We Are The Happy Wanderers...
What we’re about
The Happy Wanderers Walking Club is based in Port Orange, Florida, near Daytona Beach. We offer Fun, Fitness, & Friendship through planned non-competitive fitness events including walking, swimming, cycling, and other social activities. We meet routinely on Wednesdays and Sundays for Group Walks of our 18 permanent events.- With 15 walks, 2 bike trails and 1 swim event spanning across Volusia and the neighboring Counties, on the Atlantic coast from St. Augustine to Cocoa Beach and west to DeLand, Sanford and Mt. Dora. We also hold special events in local Communities, Florida State Parks and along our beaches.
The Happy Wanderers Walking Club, Inc. is a registered 501c.(3) non-profit corporation and a member club of the American Volkssporting Association (AVA) – with about 225 clubs, 1,800+ trails and thousands of participants in all 50 states.
The Happy Wanderers Walking Club was formed in 1991 in Pierson, Florida by Joe Sexton and Fred Sheets. Our goal is to promote the sport, improve our physical fitness through walking, cycling, and swimming. Our events and activities foster a spirit of fellowship, whereby healthy habits are realized in addition to enjoying the great outdoor experience.
Some of us have literally walked all over the world and we are always ready for a new adventure. As a club, we sponsor a variety of walks during the year.
We have 15 Events, 2 Seasonal, 2 Bike and 1 Swim event. They are:
Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, DeLand Downtown, DeLand Hontoon Island, Flagler Beach, Mount Dora, New Smyrna Beach, Orange City, Ormond Beach, Palm Coast, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange, St. Augustine and Sanford. We also have a walk in Savannah Georgia for a total of 18 events.
You can walk the event any time. Distance credit is available for qualified walks. Walk boxes are located at convenient locations. You just sign up, get the directions, pay the nominal fee, and start the walk. If you are not interested in event or distance credit, you can just walk for pleasure and the health benefit.
Walks are sponsored by clubs all over the US and Canada. You can find a complete listing on the AVA website (ava.org).
Several times a year we also sponsor a Sanctioned or Traditional Walk, which differ from a Year-Round Event because they have a scheduled start and end time. Volksport walks offer the opportunity to get together with other volkssporters and meet new people. Most walks are followed by gathering at a local restaurant which is optional. Another way we fellowship.
Florida clubs, like the Mid-Florida Milers, Suncoast Sandpipers, and the First Coast Trail Forgers hold similar walks that we attend.
Wednesday is our Fun Night walk and during summer months they transition into Ice Cream Walks and usually are 5K in length, consisting approximately one hour of walking. These are non-sanctioned group walks where we can just enjoy each other’s company. They are a great starter walk for those who are easing into a walking routine.
Walking is Our Happy Hour





We Honor Our Past Presidents

Joe Sexton
1991 -1992
Lucy Doll (Krupp)
1992 – 1993
Elaine & Alan Brayton
1993 – 2001
Lois Shannon
2001 – 2009
Marvin Stokes
2001 -2011
Mike Duhlstine
2011 – 2013
Larry Middleton
2013 – 2014
Bill Ellis
2014 – 2015