Hostels in Wisconsin 
You are looking for hostels in Wisconsin? Good news, you have come to the right place.
On this page we list every single city with hostels and other budget accommodations. Hostelz.com helps you to find your Wisconsin hostel and compare its prices on the major booking sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelsclub and Booking.com. So you can sleep on a budget and save money while backpacking Wisconsin.
All Cities in Wisconsin
We list every single hostel in Wisconsin and the world. In total, we have 2 cities in Wisconsin for you. Please note that not all cities actually have a hostel to stay in. Below you can filter for cities with hostels and with no hostels-type accommodation, but guesthouses and budget hotels. This will help your planning.
All Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin. 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.
Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Wisconsin
Wisconsin is part of the U.S. Midwest and is one of the northernmost states. Known for its cheese and other dairy products, Wisconsin is more focused on agriculture than industrial cities, which in some areas can make it nearly impossible to find a hostel.
The capital of the state of Wisconsin is Madison, which is the only city to find a hostel. Along with being the state capital, it's also a beautiful and youthful college town. You can tour the state capitol building, hang out at one of the five lakes, or enjoy the college town environment near the University of Wisconsin. In true Wisconsin Cheesehead fashion, this university has a dairy right on campus! State Street is the cultural center of the city, located between Capitol Square and the University of Wisconsin. The street limits vehicles on the road, making it extra pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly, and offers a selection of shops. A pedestrian-only street is rare is the U.S., and it's definitely a highlight of Madison.
Wisconsin's largest city is Milwaukee, which is east of Madison. Milwaukee has a number of museums, a zoo, sporting complexes, and the mansion of the founder of Pabst Brewing Company. Unfortunately, there are not currently any hostels open in this city. However, it's about an hour and a half commute from Madison, where you can stay in a hostel, and you can take a Megabus between these two cities.
Wisconsin shares borders with two of the five Great Lakes. Lake Michigan feeds into Green Bay, and the city near this bay is known for their National Football League team, the Green Bay Packers. Sports enthusiasts love visiting the stadium on game days. If you're not a football fan, you should still find out when the game days are so you can plan accordingly. Traffic isn't that big of a problem unless the Packers have a home game that day!
Further north in Wisconsin is forested area. If you're comfortable driving during snowstorms and bring warm clothing, winter is a great time to visit this area because most of the trees are either evergreen or birch, which is especially scenic among a blanket of snow.
In the southern part of the state, Lake Geneva is a popular getaway destination. The historic small-town feel offers local shops and campgrounds surrounding Geneva Lake. While the lake itself is large, some people challenge themselves to make it around the entire lake by using the encircling public walking trail.
You will be impressed at the gem towns scattered throughout the state. Enjoy your time in Minnesota!
Handwritten by local expert for Wisconsin hostels Jessica Lippe
Travel Tips for Wisconsin - 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 Wisconsin. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.