Where would YOU live in California?

Published

Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Hey,

I'm planning on starting a few travel nursing assignments to California early next year, and I'd like to try and get an idea for some good places to travel to. There are about 100 locations to choose from in CA via the travel company I'm looking at, and I have only been to a few places in CA.

I have visited LA, OC, Santa Monica, Laguna, and San Diego briefly. I really like the weather and SoCal vibe.

A friend of mine traveled to Rady Children's in San Diego, and hasn't come back yet!

Are there any spots you can recommend for me to consider traveling to? Nice places to live, play, and work.....

Pay isn't a HUGE issue, as I'll have housing and benefits provided. I am more concerned with an ideal location and good hospital.

Thanks!

SteveRN21

Prefer the Bay area myself.

Hi there! I live in Redding in Northern California and I LOVE it up here! I grew up in Southern Cali, but i moved up here to go to school. Its nice here because you still get the great Weather, though it gets HOT in the summer (110-115 easy), and it is so close to all kinds of lakes, rivers, and mountains. I love it here, there is so much less people than other parts of California, and its just beautiful up here!The pay for RNs is a little less than in the bay, but the cost of living is much less. You should look into it! Good luck!

Hi there! I live in Redding in Northern California and I LOVE it up here! I grew up in Southern Cali, but i moved up here to go to school. Its nice here because you still get the great Weather, though it gets HOT in the summer (110-115 easy), and it is so close to all kinds of lakes, rivers, and mountains. I love it here, there is so much less people than other parts of California, and its just beautiful up here!The pay for RNs is a little less than in the bay, but the cost of living is much less. You should look into it! Good luck!

I was going to mention Redding . . . I live in the mountains northeast of Redding and we love it up here too. Lots of water nearby and in the winter, Mt. Shasta for skiing.

steph

Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

San Diego!! I live in OC and I like it but it is pretty crowded and a lot of traffic. California has something for everyone. You just have to decide if you want metro or coastal (metro or more quiet coast!), mountains, valleys, etc. I like the central coast--San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara. I would love to move up there.

Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

Hey, I'll give you another reason to come to southern California. It has been 80 degrees all week with beautiful sunshine. I walked this morning in shorts and a tank top.

Specializes in My son...for now..

San Diego is amazing in terms of the winter. I live in LA (weho, santa monica) it's nice but the traffic... thats another story. Janey is right, we are back to shorts and tanks... one great thing about socal is that you haven't far to travel to see just about any terrain/climate that you want to see.

Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

The Bay Area is unlike any other place on earth. Warmer days and always cooler nights. Surrounded by vinyards. A trip to the ocean for the afternoon or a couple of hours of down time, kayaking down the Russian River, spending all afternoon exploring Annadel in Santa Rosa (large forested park), hiking the hills, the redwood forests, shopping, balloon rides in Windsor, horseback riding on the beach, Go Kart racing at Sears Point (okay....its Infineon Raceway now), Learn how to race a real race car at Infineon Raceway, Local bands, Renting a limo and spending all day going from winery to endless winery sampling different wines, taking a viticultural class at the local JC for cheap, going to listen to live classical music at the Wells Fargo center for the arts, driving to Larkspur to jump on the ferry and riding across the bay to Pier 1 where you can spend all day along the boardwalk, listening to the seals bark all day long by fishermans wharf, rollerblading along the pier, watching the sailboats go by, taking a helicopter ride out to a charter boat past the harbor for breakfast, driving along highway 1 parallel to the ocean all the way up to Mendocino, .....gosh, I could go on and on.

Bay area all the way..I lived in south bay (los gatos) and had to move down south (claremont) and hate it..the people in the bay area are more relaxed, educated, and diverse..The weather totally beats the smoggy LA air and the traffic is a fraction of what it is in LA. If I had a choice, I thinks its pretty clear I would pick Nor Cal. Plus the pay is better and the clientel in the hospitals aren't as "interesting" as down south.

Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

"Interesting" is subjective!:wink2: I have a hard time with the more crunchy types up north at times. I love the Los Gatos area, though--very nice. I just have to say that I HATE being cold and any time I venture to the Bay Area I am cold. But I fully admit to being sensitive to it. The geenery can be worth it, though, it is pretty dry down here.

sorry it's the truth...LOL

The Bay Area is unlike any other place on earth. Warmer days and always cooler nights. Surrounded by vinyards. A trip to the ocean for the afternoon or a couple of hours of down time, kayaking down the Russian River, spending all afternoon exploring Annadel in Santa Rosa (large forested park), hiking the hills, the redwood forests, shopping, balloon rides in Windsor, horseback riding on the beach, Go Kart racing at Sears Point (okay....its Infineon Raceway now), Learn how to race a real race car at Infineon Raceway, Local bands, Renting a limo and spending all day going from winery to endless winery sampling different wines, taking a viticultural class at the local JC for cheap, going to listen to live classical music at the Wells Fargo center for the arts, driving to Larkspur to jump on the ferry and riding across the bay to Pier 1 where you can spend all day along the boardwalk, listening to the seals bark all day long by fishermans wharf, rollerblading along the pier, watching the sailboats go by, taking a helicopter ride out to a charter boat past the harbor for breakfast, driving along highway 1 parallel to the ocean all the way up to Mendocino, .....gosh, I could go on and on.

When do you have time to do all of this? All I ever had time for was work and sleep (sometimes). Just makes it more obvious everything that I'm missing!

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