When I was done with college but not sure what to do for 'real' life, I worked for a summer at a resort in the Grand Teton National Park. I was a housekeeper. It was not glamorous and the pay was low, but the housing was free and the food was cheap, and on my days off I got to explore the Tetons! It was incredible. And a lot of the 'resort rats' were not young kids - there was every age from just out of high school up through retired couples working seasonally as they RV'd around the nation.

If you have the flexibility to travel instead of staying in Southern California, I highly recommend the experience.