When we are traveling the goal should be to meet as many people and make as many memories as we can. How much fun can we have if we go somewhere amazing and seclude ourselves to our queen beds in a resort where you can't even tell that you are in a different city? If you have only heard scary or uninteresting things about Hostels, I hope this will convince you otherwise.
I've stayed in hostels in New Zealand, Australia, California, Oregon, Washington, Italy, and Greece; it's safe to say they know how to have a good time all over the world. A hostel is a cheaper way to stay where you share rooms, restrooms, a kitchen, and usually a lounge area. Some even have a swimming pool! I recommend going on Hostelworld.com where you can type in the city you want to visit and then it will show you all of your different hostel/backpacker options. You can compare prices, location, and amenities that they include, as well as see peoples' reviews of the place, which is really helpful.
Most hostels include a shuttle of some sort that will pick you up from the airport, or at least have a great public transportation option on how to get there. They are almost always in a very central location in the city, so it is easy to explore and get a real feel of the place you are at. Don't be afraid to as for directions or a map of the place at the front desk, because they will be more than happy to show you where you are as well as great local places to visit around you.
The best part about it is that most places are around $20-$35 per night depending on what kind of room you pick and when you are staying (certain weekends and high season tend to be more around $35-$40). They are usually set up with bunk beds and there can be anywhere from two to 12 people per room. I like to pick the six to eight people rooms because that gives you good odds of meeting at least one person you would want to hang out with, and is also not too many that you won't be able to sleep. If you are a girl traveling alone and would rather not stay in a mixed dorm, there is almost always a female room option. Even if you are traveling as a couple, there are rooms where you have just one double bed and you can still join in on all of the fun.
They have activities almost every day and I would recommend actually doing them. It is the most fun on the weekends when you go out all together and do a pub crawl or you can hang out at the hostel and still have a guaranteed good time. At a place called Francesco's in Ios, Greece, you can join in every night for a free round of shots, go run around the island from bar to bar until sunrise, and recover during the day laying by the pool with a fantastic view (pictured above). In Rome, they had a Make-Your-Own-Pizza and Wine night with cats running around the entire hostel! I mean you don't get that when you stay in some fancy resort.
The kitchen is another very convenient part of staying in a Hostel. There is always a large shared kitchen with enough storage for you to keep your things cool and not gross up your living space. This makes traveling 10x cheaper than always having to go out to eat or ordering room service. Plus this is also a great place to meet even more people who are staying in your hostel. I've never had a problem with people taking any of my things, but if you are worried, they usually have lockers in your rooms so just make sure you bring a lock.
The downsides of course are having to share a bathroom or potentially ending up with some not so great dorm mates. But sometimes you gotta take risks to have a good adventure.
Anytime you are traveling by yourself or with someone else, I have learned that it is important to stay open and always invite new experiences into your life. You can either really make the most of it and love it, or not talk to anyone and completely hate it. So next time you are thinking about taking a trip to a new city or country, try staying in a hostel by yourself or with a few friends. Trust me, it will be a good time!
