looking to move to CA (homes, unemployment rate, live)

[ready2run]

Hey ya'll! And yes I said ya'll lol. I felt it was appropriate since I’m a small town girl. But this small town girl is ready to burst at the seams. I'm ready to get out of this place. Which brings me to my question... where is the best place to move in CA??? Please consider: I (26) will be moving along with my husband (27), best friend (26), and her 3 year old daughter. We've lived in a small town all our lives. We're hoping for so much more. We're hoping to relocate to a place with much more opportunities, experiences, etc. We've decided that CA is the place for us. But now that we have it narrowed down to a state... we're looking for the perfect city, town, suburb, etc. for us. Our first and foremost concern is safety. Keep in mind, there will be a child along for this ride. We're also wanting to get the most out of this experience as possible. Since we're moving from a small, small town on the east coast, we are looking for that "big city" experience. Because there are three working adults in this household, our housing budget can be adjusted a little. For the three adults, there are only two cars. So any public transportation would be appreciated. We're looking to experience all that CA has to offer; beaches, city life, night life, opportunities that aren’t an option here on the east coast, etc. So... any suggestions???
[SIZE=2][/SIZE]

[Charles]

Originally Posted by ready2run

where is the best place to move in CA???
We've decided that CA is the place for us.
looking for the perfect city,
beaches, city life, night life, opportunities

Why California?

What lines of work are everyone in?
How many homes for everyone?
Rent and/or buy? Budgets and/or price ranges?

Originally Posted by ready2run

I (26) will be moving along with my husband (27), best friend (26),

"Employees under 30 have the most reason for worry. Joblessness is far higher among younger people than for those later in their careers.

For workers under 29, the unemployment rate jumped to more than 11 percent in December, compared with under 9 percent a year ago, according to Labor Department figures. That is far worse than the overall rate of 7.2 percent, up from 4.9 percent a year ago. "

from

Generation Y job-seekers hit hard - Careers- msnbc.com

[bayarea-girl]

Make sure CA is in your budget and that you have jobs before you get to Cali. California is a big place have you narrowed things down to N. CA or So. CA? Both places have something totally different to offer. I personally prefer So. Cal to raise kids than No. Cal because the weather is better and there are more things to do for families. But it is very clickish and you need to know the right folks to get ahead. The Bay Area is great if you are moving to a place and don't know anyone because you don't have to have friends in high places to make it. It truly has a city feeling to it. Southern Cal has better shopping and better food. But N. Cal has beautiful architecture. It really depends on what you are personally needing. Provide more info so that others can better assist you.