Hostelling International USA Minnesota Council

the minnesota council of hi-usa

At our Headquarters in St. Paul we offer Travel Education Programs, Eurail passes, HI Memberships, Hostel Travel Guides, Destination Advice and Budget Travel Tips, Minnesota Bike Atlas sales. We are also the Headquarters for the Annual Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride, which is our largest annual fundraiser.

We also manage and operate the Mississippi Headwaters Hostel in Itasca State Park, which is 4.5 hours north of the Twin Cities. We are proud to say that the hostel consistently scores in the top 10 hostels nation-wide in quality standards. For more information on our hostel, please see the hostel pages.

There is currently no HI hostel in the Twin Cities.

services at the MN council office

Stop by and see us for travel information, memberships and ticket sales.

Office hours: Monday—Thursday from 9am—2pm. If these hours do not work for you, please give us a call and we'll try to work something out.

Telephone: 651.251.1495. Email: info@himinnesota.org

Address: 622 Selby Ave, St Paul, MN 55104.

RailEurope, Eurail Pass Ticket Sales

Heading to Europe? Don't go without a Eurail Pass. It will save you money and time. What's more - it's easy! Just choose your train, get on and go. Rail travel in Europe is fast, efficient and romantic.

We sell all RailEurope products, and can walk you through the myriad of pass choices. Don't waste your time on the internet. Save yourself the headache and come in to see us. We don't charge any service fees. The price you see is the price you get.

Hostelling International Memberships

Hostelling International is a membership based organization. With over 4,000 hostels in 70 countries, we are the largest budget accommodations network in the world. Hostels are open to people of all ages. Most countries do not require you to be a member to stay at hostels, but they offer a discount ($3-$5) per night if you are.

Americans who join Hostelling International USA can stay at any HI Hostel, world-wide. Membership also includes FREE travelers insurance, discounts on tourist sights, and more. Please visit us at HI-Minnesota to purchase your membership - or you can do so online: http://www.hiusa.org

Budget Travel and Destination Advice

Where ever you are headed, chances are we have been there. We are experts in budget travel, and pride ourselves on great international travel advice and resources. We offer free, unbiased travel advice based on experience and the belief that travel does the world good.

 

Travel Education

We offer a variety of travel education programs, from our monthly Travelers Circle, to our resource filled World Travel 101, to our Girl Scout specific programs. See the programs page for more information.

International Travel Resources

Check out our resources on International Travel. We pride ourselves on offering you the best in DIY travel. Need travel advice on a certain destination? Give us a call or stop by the office. Need to learn money saving tips and savvy travel insights for your upcoming trip abroad? Attend one of our FREE travel programs.

background on hi-usa

HI-MN is affiliated with Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels (HI-AYH), a self-sustaining membership organization founded in 1934. HI-AYH in turn belongs to the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) a world-wide network of 4,000 hostels in 66 countries. Membership in HI-USA opens access to all HI hostels world-wide. Currently HI-Minnesota has about 1,100 members.

HI-USA"Hostelling International," sometimes called "International Youth Hostelling" is the brand name of Youth Hostels across the world. The HI or IYHF logo with the blue triangle, hut and tree is registered as a trademark in many countries.

Youth Hostels are run by the national Youth Hostel Association in each individual country under the auspices of the International Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) which is an international non-governmental, non-profit making organization recognized by UNESCO.

Originally created to help young people of limited means to experience the countryside and cities of the world, hostels are now also at the heart of international tourism for a wide age group. Today's hostellers are just as likely to be in their sixties and bring their family by car, as to arrive alone on foot with a rucksack. Nor is hostelling an end in itself. All ages use hostels as their gateway to cultural exploration and the appreciation of nature.

The keystone of Hostelling International is the hostel: simple, safe, inexpensive, dormitory-style accommodations serving people of all ages. People from diverse backgrounds stay together, share meals, and exchange information while learning about the cultures of the world.