We know how hard it can be to choose the best place to elope. The options around the world are literally endless. We have put together a list of our favorite places that we have visited so far for the perfect adventurous elopement!
Wondering Where to Elope? Here Are all of Our Favorite Locations
Best Places to Elope in the US
Best Places to Elope in Washington State
When you picture your adventurous elopement, what do you picture? Hiking to a cascading waterfall at sunrise? Or trekking barefoot down to a sandy beach at sunset, and saying your vows among towering rock formations? Maybe you imagine getting up at 2 in the morning for a mountain hike, and saying your “I dos” while the sun creeps over the mountain tops? All of these and more are possible in Washington State: America’s hidden gem and perfect elopement destination.
Whether you love mountains, waterfalls, beaches, cliffs, or desert, Washington state is the place to make all your elopement dreams come true. Since we live in Washington and it’s one of our favorite places, we have created a special page for those who know they want to elope in Washington State.
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National park is our number 1 pick for a reason! It’s called the Sea of Peaks! Only a couple hours from Seattle, the park is free to get in and doggie friendly in most areas. It has some of the most diverse alpine landscape, with white-capped mountains towering above. The options for all activity levels, elopement sizes, and backgrounds are endless. Treks into the mountains, or pull-offs right off the road. It’s no surprise the North Cascades is so high on our best places to elope list.
Mount Rainier National Park
Standing at 14,410 feet, Mount Rainier is an active volcano towering over it’s surrounding mountain range, it’s Washington State’s icon… its mascot. So many people choose a Mount Rainier elopement because it represents Washington so well. It’s not always out, because of the typical Washington fog: such a catch 22 for such a beautiful state. However when it is, it is breathtaking, and it’s hard to look at anything else. Mount Rainier National Park is the most visited national park in the state of Washington, and for good reason. It has so many adventure elopement options, you can’t go wrong.
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park sits on the west side of the State, stretching all the way to the coast. Home to the Hoh rainforest, the northernmost rainforest in the world, the La Push beaches, clothing-optional hot springs, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, secret waterfalls, quiet, tucked away hiking trails and some of the BEST star gazing the state has to offer.
Finding a place to elope in Olympic national park is either super difficult or super easy, depending on if you are a “glass half full” or “glass half empty” kind of person. It’s super difficult because you have so many options it may be hard to decide, but super easy because there is not an ugly spot in this park. Just keep an eye out for “goat capture”!
Snoqualmie Pass
Only about an hour to an hour and a half drive from Seattle, the Snoqualmie pass region is to die for. Home to Gold Creek Pond, Franklin Falls, Rattlesnake Ledge and many more amazing features, Snoqualmie is Seattle’s hidden gem. Surrounded by many quaint mountain towns for you to stay in, Snoqualmie is accessible and may give you more peace of mind planning your adventurous elopement or intimate wedding.
Mount Baker
Mount Baker is the epitome of Washington adventure elopement. If you are looking to go hardcore, and totally private, mount Baker area is a great hidden gem. Tons of off-roading, and strenuous trails that lead you to the most stunning views that make you feel so tiny, Mount Baker is for those who truly love to get their hands dirty.
Deception Pass
Deception Pass is Washington’s most visited state park. And for good reason! We love this park for its rugged cliffs, it’s miles of shoreline, and it’s beautiful bubblegum sunsets. Park at Rosario and trek up to Rosario head for an epic cliff-side elopement, or walk down to the beach, barefoot and get married among the washed-up driftwood and the soft sounds of the gentle ocean. It’s right south of Anacortes, a gorgeous seaside town with some of the best seafood restaurants and beautiful oceanside bungalows to rent for you and your guests.
Best Places to Elope in Oregon
Oregon is a hidden gem in the PNW. This state has something for everyone. Book lovers and foodies flock in droves to Portland, to visit the renowned, unique food and literature culture. And adventure lovers come for the hundreds of waterfalls, Mount hood hikes, gorge treks. And beach lovers come to get some peace and quiet on the Oregon coast, where life just seems to get a little quieter. Good food, adventure, and jaw-dropping landscape makes Oregon a hub for romantic elopements. Why not you?
Cape Kiwanda
When you picture west coast beaches, Cape Kiwanda is that picture in your head. Cliffs with roaring waves crashing up and threatening to pull you into the sea, towering rock formations, seaside caves, and epic sunsets. Cape Kiwanda is the perfect barefoot beach to say your vows on, or throw on your hiking boots and hike up to the awesome cliffs.
Smith Rock State Park
Smith Rock State Park is the Moab of Oregon! Oregon is so special because you can experience any landscape you can think of throughout the state. Desert, mountains, cliff beaches, waterfalls, and so much more await you in the beautiful PNW state of Oregon. Smith Rock State Park sits in a dramatic canyon in Terrebonne, just north of Bend, Oregon, where the desert runs dry and breathtaking.
It is renowned for its rock climbing because of its spears of volcanic tuffs and basalt, and it’s miles of hiking trails. it is every adventure lovers’ dream. Visit in the winter to see it’s reddish landscapes flocked in snow, or get married in the summer, where the sunrise turns the landscape a dramatic desert orange and red.
Latourell Falls
Did you know that there are at least 238 waterfalls in the state of Oregon alone? Crazy right?! For a state that’s famous for its waterfalls, why not plan a waterfall elopement? Latourell Falls is in the Columbia River Gorge area and it is a GORGEOUS thundering waterfall that will take your breath away. It’s a quick and easy hike from the parking lot and you can walk right up to the waterfall to say your vows. Get ready to get sprayed!
Wahclella Falls
Another simple hike down to jaw-dropping goodness. This waterfall will satiate all those waterfall elopement dreams. Wahclella Falls is located near Cascade Locks, Oregon, in the Columbia Gorge as well. It’s a downhill hike, but still where your non-slip hiking shoes or tennis shoes for slippery rocks and some rough terrain. This waterfall is epic, moody and stunning. While walking right up to this waterfall isn’t likely because it’s pool is a lot deeper, this thundering waterfall is a seriously dramatic backdrop for your elopement.
Painted Hills
The painted hills gets its name from the layers of reds yellows and greens, dramatically striping the hills in this bizarre, yet breathtaking, Oregon desert town. This is the perfect place for an Oregon elopement for all those off-the-beaten-path couples. This is an epic location for those who want a desert look, with a little bit of a unique look, you won’t find another place like it!
Cannon Beach
Oh, the Oregon coast! Cannon beach is another gorgeous Oregon beach, settled on a little Northwest corner of Oregon and we are here for it! Walk right up to the towering Haystack rock and twirl on the sandy beaches at sunset to say your vows. So many adorable Airbnbs sit in this town, and their downtown offers everything you need for a cozy, romantic, elopement weekend. If you dream of ditching the shoes and running barefoot on an jaw-dropping beach, then Cannon Beach is for you.
Best Places to Elope in Hawaii
Hawaii is a haven for tropical lovers inside all of us. But it offers so much more than just beach life. Active volcanoes, forests, waterfalls, and fascinating culture. These Islands have something to offer everybody. Forget a cruise to the Bahamas, or posting up on a beach in Southern California, go to Hawaii where tropical meets adventure at every turn. Between Kauai, Maui, Honolulu, and the Big Island, I challenge you to find an ugly place on this island. For its epically beautiful landscapes, Hawaii ranks pretty high on our best places to elope. For its epic scenery, Hawaii easily makes it onto our best places to elope list.
Kauai
Looking for the perfect tropical destination elopement? Look no further than Kauai, Hawaii. Green, rolling mountains, crystal clear water, volcanoes, and waterfalls, this Island will take your breath away. There’s a reason it’s called the Garden Island, it’s so darn beautiful! Hike to the base of a waterfall, and jump in when you say “I do”! Or head out to the beach and get married at sunset with the mountains and ocean as your backdrop.
So many gorgeous Airbnbs sit on this island where you can get ready with your bridal party. The best part? It’s the perfect honeymoon destination! Stick around a while and perch up in a gorgeous resort and relax! Or for the adventurers inside all of us, do some hiking, cave diving, volcano exploring, jet skiing or four-wheeling all around the Island. Exploring Kauai is the best way to make memories around your gorgeous elopement.
Best Places to Elope in Utah
There cannot be an article on the best places to elope and not have mention of Moab. Moab is the desert adventurers’ dream come true. Moab is small, quiet and a hidden gem in Utah. It has two national parks, multiple state parks, is home to one of the biggest 4×4 festivals in the world, rock climbing, hiking, watering holes and so much more.
What I love so so much about Moab is that it feels like a giant, adult playground. The hiking trails are so secluded and quiet, and of course, epic. And even in their peak travel season, it feels like you’re the only one there. If you’re dreaming of red rocks, glowing sunsets, and adventure, then a Moab elopement eagerly awaits you.
Dead Horse Point State Park
Dead Horse Point State Park is one of the most popular state parks in Utah, however, you would never know it: every time I go there, I feel like I’m the only one there. It’s a cliffside lovers’ dream. It’s miles and miles of hiking trails hugging a rugged and dizzying cliffside. Views of the La Sal Mountains in the background and the Colorado river slithering below. If you are into epic cliffs, a gorgeous skyline of white-capped mountains over red rocks, and the quiet peaceful nature of the desert, then choose Dead Horse Point, State Park.
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is the most visited national park in Moab. This red-rock wonderland is famous for it’s 2,0000 plus natural arches, formed by erosion from a body of water (most likely the Colorado river in this case). Say your vows in front of the Delicate Arch, the Arches National Park icon, at sunrise for the most epic desert light ever. Keep in mind that this is a very busy park, often you’ll be stuck in a line of cars leading to the entrance in the busy season, so a sunrise elopement would be the way to go here!
Best Places to Elope in California
Oh, California. You didn’t think we would forget about you, did you? Well, trust us, we didn’t! When you think of California what do you think of? Hollywood? Disneyland? SoCal beaches, and gorgeous sun-kissed people everywhere? Well, that’s true, but California has so much more to offer! Between Yosemite, the Redwoods, and the Big Sur, California is an adventurers dream! We love this state for its diverse landscape and its amazing options all over the state. It’s so easy to find a hidden gem, a place for everyone to call just theirs.
Yosemite
Yosemite is located in central California and is one of the most beautiful and most visited parks in the whole world! Full of wildlife, towering mountains and cliffs, wildflower fields and so much more, Yosemite is never short on beautiful wedding locations. They have a list of designated spots on their sites for weddings that are to die for. Or, if it’s just the two of you and your officiant, head onto a beautiful trail and say your vows in a special place in the park.
Taft Point is for sure a popular destination for elopements, but there are so many hidden gems throughout the park that I guarantee we can find a spot that speaks to you and is only yours. Thus making it one of the best places to elope.
Big Sur
Big Sur is the perfect place for all your California, moody beach vibes. It offers everything a PNW coastal elopement promises but with a California flare. It is a gorgeous, rugged stretch of California’s coastline with sheer seaside cliffs, greenery that pops against the beautiful crystal blue water, and the most epic hiking and camping you can find. Hike down the McWay Waterfall Trail, and get married in front of an 80 foot waterfall by the beach. Or, stand up on the cliffside and get married with the views of the beach below. Either way, a Big Sur elopement is seriously beautiful and that makes it one of the best places to elope.
Redwood forest
California is famous for its protected, and seriously stunning Redwood forest. these towering trees will make you feel so tiny and at peace. The trees towers over you, ancient and wise, and the park itself makes you feel peaceful contemplative. If the ancient forest look is on the books for your elopement, then the Redwood Forest is where you need to go!
