With the fall semester drawing to an end, it’s easy to have dreams of a winter break getaway dancing in your head. Tropical beaches, luxury resorts or exotic cruises sound too good to be true. And for most cash-strapped students, they probably are.

Enter the hostelling alternative, where luxury is not included, privacy is not guaranteed, but where a cheap and unique travel option awaits.

“Students go to Europe and stay at hostels all over, but they don’t realize they can come home and do the same thing,” said Steve Hanes, manager of Sacramento’s own hostel.

In fact, there are hundreds of hostelling opportunities across the United States and over 20 within a few hours drive of Sacramento State. Armed with one or two Ben Franklin’s, a semi-reliable vehicle and a trusty road map, students can make an otherwise uneventful winter break memorable by touring northern California’s hostels.

“Hostels are a great option,” said Linda Warren, travel agent at the STA Travel office in the University Union. “They’re good values and fun places to stay, and you meet people from everywhere.”

The Golden Gate Council, of which Sacramento’s hostel is a member, alone has ten hostels throughout northern California. Accommodations include a restored lighthouse keeper’s house, 1,600-acre organic farm, nineteenth century home, Victorian mansion and former military barrack. The council is also part of Hostelling International, an international nonprofit organization that includes over 4,000 hostels in 60 countries.

Executive Director of the council, Barbara Wein, said hostels are affordable and offer an opportunity to meet travelers from around the world.

“The basic idea behind hostels is not just to make travel cheap, but to encourage interaction among guests and promote cultural understanding,” she said.

Hanes agreed.

“You meet very interesting people, and there’s this awesome cultural cross-pollination that happens in a hostel that doesn’t happen anywhere else,” he said. “And with today’s world situation, we need every connection we can make.”

Hanes added that during this past summer alone, the Sacramento hostel hosted visitors “from every habitable continent on the face of the earth.” The organization is housed in a Gold Rush-era, Victorian mansion, one of the five most impressive residential structures left in downtown Sacramento, Hanes said.

Every hostel is different in its own way, but Sacramento’s is the most unique of them all, Wein said.

“It’s probably the most beautiful hostel in the United States,” she said. “Europe has hostels in castles, and this is America’s equivalent.” Wein added that Sac State students should consider staying a night or two at the hostel when headed downtown for the evening or for a different yet local experience.

Hostels are also unique because, unlike hotel chains, they are not similar in any way, Wein said.

“It depends on your destination and what you’re looking for,” she said.

Some options include the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, just fifty miles south of San Francisco and only a stone’s throw away from the ocean. One of the tallest lighthouses in the country, Pigeon Point also offers travelers an outdoor hot tub overlooking the waves for nights spent gazing at the stars.

The Hidden Villa Valley hostel, located at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills, is the oldest operating hostel in the United States. Situated on an organic farm and wilderness preserve, it offers miles of hiking trails and rustic charm with the lights of the Silicon Valley flickering in the distance.

The hostel in the Redwood National Park is also in a world of its own. Visitors stay in a pioneer homestead built in 1908, right under the 300-foot Coast Redwood trees for which the park is famous. There is direct access to the Coastal Trail, and public beach access is right across the street.

San Francisco offers three Hostelling International hostels in the city center, downtown and Fisherman’s Wharf areas.

Most hostels offer fully-equipped self-serve kitchens, on-site laundry and parking. Visitors can use complimentary linens, which are changed for each guest, or can bring their own from home.

And, Hanes said, students shouldn’t associate the budget accommodations with the horror film “Hostel,” in which backpackers are hedonistically tortured and left for dead.

“That was just Quentin Tarantino having a good time,” he said, adding with a laugh, “We show it as a gag on Halloween.”

Hanes also said that while lockers are available for travelers to lock up their belongings, there has not been one incident of theft during his five years in Sacramento.

“There’s a code of honor among hostellers,” Hanes said. “It’s a lot safer than people may think.”

Wein agreed that hostels are often plagued by false impressions.

“People who haven’t used them before may have the misconception that they’re all flophouses,” she said. “But the hostels that are operated by Hostelling International have to meet stringent quality standards. Students should expect to find safe, clean and affordable accommodations.” Wein said to look for the organization’s blue triangle logo around the world to ensure that the hostel has been inspected.

While reservations can be made directly through each hostel, Warren said that booking through a travel agency is a good idea because it offers peace of mind.

“STA has inspected all of the hostels we’re associated with,” Warren said. “We know they’re good hostels, and we know they’re safe. Most of all, if something goes wrong you can call us and we’ll help you out.” Large contracts can also mean cheaper rates through a travel agent, Warren added.

But even without a discount, hostel rates are downright cheap: An average night in a dorm room with six to twelve beds costs $20 per person. For the communal living-impaired (or scared), most hostels also offer private rooms for a fee of $50 or more. Both mixed- and single-gender rooms are available, and bathrooms and other amenities are shared.

Wein encouraged making reservations in advance, especially if traveling over vacation periods or on weekends. Private rooms tend to book up more quickly, she said.

If students crave an international experience but can’t stay overnight, Wein said that volunteering at the Sacramento hostel can offer a taste of what’s beyond the American border.

“Students can volunteer to host out-of-towners for the evening, either by taking them on walking tours of the area or out to experience the night life,” she said.

Psychology major Jamie Moore is an experienced hosteller, having stayed at hostels in San Diego, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Las Vegas. He said that he keeps going back because of the social atmosphere.

“It’s a fun place to meet people, and you find a lot of people who want to party,” he said. “If you travel by yourself, it’s the best way to do it.” Moore recommended that first-time hostellers keep an open mind to all different types of people.

“Don’t be afraid to talk to anyone,” he said. “Everyone is there to have a good time.”

Freshman biology major Aileen Tsan stayed at a San Francisco hostel and said that, while it wasn’t a five star hotel, it did have its benefits.

“Don’t expect to be staying at a hotel,” she said. “You get basic facilities and accommodations. But it’s cheap and you can meet lots of people. It’s an experience that’s pretty unique.”

And with hostels, “unique” is the name of the game.

For more information, speak to a representative at STA Travel on the first floor of the University Union.

Megan Chuchmach can be reached at [email protected]