Did you even have a job lined up in California? Do you live near coast or more inland? California has to be rough place to move to blind, and without anything lined up.
I'm literally living in Hollywood, practically under the big sign. It's about 45 mins to the coast if there's no traffic. About 20 mins west of downtown.
It was a little nerve racking at first, but once I got past the move I realized it wasn't that big of a deal. I didn't have a job lined up, or an apartment booked/reserved ahead of time. All I had was a storage unit and a UPS mailbox reserved in advance. Drove out here in a U-haul, dumped all my shit in the storage unit, turned in the truck, and started responding to ads on Craigslist for dorm-style apartments. I came out here with $20,000 in savings, so I could have easily afforded my own apartment. But I didn't want to be blowing $1,400 a month in rent alone, plus utilities, only to land a job on the opposite side of town and be locked into a shitty commute for the duration of my lease.
With the dorm living, I paid only $500 flat per month (utilities included), and it's on a month-to-month basis. So if I got that job on the opposite side of town, there's no commitment to the apartment. I could look for another dorm apt on that side of town and just move the next month, instantly reducing my commuting distance.
Once I secured the apartment, the next obvious step was job hunting. I already had a professional-looking resume typed up, references, letters of recommendation, etc. all in advance. Even after all that, it still took me seven weeks to secure a job I was happy with.
Once I got the job, next step was to achieve stability. Get money coming in regularly every month, so I could recover from the costs of the move (truck rental plus gas was around $2000). After that, the next goal was to gain experience at the job, get in with the managers, etc. Once I met co-workers whose goals aligned with my own, I could put feelers out if anyone's looking for a roommate or looking to move into a new place. Once that opportunity comes up, I figure I can get a real (non-dorm) apartment and have my own room. At which point I would be living on the opposite side of the country, gainfully employed, and living on my own with at most one other person.
That's the basic plan of action I followed:
1. Start saving money (I saved $20k but you could move with as little as $3k-$4k (plus moving expenses) if you are willing to lower your standard of living just long enough to make a successful move. Many people that come out here instantly want their own beachside condo etc., and end up blowing all their money in less than a year and have to move back home into their parent's house with their tail tucked between their legs.
2. Research, research, research. Narrow down what neighborhoods are good, how much rent costs, etc. Crime statistics. Racial demographics. Where your job prospects are likely to be. Use Google Maps and make customs maps of all points of interest that may be relevant to you. Grocery stores, banks, post offices, DMV offices, storage units. Anything and everything you may need. Use that to narrow where you want to live. Do anything and everything you can to learn about a place before actually moving there. My sister recommended that I take a trip out to LA before I committed to the move, but like I said, I'd been wanting to move out here for ten years already, so my heart was already dead-set on the move. But a scouting trip may do you good if you're on the fence about a place.
3. Book your private mailbox. A private mailbox is great because no matter how often you move (assuming you do month-to-month at a few different places as you get settled), you won't have to constantly update all your accounts every single time. No worries about losing a W-2 in the mail, etc. One address regardless of how many times you move. I think I pay $20 monthly for my UPS box, and they receive packages from USPS, UPS, and Fedex. So no worries about expensive packages being left on the doorstep of your apt when you're not home, and no chances of someone walking off with said package.
4. Book your storage unit. The less you take with you, the better. I sold, gave away, or threw out literally all my furniture. All I had was my futon mattress, three motorcycles, my tools, clothes, guitar, computer, books, papers, etc. No sofas, no bedframes, no dressers, no coffee tables. You can get shit for free off Craigslist at your destination, then slowly buy up new, nice furniture in the style you like. Don't take your old, worn out shit with you, especially if you're going somewhere far away like cross-country.
5. Make the move. Unload your shit. Get the key to your mailbox.
6. Start apartment hunting. I would highly recommend the dorm situation at least for the first month while you get yourself situated. If you can, contact some places before a week or so before the move. Don't do like I did and wait until you arrive at your destination. I couldn't secure housing my first day, and ended up just walking the streets all night long (having spent $2000 on the move, I wasn't interested in paying for a hotel room for the night). Have 2-3 prospective places scoped out, and check them out firsthand when you arrive. If none of them look that great, just pick the nicest of them and stay for the first month. That buys you time to start looking for a nicer place. As soon as you find that nicer place, just get the fuck out of the old place. It's dorm living, there's no commitment to anything.
7. Get a job. Don't be afraid to work a shitty job at first, while you look for a better job that's more aligned with your goals. Think about the people that move out to LA wanting to be a full-time actor. Those are the people that fail and go home. The ones that succeed are the ones that aren't afraid to bus tables, wait on people, tend bar, work as an assistant, etc. Do what needs to be done to get money coming in. You can upgrade the job later.
8. Start making contacts, friends at work. From there you will get potential opportunities to expand your social network. People who can give you rides in an emergency. People who know the city better than you do. Who might know places that are hiring. People you need to talk to. Places to avoid. Recommendations on neighborhoods. Where to meet women. Etc.
9. Profit!
