I-- 680, Martinez

The San Francisco Bay Area is full of bridges - and lots of them! The state certainly makes bank from the $4-$7 one-way tolls, but in most cases, the scenic views are completely worth it. There is nothing like crossing over the Golden Gate Bridge from Sausalito into San Francisco with the ocean on the right, or marveling at the massive San Francisco Bay from the nine-mile-long San Mateo Bridge.

The one exception to this rule? The Benicia-Martinez Bridge. Unlike some of the others that cross the SF Bay, this bridge actually crosses over the Suisan Bay and Carquinez Strait, and is just about as far off from the Bay Area as one can be while still actually being considered part of the Bay Area. This bridge is often easy to forget as you are leaving the Bay Area on 680, but come prepared to pay the eastbound $5 toll - or be stuck with a toll violation that is no fun.

Worse yet, the Suisan Bay area is oil rig country - pretty much the least scenic part of the SF Bay. Refineries abound, in an almost Wall-E-esque way. It is actually quite depressing to drive through, and sort of goes against the grain of California windmills and green energy.

Definitely an eyesore, but it does get you from Point A to Point B.