Mindy’s family of 4 (with children ages 13 and 12) spent their spring break in Southern California taking in the sights of Los Angeles and the San Diego area.  The family really enjoyed both of their hotel stays at the Inter-Continental in Century City, not far from Beverly Hills and at the Park Hyatt in Carlsbad, just north of San Diego.  A highlight of the Los Angeles part of the trip was the Warner Brothers Back Lot tour and seeing the TV sets from their favorite shows and learning about how movies and TV shows are produced. They also window shopped on Rodeo Drive, checked out the DASH store in Calabasas, hung out in Venice Beach, Hollywood and the Santa Monica Pier, saw the houses of their favorite stars and visited the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades.  The focus of this free museum is on education and is dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of Ancient Greece, Rome and Etruria.   A variety of special events can enhance your visit.   In the San Diego region, the Valenci’s hiked at Torrey Pines State Park, explored La Jolla, Carlsbad and San Diego, went to the San Diego Zoo and watched the Phillies beat the Padres at Petco Park in celebration of Jordan’s 14th birthday!  Overall a great trip filled with a variety of activities and adventures.