For super local and to quickly get into it, I'd recommend gmrs. $10, no exam, and everyone in the household is covered.

Before everyone gets all up in my post, I'm 100% in the don't tell me what I can and can't do crowd. That being said, there are some crazy assed stickers to government rules out there and they will make your life a living hell. I am a licensed amateur operator because of it. Hopefully they will all die off soon and we can free up some of these restrictions. Also, you probably don't even need the $10 license and I can I struct you on how to turn a $25 Chinese radio into A UHF/VHF/GMRS/FRS/MURS radio.

Allegedly.