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Immediately across the bridge is Marin County, which is mostly a rich suburban area where getting a ride 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 extremely well and may have less local traffic. These are both very good options if you don't want to pay for a bus/BART.===

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 (see note below) or the VTA 68 bus all the way south try to Gilroy and hitchhiking out on 1st street, which is also highway 152. Good hitching spot in the morning when people are headed from Gilroy follow I-80 to Santa Cruz get to work. This may make sense I-5 north, but if you're starting from somewhere south of SF (e.g. San Jose or Mountain View).trying 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 onramp=== Going South (Highway 1, but you might have better luck if you walk further East to the following onramp. (You're actually hitching onto I-580 here but it merges into I-5 further out.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 about $7. Take VTA 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.

A note regarding Caltrain: tickets often aren't checkedYou 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, but fare inspectors do come through occasionally and get off at Reina Del Mar and Hwy 1. Much more low key than dealing with the city, if caught without a ticket you have the spare cash. Once you're out of the fine city and dealing with smaller town traffic (Pacifica and south), getting picked up is nearly $400, so think twice before risking ita piece of cake.

If you're considering taking a bus: booking far in advance you can sometimes find Megabus tickets from San Francisco to Continuing beyond Santa Cruz towards Los Angeles for as little as $along Highway 1.50, though it's usually at least $10will probably be slower than taking I-5 but this is considered one of the most scenic roads in California.

== Things To Do ==The Bay Area is a diverse placeIf you're starting from closer to San Jose, with a long you can also reach Santa Cruz by taking the VTA 68 bus from there south to Gilroy for $2 and proud history of Left-leaning politics and Counter Culture. It hitchhiking out on 1st street, which is also, as highway 152 (west); this is a whole, one of the wealthiest and most expensive places good hitching spot in the United Statesmorning when people are headed from Gilroy to Santa Cruz to work. The area should have something Though at that rate the 17 bus from San Jose all the way to offer for everyoneSanta Cruz is $5 and takes a much more direct route.

=== Going South (I-5, fast route towards [[http://thelonghaul.org/ The Long Haul InfoshopLos Angeles]] in Berkeley, is an anarchist library and community space which often has neat events. The Bay Area is home to many book stores, and two of the best are San Francisco's or [[http://www.citylights.com/ City Lights BooksLas Vegas] and Berkeley's [http://www.moesbooks.com/ Moe's Books]) ===

In North Berkeley 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 BART station is one located next to a freeway entrance which has a lot of traffic and a fairly decent spot to stop (after the worlds best known punk rock clubs [http://www'freeway entrance' sign).924gilmanYou might have better luck if you walk further east to the following entrance which has less traffic, but a big bus stop to pull into a couple hundred meters before the entrance itself.org/ 924 Gilman Street] with shows every Friday and Saturday You're actually hitching onto I-580 here but it merges into I-5 further out; avoid getting a ride to Tracy or Stockton if you want to go south, and sometimes Sundayit won't do you much good.

The Bay Area is home to a number of great parks '''Option 2'''This route worked really well for relaxing and hiking an anonymous user in. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco is a lovely urban park. For hiking it is best to go further out to Mount Diablo State Park in the East Bay or 2009: Take Caltrain south to Big Basin Redwoods state park San Jose (or walk across about $9 from downtown SF, $7 from the Golden Gate Bridge [http://mapsBART transfer at Millbrae).googleTake VTA bus 68 to Gilroy from there, 1.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=375 hours, $2.832374Hitchhike 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-1225.480557&spn=0 If heading towards Las Vegas, get off I-5 at exit 257, to get onto highway 58.0005Take that East,0avoid getting stuck in Bakersfield.001198&t=h&z=20 turn right walk down 58 goes all the steps under the bridge] to the other side walking north a few more yards to Conzelman Roadway through, walk up past Mojave and West through the Marin HeadlandsBarstow, )towards Vegas.

Food Not Bombs serves free meals both in [http://sffnb.org/ San Francisco] and Monday-Friday in Berkeley (at People's Park between Dwight == Nomadwiki & Haste, above Telegraph Ave.) and is a good place to meet people. Trashwiki ==

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