Moving in August - Suggestions on cities - California or Florida
 

I am 25 and currently live in Missouri. My family is in Tulsa. I am finally ready to move some place much more exciting, and near the ocean. I will be moving in August with my sister (21 in November) and her boyfriend (23), as well as another friend of ours probably (21). I am hoping for suggestions on what cities/neighborhoods to look into.

I am looking for a MUCH warmer climate, somewhere with young single people close to my age, I want to be somewhere pretty safe, hopefully not too expensive although anywhere that has all my criteria will be - but since i will be renting a 2-3 bedroom apt/condo/house split by 3 or 4 people i am hoping that will help, somewhere with a good night life and lots of things to do, would like a beach as close as possible, I don't speak spanish so preferably not somewhere like Miami, but the bigger the city the better (i like meeting new and different kinds of people - bigger the city the better) and we will all be needing to find jobs (my sister currently is a waitress and her bf works at a furniture store, i am a legal assistant at a law office, and the friend is a supervisor at a restaurant in a retirement home, so i know it may be challenging). also, I would like to consider going back to school so maybe a decent college not too far, I'd love decent public transportation or cities where you can walk most places but we all have cars as well and would be willing to drive.

I have narrowed my search through talking to people who have lived in both Florida and California and decided I am pretty sure I would like to go to one of those states. In California I am looking in the San Diego area, possibly Temecula, Pacific Beach, La Jolla etc - i like San Fran and Santa Cruz I hear is amazing but they're too cold for me. LA area isnt much warmer and a lot more crime from what i hear. in Florida I have heard Clearwater, Tampa, Pensacola are all nice. Any pros/cons of those places or suggestions of anywhere else state/city/neighborhood wise for young people moving on a whim would be greatly appreciated!

"I don't speak spanish so preferably not somewhere like Miami," this comment is......silly.

you cant beat Miami for nightlife and beache. Remember there are few good paying jobs in tourist destinations. Jobe tend to be service sector or hospitality, but there certainly are professional jobs.

Well I just mean I cant be in a part of town where I'd be the only one not able to communicate. Miami could be fun, but I like the laid back lifestyle but proximity to nightlife more I think and from what Ive heard Miami isnt very laid back at all. Could be wrong though..

I would pick California since I hate humidity.

San Diego is a nice place - and it sounds like a good fit for you. It is expensive, but with shared expenses you should be able make ends meet just fine. CA is actually an ok place to be broke because there is a lot of stuff you can do for free or very low cost - like go to the beach :) It you are not particularly materialistic, it is great.

SD has colleges and universities, so you could go back to school - a lot of people go to community college for their lower division stuff and then transfer to university for their upper division courses - education is a lot cheaper that way.

Public transportation is ok in SD - not great, but ok, esspecially if you choose where to live with that in mind.

La Jolla is pricy though, so nix that and Temecula is inland. Pacific Beach is a really fun area though and you could probably find a rental there that you can afford.

Santa Barbara has two colleges and is close enough to Los Angeles that you can drive there or take a Pacific Surfliner train into the city.
Florida Gulf Coast University near Ft. Myers FL just got national recognition for being the first #15 seed to reach the sweet 16 in basketball.

I'd visit first then make a decision based on my research.

Visit first, then see if you all can even get jobs in the same place! Cost of living will be a big consideration.

Amen. Come out here to visit San Diego and you might be like others who stayed. :)

Have you been to either Southern California or Florida? These are places with very different atmospheres. And I don't just mean weather.

If you don't speak Spanish in California, how will you talk to the gardener and maid?

Seriously, job first.

VISIT, as others have said. What is your training that you can support yourself. Car? Transportation to a job, if you have one? do the areas you are considering have a "need" for your skills?

Can you even rent an apartment without having a demonstrated source of income? We lived in a few apartments in our younger days and without exception we had to show that we had jobs before they would rent to us. I think you should visit first and then find jobs wherever you decide to move before you look for an apartment.