The JAA compliant is an FAA licence plus the the writtens shown in the above post so you can convert immediately. If I were you I'd do it at Long Beach.
I did a JAA ppl in FL and you are usually fling into uncontrolled fields. I went to UKFT in CA for hour building and could't get into the flying in a busy air-space.
I wish I had did my PPL in UKFT as you would be learning in some of the busiest air space and then flying anywhere else would have been a lot easier.