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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Compared to Europe, Australia, or even Japan and much of South-East Asia, the States seems to lack affordable budget accommodation for backpackers, notably youth hostels with dorm beds, communal rooms, facilities, a kitchen.etc. Even in large cities there's usually only a handful, mostly a HI (Hostelling international). It just seems in general the US tourist industry caters to families/groups or travellers with money. Given it's 60 million or so international visitors a year, why hasn't it made more effort to cater to budget travellers, including singles? Outside of places like SF - heck even NYC isn't that good for this. Why is this?
I wouldn't rent to many of today's youth , the have no respect for any one else, or their property .
A few ruin it for the rest .
Sad to say.
Just like job hunting now days , people are becomming more selective in the people they accomodate.
Agree on lack of demand, profit as a biz, the 'unknown' factor of clientele, and maybe some hostels but found only in the 'groovier' larger metro areas. Many visitors to US from out of country, but realistically how many are flying into JKF or LAX with a backpack and boots to 'walk' the US? Most rent a car and drive...big country.
also many americans who like to travel in that fashion lean towards camping, etc
i've stayed in a few in the US and Canada .... but honestly, i've also had no problem finding a budget hotel near a metro line in most major cities
even when I was in europe I'd see if there was a family room in a hotel or something of the sort where they could fit our group and negotiate with the room guys at the train stations ....... frequently we'd pay no more than we would in a hostel, often a little bit less
an example in the US is when we'd drive down to DC, we'd stay at a budget hotel within walking distance of the metro north of the city - we'd put 3 of us in a room and pay $70 a night ........ at $25 a night per person to have a bed, individual shower, TV, good temperature controls, better security of your belongings, no sleep disruptions from others, etc I'm not sure how much lower you could price a hostel to make it worthwhile ....... I wouldn't downgrade to save $5-$10 a night
I recall, or have read, that hostels were pretty widespread in Germany, but I thought this was sort of an old fashioned thing, a leftover of their pre-WWII outdoors/folk culture , where teenagers or young adults would hike cross country with their canes and rucksacks to explore their "heimat", staying in these hostels on the way.
Sounds sort of old fashioned and picturesque, and I thought this had faded by now. I didnt know we had any of this stuff in the USA.
For the US the budget thing was the YMCA in the big cities (for men), or "tourist courts" and "motels", for cross country travel..
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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Unlike in many areas of Europe, you can *see* the next town, when you reach the outskirts of the first, The USA is mostly about some little town here and there, and then miles and miles of nothing in between ...
Compared to Europe, Australia, or even Japan and much of South-East Asia, the States seems to lack affordable budget accommodation for backpackers, notably youth hostels with dorm beds, communal rooms, facilities, a kitchen.etc. Even in large cities there's usually only a handful, mostly a HI (Hostelling international). It just seems in general the US tourist industry caters to families/groups or travellers with money. Given it's 60 million or so international visitors a year, why hasn't it made more effort to cater to budget travellers, including singles? Outside of places like SF - heck even NYC isn't that good for this. Why is this?
Actually NYC has quite a few YMCA/youth hostels. As already said most Americans who want to travel on a budget go camping (using either tents or RVs). Americans also have less vacation time than Europeans and don't usually take extra time off (meaning unpaid leave) to just travel around. But I do agree there is a lack of good options for people who want to travel alone without paying a single supplement at hotels, etc.
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