G-CEXO - Would be interested to know how you get on, and who you chose to do your hour building with? I did my PPL at a mixture of Blackbushe and Long Beach a long time ago and it was relatively easy to swop between the two.
You shouldn't find the airspace stuff hard but the RT is not always easy. Long Beach is easy to get in and out of. Mostly they use 25L & R for GA traffic but worth being ready for the alternative runways to be in use. Left traffic on 25L is an easy join/departure. It's worth the checkout to go to catalina or big bear. You will be expected to get your own weather and notams (1-800-wxbrief) and there is nearly always radar and someone to talk to on the radio. If I remember correctly the equivalent of LARS is 'flight following'. Have a look at the VFR routes over the top of LAX on the LAX terminal chart. HTH.
Recently I have been thinking about an hour building trip based from LGB or Torrance but I am well out of touch with the schools/clubs in that part of the world. Anyone know where to find Dave Parsons? (ex rotary CFI at CSR/Everything Flyable/Rainbow Air) or if Benbow Aviation still exist ? (their website is a 'parked' domain - they used to be a good outfit at Torrance)