Any suggestions for a (clueless) first-time car buyer?

I plan on buying my first car by the end of this/beginning of next year but I don’t know the first thing about cars. I just started browsing around online and already feel overwhelmed by the amount of options available. My main fear is of being scammed/sold a piece of junk due to my lack of knowledge on the subject.

Mainly, I need a car to get to and from work as well as to run errands around town – I don’t plan on doing any long-distance driving. I prefer a used car but I don’t know what sorts of specifications I should be looking for. In case it matters, it doesn’t snow where I live. Also, I don’t have children (and don’t plan on having them any time soon) so I don’t need a big car.

Where is the best place to buy a car? What kinds of questions should I ask? What should I look for in terms of the following details (copied from a car sales website): mileage, engine, transmission, drive type, fuel type? Anything else I’m missing?

Thank you in advance!