The Magic Castle is an exclusive clubhouse located in Hollywood, CA for the Academy of Magical Arts. This beautiful private estate was built in 1909 by Rollin and Katherine Lane. The sprawling mansion was transformed into The Magic Castle and has been famous for its magical entertainment since opening in 1963.
How to Visit The Magic Castle
While this club is exclusive, there are several options for you to visit.
- You may book a room in the Magic Castle Hotel, located next door, and you will receive guest passes.
- Attending with a member
- Receive an invitation from a member
If you find yourself lucky enough to know a member, be sure to ask politely for an invite so you can experience an incredible night of elegance and magic.
We had the pleasure of meeting a magician who was performing on our Disney Cruise and during our bonding of being from Los Angeles, he graciously offered us an invitation to visit. The invitation allowed up to 6 guests to attend. You will be able to take your friends or family along with you. Keep in mind, guests under the age of 21 will only be able to visit the castle during brunch hours.
What To Expect At The Magic Castle
There are multitudes of magic to enjoy on your visit. From close-up magic to the big stage, there is a lot of variety in the styles of shows offered. There are six rooms that feature magicians; The Close-Up Gallery, Parlour of Prestidigitation, The Peller Theatre, The Library Bar, The Hat and Hare and their main stage show takes place in The Palace of Mystery.
You will receive a program upon entering that will have the week’s offerings so you can see who is performing, and where.
You will receive your tickets for the main show from your server while dining. On our visit, the main stage show featured the duo Scott Alexander & Puck. They are very talented, and a lot of their bits were hilarious.
A lot of the shows had very long lines and we were unable to get into a couple of them due to the size of the rooms, a lot don’t offer very much seating.
If this happens, you can always ask an attendant working if there is any impromptu magic happening in the castle. We saw 3 additional magicians this way and they were some of our favorites. There was an incredibly talented mentalist performing in the Cellar Theatre when we were there and since his magic was an impromptu show, it was easy to get in and there were only about 15 of us watching which made for a very intimate experience.
Speaking of intimate experiences, my favorite room showcases my favorite style of magic. The Close-up Gallery is an incredibly small theater that features close-up magic. On our visit, we closed out our evening with the 11:30pm show featuring the incredibly talented Adam Wylie. We had front row seats and he was less than a foot away from us performing some of the most mind-blowing close-up magic I have ever seen. He was my entire groups’ favorite performer of the evening and we left after that knowing we had seen the best.
Dining
Dining is a requirement for guests and that is where we chose to start our evening. This is a major downside if you are a vegetarian. You must order an entrée. We personally did not like any of the entrée options. We wanted to order several salads and appetizers. When told we would still have to order an entrée, we had to reconsider.
The food is wildly overpriced for their veggie options and not very good. A cauliflower steak for $40 is ridiculous. The other $45 option was a plate of mushrooms with a spoonful of spaghetti squash. Both were gross and would cost less than a few dollars to make. We would have preferred to get the appetizers, sides and salads we wanted. We would have ended up spending more that way too. But, since they are sticklers for the rules, we just threw back those entrees and left.
I am hoping they revitalize the menu. The meat eaters at our table weren’t too happy with their meals either. All of us would have preferred to dine elsewhere. Be careful, there is a fee if you skip out on dining.
Tips When Visiting The Magic Castle
I would recommend that once you arrive and receive your program to plan out your evening. You can arrive at the castle starting at 5pm and stay until closing at 1am, so plan accordingly by maximizing the amount of shows you can see.
Get in line for shows as early as you can. These theaters are small and will fill up quickly. Not every theater allows for standing room.
Have a backup plan if you can’t get into a show. Be sure to ask for those impromptu magicians!
Dress your best! There is a strict dress code, and you don’t want to be turned away because of your clothing. It also makes the evening feel incredibly special if you go all out with your wardrobe.
Ladies, wear comfortable shoes! There are a lot of stairs and you move throughout the castle’s complex layout often when moving from show to show.
Keep those phones in your pocket! No photos are allowed inside the castle. It’s a great place to disconnect and be present to the magic all around you.
Visit the main bar, grab a drink and go enjoy time in Invisible Irma’s Room and request a song from the invisible pianist. Tip her birdcage a dollar and ask Irma to play you any song on the piano and she will deliver!
Find time to wander around the halls. There are plenty of nooks and crannies that have their very own magical offerings in the decor.
Enjoy your spellbinding night at The Magic Castle!
