Trying to Move to So Cal (San Diego, Long Beach: apartment, rent, home)

[kristyylee]

My friend and I have been more than interested in moving to California, more specifically SoCal. We are aware of the vastly different lifestyle over there than here, but we would like to learn more.

We would like to know what a good location would be for 21/22 year olds. We have decided that anywhere between LA and San Diego would be ideal for us, we have been searching around the Oceanside area.

We want to be within a 10-15 minute drive to the beach, but we don't mind driving up to an hour for work.

Any and all information is more than appreciated! We just want to be in SoCal and know we'll enjoy ourselves no matter where we end up, we'd just like to find a nice area to live in!

Thanks!

[nightlysparrow]

You have not listed your job locations, apartment size, or price requirement.

[PA Born]

You need to narrow it down. You're talking about advice for entire SoCal near the ocean. That's a very broad area.

[kristyylee]

We do not have jobs yet, I have a bachelor's in Public Health and my friend is finishing esthetician schooling in May/June.

We wouldn't mind sharing a bedroom, so a 1 BR apartment would work for us for starters. I have been broad in my location because we aren't certain what are good areas, expensive, dangerous, etc. We just know we would like less than a 20 minute drive to the beach, a decent night life for people in their 20's, and rent under $1400.

I have been in contact with friends and family who moved to California and have found that our best chances of obtaining a job out there is to just move, we just don't know a financially good location for the recently graduated.

[taydigga]

Originally Posted by kristyylee

We do not have jobs yet, I have a bachelor's in Public Health and my friend is finishing esthetician schooling in May/June.

We wouldn't mind sharing a bedroom, so a 1 BR apartment would work for us for starters. I have been broad in my location because we aren't certain what are good areas, expensive, dangerous, etc. We just know we would like less than a 20 minute drive to the beach, a decent night life for people in their 20's, and rent under $1400.

I have been in contact with friends and family who moved to California and have found that our best chances of obtaining a job out there is to just move, we just don't know a financially good location for the recently graduated.

Where are you moving from? I'd move to either SD or LA. Oceanside, OC and all that can be boring, depending on where you're moving from. LA is where I'm living now, at your age, you can have a blast. Just know you're moving to one of the most expensive places in the country. SD has some beautiful beaches and is a slightly chiller (and more beautiful) version of LA.

[DanoLoco]

I can tell you from my own experience from the southern most tip of SoCal to northern LA is too broad to narrow down.

I've lived here in SD for 3 years off the expense of the military. I had my fair share of traveling up and down socal and blowing my money to see as much as I could, you know, YOLO, being young wild and free.

Oceanside is home to the biggest and major base for the United States Marine Corps. This place is great for surfers, but you'll run into a lot of Marines both that are on active duty and retired. There's definitely a conservative feel in part of the large military presence in certain areas.

So you're looking forward to a 20 minute drive to the beach, you're on a $1400 budget on an apartment, and want a decent night life? Hmm... well if you're all grown up, you gotta focus on where your job is going to be at first to be honest. Then we can go from there.

[linden52]

Long Beach

[hipcat]

Hoe much are you making? This area aint cheap.