to Expect on the Gilmore Girls Tour
Most of the WB tour is guided and on an open-air tram. The Gilmore Girls backlot set is the very last stop on the tour and you’ll be allowed to roam around for however long you like and when finished you jump back on the tram for a ride back to the entrance.
When we visited in 2018, the tour lacked signage and without a guide in this portion of the tour, you weren’t really sure what was what. We thought maybe one of the houses looked like Dean’s house but who knew without a map or a sign that said so.
The gazebo in Stars Hollow is iconic. Think of all the scenes that had been filmed there! I’m rewatching the series right now and Luke’s sister, Liz, just had her Renaissance-themed wedding in the gazebo. And during the “Fall” episode in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Rory tells Lorelei that she is pregnant while sitting on the steps of the gazebo.
Apparently the gazebo is one of the most filmed locations on the WB studio lot.
Unfortunately, you won’t see any of the Gilmore Girls actors. You will see a lot of dudes dressed in flannel shirts and backwards ball caps though. Seriously. You will also see lots of moms and daughters, some even dressing like Lorelei and Rory.
Stars Hollow Set
When we visited, we saw a stripped down Luke’s Diner on our 2018 tour. For 2019, they have added the Williams Hardware sign and the iconic yellow Luke’s coffee cup sign to the building. Also added is the “Food” decal on the window we’ve all become so accustomed to seeing. You can only take photos in front of Luke’s Diner, there is no interior to the building.
In 2019, the Gilmore Girls tour added a dressed up Doose’s Market, Stars Hollow High School, Mrs. Kim’s Antiques, and Sookie’s House as part of the experience. Plus, they added signage with descriptions of the exterior sets with some WB fun facts.
Lorelai’s house is sadly just an exterior set. Wouldn’t it be awesome to sit at the kitchen table or run down the stairs in cut off denim shorts and cowboy boots? The actual interior was filmed on a set that has long been turned over to another television show. You can enter the front door of the house but it leads to no where.
On the porch, you can purchase Gilmore Girls merchandise and Dragonfly Inn cookies.
While we were there we posed in front of Lorelai’s house, the iconic Stars Hollow sign, and of course, perched on the steps of the town gazebo. Lorelai’s Jeep was out front too, but I guess we didn’t snap a photo.
Lunch at Lorelei’s House in Stars Hollow
The Gilmore Girls Holiday Tour is touted as “Lunch at Lorelai’s House” and is the last stop on the self-guided part of the tour. Lunch isn’t included, but of course, we had to fuel up for the drive home.
While there were holiday offerings on the menu, we opted for burgers (sadly, no Santa burgers) and sodas.
Since our trip, it looks like this year they’re also serving Pop Tarts, so that’s something to look forward to!
Do you love Gilmore Girls? You definitely should check out our other Gilmore Girls posts – we’re big fans!
- Our guide to rewatching the Gilmore Girls series with links to our favorite Etsy Gilmore Girls merch.
- How to throw a Gilmore Girls watch party.
- Cute Gilmore Girls planner stickers for all you planner addicts. Here and Here.
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