Real Travelers, Real Stories: Meet the Backpackers
Postcards From the Bunk - Shared by the People Who Live It
Forget influencers. Forget perfectly staged sunsets.
This is about real travelers - the ones who live out of backpacks, chase maps that fold, and choose bunks over luxury sheets.
At Hosteling.US, we believe the best travel stories don’t come from five-star hotels. They come from hostel kitchens at midnight. From shared trail mix on a ridgeline. From strangers who became bunkmates, then road trip buddies, then lifelong friends.
These are their stories.
Jessie, 33 – Vermont to Utah (and Back Again)
“I started solo. I left with a full contact list and half a dozen future places to crash.”
Jessie planned a quiet fall getaway - just her, a rental car, and a week off. She ended up hostel-hopping through Vermont, New York, and eventually Utah.
“One night I cooked pasta with a Brazilian hiker, a retired couple from Oregon, and a girl who was hitching her way west. We didn’t even speak the same language - except the one where everyone offers garlic bread.”
Andre, 25 – Detroit to Denver by Bus
“I had $400 and a month to kill. So I booked bunkbeds, not hotels.”
Andre took the slow route west - Megabus, local diners, $5 museum days, and hostels in every city. From Cleveland to Boulder, he found more than cheap beds.
“At the hostel in Pittsburgh, we made a playlist together in the kitchen. In Kansas City, someone gave me a trail map. Every place gave me something I didn’t know I needed.”
Nina & Jules, 29 – Bikepacking the Rockies
“We stayed at Pintler’s Portal just to shower. We left with new friends and an invitation to a trail cleanup.”
This couple from Quebec biked from Glacier to Colorado, staying in hostels to stretch their budget and soak up mountain town vibes.
“It wasn’t just about beds. It was about community. Even when we were exhausted, there was always someone there with a story or a snack to share.”
Malik, 41 – Restarting in the Southwest
“I quit my job and hit reset. My first night in New Mexico, I stayed at a hostel in Rolling Hills. I thought I’d be invisible. I wasn’t.”
After years in corporate life, Malik packed up and headed west with no plan beyond “figure it out.” The Cloudcroft Hostel became his soft landing.
“That bunkroom reminded me I still belong in the world. One desert sunrise at a time.”
✨ Why We Share These Stories
Because travel isn’t a contest.
It’s not about how far you go, how many stamps you collect, or how good your photos look.
It’s about how you feel.
And how the people you meet - in hammocks, bunks, kitchens, and trailheads - shape you on the way.
Want to Share Your Hostel Story?
We’re collecting bunkmate tales, trail detours, and unexpected hostel moments.
Shoot us a message, a photo, or a voice note. We’d love to feature you in the next edition.
🧳 Browse U.S. Hostels That Spark Connection →
