Florida

 Florida is a state in the south-east of the United States of America.

Hitching on the interstate is possible, but don't expect long rides. Florida police won't bother you if you stay on the on-ramps of the interstate. There is a chain of local transit buses that will get you all the way down the Florida Keys for roughly $5.30 from the Florida City Wal-Mart.

A good way to get north is to take a bus from West Palm Beach to South Bay, Florida, where US 27 (a main thoroughfare other than the turnpike and 95) is a local highway where there is a lot of traffic. Hitchhikers are rare in Florida, but it's still possible to get rides. It's best to stick to the interstates; you won't have much luck on US highways and state roads because so much of Florida is suburban, and most people on these roads aren't going far.

If you want something fun to do outdoors, going to a spring can be fun. They're all over the state, very cheap, and usually not very crowded. They can sometimes be off the beaten path, though.

Hitchhiking down the Florida Keys is easy and you can always use the local buses to get all the way down to Key West. Hitching back up north proves more difficult. Good time to go is when Fantasy Fest is happening, a week-long street party in October, I found this celebration to be better than Mardi Gras! -samson

Law
316.130 Pedestrians; traffic regulations.— (5) No person shall stand in the portion of a roadway paved for vehicular traffic for the purpose of soliciting a ride, employment, or business from the occupant of any vehicle. (18) No pedestrian shall walk upon a limited access facility or a ramp connecting a limited access facility to any other street or highway
 * Definitions
 * (19) LIMITED ACCESS FACILITY.—A street or highway especially designed for through traffic and over, from, or to which owners or occupants of abutting land or other persons have no right or easement, or only a limited right or easement, of access, light, air, or view by reason of the fact that their property abuts upon such limited access facility or for any other reason. Such highways or streets may be parkways from which trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles are excluded; or they may be freeways open to use by all customary forms of street and highway traffic.

The way this is worded makes hitchhiking laws completely open to interpretation. If an officer tells you not to hitchhike where you are hitchhiking it is probably best to move on.

Local Laws
In Monroe County (which comprises Key Largo, Marathon and Key West and everywhere in between) hitchhiking is illegal and the Monroe County Sheriff are pretty harsh on this.

The Monroe County law states:

It shall be unlawful for any person to stand or position himself upon any county, state or federal street, highway or road right-of-way lying within the unincorporated areas of the county, and hitchhike, solicit or attempt to solicit a ride from the driver of any vehicle.

Federal Districts
Note: All land owned by the National Park service prohibits hitchhiking under the Code of Federal Regulations Title 36 section 4.31: Hitchhiking or soliciting transportation is prohibited except in designated areas and under conditions established by the superintendent.


 * Gulf Islands National Seashore 4.31 has not been amended here, so hitchhiking is prohibited.


 * Everglades National Park 4.31 has not been amended here, so hitchhiking is prohibited.


 * Big Cypress National Preserve 4.31 has not been amended here, so hitchhiking is prohibited.

Largest Cities

 * Fort Lauderdale
 * Gainesville
 * Hialeah
 * Jacksonville
 * Miami
 * Ocala
 * Orlando
 * Saint Petersburg (Florida)
 * Tallahassee
 * Tampa

routes
I-75

This highway is great for finding traffic between Tampa and Atlanta. Police (with the exception of Gainesville area) are not too much of an issue if you're not too conspicuous and may even give you a ride. Ask in gas stations. If you speak some Spanish, Mexican immigrants are often friendly, more willing to take you, and drive further. Be careful not to get swept into 275 if you want to continue past Tampa. South of Tampa most traffic is going to Sarasota or Naples. It can be difficult to find your way north from here.

isin: Southern East Coast trash:Florida