A couple of questions

Don't you have a chance to join a ukulele meeting somewhere near you?
This is usually a good occasion to see (and touch) many different ukuleles without having to buy any - this might help to get a better idea about the sizes and brands.

One point to consider for budget: there is a market for second hand ukuleles (even here on UU). Either try to get a better one for small money - or buy a better one first and sell it later (in case you don't like it) to minimize your financial loss.

Thanks for all the good/helpful suggestions.

Like guitars, many ukuleles need a setup (maybe more so due to their short scale), so buying them from a place that includes setup is a good idea. GC and similar chains are fine if you can fix action, intonation, etc yourself, but if not, TheUkukeleSite, Mim's Ukes, etc are very recommended. (Or in Europe: Southern Ukuleke Store, World of Ukuleles).

Pueo said:

My recommendation is to buy an Ohana or Kala or Lanikai, preferably one you have held in your hands and tried as opposed to just ordering from Amazon.
Get something decent or your initial experience may sour rapidly.
If you have no ukulele stores local, contact Mim's Ukes or TheUkuleleSite.com, tell them what you would like to spend, and they will help you.

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Mr. Mojo said:

It's funny, I live a few minutes from The Martin Guitar company headquarters as well as the factory. On a whim I thought I'd check out their webpage. Holy crap! The cheapest one I saw was $999.
Back to reality I've been looking at this one: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Luna-Gu...1-sku^1500000006984@ADL4GC-adType^PLA#reviews

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I second these. Try it out for feeling if that particular uke is good. Then spend below $100, if possible. The standard (soprano) is a good alternative.