SF Bay area ICU questions

Hi everyone,

Considering working in SF and have a bunch of questions. Maybe w/ all the wonderful CA nurses here I can get some of them answered.

1. Would Stanford or Kaiser be better to work at? I'm assuming UCSF is a bit of a commute from the South Bay (around Palo Alto). I have done only SICU and Transplant ICU. I could learn Neuro or Cardiac but not sure what kind of orientation I would need?
2. What might the hourly pay be for a days position at either Stanford or Kaiser?
3. We are married w/ one toddler. Assuming we would pay around 2000-2300 for a 2bd, where should we look for apartments? I'd like to live in a family friendly area where I might see moms w/ strollers and dogs being walked in the evenings.
4. I have considered starting out as a traveler since I am coming from out of state. Do you think as a traveler I'd get a better idea of the hospitals before eventually becoming staff? Are Kaiser and Stanford known for hiring travelers and if so what companies do they work with?
Any advice?