Written by
Nomadic Nina
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Last update: Aug 28, 2023
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San Diego is a city known for its beautiful beaches, sunny weather, and laid-back culture. It's a popular destination for travelers from all over the world, and luckily, it has some of the best hostels in the United States.
If you're planning a trip to San Diego and looking for budget-friendly accommodation, the best hostels in San Diego offer a unique experience that goes beyond just a place to stay.
From historic Victorian buildings to bungalow-style beachfront properties, San Diego's hostels offer a variety of rooms and activities that cater to every type of traveler.
Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in San Diego
Let us talk about prices. Here is a graph showing you average prices for a bed in a dorm and for a private room. Simply mouse-over to see rates for each month.
Prices can vary a lot, especially on high-season, weekends, and special holidays such as New Years Eve.
#1 Top Rated Hostel in San Diego! Rating: 9.1
Samesun Ocean Beach is the newest addition to the Samesun family, previously known as USA Hostels Ocean Beach. This award-winning hostel is located in the heart of Ocean Beach community in California.
Samesun Ocean Beach offers a range of private and dorm rooms with large common spaces and an open-air concept. The local staff are knowledgeable about the area and can help arrange bike and board rentals for further exploration. The beach, great restaurants, and breweries are all nearby, and with easy transport to other neighborhoods in San Diego, Ocean Beach is a great base for exploring.
Samesun Ocean Beach has a strict policy regarding guest age, ID requirements, and outside guests. The kitchen is open from 7am-10am, providing coffee, tea, and snacks.
Prices start from $35.36 for a dorm and $140.39 for a private room.
Breakfast
Bike Rental
Board Games
Kitchen
Lounge Area
Videogames
Rating: 9.2
California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach offers an exciting and affordable hostel experience in the laid-back neighborhood of Ocean Beach in San Diego. With its excellent customer service, cleanliness, and comfortable amenities, it's the perfect place for backpackers to meet like-minded travelers from all over the world.
California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach is conveniently located near public transportation, supermarkets, and popular attractions, making it an ideal spot for beach and outdoor activities, great food, and making new friends.
Guests can rent surfboards, wetsuits, and bikes at the front desk to make the most out of their visit to sunny Southern California.
Prices start from $35.78 for a dorm and $89.48 for a private room.
Breakfast
Bike Rental
City Tours
Bike Tours
Board Games
Evening Entertainment
Gameroom
Hot tub/Jacuzzi
Kitchen
Laundry
Live Music/Performance
Lounge Area
Swimming Pool
Table Tennis
Themed Dinner Nights
Walking Tours
Rating: 8.9
California Dreams Hostel is a budget-friendly hostel that provides a welcoming and sociable atmosphere for backpackers from all around the world. Located in the heart of Pacific Beach, San Diego, California Dreams Hostel is just a minute's walk away from the beach and close to public transportation and supermarkets.
With excellent customer service, cleanliness, and comfort, California Dreams Hostel offers a true hostel experience with the amenities of a quality hotel.
California Dreams Hostel is surrounded by bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, making it perfect for those who love outdoor activities, good food, and making new friends. The hostel also provides surfboard rentals and surf lessons with professional instructors for surfing enthusiasts.
Prices start from $38.09 for a dorm and $131.04 for a private room.
Breakfast
Bike Rental
City Tours
Bar
Bike Tours
Board Games
Evening Entertainment
Gameroom
Kitchen
Laundry
Live Music/Performance
Lounge Area
Walking Tours
Rating: 8.9
Stay Classy, located in San Diego, offers guests a comfortable stay with amenities such as a shared lounge and free WiFi. The property is conveniently located near popular attractions such as the San Diego Convention Center, USS Midway Museum, and Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Guests can enjoy playing billiards, and Stay Classy provides luggage storage and a shared kitchen. Each room includes a shared bathroom with a shower and hairdryer. The nearest airport is San Diego International Airport, located 5 km away.
Prices start from $54.48 for a dorm.
Board Games
Gameroom
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Pool Table
Rating: 9.0
ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel is a shared accommodation located in San Diego, just a stone's throw away from Mission Beach and a short walk from Sail Bay Beach. Guests can enjoy the convenience of free WiFi, a shared kitchen, and a shared lounge with evening entertainment.
ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel is in close proximity to popular tourist destinations, including SeaWorld San Diego, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, and Sunset Cliffs. ITH Mission Beach Backpacker Hostel provides a comfortable stay with all rooms featuring shared bathrooms and bed linen provided.
The University of San Diego is 8.6 km from the hostel, and the Maritime Museum of San Diego is 11 km away. The San Diego International Airport is the nearest airport, located 7 km from the accommodation.
Prices start from $35.70 for a dorm and $105.27 for a private room.
Breakfast
Evening Entertainment
Gameroom
Kitchen
Rating: 9.0
International Travelers House Adventure Hostel aims to provide travelers with unique and memorable experiences by connecting them with local culture, neighborhoods, and adventures. Located in Little Italy, this hostel is conveniently situated for those seeking to enjoy the nightlife of Downtown San Diego.
International Travelers House Adventure Hostel features two buildings, including a historic Victorian main house and an annex building, which offer private and dorm-style rooms, communal kitchens, lounges, and free Wi-Fi. The hostel provides a complimentary breakfast, iPads for guest use, and organized social events to connect travelers with each other.
International Travelers House Adventure Hostel also strives to implement sustainable measures and creates a community focused on cultural and sustainable relationships. Guests must be over 18 years and provide proof of onward travel and a valid credit card for incidentals.
Prices start from $40.33 for a dorm and $80.16 for a private room.
Breakfast
Bike Rental
City Tours
Board Games
Evening Entertainment
Gameroom
Karaoke
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Pool Table
Rating: 8.4
HI - San Diego (Downtown) The Metropolitan Hostel is located in the heart of San Diego's Gaslamp quarter, and it offers a renovated and modern urban hostel experience for travelers seeking shared and private rooms, free Wi-Fi, and comfortable social spaces to meet new people. The friendly staff is dedicated to ensuring that guests have an enjoyable stay in San Diego.
Amenities include free coffee and tea, 24-hour front desk, self-guided tours and activities, game room with pool table and arcade games, free linens and towels, bicycle parking, luggage storage, and more.
HI - San Diego (Downtown) The Metropolitan Hostel is conveniently located within walking distance from the Amtrak and Greyhound Station and accessible by public transportation from the airport or beyond.
Prices start from $38.84 for a dorm and $119.27 for a private room.
Breakfast
City Tours
Bike Rental
Board Games
Gameroom
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Pool Table
Rating: 8.7
Gaslamp Hostel is a charming accommodation situated in a historic 1880's building in the heart of the downtown Gaslamp Quarter. The hostel features a beautiful open atrium with a Victorian style that pays homage to the Wild West era. Located just steps away from outdoor dining and a bustling atmosphere, Gaslamp Hostel is a great escape year-round due to San Diego's beautiful weather.
Guests can enjoy exploring the nearby attractions, such as the San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village, Midway Naval Museum, SeaWorld, and Coronado Island's white beach, as well as numerous hiking trails, microbreweries, and beaches.
Gaslamp Hostel has modern amenities including privacy panels on all dorm beds, a community kitchen, comfortable bedding and towels, air conditioning, lockers with outlets, complimentary breakfast, spa-like bathrooms, fast WiFi, laundry, luggage storage, and early check-in and late check-out options when available.
Prices start from $38.82 for a dorm and $122.73 for a private room.
Breakfast
City Tours
Board Games
Evening Entertainment
Kitchen
Laundry
Lounge Area
Walking Tours
Rating: 8.3
ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel aims to provide travelers with memorable, authentic, and unique experiences by connecting them with local culture, neighborhoods, and adventures. At ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel, guests can enjoy a passion for community and exploring the city together, starting each day with a complimentary breakfast and advice on local activities.
Located on the sand in Pacific Beach, the hostel offers a private outdoor deck for socializing, taking in the waves and sunshine, and is in walking distance to amazing restaurants and popular bars. The bungalow-style building provides a friendly and fun atmosphere with plenty of outdoor and indoor lounge spaces for guests to relax or work from. Hosted social events are organized daily to encourage guests to connect with one another.
ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel offers female-only and dorm-style rooms as well as private rooms with free Wi-Fi, and surfboard and wetsuit rentals available. By staying at ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel, guests become part of a community dedicated to creating global, cultural, and sustainable relationships while supporting the implementation of sustainable measures in all hostels.
Prices start from $36.95 for a dorm and $109.72 for a private room.
Breakfast
Bike Rental
City Tours
Evening Entertainment
Gameroom
Kitchen
Laundry
Live Music/Performance
Lounge Area
Walking Tours
We've got your back when it comes to finding a great hostel location in San Diego. We've gone ahead and mapped out all the hostels for you so you can get a good idea of where they're all at. This map will make your life so much easier!
Hostel Haven: Choose Your Character
| 🏆 Overall Best Hostel: | |
| 🙋♀️ Female Solo-Traveler: | |
| 🤹 Solo-Traveler: | |
| 🎉 Party Hostel: |
Still not sure? Pick this!
This is the overall best rated hostel in Samesun Ocean Beach. The overall rating is 9.1. You cannot go wrong here.
It is your safest bet in case you are not sure which hostel to pick.
The price for a dorm at Samesun Ocean Beach starts from $17.68.
FAQ about San Diego Hostels
We've collected the most common questions for hostels in San Diego. The more you know, the better you can plan with confidence and ease, right?
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Rest assured, there are no hidden costs or fees - our services are completely free for you to use. We take pride in maintaining transparent and unbiased pricing information, and we never manipulate prices or rates.
So go ahead and start comparing prices and availability for all hostels in San Diego with us!
Looking for hostels in a special neighborhood or near a popular landmark? Check out our special guides:
I'm Nomadic Nina, a curious and adventurous traveler who has spent most of my life exploring the world. From the deserts of Africa to the jungles of South America, I've traveled to dozens of countries on multiple continents, immersing myself in local cultures and learning about the world firsthand. Through my travels, I've gained a deep appreciation for the diversity and richness of the world's cultures, and I'm passionate about sharing my experiences with others through my travel blog.
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