Why just lend a hand when you can lend a couch?

Being a tourist can get pretty pricey. From travel expenses and food to lodging and tourist attractions, you end up spending all of your coins before you even make it to your destination. Couchsurfing is one way to alleviate some of that financial burden as it allows travelers to stay on a stranger’s couch for short periods of time as they travel to different places. But why get the scoop from us? You can hear first-hand experiences from veteran, local couchsurfers Carly and Christy.

Carly and Christy, co-hosts of Surf Memphis, have turned their passion for Couchsurfing into a podcast, documenting and detailing the connections they’ve made with the many couch campers from around the country. You want a story about a British man getting paid to “be British” at a British themed wedding? They’ve got it. What about an account of cyclists biking across the country? Check!

Christy, originally from Arkansas, has been living in Memphis since 2015 and has traveled to 17 countries via Couchsurfing, and Carly has been in Memphis for a year and has couchsurfed to 12 countries around the world. The two met living in Chicago where they were both a part of the same AmeriCorps volunteer program.

Couchsurfers who come through their doors get a different experience than usual when they stay with Carly and Christy. The two Memphis transplants put their own spin on tourism and take their new friend around Memphis, exposing them to the wonders of the city.

For the two friends, Couchsurfing is not just about saving money, and they probably won’t accept surfers who are just looking to save a buck. They want someone who is interested in similar things and takes the time to read their profile and learn about them.

“We don’t have many crazy stories because we only accept people that have similar interests,” Christy and Carly said.

As a result, Christy and Carly often create connections with their visitors and end up having surfers stay with them multiple times or change their trip itineraries to stay in Memphis a few days longer.

Anybody can visit Trip Advisor and find the common attractions in Memphis; the Peabody, Beale Street, and Graceland are first on everyone’s list. Carly and Christy make a point of taking visitors to places not found in the guidebooks, turning Memphis from tourist stop into a home.

Memphis, according to the podcasting duo, is great for couchsurfers because it never gets boring. There is always something to do, especially in the summer. A festival is always in progress, a local artist is always performing, or a new restaurant is up and coming.

Ultimately, Couchsurfing is the way Christy and Carly show off their Memphis pride. Surf Memphis is a result of stories that deserve to be told, and with their help and hospitality, the tide’s only getting stronger.

Find a couch to surf on here.

Tune into Surf Memphis here.