Here's How It Works
Wayside membership is an annual membership. Members receive access to a private website 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 Host member's homes. Wayside members contact each other directly to make arrangements for a visit, and provide their hosts a nominal pre-determined 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 online directory as Guests Only. Since this is a hospitality exchange club, Guest membership rates and gratuity rates are higher than those who participate as Hosts.
Membership includes access to 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. It has all the information they'll need to make plans, including new members who have recently joined. It's accessible wherever you are — on your computer or laptop, tablet and smart phone.
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 reference from a church leader in the application process. All Wayside members will be screened prior to entry into the travel club.
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 host 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).
- If you are able and willing to share your WiFi with your guests, consider having your network name and password available for your guests upon settling in.
Guest Expectations
- Call hosts as early as possible to request availability.
- Upon confirmation of trip, communicate your intentions of the stay. Specifically, if you aren't interested in doing breakfast with your hosts, please communicate that in advance so that they can plan accordingly.
- Upon arrival, give your host the appropriate per night gratuity to help cover costs. If your host asks to see your identification, please be willing to show them your state issued ID. (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?
| Wayside Membership | Hosts | Guests Only |
| Annual Fee | $45 | $65 |
| Special Ministry Rate* | $40 | $60 |
| *Full time (or retired f/t) Pastor or Missionary only, please | ||
| Per Night Gratuities (Paid directly to host) | Hosts | Guests Only |
| Single | $15 | $20 |
| Couple | $20 | $25 |
| Each additional guest | $20 | $20 |
Joining Process
Members may join online anytime throughout the calendar year and their membership will expire 12 months from the end of the month that their membership is processed. Upon completion of the online form, one of the Wayside staff members will contact your provided church reference. Depending on the availability and responsiveness of your reference, that process could take a couple of days or slightly longer than a week. As soon as the reference has been verified, you will receive an email and your membership is active. You may begin searching and contacting hosts and current members will be able to see your host and/or guest information. It is not available until your reference has been contacted.
Approximately one month from the end of your 12 month membership cycle, you will receive an email notification giving you the option to continue your membership. You will also see the option to renew upon logging into the site. At those times, you will have the option of rejoining for another year or the option of extending for two years at a slightly reduced per year price. Upon reaching your membership end date, if you elect not to rejoin then your access to the site will be removed and other members will no longer see you listed in the online directory.