I own a Getaway, and have sailed the 16.
Either boat would be fine, imho. Like John Lunn said, the G will carry a lot more weight, but the 16 is a bit faster. I have no problem soloing my G.
The 16 capsizes much more easily than a G. I've only dumped the G once, and it was easy to right by myself at 200#. My 165# neighbor has a 16 and uses a water bag to help him right it.
Dragging either one up a beach is, well, a drag. Beach wheels, or some sort of skid system if it's your beach, are the way to go.
I periodically join a sailing club where I can sail Lasers, 420's, J-boats, 18' Interlaken sloops, but I find I much prefer sailing my cat. Dinghies are a bit boring. Although they are more comfortable in early spring and late fall when the water and wind are chilly.
Oh, and yes, a cat is fine for a beginner. I learned to sail on a 16' dinghy, but my first, 3rd, and current boats were all cats. I had a 17' Thistle, but I got rid of it because it scared the kids!
They were used to sailing flat on a cat, or flying a hull (they loved that!), but the rounded Thistle sails heeled WAAAYYYY over and they didn't like it.