This site may help you sort things out:
http://usagmrs.com/radio.html

I went with GMRS and a Ham license and find the Ham radio stuff is more "useful" but is a lot more complex. GMRS can be an excellent local communications solution. However, I don't think you will be able to just buy a couple of radios and be done - check your area and see if there are other (often businesses) GMRS users you could work with.
Example:
https://www.fccbulletin.com/ia/des-moines

This may also help...
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/FRS/GMRS_combined_channel_chart