How to turn your beach trip into a pilgrimage
- Aimee Boudreaux MacIver
- Jul 15
- 4 min read
I have a deep love and passion for pilgrimage, which I’d define not so much by the distances or specific places you travel, but by how and why you go. A pilgrimage is ultimately about going differently and seeking the Creator in creation. God made the natural world precisely to communicate to us about truth, love, eternity, and Himself. You can make any place a pilgrimage, a practice I call “still-grimage”—like stay-cation, but make it holy. You don't necessarily have to rearrange your plans or itinerary, but rather use the gifts all around you to contemplate the highest and deepest things.
Here's how to make your next beach trip into a pilgrimage.
Choose a specific time.
Set aside a designated day, afternoon, or even just a few hours of your beach trip to make a still-grimage. You need to make this a concrete commitment, or it’s likely to remain a “that would be nice” instead of an actualized benefit for your soul.
Set a pilgrimage intention.
An ancient pilgrimage practice is to travel with a specific intention. You can also carry the intentions of loved ones to pray for them through the experience. Set a pilgrimage intention for healing, discernment, thanksgiving, or some other need.
Pack your beach bag right.
Bring a few things to help your prayer and reflection—maybe a rosary, your Bible, a saint’s biography, and a journal. You can find blessed sacramental essentials like holy water, a copy of the Gospels, a crucifix, and more in the Catholic Geaux Bag (a non-profit operated by our dear friends).
Use the beachscape for prayer.
Like all of creation, the beach bears sacramentality—a revelation of the invisible through the visible. Use the natural elements around you for contemplative prayer. When we lead pilgrimages, I encourage pilgrims to enter each site with the same process:
Be still in silence and consider your senses as you enter the space.
Upon entering, what stands out? Are you drawn to anything particular?
What sights do you see?
What sounds do you hear?
What do you smell?
How does the space feel to the touch?
At the beach, you can add some more specific reflections:
Sand: What needs to be sifted or reshaped in your life? What is buried that needs to be uncovered?
Waves: What is the rhythm of God’s love, presence, and mercy? How does He always return again and again to wash over your heart?
Shells and driftwood: How does God use broken things? How does the weathering of suffering soften and beautify us?
Sunrise or sunset: What are you grateful for? What thoughts rise up when you contemplate beauty?
Move your body.
I contemplate and pray most effectively when I’m moving, and I don’t think that’s coincidence. The more senses we engage, the deeper our experience follows. The beach is an especially gentle and refreshing place to practice embodied prayer. You could pray a walking rosary (this is my daily strategy for actually following through); meditate upon the Stations of the Cross by choosing fourteen natural markers where you can pause; or simply stroll the surf in silence and allow the Holy Spirit speak.
Reflect on Scriptures that speak to the sea.
There’s a special opportunity at the beach to immerse yourself into the words and stories that reference the sea. Here are a just a few:
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.” +Psalm 107:29
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” +Psalm 42:7
“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.” +Psalm 93:4
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.” +Isaiah 43:2
“Even the wind and the waves obey Him!” +Mark 4:41
Practice holy leisure.
Rest is not wasted—it’s part of how we return to God. Let your joy and rest become praise. Swim like it’s a prayer. Laugh like it’s liturgy. Share a meal as if Christ is the unseen guest.
Find the sacraments nearby.
You may be at the beach, but Catholic means “universal.” We use this free online search tool to find accurate sacramental schedules around the world. Plus… it’s still a Jubilee year! The Jubilee grace of plenary indulgence is an unfathomable gift; avail yourself of it by completing the required practices. Making a pilgrimage is one of the requirements for receiving this indulgence. You must also receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and offer certain prayers. Read the various ways you can receive this indulgence here.
End with intentional reflection.
Before you pack up, take time to reflect and write down the graces you received.
What did I notice?
Where did I feel God’s presence?
What am I carrying home?
If you would like help planning a pilgrimage large or small, local or abroad, or just on adding a pilgrimage dimension to your already-scheduled trip, let's talk! This is my favorite thing to do!
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