Posted: 1/21/2020 | January 20th, 2020

As people become more conscious of their environmental impact on the world, there’s been an increased focus on air travel — and, over the past year, a corresponding increase in “flight shaming”. The term is coined from the Swedish flygskam, which means “flight shame” i.e. you personally feel shame about flying but, unsurprisingly, it has devolved into shaming others for flying due to its carbon footprint.

After all, there is no denying that flying increases your personal carbon footprint — a lot. My carbon footprint is undoubtedly through the roof because of all my intense flying habits.

But what can we do? And is focusing on this issue really the best use of our efforts? Just exactly how bad is flying really?

Air travel accounts for only 2.5% of global carbon emissions. In the US, flying accounted for 9% of transportation emissions, but only 3% of total carbon emissions. It’s a drop in the bucket when compared to other industries in the United States:

• Transportation: 29%
• Electricity 28%
• Industry 22%
• Commercial/Residential 12%
• Agriculture 9%

So, when looking at the math, flying isn’t really the worst climate offender out there. There are far worse industries out there. Shouldn’t we focus on them?

Cutting down carbon emissions from flying isn’t going to make a big dent in total emissions.

And you can’t just shut off air travel. The world economy relies on it to function. We live in a globalized economy — and benefit from that — because of air travel. Ending all flights would end our modern economy.

Moreover, there are instances where flying is required. I mean, are we going to take boats across the ocean all the time? What if we have to rush to a sick loved one’s side? Driving might take too long.

To me, it seems that we could get bigger wins elsewhere.

But I’m not a scientist. So I called one up to ask about the environmental impact of air travel.

Michael Oppenheimer is a professor at Princeton University, co-founded the Climate Action Network, and has been a leading scientist on climate change for over 30 years. He was one of the principal participants of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He said:

If you’re a traveler, you have to worry about four things from aviation. One is just the carbon dioxide emissions…number two, you have to worry about the fact that particulate matter from jets can provide surfaces for the formation of clouds, and that that reflects some sunlight…the third thing would be…the production of tropospheric ozone [a greenhouse gas] through the emission of nitrogen oxides…and then there’s a fourth thing, which is that high-flying jets that actually enter the stratosphere can produce some…ozone, and at some altitudes, they may release particulate matter, which would encourage the destruction of ozone.

My conversation with Prof. Oppenheimer gave me pause. It’s just not our carbon footprint we need to worry about when we fly, which makes the total cost of our flights pretty bad. (But, since the carbon effect is the easiest documented, we’re going to focus on that here.) Further research showed that flying is pretty bad.

Most of the time.

While you can say that, generally speaking, flying is worse than any other mode of transportation, the science is tricky because, since there is a surprising number of variables, there’s really no good apples-to-apples comparison. Depending on the make, model, distance, and the number of passengers in your car, driving might be better — or worse — than flying. The same is true with a bus. How many passengers are on that bus?

According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a round-trip flight from NYC to LA produces 1,249 lbs. (566.4 kg) of carbon per person. A car getting an average of 20 miles per gallon produces 4,969.56 lbs. (2,254.15 kg) for the same trip for one person.¹

If you’re driving alone, especially over a long distance, it might better to fly. Yet, on that same trip, if you carpool with three other people, you can get your numbers down by a fourth, making driving the better option.

So it turns out there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. You can’t say “flying is bad, never fly” because sometimes it’s better to fly.

That said, a round-trip flight from Paris to London creates 246 lbs (111.5 kg) of carbon while taking the Eurostar (train) will create about 49 lbs (22.2 kg) of carbon.

From Vienna to Brussels, a flight will create 486 lbs (220.4 kg) while the new night train (which takes around 14 hours) will create 88 lbs (39.9 kg) per person.

The International Council on Clean Transportation also came to the same conclusion when they looked into it. It turns out figuring out what mode of transport is quite complicated. As you can see from their chart, no one transportation option is the best every time:

So what’s a traveler to do? I felt overwhelmed just researching this article and doing the math on all these example trips. I didn’t realize how complex this was. And, as I explain later, depending on the carbon calculate you use, your numbers can be wildly off. So what can you do? Here are some tips I learned in this process to help reduce the carbon footprint of flying:

1. Avoid short-haul flights – A report from NASA showed that about 25% of airplane emissions occur during takeoff and landing, so if you go on a lot of short-haul flights, you tend to have a higher per-pound footprint. So, flying nonstop rather than a bunch of connecting flights is the better option environmentally.

The longer the distance, the more efficient flying becomes (because cruising altitude requires less fuel than any other stage of flying). If you’re flying a short distance, consider driving or taking a train or bus instead.

2. Buy carbon offsets (or don’t actually) – Carbon offsets offer a way to balance out your pollution by investing in projects that reduce emissions of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. If you used one ton (2,000 pounds) of carbon, you can support a project like planting trees or clean water initiatives that would produce a saving in carbon equal to what you use (so the scale balances).

Websites such as Green-e, Gold Standard, and Cool Effect can give you a list of good projects to support.

But, while these programs help, they aren’t super effective. For example, it takes 15-35 years for trees to grow big enough to capture carbon.

And carbon offsets just shift the burden of what you’re doing to somewhere else. It’s not an actual reduction in carbon emissions; you’re just investing in something that you hope will take as much out as you put in.

In fact, in a 2017 study of offsets commissioned by the European Commission found that 85% of offset projects under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) had failed to reduce emissions.

Much of my conversation with Prof. Oppenheimer centered on carbon offsets. He said,

Offsets are good if, and only if, they’re accountable, that is, you’re sure they’re producing the greenhouse gas benefit that they’re advertised at, and that’s sometimes hard to figure out because the emissions are not direct, they’re somewhere else…so, you want to only do offsets and count that as part of your greenhouse gas budget if they’re from an accounting system that’s comprehensive and reliable. Secondly, offsets are good if some have been designed to stimulate technological change or other changes that would not have happened so easily without the offset.

He also said that he could “imagine situations where offsets are fine, even beneficial, but there are a lot of situations where they are not and where they’re…far worse than doing the reduction at…the direct emission site.”

I think this is the point. Offsets don’t have strict controls, so you don’t know if they are really working. And it’s far better to force more efficiency from airlines and build up alternatives to flying in the first place. Much of my research showed that offsets, while making you feel good, aren’t as effective as fighting for reductions directly at their source.

So, you can buy them, but be really careful and do your research into the projects you’re supporting.

3. Fight for better flying – We need to put the pressure on airlines to improve fuel efficiency through new aircraft designs and operations, like implementing the usage of biofuels and planes that run on clean electricity, plus modernizing their fleets. For example, the new Dreamliner has very fuel-efficient engines that reduce CO2 emissions by about 20% in comparison to the planes it replaced. Pressure airlines and fly newer, more fuel-efficient planes when you can. Additionally, try to fly an airline that is generally fuel-efficient.

4. Calculate your footprint – As we’ve seen, sometimes it’s better to fly. Sometimes it’s not. Use a carbon calculator for your trip to see which mode of transportation has the lowest carbon footprint for your trip. If flying is a bad option, look for alternatives like trains, ridesharing like BlaBlaCar, or the bus. Some suggested carbon calculators are:

• IACO
• Atmosfair
• FlyGreen
• CarbonFootprint.com
• Less.ca

However, I want to put a big caveat here. My team and I used a lot of calculators for this article. We each found a bunch and tested them ourselves to see if our numbers matched. Like peer review scientific papers, we kept checking each other’s work. We were incredibly shocked to find out just how much variation there was between the carbon calculators. My suggestion is to use multiple calculators to find out what your exact footprint is.

Prof. Oppeniemer concurred, saying, “If the calculator shows that the car is worse, I would believe that, because all this is very sensitive to the load factor. And also…since a lot of fuel is burned on takeoff and landing, the longer the flight, you may sort of amortize the trip if you’re in an airplane.”

5. Fly less – At the end of the day, flying less is the best way to reduce your carbon footprint. Taking lots of flights a year, even if you do some of the lifestyle changes we mention below, is still going to cause your personal footprint to be huge. While the above methods will work, the best you can really do is to look for alternatives as much as possible.

***

I think we should all fly less. I look for ways to fly less all the time. We all need to be more aware of our carbon footprint. But it’s also important to understand, total flight emissions are small compared to other industries. There are so many factors that go into personal carbon footprints that I think we can make a bigger difference through the day-to-day actions we take since, as we’ve seen, most industries have a bigger impact on emissions! Do things like:

• Buy things that last a long time
• Buy secondhand
• Buy local, not online (so much packaging waste)
• Reduce your plastic consumption
• Drive less
• Switch to a hybrid or electric car
• Eat less takeout to avoid the plastic and other waste that comes with it
• Eat less meat or go vegetarian or vegan
• Switch your home heating to renewable energy
• Change your incandescent light bulbs to LEDs
• Install low-flow showerheads and toilets

If you don’t fly a lot generally, the things you do every day can have a huge impact on your carbon footprint and help the environment. Let’s not lose the forest through the trees.
***

In today’s “cancel culture,” we’re all supposed to be perfect people — but those who cast the most stones are imperfect too.

We all are.

I don’t believe in flight shaming because, when does shaming someone ever work?

When people feel like their values are attacked, they harden their positions. If you shame someone, they will just do more of the same and become entrenched in their positions. Study after study has shown this to be true.

Telling the person they are bad – when no one ever wants to think of themselves as a bad person – won’t get you anywhere.

That’s not how human psychology works.

Instead, I believe in finding and presenting alternatives.

That’s how you affect change.

I’m not going to judge people who fly. Nor will I judge people who have decided the best way to live their values is to fly less.

If you’re worried about the environmental impact of flying, reduce your own footprint, educate your friends on why they should fly less and find alternative transportation, and contribute to some good organizations that are out there fighting for a greener world:

The world needs immediate action. And there’s a lot you can do to to help. If you want more effective change, donate to NGOs and sociopolitical groups that are pushing climate change action immediately — because the longer we wait, the worse it will get.

Support green-energy projects.

Fund the planting of trees.

Donate to land reclamation.

Fast action will get you more bang for your buck than anything else.

But whatever you do, don’t shame people for flying. That’s not going to do anything.

The post Flight Shaming: Is Flying Bad for the Environment? appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Take part in two celebrations happening all week long and into the weekend. One focuses on Asheville’s independent restaurants with special menus and pricing at multiple dining hot spots, and the other is an annual event that grants performing artists permission to push the boundaries of their work to the edge of what most consider mainstream theater. More details on those events are listed below.

Winter bring with it a while new level of outdoor adventure to Asheville. Find relief from cabin fever with our roundup of winter sports and

Back in July I shared that we wanted to update our master bathroom and I shared some examples of different types of bathrooms that I looked at. As usual, we are doing something a little different from what I’ve seen out there and I couldn’t be happier with the plans. I discussed in that post about how watching HGTV and reading blogs might be changing how we renovate our homes. Now there’s so much inspiration and so many beautiful pictures out there that make us all want to make our spaces better. I can’t help it either, I’m just as guilty of enjoying the updates when it comes to home improvement in our house.

Mark and I are very excited to take this one on. We are hiring a contractor to do most of the work and I think it’s going to be gorgeous. Mark is doing a little bit of the trim work and I’m going to paint the vanity and the walls, but other than that we’re hiring it out, which is a big load off us.

Here’s a look at the mood board I put together. It’s always so fun to look at a mood board. It sets the tone and really gives a snapshot of what a space will look like with all these elements put together. These are all the exact materials we’ve picked out and chosen for the bathroom, so it’s so nice to see them all together.

The post New Traditional Master Bathroom Mood Board appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

Posted: 1/18/2020 | January 18th, 2020

Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is the birthplace of Starbucks and grunge music and home to some of the biggest tech companies in the world. But it’s also surrounded by stunning landscapes, with both the ocean and the mountains within easy reach. It’s known for being a laid-back, eclectic city — and an expensive one too.

Since Seattle can be a little pricey, budget travelers will likely want to stay in a hostel. Even with the prevalence of Airbnb, hostels in Seattle are still the cheapest form of accommodation — and they’re usually perfect for meeting other travelers too.

Seattle only has four hostels, and to help you plan your visit and save money, here are my reviews of each of them:
 

1. Green Tortoise Seattle Hostel

This is my favorite hostel in Seattle. The dorm beds have privacy curtains, and there are enough outlets to charge everything you might bring. The rooms aren’t very large though, and the luggage storage is under the bottom bunk, so if you’re sleeping there and your bunkmate needs something, you’ll definitely hear it. You’ll also hear music and people late at night, given its central location, so bring earplugs.

That said, the bathrooms here really set this hostel apart from others: they have rainfall showerheads and heated tile floors. The hostel also provides free breakfast, complete with eggs, cereal, fruit, and bread. There is a communal kitchen and common room with foosball and other games. They also run free walking tours and pub crawls and even host weekly ice cream socials!

Green Tortoise is located across the street from the iconic Pike Place Market (as well as the first-ever Starbucks). It’s also not far from other well-known sites, like the Great Wheel and the Crocodile (a bar famous for its live music — Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and other famous bands have played here). If you want the best hostel experience in the city, stay here.

Beds from $35 USD, rooms from $98 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Green Tortoise Seattle Hostel!
 

2. HI Seattle at the American Hotel

The HI Seattle at the American Hotel offers same-sex dorm rooms (there are no co-ed dorms here) with shared bathrooms, as well as private rooms, some with en suite bathrooms. Rooms here are basic, but the beds are comfortable.

The kitchen is the best thing about the hostel, as it’s large and perfect for cooking your own meals (there’s also an international grocery store a quick walk away). Free continental breakfast is included, though it’s nothing fancy.

The hostel is only minutes away from both the BoltBus and Amtrak stations, and its location in Chinatown/International District means there are lots of affordable restaurants nearby. It’s also close to historic Pioneer Square (which is home to tons of hip coffee shops, art galleries, and restaurants), as well as the Pinball Museum, Smith Tower (the oldest skyscraper in the city), the ferry terminal, and the Underground City. It’s just over a mile from Pike Place Market too.

Beds from $31 USD, rooms from $75 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HI Seattle at the American Hotel!
 

3. HotelHotel Hostel

HotelHotel Hostel offers a laid-back atmosphere and clean, comfortable dorms, which come with either en suite or shared bathrooms. It has a small kitchen and a basic free continental breakfast, both of which can help lower your budget if you plan on cooking your own meals. There is no common room though, so it’s not super easy to meet people. Also, there is a limited number of bathrooms and showers, so sometimes you may have to wait to get in.

It’s located in the quirky neighborhood of Fremont, where you’ll find the Fremont Troll, a massive statue underneath the Aurora Bridge, as well as a year-round Sunday market offering antiques, art, and food trucks.

Beds from $30 USD, rooms from $89 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HotelHotel Hostel!
 

4. City Hostel

If you like art, you’ll love City Hostel, as its 40+ rooms were recently redesigned, renovated, and repainted by local artists. Most rooms have squeaky bunk beds, and some rooms can get loud because of the bars and clubs nearby, but everything is quite clean.

Free breakfast is included, and there’s an outdoor patio and BBQ, a communal kitchen, a fireplace, and a 20-seat theater too. It’s a great place for being social and meeting people.

City Hostel is a 10-minute walk to Pike Place Market and nearby attractions like the Space Needle, .

Beds from $30 USD, rooms from $89 USD a night

—> Book your stay at City Hostel!

***

Whether you’re looking for a quiet hostel or somewhere social and lively, Seattle has it. The prices are reasonable (relative to other US hostels), and there are tons of awesome activities and amenities to keep you entertained and help you meet other travelers.

And with Vancouver to the north and Portland to the south (each only a few hours away), Seattle is the perfect base to explore the Pacific Northwest.

Just be sure to book your stay in advance. With only four hostels in the city, rooms disappear fast. Book early, save money, and have an awesome trip!

Photo credit: 1, 2, 3, 4

The post My 4 Favorite Hostels in Seattle appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Posted: 1/18/2020 | January 18th, 2020

Montreal is one of the world’s best cities (at least in my opinion). From its lovely parks and historic downtown to its incredible music, art, and foodie scenes, Montreal is amazing.

It also has robust hostel offerings, with dozens to choose from. In my visits to the city, I’ve stayed at numerous hostels but always come back to my favorites listed below. To me, these are the best!

1. M Montreal

M Montreal is huge, with nearly 500 beds. The facilities are pretty great: there’s a rooftop terrace, two jacuzzis, nightly activities in a basement bar open from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m., a café, and free breakfast (though it’s not anything special). The hostel is a quick 10-minute walk from Old Montreal and also close to both the popular Latin Quarter and Festival District.

M Montreal’s super clean rooms run the gamut from female dorms to private apartments, and all have en suite bathrooms. I liked the pod feeling to the beds: they include a curtain so you can get some privacy, as well as outlets and a light. The mattresses are pretty uncomfortable (basically a gym mat), but the social vibe, plethora of activities, and friendly staff more than make up for that.

Beds from $22 USD, rooms from $83 USD a night.

—> Book your stay at M Montreal!

2. HI Montreal

HI Montreal is a pretty standard hostel but perhaps one of the best situated in town: it’s a two-minute walk from the metro, which delivers you straight to breathtaking Old Montreal. The hostel offers both spotless dorms and private rooms that are clean and comfortable.

The common room comes with a pool table, plus the hostel has a large kitchen stocked with basics so you don’t have to lug them around with you, a café, a bar, and free breakfast daily. It also offers daily activities, including bike tours, walks, a pub crawl, and even poutine tastings.

Beds from $19 USD, rooms from $61 USD a night

—> Book your stay at HI Montreal!

3. Samesun Montreal Central

Samesun Montreal Central is what some would consider a party hostel, thanks to its happy hour and bar getting a lot of action. Rooms here are clean and comfortable, and each features a microfridge, plus reading lights and outlets for each bed. The recently renovated private rooms are some of the best for the price and include cable, a fridge, and a desk.

There’s complimentary breakfast that includes freshly made muffins, waffles, and eggs. Located in the same area as M Montreal, this hostel is smaller and has a more community, homey feel to it. If you’re looking for something more old school and traditional, stay here.

Beds from $22 USD, rooms from $38 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Samesun Montreal Central!

4. Le Gîte du Plateau Mont-Royal

Le Gîte du Plateau Mont-Royal is a five-minute walk to Rue Saint-Denis, only 10 minutes to Old Montreal, and 20 to the famous Parc du Mont-Royal.

The hostel itself is bright and colorful, and offers clean and cozy rooms and shared bathrooms. Rooms range from dorms to studios and have sinks; if you opt for a dorm, take note that there are only two bathrooms per floor, so sometimes there’s a wait. There’s a common area to chill out in, plus a rooftop terrace to enjoy when the weather warms up. Breakfast with pancakes and maple syrup is free.

Beds from $18 USD, privates from $51 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Le Gîte du Plateau Mont-Royal!

5. Auberge Saint-Paul

Exposed brick and stone in the rooms give Auberge Saint-Paul a historic feel, which adds to its charm. Located near Montreal’s Old Port, this hostel is clean and bright and includes a state-of-the-art (and magnificent) kitchen, free Wi-Fi, a basic complimentary breakfast, air conditioning, and a common area for mingling with others.

There’s a bar below the hostel playing loud music until late, so bring earplugs. If you don’t want to drop $5 on a lock to secure your belongings, be sure to bring your own. While the bathrooms could use a little refresh, Auberge Saint-Paul has everything you need in a hostel: cleanliness, space, a large kitchen, and a great location.

Beds from $16 USD, rooms from $58 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Auberge Saint-Paul!

6. The Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal

If you’re looking for a place with a boho feel, this is it. Located in the historic area of the city and a short jaunt to the city center, this vibrant hostel is in a restored warehouse that was built more than a century ago (1857) and has retained the quirks that make it special, like high ceilings, arched windows, exposed stone, and hardwood floors.

Besides its eclectic and artsy vibe, the hostel includes a common room, a kitchen, complimentary continental breakfast, and Wi-Fi that reaches up to its top floor. What it doesn’t have is an elevator — and rooms start on the third floor, so it’s a walk up with your gear.

Beds from $16 USD, rooms from $43 USD a night

—> Book your stay at The Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal!

7. Alexandrie-Montreal

Alexandrie-Montreal offers basic dorms on the cheap (you’ll have to go to the basement to use the bathroom, which can mean four flights of stairs), renovated dorms with en suite bathrooms, and private double rooms with shared bathrooms. It features a huge kitchen with plenty of storage (a whopping five refrigerators), a lounge in its basement that’s open all the time, and a rooftop terrace. It’s also close to many Montreal attractions, including Chinatown and the Latin Quarter, and there are tons of markets and restaurants nearby.

This is a budget hostel and it doesn’t camouflage it. Not all of the rooms have air conditioning, and the Wi-Fi is spotty at best throughout the hostel. But Alexandrie-Montreal does have some perks, like a basic free breakfast and free use of its washer and dryer.

Beds from $18 USD, rooms from $49 USD a night

—> Book your stay at Alexandrie-Montreal!

***

If you’re looking for the best hostels in Montreal, stay at one of those listed above. If there’s one you stayed in and liked that’s not listed, let me know in the comments. Tell us why you like it!

The post The 7 Best Hostels in Montreal appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Posted: 1/18/2020 | January 18th, 2020

With its historic colonial buildings, die-hard sports fans, and lively nightlife, Boston is one of my favorite cities in the US (and I’m not just saying that because it’s where I grew up!).

Boston has been a commercial hub since the 17th century and holds an important place in American history. After the Boston Tea Party in 1773, it became a pivotal bastion of support for the US War of Independence. Even today, the city is brimming with history and has lots to offer. It’s a must-visit destination for anyone looking to understand the roots of modern America.

Since it isn’t the most affordable destination, budget-conscious travelers and backpackers are probably going to want to save money however they can. That means finding budget-friendly accommodation.

Like most US cities, Boston doesn’t have many hostels. But the ones it does have are modern, clean, safe, and social for the most part.

To help you save money during your visit, here are the best hostels in Boston:
 

1. HI Boston

HI Boston is the best hostel in town. It offers both same-sex and mixed dorms, and each bed comes equipped with a shelf, outlets, and a locker. The private rooms are modern and have more of a hotel feel to them; they also come with TVs and a bathtub (which is largely unheard of in a hostel).

The hostel also has a free continental breakfast, a kitchen to cook your own meals in, and a common room complete with TV, pool table, and a piano. They also organize free city tours and host dinners, among other activities. It’s a very social hostel.

HI Boston is located close to the Freedom Trail, the Boston Common, and Chinatown. More attractions, like the campuses of Harvard and MIT, are a only few T (subway) stops away.

Beds from $25 USD, private rooms from $101 USD a night.

—> Book your stay at HI Boston!
 

2. Boston Fenway Inn

The Boston Fenway Inn is the cheapest hostel in town. But you get what you pay for, so expect basic accommodations. The rooms here can get cold in the winter, and the windows let in a lot of sound from nearby restaurants and bars. Bathrooms aren’t plentiful, and sometimes there are lines. And if you’re not one of the first to shower, you may miss out on hot water.

Breakfast is included but is quite basic (toast and coffee) unless you wake up early and grab pastries before they’re gone. It also doesn’t have a full kitchen, and the common room is set up with tables and chairs, so it’s not super comfy.

However, the hostel is located in a prime spot near the affluent Back Bay neighborhood, a picturesque and historic neighborhood with designer boutiques, indie shops, and some of the best spots in town to eat and drink. The hostel is close to Fenway Park, the stunning Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine arts, and the Mapparium.

Beds from $19 USD, private rooms from $54 USD a night.

—> Book your stay at Boston Fenway Inn!
 

3. FOUND Hotel Boston Common

FOUND Hotel Boston Common is one of the oldest hotels in the city. Renovated in 2018, it has much more of a hotel feel to it. There isn’t a common room or kitchen, so it’s not easy to meet other travelers here, and the rooms here are small (some of the private rooms have hardly enough space for the bed).

But it’s a short walk to Boston Common and the Public Garden and has plenty of restaurants, bars, and clubs nearby. It’s also just over one block from the subway, so it’s easy to get to other attractions in town.

If you want a place that’s quiet, tidy, comfortable, and not particularly social, then book your stay here.

Beds from $36 USD, private rooms from $82 USD a night.

—> Book your stay at FOUND Hotel Boston Common!
 

4. Boston Homestel

Located in an old house a few miles outside of the city center (but close to the JFK Library), Boston Homestel offers simple rooms and dorms. The rooms here are clean and bright but don’t have much to them. The beds aren’t the most comfortable, but the quiet location makes it easier to fall asleep than in other hostels in the heart of the city.

The hostel has a common room and a small kitchen, but not much more. It’s a quiet hostel, so don’t come to Boston Homestel expecting a party.

Beds from $37 USD, private rooms from $87 USD a night.

—> Book your stay at Boston Homestel!
 

5. Backpackers Hostel & Pub

Backpackers Hostel & Pub is a social hostel located in Everett, just outside the city. It’s not fancy by any means, but it has a lively atmosphere and free breakfast (which is a big plus for budget-savvy travelers). The dorms are large and not particularly fancy or comfortable (most are 8-10 beds), but the drinks are cheap, and it’s just a 10-minute drive from downtown by car (25 minutes by public transportation).

The staff are super friendly and helpful, and they also offer a free shuttle pickup service from the nearest T (subway) station (which is a 30-min walk away). They have a kitchen too, so you can easily cook your own meals here to save even more money. It’s a busy, social hostel.

Beds from $40 USD a night (private rooms not available).

—> Book your stay at Backpackers Hostel and Pub!
 

6. Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships

Available from June through September, this is easily the coolest place to stay in town: a functional sailing vessel, the Liberty Clipper. It’s a wooden three-mast ship with cozy cabins for rent. While the rooms are small, the experience is unlike anything else Boston has to offer.

Towels and linens are included, and the hot water is plentiful. There is no Wi-Fi, however, and you need to leave the ship during the day. But if you’re looking for a unique experience, this is hard to beat. It’s also a great choice for couples.

Cabins from $60 USD a night.

Book your stay at Liberty Fleet of Tall Ships!

***

Whether you’re looking to stay in the heart of town or in more quiet accommodations further afield, Boston will have something for you. While the rock-bottom budget options are limited, the facilities at the better hostels will not leave you wanting.

Even with the prevalence of Airbnb here, hostels are still the cheapest accommodation option. Just be sure to book early and you’ll be able to find a bed, meet new travelers, and save some money in the process!

Photo credit: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The post My 6 Favorite Hostels in Boston appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

Happy Saturday and welcome to another Home Style Saturday. From home decor and organizing for winter, to mom’s delicious vegetable beef soup, you’ll be warm and cozy with today’s post. Enjoy! 

The post Home Style Saturday 174 appeared first on Southern Hospitality.

I’m back today with an exciting tour of the HGTV Dream Home 2020 in Hilton Head, SC. What a treat it was to get invited to tour behind the scenes of this stunning coastal low-country home on the marshy waters of the SC coast. I love Hilton Head anyway and it was fun to go back. I hadn’t been there in 20 years and it’s really grown, but still retains the charm I remember when I went there so many times in the 80’s and 90’s.

This coastal style home sits on an absolutely beautiful piece of property and the backyard views are enviable. I can’t wait to show you more. There are a lot of beautiful pro pictures online too, if you are dying to see more. I tried to capture it from a birds eye perspective, so I hope you enjoy. There’s a page for shopping the home here if you see anything that catches your eye. I don’t have all the sources or colors though.

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