Hostels in Washington, DC 
Looking for the best hostels in Washington, DC? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Washington, DC with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Washington, DC hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Washington, DC and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Washington, DC
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Washington, DC, across 1 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Washington, DC hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Washington, DC. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
All Top Hostels in Washington, DC
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Washington, DC
Washington, DC is the capital of the United States and has an incredible amount of marble and stone architecture throughout the main town, and a variety of hostels. You can arrive and transit out of DC on the Greyhound or Megabus, and if you book in advance, you can get some pretty cheap bus fares.
When you set out from your hostel, there are a large number of things to see and do. The National Mall is where it is at. You will find at one end the National Monument, and at the other is the famous Capitol Building. Located along the sides are some of the best museums in the country, including all of the Smithsonian museums. These include the Museum of Natural History and the Aerospace Museum. You can easily spend a couple days exploring just museums if this takes your fancy. Otherwise, pick just a few as you make your way through the mall.
Venturing past the National Monument, you will find the Lincoln Memorial. There is a giant reflecting pool in the front of the monument, which is famous in historically, as well as in the movies such as Forrest Gump where Jenny goes wading through the pool screaming his name and they are reunited. This was set among the protests of the Vietnam War during the sixties. Out of respect to these protests which had huge gravity in the US at the time, there are also Vietnam War Museums and a World War 2 memorial in this area as well. The park area surrounding it is also home to the memorials of Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Roosevelt.
There are neighbourhoods that can be quite dangerous and affected by gang violence here in the capital. Your hostel staff should be able to give you help on how to stay safe in the area, and where you can find all of the amenities you will need during your stay here.
Handwritten by local expert for Washington, DC hostels Globetrotter
Travel Tips for Washington, DC - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Washington, DC. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Washington, DC. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Washington, DC
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Washington, DC?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Washington, DC here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Washington, DC safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.