Hostels in San Diego
There are 14 hostels listed within about five miles of central San Diego, which is 1.3% of everything on offer in the city — a modest but real hostel scene. This page covers what that actually means for a trip: which hostels are here, how they rate against San Diego's hotels, and which are worth it if you are coming for a show.
How strong is the hostel scene in San Diego?
Two numbers answer that, and neither means much on its own. The first is how much of San Diego's accommodation is hostels rather than hotels — a city can have plenty of hostels and still be a hotel city. The second is how those hostels score against the hotels sitting next to them, which is the only fair benchmark, because guest scores drift by city and a 7.8 in one place is not a 7.8 in another.
| Measure | San Diego | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Hostels listed | 14 | Dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation within roughly five miles of the centre. |
| Share of all accommodation | 1.3% | A modest but real hostel scene. Measured against all 1,066 properties listed in the same radius. |
| Average hostel guest score | 8.0/10 | Averaged across the hostels above. Supplied by our accommodation partner, not a StubOrder rating. |
| Average hotel guest score | 8.2/10 | The same measure for San Diego’s hotels, with hostels excluded so the comparison is not partly against itself. |
The short version: hostels in San Diego score about the same as the city's hotels — a gap of 0.2 points. Scoring level with the hotels is a good result for hostels, which normally sit below them — a dorm bed is a harder thing to rate well.
Hostels in San Diego, closest to the centre first
Distances are measured from the middle of San Diego. Pick your dates to see what a bed actually costs — hostel pricing moves more than hotel pricing does, because a dorm can sell out one bed at a time.
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ITH Colive Balboa Park
3751 6th Avenue, San Diego
Convenient Location Located in San Diego, ITH Colive Balboa Park is just a stone's throw away from the renowned San Diego Zoo and other major attractions. Cozy Amenities Experienc…
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RK Hostel
642 W. Hawthorn St., San Diego
Prime Location in San Diego Located minutes away from popular attractions like Maritime Museum of San Diego and USS Midway Museum. Modern Amenities Enjoy free WiFi, shared lounge,…
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PodShare San Diego
500 West Fir Street, San Diego
Central Location PodShare San Diego offers a prime location in the heart of San Diego, just a short distance from major attractions like the Maritime Museum and the USS Midway Mus…
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International Travelers House Hostel \- Downtown San Diego Little Italy.
1658 Front Street, San Diego
Terrace and Garden Views: Enjoy the scenic views from our terrace and garden, perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring the city. Amenities Galore: Take advantage of complimen…
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Gaslamp Hostel
726 Fifth Ave, San Diego
Central Location in Downtown San Diego Located in the heart of Downtown San Diego, Gaslamp Hostel offers convenient access to top attractions like Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, and …
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Hostel on 3rd
542 3rd avenue, San Diego
Unique Features This smoke-free hostel offers books, games, and table tennis. Convenient Amenities Grab a bite from the grocery/convenience store and enjoy a complimentary self-se…
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HI San Diego Downtown Hostel
521 Market Street, San Diego
Convenient Location in Gaslamp Quarter Located in San Diego’s vibrant Gaslamp Quarter, HI San Diego Downtown Hostel offers a prime location for exploring the city. Just minutes aw…
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California Dreams Hostel - Downtown
615 8th Avenue, San Diego
Convenient Location Just a 5-minute walk from the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter, Lucky D’s Hostel in East Village San Diego offers a prime location for exploring the city. Comfortable A…
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Stay Classy
1455 Market St, San Diego
Central Location and Connectivity Stay Classy is conveniently situated in the heart of San Diego, just a stone's throw away from major attractions like the San Diego Convention Ce…
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California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach
3790 Udall St, San Diego
Relax in Style at California Dreams Hostel - Ocean Beach Outdoor Pool and Entertainment: Enjoy a refreshing dip in the outdoor swimming pool and evening entertainment at our hoste…
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Samesun Ocean Beach Hotel & Hostel
4961 Newport Ave, San Diego
Beachfront Location: Samesun Ocean Beach in San Diego offers a 2-star accommodation with stunning beachfront views, perfect for a relaxing getaway. Shared Facilities: Enjoy the co…
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ITH San Diego Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel
707 Reed Avenue, San Diego
Oceanfront Accommodation on the Boardwalk Located directly on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel San Diego offers a unique oceanfront experience just 3…
Staying in a hostel for a San Diego event
A hostel makes most sense on exactly the kind of trip StubOrder sends people on: one or two nights, built around a fixed start time, where you are out of the building all evening. The bed is somewhere to sleep afterwards, not somewhere to spend the weekend, and the saving against a hotel on a sold-out event night is usually the largest saving available on the whole trip — event nights are when city hotel rates spike and hostel beds barely move.
The two things to check before you book are the ones that catch people out. First, front-desk hours: a support act running long can put you back at 23:45, which is no use if reception closes at 23:00 and there is no night code. Second, whether the rate is per bed or per room — a private twin at £70 and a dorm bed at £35 each are the same money for two people, and the private room is the better buy.
What is on in San Diego
- From about $50.00View Tickets
- From about $19.00View Tickets
- From about $552.00View Tickets
- From about $959.00View Tickets
- From about $32.00View Tickets
Distance from a specific venue
The hostels above are measured from the centre of town. If you want to know what is actually walkable from the doors of one building, each venue has its own accommodation page that sorts every nearby property by real distance.
- Stays near Pechanga Arena - San Diego
- Stays near Viejas Arena At Aztec Bowl
- Stays near Humphreys Concerts By The Bay
- Stays near San Diego Civic Theatre
- Stays near Petco Park
- Stays near Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage - The Old Globe
- Stays near SOMA
Dorm bed or private room?
This is the decision that actually determines what your stay is like, and it is not the same decision as hostel-or-hotel. Almost every hostel in San Diego sells both, at prices that overlap with the cheaper end of the city's hotels.
| Dorm bed | Hostel private room | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced by | The bed. Two people pay twice. | The room, like a hotel. |
| Best for | Solo travel, and meeting people. | Two people, or anyone who wants a door that locks. |
| Bathroom | Usually shared down the hall. | Often private, but check — many are not. |
| Getting in late | Fine, but you will wake people. | No issue. |
| Luggage | A locker, usually needing your own padlock. | In the room. |
| Versus a cheap hotel | Much cheaper, especially on event nights. | Often similar money — compare properly. |
The rule of thumb that holds nearly everywhere: travelling alone, take the dorm; travelling as two, price the private room against a budget hotel before assuming the hostel wins. On an ordinary weeknight the hotel sometimes does. On the night of a sold-out event, the hostel almost always does.
What to check before booking a hostel
Hostels vary in ways hotels mostly do not, and the variation is in the policies rather than the rooms. None of the following is unusual, and all of it is easier to find out now than at 1am.
- Age limits. Some hostels are 18–35 only, some refuse under-18s without an adult, and a few are over-18 with no upper bound. This is a property-by-property rule, not a city rule.
- Reception hours and curfews. A genuine curfew is rare now, but limited front-desk hours are common. If your event finishes late, confirm there is a night entry code.
- Whether the rate includes linen. Mostly yes; occasionally a few pounds or dollars extra at check-in, which quietly changes the comparison against a hotel.
- Lockers and padlocks. Nearly every dorm has lockers. A good number expect you to bring your own padlock, and the ones sold at the desk cost more than one from home.
- Deposits. Some hostels take a key or damage deposit in cash at arrival and return it on checkout — worth knowing if you are travelling cardless.
- Cancellation terms. The cheapest hostel rates are frequently non-refundable, which matters more than usual when the trip depends on an event that could be postponed.
Two of these — cancellation terms and what the rate actually includes — are shown on the booking screen once you pick dates, so check them there rather than assuming.
Plan the rest of the trip
Frequently asked questions
Does StubOrder sell hostel beds and tickets together?
No. Tickets come from our resale marketplace and accommodation from our booking partner. They are two separate bookings with separate confirmations, and neither depends on the other.
Are there hostels near the venues in San Diego?
The hostels on this page are measured from the middle of San Diego, not from any one venue. For distance from a specific building, use that venue's own accommodation page — each one is linked above and sorts every nearby property by real distance from the doors.
How many hostels are there in San Diego?
Our accommodation partner lists 14 hostels within about five miles of central San Diego, out of 1,066 places to stay in total — 1.3% of everything listed here. That count includes both dedicated hostels and backpacker accommodation.
Is a hostel a sensible place to stay for a concert or a game?
For a one- or two-night trip built around an event, often yes — you are out of the building most of the evening anyway. The things to check are the front-desk hours and whether there is a curfew, because a show that ends at 23:30 is no use if reception shut at 23:00.
Can I book a private room in a hostel?
Most hostels sell private rooms alongside dorm beds, and they are usually cheaper than a hotel room of the same size. Whether a given property has one is shown when you pick your dates — if only dorm beds come back, that hostel has no privates free for that stay.
Are hostels in San Diego any good?
San Diego's hostels average 8.0/10 in guest scores against 8.2/10 for the city's hotels, so they score about the same as the city's hotels. Those scores come from our accommodation partner, not from StubOrder.
