Good advice already. A local club or beekeeper to mentor is great. Beekeeping for Dummies is a good reference as are YouTube videos.
This will be my 4th year. I went into last year with 5 hives and came out with 2. This year I went in with 4 and they looked good 2 wks ago. In your location you should be good.
Its a fun hobby but can be frustrating. I find myself telling people my bees didn't read the same books I did because they're not following what I've read. Look for used equipment that's in decent condition to get started. Used frames should be put in freezer for 24hrs or more to ensure you kill any undesirables. If you have a small workshop you can also make your own pretty cheaply. Tractor supply hive boxes that you put together are pretty good.
As a side note, surplus honey can be made into mead. I'm trying that this year.
