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.
I have been born and raised in san diego and would never want to leave this place! Always something to do whatever age you are. It can be crowded but not like LA. I would definitely recommend
Might be ok to visit, but if you work there, you may not get your tax refund. The governor came out and stated that getting your tax refund will be a problem.The state is in debt to the tune of 60 plus billion dollars. People are leaving the state in droves.
I could think of a lot better places to work and know that if the state owes me money, I will get it.
When I worked in Home Health as a contractor for 5 agencies, about 20 years ago - all over L.A., Orange, and Ventura counties, it was books- on- tape that saved my sanity. I tried to arrange the patients' visits geographically, but occasionally an urgent situation messed me up.
Now the traffic has increased at least 20 fold (due to everyone wanting to move to CA), so it's probably not physically possible. Rush hour is every hour, there, including 3 AM! If you can work nights for a nearby Hospice or from home giving telephonic info to patients and/or their families, it would be good, but then your hands-on skills get rusty......
Might be ok to visit, but if you work there, you may not get your tax refund. The governor came out and stated that getting your tax refund will be a problem.The state is in debt to the tune of 60 plus billion dollars. People are leaving the state in droves.
I could think of a lot better places to work and know that if the state owes me money, I will get it.
That info is erroneous, as far as federal tax refunds are concerned. The state cannot confiscate it from private individuals. Where on earth did you hear/think that was possible?
I can't imagine that the $60+ billion reflects accurate bookkeeping, real estate taxes still continue to be extremely high (on a $550,000 condo, my RE tax is over $7,500/year - deductable from fed and state income tax). The DMV doesn't give the state license plate out without collecting 1% of the purchase price, then on the "blue book" value yearly. When you're driving in CA, notice how many exorbitantly expensive cars there are there........
People have been leaving CA in droves since I first saw the stats on that (1963), due to varieties of reasons: homesickness, domestic situations, crime, less expensive housing elsewhere, better job markets elsewhere, etc. The homeless problems started in the North Bay when the psych beds were diminished. However, at least 10%+ of those who come to live there each year, stay. Exponentially that is a lot of people!
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.
On the negative side, I'd avoid South Central Los Angeles and Oakland, unless you're of huge stature and no stranger to street violence. Palm Springs and any place inland in the southern parts of the state are unliveable in the summer....
I wish you happy times, and warn you that few travellors return from CA unless their families need them desperately.
I'm curous- is Oakland as bad as the movies? ALL of it? I'm from NYC and I have spoken to many people who think it is war in the streets- which just isn't true. I saw some pictures of Oakland on another forum and the homes looked very nice.
Also- how hot is the inland empire? Is it hot and dry like Arizona (Tucson, Sierra Vista) or Houston? Or worse?
San Diego! Beautiful weather, beautiful beaches, Sea World, San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, SeaPort Village, Balboa park with great museums and pretty sights! Beautiful place to live and raise a family! Only too damn expensive.... :) Still, there's no other city I'd rather live in...
Excuse me, but what I said about tax refunds is true. The "Arnold", said it on the radio and it's made news in the papers and TV. Also, the state is in debt 60 billion and wanting more because of other financial hardships.
I live in Texas, and the Californians want to come here because it's cheaper to live and reminds them of California. I also hear the horror stories about California from them. So don't doubt me, because what I am saying is the truth.
craziechiq, BSN, RN
208 Posts
I have been born and raised in san diego and would never want to leave this place! Always something to do whatever age you are. It can be crowded but not like LA. I would definitely recommend