Travel Tips

Unless you live under a literal rock, chances are you've heard of the Coronavirus. Many people all over the world are cancelling trips and postponing travel plans. We get it - it's scary! However, there are more deaths reported annually from the flu than there have been from Coronavirus. Would you cancel a trip because you were worried about getting the flu? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 20,000 worldwide deaths from the flu since October 1, 2019.

So it’s your first time at a hostel. You’re a little less nervous after reading our post on what to expect in hostels, but you still have no idea what to pack. This post will go over the basics!

Most of what you need to bring with you to a hostel are the same things you would bring on any trip - socks, underwear, pajamas, cow onesie - or wait, maybe that last one is just us.

Back in the day, the only way to find a free stay in a hostel was to show up, be helpful and hope for the best. Now, in the age of the Internet, there are a plethora of websites to help travelers find volunteer opportunities in hostels. If you do your research, you can find all sorts of niche communities that are well suited to your interests that may be willing to take you in and give you a bed.

If you’ve ever stayed in a hostel, chances are you’ve met people in the community who were staying for free. You may not have realized it but they were there. For many, being part of a community like this might seem like an amazing opportunity that’s unattainable to the average backpacker. BUT! If you’re friendly, helpful, and outgoing, you could have one of these opportunities in hostels, too. This post will tell you how.

Happy Cyber Monday! If you aren't familiar with the concept, Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving where many companies have pre-Christmas sales. This usually means waiting in long lines at department stores to score the best deal on a microwave, but many airlines have flight deals as well! For the next few days, you can find some really cheap flights around the U.S. - without having to leave your hostel common room.

Here are some of our favorite deals you can get from San Francisco. These are only active until December 4th, so act fast!!!

A few weeks ago, we told you about a new travel trend that’s helping thousands of travelers see the whole world - while barely spending any money at all. This trend is called “Slow Travel,” a.k.a the practice of spending several weeks or months at a time in one city or country. One common way people are doing this is by helping out in hostels.

Imagine this: you start your morning on a white sand beach in Greece, and end your day watching the sun set from a mountaintop in Turkey. The next day, you spend the afternoon exploring Istanbul with new friends from all over the world. That night, after another amazing sunset, you start planning your next adventure with your new friend from Bosnia, who you just met but it feels like you've known each other your whole life, and you're planning on exploring Western Europe together next month.

Hostels are always the best option for budget travelers visiting San Francisco, but what happens if you want to stay awhile. Since most hostels have a maximum stay of 14 days, you will need to look for housing which is a more permanent option.

Unfortunately, it can be very challenging to find housing in San Francisco, especially for a non-local.

Here are some tips:

If we believed everything Hollywood movies told us, we would think hostels are dirty, run-down, and full of people waiting to steal your stuff and/or stab you the second you fall asleep. We’re here to tell you that this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Before we do that, let’s go over the basics. 

San Francisco is an amazing city. We know we're biased, but hear us out! Not only does San Francisco have countless great things to do right here in the city - walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, take a hike through Land's End, relax in Dolores Park, see a view of the whole city at Twin Peaks at sunset - but we're also located two hours or less from many other phenomenal places. You can drive an hour and a half to go relax on the beach in Santa Cruz, hop on BART to catch a show in Oakland, or go take a hike amongst the tallest trees in the world at Muir Woods.