The Best places to elope
18 Best places to elope in the US and the world
OUR LIST OF THE BEST PLACES TO ELOPE in the US and beyond
We’re a team of dog loving, peak bagging, award winning, adventure junkies – working together to help plan and document incredible elopements in the best elopement destination around the world.
Together we’ve photographed 350+ elopements all over the world! This is our definitive list of the absolute best places to elope in the US and overseas, so get ready to see some incredible options for your elopement day.
North Cascades National Park
Why the North Cascades are a Best Place to Elope: The North Cascades in Washington State is one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. With thousands of glaciers, rugged peaks, colorful wildflowers, and pristine alpine lakes you’ll quickly see why it’s called the “American Alps”. Standing atop a summit of one of these mountains, you’ll get a view commonly referred to as the “sea of peaks” where the layers of jagged mountain peaks seem to stretch on forever. How’s that for a place to say your elopement vows?
Redwoods National Park
Why the Redwoods are a Best Place to Elope in the US: California’s Redwoods are a natural wonder we think everyone should experience at some point in their lives. There’s no describing how massive these trees are, it’s otherworldly. That’s probably what Stephen Spielburg must have thought when he decided to make these forests the setting for the planet Endor in Star Wars. On sunny days, light streams through the canopy like sunlight through stained glass windows of a cathedral. On rainy days, mist floats through the prehistoric forest. No matter what the weather does, it’s always a good day to elope in the Redwoods.
Canyonlands National Park
Why Canyonlands National Park is a Best Place to Elope: Canyonlands is our favorite national park in Moab, Utah and one of the best places to elope for so many reasons. It’s like the Yosemite of the desert, with thousand-foot cliffs and overlooks galore. There’s white-knuckle off-roading, white water rafting, ancient petroglyphs, and plenty of places to find solitude amongst a breathtaking landscape for your elopement ceremony.
Utah Public Lands
Why Utah is a Best Place to Elope: BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land is public land that is not part of any state or national parks. There is BLM land all over the country, but the BLM land in Utah contains some of the most incredible places to elope in the whole country. You can find cliffs, desert towers, slot canyons and natural arches galore, with none of the crowds you typically find in the parks. One of the best features of BLM land is all the free camping. You can park your rig on the edge of a cliff and end the elopement night grilling over a fire while the stars come out! We actually did that for an elopement one time. Sounds pretty amazing right?
Oregon Coast
Why the Oregon Coast is a Best Place to Elope in the US: There isn’t a bad spot on the entire Oregon coast – all the way from the border of California to the border of Washington there are postcard-worthy views. At the far southern coast you can see a plethora of sea stacks and natural arches poking out of the ocean, and towering redwoods lurk just inland. As you head north, you’ll encounter rolling sand dunes, grassy bluffs that look like a scene from Scotland, dramatic sea cliffs, massive sea stacks, and pristine beaches. And the whole coast has cute little beach towns with great seafood, ocean-front Airbnbs, and the must see (and eat) Tillamook Cheese Factory!
San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Why the San Juan Mountains are a Best Place to Elope in the US:
The San Juan mountains are a rugged range in the southern Colorado Rockies. Venture up into the mountains and you’ll discover a world of incredibly scenic views featuring abandoned gold mines, epic 4×4 roads (jeep rentals in town!), turquoise alpine lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Jeeping over the mountain pass between Telluride and Ouray is hands down one of the funnest adventures we’ve ever been on, and it’s no surprise that these mountains have been featured in many motion picture productions.
Columbia River Gorge
Why the Columbia River Gorge is a Best Place to Elope:
Hop on I-84 in Portland heading east and in less than an hour you’ll find yourself in the stunning Columbia River Gorge. Home to Oregon’s most breathtaking waterfalls (and lots of them!), wildflower-covered hikes, and scenic bluffs overlooking the massive Columbia River, there’s no shortage of places to explore out here. Hood River is a super cool town in the heart of the Gorge, with some fantastic breweries and restaurants that make for a great place to wrap up the elopement day. And you’re never far from Portland, which is a foodie’s paradise.
Joshua Tree National Park
Why Joshua Tree is a Best Place to Elope in the US:
The artsy desert community of Joshua Tree makes it such an amazing elopement destination. Not only do you have Joshua Tree National Park, which is a desert wonderland of flowering cacti, monolithic boulders, and some of the most consistently beautiful sunsets we’ve ever seen. But you also have a vibrant community of artists who have made the funky little town of Joshua Tree a worthy destination in its own right. You can go shopping, stay in adorable Airbnbs, eat fantastic food, see cool art, and elope in a truly magical environment. It really ticks all the elopement boxes.
Olympic National Park
Why Olympic National Park is a Best Place to Elope:
As if the North Cascades and Rainier weren’t enough, Washington also boasts the Olympic Mountains out on the Olympic Peninsula. The mountains rise up from the coast through a temperate rainforest filled with mossy, ancient trees and waterfalls. This means you can often start the day exploring the beach, wander through the forest, visit a waterfall, and end it with sunset high on a mountain peak! Being a little lower elevation than the Cascade range, the snow melts earlier in these mountains, so we love hiking here in June and July.
Zion National Park
Why Zion National Park is a Best Place to Elope in the US:
Zion is a remarkable national park and one of the best places to elope for couples who want varaiety in the desert. From expansive overlooks to narrow slot canyons, you can easily fill your days with nonstop adventure. Zion is even home to one of the most dangerous hikes in the world if you’re up for It! (Photo pictured from the top of that one) Winter, spring, and fall are the best times to elope here when the weather is a bit cooler and the summer crowds die down.
Big Sur
Why Big Sur is a Best Place to Elope:
Big Sur is a scenic stretch of coastline south of the San Francisco area. Highway 1 famously winds along this coastal clifflines, offering up views of rolling hills plunging into the ocean, where the waves crash against rocky outcroppings. It’s consistently ranked as one of the most scenic drives in America. A whole elopement day can be spent just cruising along the road and stopping to explore the beautiful roadside views. If you head inland a bit, you’ll even find Redwoods! And if you love a little luxury on your elopement day, there are some suuuuuuper nice Airbnbs along the coast 😉
Foxpack Tip: think about the vibe of your day when considering the best places to elope in the US
Don’t pick where to elope based on one photo. Instead, try to imagine the vibe of your entire elopement day, what’s surrounding you, and the kind of scenery that excites you two most. We always ask our couples “when you close your eyes and dream about where to elope, what’s the vibe around you?” Are you on top of a mountain feeling the crisp alpine air? Are you surrounded by ancient trees with golden light spilling through the canopy? Do you feel the sun’s warmth on your skin as you stare out over a vast desert canyon?
Mount Rainier National Park
Why Mount Rainier is a Best Place to Elope:
If we had to pick one word to describe Mt. Rainier National Park, it would be “enchanting.” The trails meander through whimsical forests of tall evergreens dotted with colorful wildflowers, set against the backdrop of the behemoth Mt. Rainier. Did you know Mt. Rainier is an active volcano? Don’t worry, the experts are keeping a close eye on her 😉 Mid July through mid August is wildflower season at Rainier, while September brings fall foliage with wild blueberries covering the hillsides. Eloping here, the feeling of awe and wonder will leave you swooning over this place as much as each other.
Alaska Glaciers
Why Alaska is a Best Place to Elope:
Alaska needs no introduction. It’s known for its larger than life landscape and amazing wildlife, two things you’ll definitely witness on an Alaskan elopement. One of the coolest things about Alaska is all the helicopter companies that will literally fly you into the backcountry and land you on a glacier or remote mountain peak where you can say your vows in total solitude. Just you two and the wild Alaskan frontier. From Seward to the Chugach Mountains to Hatcher Pass, there are endless places to elope in Alska. While the summer brings the most predictable weather, fall and winter can also be an great times to elope here.
Utah Slot Canyons
Why Utah's Slot Canyons are a Best Place to Elope in the US:
You don’t have to go to the world-famous and insanely crowded Antelope Canyon to elope in a slot canyon. Arizona and Utah are full of hidden gems that provide a much better experience for your elopement day. We love exploring these narrow sandstone passages and have found some pretty incredible spots that we had all to ourselves! Wandering through these canyons and finding sacred little pools of light shining through the narrow canyon openings is truly a magical experience. And they can always be looped into multiple locations to get a variety of desert scenery in your elopement photos.
Foxpack Tip: the best places to elope in the US with guests
If you’re inviting guests to your elopement, you’ll want to pick a location that isn’t too remote, has good lodging options nearby, is easily accessible, and can sustain the impact of your group size. Party size can limit your location options, so if a big elopement adventure is a priority consider eloping without guests, and then have a reception with loved ones later in the week. Check out our advice from real couples on how to tell your family you’re eloping.
Washington Coast
Why the Washington Coast is a Best Place to Elope:
The Washington coast has miles and miles of rugged beaches and ocean cliffs. Old growth forests with giant trees border these beaches and create an incredible diversity of landscapes to explore. This area is beautiful year round, from perfect summer sunsets to moody winter days that are straight out of Twilight. Ending the day with a beach bonfire just might be our favorite way to cap off an epic elopement before retiring to your cozy PNW lodge on the coast.
Sedona
Why Sedona is a Best Place to Elope:
Sedona is a desert environment unlike any other we’ve encountered during our travels around the US. It’s a desert, but it’s also green and lush. The richness of the reds and greens here is so striking, making it a perfect backdrop for elopement photos. There are some seriously cool Airbnbs and hotels to stay at here if you want a little pampering on your elopement day. To complete the trip, don’t forget to pick up some crystals, find one of Sedona’s famous energy vortexes.
Hoh Rainforest
Why the Hoh Rainforest is a Best Place to Elope:
The Hoh is one of the biggest temperate rainforests in the world, receiving a whopping 140 inches of average rainfall every year! But most of this precipitation is in the form of a light mist that makes everything glisten in the most magical way. A good rainy day is honestly the best time to elope in the Hoh Rainforest. The dew drops glisten on the moss and ferns and you can feel the plants living their best life all around you. This is why we prefer to visit this area in the spring, fall or winter, when our chances for getting a nice overcast day are higher. Oh yeah, and they say Sasquatch lives here 😉 If so, he’s got some pretty gorgeous stomping grounds.
Icealnd
Why Iceland is a Best Place to Elope:
So this list is mostly US destinations, but we had to include one international spot in our best places to elope: Iceland. It blows our minds how one little arctic island can have such a crazy variety in its landscape. It has volcanoes and geothermal activity, which creates natural hot springs everywhere. There are more waterfalls than you can imagine, glaciated mountains, black sand beaches, barren moonscapes, cute little viking cottages, rolling green fields, wild Icelandic horses…we can’t even list all the variety here or else this description would go on forever. You’ll be hard pressed to find a place to elope that has as much variety. And surprisingly enough, it’s incredibly easy to travel to Iceland. Icelandair has affordable direct flights from cities all over the US.
Best Places to Elope in the US and world FAQ's
The best places to elope in the US are places like Washington state, Oregon, California, and Utah. These places have a variety in landscape, good lodging options, and are easy to travel to.
The cheapest places to elope are in state and national parks. Permits range from free to $200.
The most romantic places to elope are wild and international destinations that you and your fiancé have never been before.
The best time to elope is during off-season so you don't have to deal with crowds and tourists.
Still need help with picking the best place for you to elope?
Hope you found our tips helpful! As you can see, we LOVE talking about elopement destinations with all of our couples. We have so much more detailed information to help you plan your day. If you’d like to work with our team for your elopement, get in touch now!
