Where to move to?

[MovingRN]

Hello! I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me their opinions of California/US cities. My boyfriend graduates May 2008 from grad school and we will be moving. We currently live in Columbia, MO and are looking for something different. I currently work as a postpartum/well baby nurse here. I have been to San Francisco, CA numerous times (my sister lives in Alameda) and really love it. We are thinking of California more than anywhere else, mostly because of the weather (Missouri is home of the humid, 90-100+ summers and below freezing snowy winters--and I hate the cold, he hates the heat). Ideally we would like to live within an hour of a big city so that we can at least have somewhere interesting to spend a weekend. We also feel fairly strongly about not living in an apartment. We are okay with renting, but need a house, duplex, townhome situation.

Just wondering what things you like and don't like about California (or if you can recommend anywhere else in the US I'm all ears). He is seeing many jobs in the LA area that interest him. I've never been to LA, however my impression of LA has always been that there is boatloads of traffic and an extreme emphasis on appearances/wealth etc. I'd love to hear positive opinions of LA as well.

Thanks!

P.S. I am also wondering what the pay is like in California. I'm sure it varies greatly depending upon setting, shift, etc. Just looking for some ballpark figures, either yearly, hourly, monthly.

[Medic15251]

I've been to northern ca and loved it. There is a lot of outdoor stuff to do. You should do a travel contract and feel out the city so to speak before you commit to it. I was quoted a blended rate of $42/hr, 1000 travel, corporate housing, license, and insurance for northern ca. Good luck.

[The Bob]

Well, I live in the Central Valley right now. I'm a nursing student and I chose this profession to move AWAY from the Central Valley (seems I can't make enough to feed my family anywhere else in CA as an EMT). The larger valley cities below Sacramento (Stockton, Modesto, Turlock, Merced, Fresno, Bakersfield...) don't appear to be very nice places to raise a family, in my opinion. They are riddled with crime, they have strange smells and the people, in general, seem not to give a crap about much around them (I've been here almost 10 years and I'm so ready to leave).

As for the climate, well, Spring is nice but it lasts about 3 weeks. It's dreary all Winter and the Summer/Fall heat makes you insane.

I'd recommend the central coast for the climate, the Sierra Foothills and Northern CA for the Beauty and affordability. The San Diego area's simply awesome on all levels except housing prices.

The SF Bay Area pays more, of course. That's because the housing prices are completely bonkers. I'm planning on correctional nursing and the dept of corrections pays an additional 10% base for the Bay Area prisons because of the housing prices. It still doesn't make up for it.

Good luck!