Finding accommodation

Finding accommodation is usually easy if you don't mind spending a lot of money. But most hitchhikers don't have a lot of money, so then there are several other options:

Tent

 * For more information on this, check out the camping article.

You can bring your tent and sleeping bag and you'll basically be free to sleep anywhere. Beware that in most countries it's not legal to put up your tent anywhere. It is generally legal in Scandinavia, Finland, Scotland and Ireland, though. Legal or not, camping wild needs not to disturb other people. Putting up your tent in a discrete place at or after dusk, breaking up before people will notice and not letting garbage or fire places behind there are general recommendations to stay overnight in situations where camping wild is not officially allowed.

Alternatively, go to a house with a garden and ask if you can camp there.

Quite often there are attractive spots for camping wild near motorway petrol stations. If the noise is disturbing you can take ear plugs along. Even in highly urbanised countries like the Netherlands camping wild is still possible; for example if you hitchhike out of Amsterdam in the evening you can go just to service area Haarrijn, situated along the A2 motorway between Amsterdam and Utrecht. The area is vast and putting up a tent at dusk at the other end of the area will not draw attention, while the spot is scenic (and very "Dutch" with fields, cows and water around). Or find a park or forest near the city you're in. When choosing a park, pick a spot that is covered enough not to be seen.

DigiHitch had an article (still accessible through wayback machine) on sleeping near the highway (not necessarily with a tent).

Airports

 * For more information on this, check out the airport article.

Your driver
It can happen that your driver offers you a place at his or her house to put up your tent. It can also happen that you get a place offered inside.

That is why it is so important to create good relation with your driver - more open, honest and respectful you are, more likely it will happen.

For example Mirto is getting sometimes even few invitations during one trip. If you refuse and prefer to continue your way, it might be a good idea to note phone number of your kind driver, in case you will get stuck 10 km further.

Asking people
If you ask people on the street, it may happens that they will help you or invite you to sleep at their place. You may also consider the possibility to "hitchhike a couch": just make a sign with something like "Couchsurfing?" on it, and wait in a place where are many people. It may work. :)

Hospitality exchange networks
Hospitality exchange networks require a bit more planning, but are very valuable tools for traveling. Sometimes there are meetings and gatherings of tens, or even hundreds of hospitality exchange members. If you go there you'll surely get a place to sleep!


 * CouchSurfing (CS), 2,500,000+ members, managed in an oligarchic way, slightly North American-centric but growing rapidly.
 * Hospitality Club (HC), 640,000+ members, managed in a dictatorial way, slightly Euro-centric because it was started there.
 * BeWelcome an open alternative to HC and CS, 4700+ members
 * Global Freeloaders doesn't have a fancy website, but it's easy to send out a lot of messages at once, and members contact you directly over email, which makes it a lot faster to use, probably convenient for finding last-minute places. Though the lack of handy profiles and the direct communication over email definitely make this site definitely less secure (don't use it in Lima).


 * HospitalityGuide Hosp.Ex Ne>>t - Hospitality Exchange Networks Overview
 * Rahhala.net (Rahhala), 1000+ members, managed in a dictatorial way, Arab travelers and travelers for peace...

See also Current hitchhiking events for times and places where you can find free or very cheap accommodation and friendly people.

Hostels
Depending on where you are, hostels can be very cheap. The best way to find the cheapest hostel in town and to see whether they have any free beds, is probably hostelworld. You can actually book your beds very short time in advance (1 hour works fine) with no extra fee.

It is sometimes possible to work for few hours in exchange of a bed.

Übernachten Où dormir Onde dormir 住宿