Central Coast Pilgrims
Central Coast Chapter of the American Pilgrims on the Camino
UPDATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, February 14th, 2026: Save the date and plan to join us for our first training hike of the new year! Our amazing hike leader Yvonne will be leading our pilgrims on the East Cuesta ridge trail starting at 8:00am. Please rsvp to Yvonne or through our “Contact” page if you would like to participate on this hike.
Saturday, February 28th, 2026: Due to the large group of pilgrims from St. Pat’s (about 50!) walking the Camino Portuguese in June, our annual Shell Ceremony will be held on February 28th at ST. PATRICKS CHURCH in Arroyo Grande. If you are planning to walk your Camino anytime during 2026, this is your opportunity to receive your Pilgrim Shell and traditional Pilgrim Blessing. Please let us know if you are planning to attend so we can make sure we have enough shells. Even those not currently planning a 2026 Camino are very welcome to attend to support your fellow pilgrims. The event will start at 10:00am with a pilgrim mass, followed by our Shell Ceremony and a lunch. A reminder and more details will be provided as this event gets closer.
Saturday & Sunday, March 7th & 8th, 2026: Central Coast Pilgrims, in partnership with Camino de California, is hosting a pilgrimage on the route between Mission San Antonio and Mission San Miguel, celebrating the new relationship with the Pilgrim Office in Santiago whereby the Camino de California is officially recognized as part of the Camino de Santiago, through its integration into the Camino de las Américas. This allows Camino de California to issue a “Distance Certificate” for pilgrims walking at least 30km and arriving at one of the 21 California missions, which can be carried to Santiago and applied towards their Spanish Camino. A pilgrim passport for stamps, compostela and a souvenir token will also be provided. The walking route is per the CMW Guidebook, but shortened and modified to avoid walking on Highway 101 due to the size of our group. There will be a sag vehicle since much of this route is very remote. Please send us a message through our contact page if you are interested in more information.
REMEMBER, BRING YOUR CENTRAL COAST PILGRIMS CHAPTER PASSPORT TO COLLECT STAMPS AVAILABLE AT EACH OF OUR 2026 EVENTS, AND BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME COOL PRIZES TOWARDS THE END OF 2026!
—- * —-
“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” – Douglas Adams
Old proverb: “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together.”
“Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.” Steven Wright
Welcome to the home page of Central Coast Pilgrims!
Our mission is to support pilgrims and pilgrimage for those living in the central coast area of California. We are a volunteer organization that offers advice, encouragement, fellowship, and community to all who might be interested in pilgrimage, and the many people who have already made a pilgrimage. We are passionate about the Camino de Santiago, pilgrimage, and walking. We love sharing our experiences with our local community and beyond.
We meet the first Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, located at 800 Bello Street in Pismo Beach. We gather for fellowship, coffee and donuts until about 10:00 a.m., followed by a Camino-related presentation, start our walk around 10:30 a.m. for about an hour or so, enjoy lunch, and then walk back to St. Paul’s afterwards. Several past participants have told us that these walks "are almost like being back on the Camino", sharing steps, conversation, beautiful scenery and a meal with fellow pilgrims. Please also check our “Upcoming Events” section above for more details, as occasionally this schedule changes.
