.Best View from the Freeway

Being stuck in a traffic jam doesn’t have to be totally awful, depending on where you are when you get stuck. But if you’ve just gone onto the connector from the eastbound 580 onto 24 toward North Berkeley, you’ll have plenty to look at. The ramp swoops upward, carrying you above all other freeways and the MacArthur BART station (although you can still see all of that) while allowing an unobstructed view of the Berkeley Hills on your right and the Bay Bridge on your left. It’s even nicer at night, when lights are twinkling all around the docks, bridges, and homes. If it’s late (or early) enough and there are few cars about, drive a little slower than usual so you can drink it all in. This is one way to actually get the magical sensation of gliding over the East Bay.