1st telescope

Hey everyone, I read the buyers guide on buying a telescope for the first time. And then saw the comments and kinda overwhelmed now. I’m in Southern California, and just starting this journey. Ideally I would like to get good views of the moon and Jupiter, and go from there. I’m hoping to eventually get into astrophotography as a hobby. I read that go to telescopes aren’t ideal. Given what I’m looking to do and the area I’m in, would you still say no to these options? If it’s a no if I could get recommendations for under $400. I’m hesitant to get a tabletop telescope. It probably sounds silly, but it seems like a hassle to find or make something to put it on top of especially if I’ll be using it outside of my home. If I’m overthinking it let me know lol. Thank you!