Re: US flying schools - any good?
Plenty of good places in the San Francisco Bay Area and also Sacramento area (avoid Sacto in Dec & Jan due to fog).
Sacramento area is probably the least expensive to stay in.
I would try to avoid very high density airports as time wasted sitting as number 20 for takeoff will not help you get experience. That said you also don't want to be some where that there is so little traffic you don't get the ATC experience.
California is a great place to go. More airplanes than any other state in the US. More airplanes tha any other country in the world as well.
Also nice weather.