Alternatives to hotels for your summer vacation

Whether you are an adventurer who wants to try something new or a vacationer who is a little low on cash, these hotel alternatives could be a great option!

While many love the plush, thousand thread count sheets of a luxury hotel, some prefer a hotel experience like none other. When booking your summer vacation, consider these alternatives to the traditional hotel.

Gamping lets you camp out in somebody else's yard. It's perfect for the camper on a budget who doesn't mind roughing it a little! The website offers private land to camp on in 29 countries and 4 continents.

WWOOF, or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is part vacation, part volunteer work. By trading labor on an organic farm for food and lodging, travelers get a unique view of the places they visit while helping others.

Couchsurfing is not a college sport, but a place to find people who are willing to let you sleep on their couch for free. This certainly saves money and is like an exchange program because you really see how the locals live. Couchsurfing even has an app to help you find activities in the places you are visiting.

There's no need to take a vow of poverty to stay in a convent or monastery! Many religious communities, from abbeys to monk's quarters, have visitors quarters. There may be early curfews and some even require silence, but there are no religious requirements to be their guest.

But if you stay in one of these accommodations, you might have to forgo the mint on your pillow.