Best Places to Elope: A Simple Way to Choose Your Location

Location is perhaps the most important decision you can make for an adventure elopement. The place you decide sets the rhythm of the day. It influences how you move, your activities, and how present you’re able to be.

Sometimes we see cool photos on Instagram or Pinterest and we’re drawn to it. This is a great start, and I also encourage you to take it a step further. Because It’s not always about a cool backdrop. It’s often also a place that supports the way you want to feel throughout your day.

Some places naturally make you relaxed. Some make you want to keep moving.

Some are cold. Others are hot.

There’s no one-size-fit-all location. I recommend choosing a place that gives you energy and makes you feel authentically you.

I’ve come up with a guide that helps you narrow down the best places to elope personally for you. I use the same logic in this guide to help my past couples find the places that’s undoubtedly for them. Below are the types of places that consistently work beautifully for elopements, why they work, and who they’re fit for to help you decide where to elope. And don’t worry if you like more than one type of place. There are certainly ways to combine settings into your elopement day. 

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Seasonality

Seasonality is a super important factor to first think about when choosing a location to elope in. It’s something you don’t want to ignore during your decision stage. Seasonality affects colors in your photos, accessibility to locations, and temperature.

Summer months have warmer temperatures. Sunrise become earlier and sunsets come later. The day overall feels longer. This time of the year is when most trails and areas become accessible.

Autumn/Fall months can have beautiful red/yellow tones from foliage and has a nice middle between cold and hot weather. This time of the year feels more cozy without being too cold.

Winter months are colder and have moodier vibes from the cloudiness and fog. Mountains become more visible in this season due to less air moisture leading to clearer skies and less atmospheric haze. It’s also a great time to do activities that require snow.

Spring becomes warmer and more colorful with many plant growth and blooming flowers. And depending on the location, you can find the infamous cherry blossoms which is a beautiful aesthetic you get only for a short time period in the year.

I recommend thinking about how you want to feel and what temperature gives you the most joy.

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Mountain Locations

Ok so let’s get to the meat of it. I’ll start with the obvious one. Mountains!

Including mountains in your elopement adds a sense of scale. There’s nowhere to rush to. Anywhere around a mountain is a viewpoint itself, and that’s the point.

Mountains don’t give you a lot of visual clutter. When you’re standing somewhere that expansive, there isn’t much competing for your attention.

I’ve found that mountain elopements work especially well for people who like that feeling of grandness. A day built around three main characters: you, your partner, and an epic mountain.

If you like the idea of being reminded of how tiny you are, mountains will do just that. And yeah… it’s never a bad choice to take photos with a mountain.

My picks for the best mountain destinations to elope in:

1. Washington (Mount Rainier)
   Layered mountains, glaciers, and forests that feel immersive and close, with a lot of variety packed into a relatively small area.
   
2. Japan (Yamanashi)
   A calm, orderly mountain landscape shaped around Mount Fuji, where the experience feels focused and quietly intentional.
   
3. Swiss Alps (Zermatt / Lauterbrunnen)
   Sharp peaks rising out of wide valleys, offering dramatic scale with a sense of structure and ease.
   
4. Italy (Dolomites)
   Sharp limestone peaks with strong visual contrast, where dramatic mountain scenery is easy to access and take in.
   
5. Chile / Argentina (Patagonia)
   Wide, wind-shaped landscapes with jagged peaks and open space that make the mountains feel raw and expansive.

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Beach and Coastal Areas

Beaches are what people call “paradise,” and honestly? They’re not wrong.

Endless horizons, relaxed vibes, and instant serotonin.

What gets me most about beaches is that no matter where you are or what time of day it is, you’ll always hear that constant rhythm of waves crashing. It’s genuinely one of my favorite sounds to hear on vacation. And don’t even get me started on sunrise and sunsets. They’re absolutely worth making the time for.

Beach and coastal elopements typically suit couples who prefer things to unfold organically and naturally. People who prefer lots of space to walk around and easy to get to. Plus, many stores and restaurants are accessible along the coast, which makes logistics easier if you want to incorporate food or spontaneous stops into your day.

If openness, salty air, and a day that’s beautifully relaxed and flowing sounds like your speed—the coast is honestly a really solid choice.

My picks for the best beach & coastal destinations to elope in:

1. Hawaii (Oahu & Kauai)
   Warm air, wide beaches, and steady ocean rhythm that make the day feel relaxed and easy from the moment you arrive. Oahu’s West Shore and Kauai’s Northshore are the most remote, which gives you an intimate experience. These two islands are excellent choices to have your quintessential Hawaii elopement adventure.
   
2. Oregon Coast
   Rugged coastline with cool air, big waves, and open space that feels dramatic without being busy. The Oregon coast is vast and has many great spots for a coastal elopement.
   
3. California (Big Sur)
   Steep cliffs dropping straight into the ocean, where the coast feels dramatic. Big Sur feels quieter and more removed from city energy while still being accessible.
   
4. Lofoten Islands, Norway
   Cold-water beaches with wide horizons and minimal distractions, offering a quiet, spacious coastal experience.
   
5. Tasmania, Australia
   Wild, windswept coastlines with open beaches and clean light that make the edge of the land feel very present.

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Forest Elopement Locations

Forests feel contained, but in a good way. The comforting way.

Light comes through filtered. Sounds get softer, almost muffled. Everything draws in closer together.

Forest elopements work particularly well for folks who want intimacy without that isolated, cut-off feeling. You’re surrounded by life, but not exposed to the whole world. The environment naturally turns your attention inward toward each other.

Another thing forests do exceptionally well? They remove time pressure almost entirely. The lighting stays pretty consistent for longer stretches, which means your day doesn’t hinge on nailing one exact perfect moment. Things can happen when they’re ready to happen and still feel completely right.

If greenery and coziness appeals to you, then forests support that kind of experience.

My picks for the best forest destinations to elope in:

1. Washington (Olympic National Park)
   Lush, green, and immersive with soft sound and consistent light.
   
2. Japan (Yakushima Island)
   Mossy, ancient forests with constant moisture, soft light, and deep stillness.
   
3. California (Redwood National Park)
   Massive trees, filtered light, and a strong sense of quiet and scale at ground level.
   
4. Germany (Black Forest)
   Dense woodland, winding paths, and a feeling of being fully surrounded by nature.
   
5. Scottish Highlands (Wooded Glens)
   Sparse forests mixed with open land, creating intimacy without feeling enclosed.

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Desert Elopement Locations

Deserts have some really striking visual features. You get unique rock formations that look almost intentionally designed. The sand and earth come in an incredible range of colors—deep reds, soft beiges, almost white which creates those earthy tones.

What I love about deserts is how incredibly varied they are. Some give you towering canyon walls and carved rock formations that are genuinely awe-inspiring. Others offer vast salt flats that have this sparkling, almost otherworldly quality. Some have red rocks against bright blue skies. Others have sand dunes you can actually explore and interact with.

The variety means you can find exactly the desert landscape that matches what you’re after—whether that’s dramatic geological features, wide open spaces, or those naturally earthy color palettes.

If you’re drawn to dramatic rock formations, wide open horizons, or those naturally warm earthy tones, deserts offer a visual landscape that’s hard to replicate anywhere else.

My picks for the best desert destinations to elope in:

1. California (Joshua Tree)
   Wide open desert with strange rock piles and Joshua trees everywhere, where the landscape feels simple and easy to sit with.
   
2. Utah (Arches National Park)
   Red rock arches and open desert views that feel bold and graphic, with natural features doing most of the visual work.
   
3. California (Death Valley National Park)
   Huge stretches of desert with almost nothing breaking it up, where the scale of the land is the main thing you notice.
   
4. Utah (Bonneville Salt Flats)
   A flat, white expanse that goes on forever, giving you a clean, minimal setting with zero distractions.
   
5. Turkey (Cappadocia)
   Soft rock formations and rolling terrain that feel surreal but calm. It’s also known for having tons of hot air balloons which makes a very dreamy view.

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Lake Elopement Locations

Lakes are for my water lovers. The water itself becomes part of the landscape in a really beautiful way. Some lakes are impossibly blue, like that bright turquoise or teal that looks almost fake but is completely real. Others have glassy, mirror-like surfaces that reflect the surrounding mountains and sky perfectly. Alpine lakes high in the mountains have incredible clarity, often surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Glacial lakes get that distinctive bright blue from glacial silt, sometimes with floating ice chunks.

The atmosphere shifts depending on which type you choose. Some feel romantic and glamorous. Others feel ancient and mysterious, especially deep lochs with mist rolling across the water.

Lake elopements work especially well for people who are drawn to reflective, calming environments. They have unique activities such as kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and fishing.

If you’re drawn to reflective waters, dramatic color contrasts, or that calm grounded feeling, lakes are a great choice.

My picks for the best lake destinations to elope in:

1. Japan (Lake Kawaguchi)
   A calm lake right at the base of Mount Fuji, where you get still water reflections, quiet paths around the shore, and that classic Fuji view without needing to go far from town.
   
2. California (Lake Tahoe)
   Clear blue water surrounded by mountains and forest, with lots of easy access points so you can move between lakeshore, trees, and views without committing to a big hike.
   
3. Oregon (Crater Lake National Park)
   A deep blue lake sitting inside an old volcano, where the color of the water and the drop-off at the rim make the whole place feel clean, focused, and unlike any other lake.
   
4. Italy (Lake Como)
   A lake lined with small towns, villas, and ferry routes, where you can pair calm water views with good food, slow movement, and an easy transition into a long meal afterward.
   
5. Iceland (Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon)
   A cold, still lagoon filled with floating ice chunks that drift slowly toward the ocean, giving you a quiet, almost frozen-in-time setting that feels very different from a typical lake.

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Snow and Glacier Elopement Locations

Sound gets muted. Colors simplify dramatically. The air becomes crisp.

Snow and glacier elopements tend to work well for people who are drawn to that stripped-down, minimalist environment where physical sensations like cold air, warmth from each other, and your visible breath become part of the experience.

With thoughtful pacing and planning for comfort (because yes, it’s cold), these locations work really well.

Snow is also unique in terms of activities because it’s a great opportunity to snowshoe, snowboard, or ski. And I mean… What better weather is there to drink hot cocoa?

If you’re drawn to those quiet sounds, cool-toned colors like blue and white, and the unique way cold weather draws you close together, snow locations are perfect.

My picks for the best snow & glacier destinations to elope in:

1. Antarctica
   An endless white landscape with ice in every direction, where there’s nothing to look at except sky, snow, and each other, and the scale of the place makes everything feel very simple.
   
2. Iceland (glaciers & snowfields)
   Wide glaciers and open snowfields you can actually walk around, with constantly changing light and weather that make the landscape feel alive without being busy.
   
3. Alaska (Glacier Bay & Kenai Peninsula)
   Massive glaciers meeting the ocean, where you can hear ice cracking and see it break into the water, which gives the place a very real, physical presence.
   
4. Japan (Aomori & Shirakawa-go)
   Deep winter snow in traditional villages and mountain towns, where everything feels quiet, cozy, and slowed down by the season.
   
5. Norway (Tromsø)
   Snow-covered landscapes with long winter light and frequent northern lights, adding movement and color to an otherwise clean, calm setting.

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Waterfall Elopement Locations

Waterfalls bring energy directly into your day.

There’s movement. Constant sound. It’s a unique setting where it feels like you’re dancing with water.

What I love most about waterfalls is that it brings life to the environment. When you first get to the locations, waterfalls scream at you and remind you that you’re getting near. And that’s so rewarding.

Waterfall elopements work well for people who like having a sense of momentum. The environment feels alive and active.

If you like the idea of motion, sound, and flowing water being active participants in your experience, waterfalls offer that naturally.

My picks for the best waterfall destinations to elope in:

1. Washington (Snoqualmie Falls & Silver Falls)
   Big, loud waterfalls surrounded by forest, where the sound does most of the work and the space feels naturally private even when you’re not far from town.
   
2. Oregon (Latourel Falls)
   A tall, narrow waterfall you can reach on a short walk, where the basalt cliffs and straight drop give you a clean, graphic backdrop without much effort.
   
3. Iceland (Skógafoss, Svartifoss, & Seljalandsfoss)
   Very different waterfalls all close together, from massive curtain-style falls to ones you can walk behind, which makes it easy to experience a lot without a long day of travel.
   
4. Japan (Higashi Shiiya Falls & Oko Falls)
   Remote, forest-surrounded waterfalls that feel tucked away and quiet, with a strong sense of stillness once you reach them.
   
5. Kauaʻi, (Jurassic Falls)
   A waterfall tucked into a lush valley you reach by helicopter, where the ride itself becomes part of the experience and the setting feels completely cut off from everything else.

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City and Cultural Elopement Locations

City and Cultural locations are the most different from the rest, but it’s one worth mentioning.

Architecture, streets, people passing by, food, and ambient sound. All of it becomes woven into your day. The experience unfolds as you move through it and engage with it.

City elopements tend to work well for people who like sensory richness and variety. You don’t care about running into others during your day. You enjoy looking at stores and how urban environments gives off the hussle and bussle vibes. You love hearing the sound of vehicles such as cars, trains, motorcycles.

Logistically, cities also make connecting different parts of your day easy. Getting ready, ceremony, meals, and wandering often flow together without requiring much effort.

If you like the idea of a day that has an urban touch, human interactions, and a modern feeling—cities support that kind of elopement incredibly well. 

My picks for the best city & cultural destinations to elope in:

1. Japan (Kyoto)
   Temple-lined neighborhoods, narrow streets, and seasonal changes that make the city feel calm, intentional, and deeply rooted in tradition.
   
2. Italy (Venice)
   No cars, just walking, water taxis, and quiet side streets, which makes the whole day feel immersed in the city instead of moving through it.
   
3. Vietnam (Hoi An)
   A small riverside town with lantern-lit streets, low buildings, and slow evenings.
   
4. France (Paris)
   Famous for being called “The City of Love” because of it’s romantic ambience. A city where architecture, cafés, and long streets naturally turn the day into a series of slow, connected moments.
   
5. Portugal (Lisbon)
   Hilly streets, tiled buildings, and ocean light, where riding trams, wandering viewpoints, and stopping for drinks all flow together easily.

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Locations That Already Matter to You

Some places don’t need explanation or justification.

When a location already carries meaning for you. Maybe you met there, maybe you’ve visited together for years, maybe it’s where you grew up. Even if it’s a place from a movie/show you like. The day starts already grounded. You know how to move through that space. You know where you naturally want to pause. You don’t have to learn the environment while simultaneously trying to experience this massive day.

These elopements tend to feel personal immediately. The meaning’s already built in and you’re just adding another chapter to an ongoing story.

If familiarity makes you feel more at ease (and for a lot of people, it really does), choosing a place that already matters can be an incredibly powerful option.

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Other Factors to Consider

Physical abilities and Limitations: If you have guests, think about how they would also feel being in these locations. If they have physical limitations, consider picking locations that are less treacherous and more accessible without a longer hike. If it’s an absolute deal breaker to go on a longer hike, but your guest(s) can’t make it, then I recommend having a multi-day elopement where you have one day with guests and another day with just you two. The day with your guests will be somewhere accessible and the other will be somewhere you’re willing hike to.

If you yourself have any fears, it’s also a good idea to avoid locations that can promote these fears. For example, if you’re terrified of heights, you probably wouldn’t want to do your vows on the edge of a cliff.

Distance: The distance between your lodging and the elopement location is very crucial. This is important in determining commute time, which will ultimately drive how your timeline looks like.

For example, if you’re not great at waking up early and you have a sunrise elopement, consider choosing an elopement location with lodging nearby that’s less than a 20 minutes commute so that you won’t run late in the morning.

Another example is if you have a sunset location, make sure the place you’re at previously is close enough so that you don’t miss sunset.

Sound: This is often overlooked but I think it’s still important. Sound sets the underlying tone, whether that’s wind, waves, quiet, city life humming, or even music you’ve chosen. If sound is important to you, I encourage you to consider it when choosing a location.

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Ready to Start Planning Your Elopement?

If you’re feeling drawn to any of these locations—or maybe you’re still figuring out what feels right—I’d love to help you bring your vision to life.

I specialize in creating elopement experiences that are intentionally designed around what you value. After years of travelling and countless elopements planned, I know the nuances of what it takes to have a successful elopement day.

I’ll guide you through the entire planning process, help you choose the location & time that truly supports your vision, design an itinerary that flows naturally, and artistically capture every genuine moment as it unfolds. I will also personally scout the location to ensure your day will run smoothly.

Feel free to reach out for a free consultation!