Best Areas In CALIFORNIA to travel nurse & visit

Cqc_Cqb · Jun 30, 2005

I think Northern California is the best place to start. I am in Southern California now and the people here are kind of stuck up. It seems that people in Northern California are a little more relaxed. Plus I dont know what your specialty is, but for ICU (my specialty) the pay rate can range from 35 - 45 /hr for a travel assignment. The San Jose area is very nice and pricey, but if you are not going to live there it is fun. If you are going to live in Northern CA the Sacramento area is good. It is hot but you can still get to the San Francisco are in about an hour and the housing is more affordable.

Hope this help a little.

Walter

Just wondering what areas were the best to travel nurse and live in. salary? crime? scenic?
This would be my wife and I (don't know anything about Cali) looking for SAFE, SCENIC, GOOD SALARY
any suggestions
also in oregon or washington......what are the salaries like?

clarkheart · Jun 30, 2005

I live 45 miles north of Sacramento (Marysville/Yuba City) all my life and you can't beat it. You can go 2 hours to the west and go to the coast or 2 hours to the east and go to the Sierra Nevada mountains (and Reno,NV!). The Bay Area is about 2 hours away too and there is always stuff to do in San Francisco. Summers can get hot--an average of about 95 every day-but it almost never rains in the summer so you can always plan ahead and not worry about the weather. When we have used travellers in the past, they always liked that there was so many different places to go on their days off. We always had a good number of travellers who would extend their contracts and we had a couple who worked with us for over a year. I believe they were making about 35-40/hr. We don't use travellers right now, but I sure Sacramento, the Bay Area, Chico(which is 45 miles north of me) are still using them. Check it out.

Sheri257 · Jun 30, 2005

I think Northern California is the best place to start. I am in Southern California now and the people here are kind of stuck up.

"Stuck up" in SoCal? I don't know how you can make that generalization. I've lived in both Northern and Southern California and I've met both friendly and "stuck up" in both places. Can't say people are really different in either area.

:coollook:

rnerin · Jul 1, 2005

Just wondering what areas were the best to travel nurse and live in. salary? crime? scenic?
This would be my wife and I (don't know anything about Cali) looking for SAFE, SCENIC, GOOD SALARY
any suggestions
also in oregon or washington......what are the salaries like?

My husband and I were in San Jose for 7 months last summer/fall, and have been in SoCal for the past 6 months. We prefer NorCal-we found it suited our tastes more-a wider variety of things to do. We found the food better up north too-and that's one of the things we truly enjoy!! BUT, I have enjoyed the hospital here (Tri City Medical Center in Oceanside-ACCU-well organized, good variey of patient population and fabulous co-workers!). Enjoy your travels-good luck!!

nyck76 · Jul 3, 2005

San Jose / Santa Clara is the best I have been in. Great pay, lots to do, great climate. Close to lots of stuff. San Fran less than an hour, Monterey about an hour, Santa Cruz 45 mins. Plus it is beautiful! I am in San Diego now I can't wait to leave. LOL. Everyone loves it here, but I don't really like it. I like Northern Cal better, but unfornately I am dating someone here so I have to come back every couple months. LOL. Pay is much better up in North Cal too.

Nick&Leslie · Jul 4, 2005

Thanks all for the replies. You have been very helpful :)

One more question. In Cali on travel assignments do you earn time and a half for 4 hours in a 12 hour shift or am I misinformed?

thanks again :rolleyes:

suzanne4, RN · Jul 4, 2005

It depends on the agency and where they are located. Also the contract they have with the particular facility. I actually do not get the 1 1/2 for the last four, but do get double for over twelve, and 1 1/2 for anyhting over 40 in the week. I come out ahead over others that I work with...............

Justagirl · Jul 20, 2005

What agency are you working for?