Here’s How It Works:

Wayside membership is an annual membership running from July 1 – June 30th. Members receive their member cards and a printed directory listing all the details of every member – including their occupations, interests and hobbies, and what church they attend. The host listings provide the details of the guest room, home and local attractions. All members of Wayside may stay in other member’s homes. Wayside members contact each other directly to make arrangements for a visit, and provide their hosts a lodging gratuity to help them cover the costs of entertaining. Some members are not in a position to be hosts, and are listed in the directory as Guests Only. Since this is a hospitality exchange club, their membership rates and gratuity rates will be higher than those who participate as Hosts.

Membership also includes a Members Only section of the website that is accessible only to current Wayside members. As new members join throughout the year, their listing information will be included in our Members Only online section. Although it’s nice to have a book in hand, we encourage our members to utilize this valuable tool, as it has all the information they’ll need to make plans, including new members who are not listed in the directory. Members also have the ability to update their own listings as necessary.

Wayside Travel Club is a Christian club for those 50 and older. We ask our members to agree to our statement of faith, and we also require a church leader’s reference in the application. All Wayside members will be screened prior to entry into the directory.

Host Expectations:

• Confirm whether or not you can host on date(s) requested by guests.
• Provide about an hour upon your guests arrival to get acquainted, go over evening and breakfast plans, and help make your new friends comfortable. Some hosts may even agree to go to dinner or sightseeing with guests (Dutch Treat – each pay his own way).
• Provide a clean, comfortable sleeping room and bath. (We strongly suggest you “try out” your guest accommodations yourself to see if it really is comfortable! Was the bed big enough for 2 to get a good night’s sleep? Was there enough light? Clean surfaces to place things on? Alarm clock? Closet space and hangers? Was the bathroom clean? How were the towels – fluffy or thin?)
• Provide breakfast to your guests as agreed upon. Your directory listing will indicate what type of breakfast you want to provide – full, continental or flexible (willing to work with guests to see what’s best for everyone’s schedules).

Guest Expectations:

• Call hosts as early as possible to request availability.
• Upon arrival, show your Wayside membership card and give your host the appropriate per night gratuity to help cover costs.  (Please do not offer to increase the gratuity.  Hosting is exercising the gift of hospitality, not a business.  The gratuity is to help hosts cover the costs of entertaining.)
• Be thoughtful.  Guests should be self-sufficient, reasonable, and considerate.  Plan some outside activities during the day so your hosts can carry on with their normal activity. 
• Limit your visit to no more than two nights. This program is designed as a “stop along the way” – not a longer “final destination” stay. We don’t want to abuse our host’s hospitality.
• Carry a cell phone or phone calling card with you to use for any long-distance calls you’ll need to make.

What Does it Cost?

Members who initially join during the year will pay the full year’s dues. As all memberships are renewed at the end of the year, their 2nd year dues will be prorated to compensate for the first year’s partial membership.

Applications received after the directory/renewal deadline will still be accepted, but will not be included in the printed directory for that year. Their listings will only be available to members on our members only - password protected area and included in future directories if the member chooses to renew their membership the following year.

To join, click here