Projects and Hostels in the USA

HI USA is a non-profit organisation guided by the belief in the power of travel to create a better world and foster deeper mutual understanding. The organisation promotes a dynamic community of global citizens who endeavour to ensure a better future for all with their deeds. The organisation’s main aim is to establish a more tolerant world with the help of the community of travellers of its hostels, who learn from each other and learn about different cultures. HI USA strives to connect its travellers with the local community and inspire it with its travels. These relationships are especially important in order to challenge stereotypes about other cultures.

The first American HI hostel opened its doors in Massachusetts in 1934. The job of the first 30 hostels was to serve as a place of rest for cyclists and other nature lovers. The organisation’s slow growth in the 1950s was still linked to the growth of country hostels. The first city hostel opened in Washington in 1969. Many celebrities attended the opening. After the 9/11, HI USA started expanding its cultural exchange programme under the motto Opening Doors, Opening Minds, which later continued in the Sleep for Peace campaign as well.

HI USA is serious about promoting travel among young people, which is why it offers Explorer scholarships that encourage young people to learn about different cultures through travelling and finance their first steps towards entering the world of travel. Young people can choose between exploring the world and exploring the USA. It’s important for young people to use travel to educate themselves, discover different cultures and help the local communities, for example, by regularly attending volunteering programmes in Africa. Another important campaign is the Great Hostels Give Back where a group of at least six people is offered free accommodation for the duration of their volunteering in a local community.

Today, HI USA encompasses 54 hostels in 20 states where guests from more than 100 countries together contribute to over a million stays. Hostels are situated in various locations, from lighthouses to national parks and metropolises. There are 14 STEP certified hostels and 2 Energy Star certifications. Most hostels are situated in buildings that previously served another purpose. All HI USA hostels must meet high sustainable standards and strive to enhance environmental responsibility.

HI New York City received the Feature Sustainability Award for the sustainable hostel in the Hostelling International network of international hostels. It is partnered with small companies and offers training to residents of poor neighbourhoods. The hostel’s courtyard is the largest private lawn in the entire Manhattan. HI USA is especially devoted to water saving, mostly due to numerous droughts in the past couple of years, especially in California. That’s why HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel uses the water with which you washed your hands to flush the toilets. In Portland, HI Hawthorne uses rainwater to not only flush the toilets but to water its garden. The front of the hostel resembles a true work of art with its lotus structure and green wall full of plants. The hostel uses its own compost to fertilise the plants.

In the dry part of California, HI Point Montara obtains water from the washing machine waste water which is, of course, clean. What is special about the hostel is that it’s located in a lighthouse and the surrounding houses, which presents an ideal location for all those who like to enjoy ocean and peace. HI San Francisco City Center is one of the two American hostels with solar panels that produce 33 per cent of the required electric energy. The hostel is situated in a 1920s boutique hotel, which means it’s shaped by the art of the period and a rich interior. When staying in the USA’s oldest city, we recommend booking HI Richmond which is located in a building that was once the seat of a lift manufacturer. The hostel is a mix of the charm of a bygone era and modern inventions. You can also sleep in the mountains in HI Glacier Park which is located in the national park of the same name. The hostel is situated in a nice two-storey cabin with a view of the majestic mountains. Starting from the hostel’s veranda, there are various paths to choose from. On the island of Nantucket, there’s a hostel that bears the same name and was built in 1873 as a lifesaving station. It’s known locally as the Star of the Sea. Its lookout station is still accessible. The hostel also has one of the few volleyball sand court.

Get Your Guide offer more than just ordinary city tours – you can take a tour of graffiti and other street art elements in Brooklynu, New York. The USA is brimming with wonderful nature, and the most beautiful and most important natural areas are protected as national parks. Here’s one of the cheapest options for visiting the majestic Grand Canyon in Arizona. In sunny Florida, you’ll be awaited by the wetlands of the Everglades teeming with alligators. After that, there is an assortment of American cities to visit. You can stop in the French Quarter in New Orleans that gave the city its particular charm. Or you can head to the mountains directly from the desert city of Palm Springs with an aerial tramway. A lot of films were shot in San Francisco. There’s a tour that will take you through the most popular filming locations. Chicago is best viewed from the 94th storey of a skyscraper that offers views of the Great Lakes and the surrounding cities. In the Portland’s underground, you can discover tunnels and the horrible events from the city’s history and present. The city of music, Austin, also has its unusual sights and special culture. A weird guided tour will show you that side of the city. A special guided tour awaits you in the historical city of the American South, Savannah, which is one of Get Your Guide’s best rated attractions. Enjoy the view over Las Vegas from above by taking a ride on the world’s largest Ferris wheel with comfortable passenger cars. Visit the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco where a planetarium, an aquarium, and even a rainforest can all be found under the same roof.

There are countless Lonely Planet guides on travelling the USA. You can choose among a large number of guides, from the ones that cover the USA by regions to those more detailed ones, such as the ones focusing on national parks and large cities or specific states.