This is how I roll:
http://www.scootervillemn.com/scooters/kymco/people_150.htmlI got mine 6 or 7 years ago and I am very happy with it.
I'm not sure what the laws in CA are but here anything over 50cc is treated as a motorcycle so you need a special permit/license. 50cc can park anywhere you can park a bike, it is usually not a problem to park a 150 anywhere but there is a chance of getting tickets.
If you want to go on any road with higher than a 35 mph limit get a 125/150. I would not go with the cheapest scooters but I would also avoid paying for a brand, Vespa.