Youth Hostels Am. Though it now also makes those lodgings available to persons of all ages, obviously its chief clientele remain persons 18 to 25 years of age. Over 200 youth hostels are found in the United States and Canada, several thousands in Europe, several hundred scattered across the rest of the globe. Barriers fall away in a youth hostel.
People are open to one another, eager to be of assistance and to learn about other cultures.
Bulletin boards line the walls containing notices of events and travel opportunities, offering rides and jobs. And though some of the youth hostels are rather spartan in their furnishings, not all of them are. The newer ones have cafeterias and lockers, reading rooms and lounges, occasional private rooms for families and couples. But even in the newer or newly-refurbished facilities, bathrooms and washrooms are almost always communal in nature, to keep costs low. In addition to providing lodgings, most local branches operate low-cost hiking and biking tours that use hostels for their overnight lodgings.