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Immediately across the bridge is Marin County, which is mostly a rich suburban area where getting a ride may be is difficult, so if you're going up 101 it's best if you can get a ride from SF at least as far as Novato, and preferably beyond Santa Rosa. Between Novato and Petaluma is a stretch of non-freeway where you could hitch on the road, which is probably better than hitching on a ramp if you want a long ride north towards Humboldt/Oregon. (check the map for this spot) Alternately you can take Highway 1 from Marin County up the coast, but while very scenic this road has little traffic so be prepared for long waits.

In San Francisco, go to 19th Avenue, which is also Highway 1. Find a good traffic light while walking South. You can even start in the Golden Gate Park. Along Great Highway === Going Northeast (e.g. at the end of the L metro lineI-80) also works well and may have less local traffic.===

You can also take SamTrans the BART to '''Richmond''' (it's about $14.50 from Daly City, $4.00 from downtown SF) to Pacifica, and get off at Reina Del Mar and Hwy , walk East, where there is the on ramp to the I-80 East. See [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Richmond,+CA&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=37.936312,-122.333064&spn=0.016044,0.05403&om=1&iwloc=A Google maps]. Much more low key than dealing with the cityWaiting time at this spot was half an hour for a straight ride to Sacramento, if you have the spare cashApril 2016.

Once youYou can also take BART to '''Pleasant Hill'''re out of the city and dealing with smaller town traffic (Pacifica and Southabout $5.25), getting picked up there is an onramp next to the BART station, but the best onramp to hitchhike at in this area is about a piece of cakemile north at Monument Blvd. It has a nice stop light on the on ramp itself. A sign saying "Sacramento" or wherever you are going helps.

Continuing beyond Santa Cruz towards Los Angeles There is a tradition of [http://sfcasualcarpool.com/ "casual carpools"] (known elsewhere as "slugging") across the Bay Bridge (check that website for further info). This is a good way to get out of the city along Highway 1 will be slower than taking I-5 80 if you're leaving in the afternoon, but this is considered one of less useful in the most scenic roads in Californiamorning as it's mainly for commuters. Some but not all drivers ask for a $1 contribution (still cheaper than BART).

You can also reach Santa Cruz by taking the Caltrain (it is easy try to follow I-80 to get on w/o paying though inspectors do come through) all the way south to Gilroy and hitchhiking out on 1st streetI-5 north, which is also highway 152. Good hitching spot in the morning when people are headed from Gilroy to Santa Cruz to work. This may make sense but if you're starting from somewhere south of SF in the Bay Areatrying to go north you'll probably have an easier time on US-101, see above.

Take the I-5 if you want to get there fast. You might want to take the BART train to '''Dublin/Pleasanton'''. The BART station is located next to a highway on ramp=== Going South (Highway 1, but you might have better luck if you walk further East to the following onramp.towards [[Santa Cruz]] and scenic route towards [[Los Angeles]]) ===

This route worked really well for an anonymous user in 2009: Take BART south to Milbrae. Change onto CaltrainIn San Francisco, take that to San Jose for maybe $7. Take bus 68 go to Gilroy from there19th Avenue, 1 hour 20 minutes, $which is also Highway 1.75Find a good traffic light while walking South. Hitchhike east along You can even start in the Pacheco Pass highway, which leads towards I-5; many cars here will be continuing south to Los Angeles on I-5Golden Gate Park. If heading towards Las Vegas, get off I-5 at exit 257, to get onto highway 58Along Great Highway (e. Take that East, avoid getting stuck in Bakersfieldg. 58 goes all at the end of the way through, past Mojave L metro line) also works extremely well and Barstow, towards Vegasmay have less local traffic. These are both very good options if you don't want to pay for a bus/BART.

== Things To Do ==The Bay Area is a diverse placeYou can also take SamTrans bus 110 for $2 from Daly City station (just south of the SF city line, reachable by BART or Muni bus) to Pacifica, with a long and proud history of Left-leaning politics get off at Reina Del Mar and Counter CultureHwy 1. It is alsoMuch more low key than dealing with the city, as a whole, one if you have the spare cash. Once you're out of the wealthiest city and dealing with smaller town traffic (Pacifica and most expensive places in the United States. The area should have something to offer for everyonesouth), getting picked up is a piece of cake.

[http://thelonghaulIf you're starting from closer to San Jose, you can also reach Santa Cruz by taking the VTA 68 bus from there south to Gilroy for $2 and hitchhiking out on 1st street, which is also highway 152 (west); this is a good hitching spot in the morning when people are headed from Gilroy to Santa Cruz to work.org/ The Long Haul Infoshop] in Berkeley, Though at that rate the 17 bus from San Jose all the way to Santa Cruz is an anarchist library $5 and community space which often has neat eventstakes a much more direct route.

Take the I-5 if you want to get there fast. You might want to take the BART train to '''Dublin/Pleasanton''' (about $6). The Bay Area BART station is home located next to a number freeway entrance which has a lot of great parks for relaxing traffic and hiking in. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is a lovely urban parkfairly decent spot to stop (after the 'freeway entrance' sign). For hiking it is best to go You might have better luck if you walk further out east to Mount Diablo State Park in the East Bay or south following entrance which has less traffic, but a big bus stop to Big Basin Redwoods state park (or walk across pull into a couple hundred meters before the Golden Gate Bridge [http://mapsentrance itself.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=37.832374, You're actually hitching onto I-580 here but it merges into I-122.480557&spn=0.0005,0.001198&t=h&z=20 turn right walk down the steps under the bridge] 5 further out; avoid getting a ride to the other side walking north a few more yards Tracy or Stockton if you want to Conzelman Roadgo south, walk up and West through the Marin Headlands, )it won't do you much good.

The Bay Area is also home '''Option 2'''This route worked really well for an anonymous user in 2009: Take Caltrain south to a number of sports teamsSan Jose (about $9 from downtown SF, including two american football teams$7 from the BART transfer at Millbrae). Take VTA bus 68 to Gilroy from there, 1.5 hours, $2. Hitchhike east along the Pacheco Pass highway (152 east), which leads towards I-5; many cars here will be continuing south to Los Angeles on I-5. If heading towards Las Vegas, get off I-5 at exit 257, to get onto highway 58. Take that East, avoid getting stuck in Bakersfield. 58 goes all the 49ers way through, past Mojave and The RaidersBarstow, towards Vegas.

Other Free places, see : [http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/428809 Chowhound] or [http://www.freeprintshop.org/ Free Charts]== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{IsIn|Californianomadwiki}}