Table of Contents:
- How to Choose Your Washington Elopement Location
- The 7 Best Places to Elope in Washington State
- Washington Elopement Planning Resources
How to Choose Your Washington Elopement Location
Washington seriously has sooo many amazing locations to elope, you guy. So how the hell are you supposed to choose one?!
First of all, decide what type of location you’re going for.
- What kinda landscape do you want to explore?
- Is there a type of view you want to be in the background of your elopement ceremony?
- What kind of environment will bring you the most peace + happiness on your big day?
- Where can you elope that has nice places to stay + opportunities for fun activities nearby?
Here are the main types of landscapes you can find in Washington State:
- Mountains
- Forests
- Rocky beaches (not California beaches)
- Deserts
- Lakes
- Waterfalls
Washington has also gifted us with so many stunning national & state parks that you definitely need to consider for your elopement location. I’ll talk more about our three national parks further down in this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of the most popular public parks in Washington:
National Parks in Washington:
Because I love all of our national parks so damn much, I created a whole separate blog post highlighting them – check out my Washington National Parks Elopement Guide here!!
Popular State Parks in Washington:
- Deception Pass State Park
- Lake Wenatchee State Park
- Lime Kiln Point State Park
- Palouse Falls State Park
- Birch Bay State Park
Washington also has a TON of hella amazing Airbnb’s that give you the chance to stay right in the middle of the beautiful PNW landscape, whether that’s an adorable A-frame cabin in a luscious forest or glamping right next to a scenic mountain viewpoint. You can find an Airbnb to hold your ceremony & reception at, or simply find a really nice one to stay at after you explore a different location on your elopement day!
Check out my blog post on the 5 Best Airbnb’s in Washington State for Airbnb Elopements to find the perf place for you.
Now that you’re familiar with the types of landscapes & locations that Washington has to offer, let’s get into 7 of my absolute FAVORITE locations of all time that need to be on your list!
The 7 Best Places to Elope in Washington State
1. Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is pretty much a location straight out of a Washington fairytale. It offer some of the most amazing diversity in the entire Pacific Northwest, with moody beaches, lush rainforest canopies, crystal clear lakes, stunning mountain views, and even waterfalls deep into the vibrant green trees. There are soooo many opportunities for exploring within the park, whether you want to go hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, kayaking, you name it and ONP has it!! Plus with all the campsite options & cozy Airbnb’s nearby, you’ll be able to easily find a super nice place to stay and make your experience in the park magical.
Fun fact – Olympic National Park is home to La Push, where a lot of scenes from the Twilight series were filmed!
Location: Olympic Peninsula, northwest WA
Distance from Seattle: 2-4 hours depending on your destination within the park
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Olympic National Park.
Permit(s) Needed: Entrance Pass, Special Use Permit
Best Time of Year to Elope: Late spring – mid-fall (April-October)
Best Elopement Locations in Olympic National Park:
Olympic National Park Elopement Resources + Inspo
2. Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier National Park is one of the most iconic places in Washington that most people are usually familiar with even if they’re not from here. The highlight of the park is obviously Mount Rainier, but there is so much more to enjoy besides the stunning views of the snow-capped peak: wildflower meadows, alpine tundra, lush forests of pine trees, lakes, and hiking trails GALORE. I love Mount Rainier NP because there are really opportunities for everyone, so you can hike 10 miles on your elopement day or bring all of your family members along on a quick 0.5 mile walk and enjoy amazing views either way!
Location: west central WA
Distance from Seattle: 2-2.5 hours
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park.
Permit(s) Needed: Entrance Pass, Special Use Permit
Best Time of Year to Elope: Summer (July-August)
Best Elopement Locations in Mount Rainier National Park:
- Naches Peak Loop Trail
- Mount Fremont Lookout Trail via Sourdough Ridge Trail
- Skyline Trail Loop
- Nisqually Vista Loop
- Myrtle Falls Viewpoint
- Pinnacle Peak Saddle
- Tolmie Peak Lookout
- Tipsoo Lake
Mount Rainier National Park Elopement Resources + Inspo
3. North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is Washington’s 3rd & final National Park, and is honestly the most underrated in my opinion. When you think of NP’s in Washington you think of Rainier & Olympic, but the North Cascades are freakin GLORIOUS. Just driving through this mountain range will gift you with the most incredible mountain views, and there are so many amazing places to stop along the way, such as Diablo Lake & Washington Pass Overlook. The park features so much diversity and opportunities for outdoor exploration through the meadows, the mountains, the bright blue lakes, and so much more. Plus there are tons of cute little towns you can stop in on your drive through the Cascades, like Mazama and Winthrop, that have adorable local shops, restaurants, and bars!
Location: across northern WA
Distance from Seattle: 2-3 hours
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to North Cascades National Park.
Permit(s) Needed: Northwest Forest Pass, Special Use Permit
Best Time of Year to Elope: Summer (June-September)
Best Elopement Locations in North Cascades National Park:
- Winchester Lookout
- Chain Lakes Loop
- Heather-Maple Pass Loop
- Washington Pass Overlook
- Thunder Knob
- Mt. Pilchuck Fire Lookout
Olympic National Park Elopement Resources + Inspo
- Mountaintop Elopement at the Mt. Pilchuck Fire Lookout
- Intimate Washington Mountain Elopement | Jared & Cameron
- Adventurous North Cascades National Park Elopement
4. Mount Baker
Mount Baker is the highlight of the Mount Baker Wilderness area up in western Washington, north of Bellingham and near the Canadian border. The wilderness area encompasses over 100,000 acres of beautiful land filled with green trees, alpine meadows, snow-capped mountain peaks, and sooo many places for hiking, biking, & skiing! I love Mount Baker because it has a lot of spots that are really easy to get to for couples who don’t want to hike a ton, or who need more accessible locations for them or their guests, and still want to get INCREDIBLE views.
Location: western WA
Distance from Seattle: 3 hours
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Artist Point at Mount Baker.
Permit(s) Needed: Special Use Permit only for groups over 75
Best Time of Year to Elope: Summer (July-September)
Best Elopement Locations at Mount Baker:
Mount Baker Elopement Resources + Inspo
5. San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are a group of islands off the coast of northwest Washington that you get to by taking a ferry from Anacortes. There are three main islands: San Juan Island, Orcas Island, & Lopez Island, and they all have sooo much to offer in terms of outdoor adventures! You can go whale watching, hike through the forests to a spot with stunning views of the islands, visit local breweries & eateries, explore local farms, go kayaking, whatever floats your boat!
Location: off the coast of northwestern WA
Distance from Seattle: 1.5 hours to Anacortes
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Anacortes, where you take a ferry from.
Permit(s) Needed: depends on your exact destination
Best Time of Year to Elope: Late spring – early fall (April-October)
Best Elopement Locations in the San Juan Islands:
- Orcas Island
- Lime Kiln Point State Park
- Moran State Park / Mount Constitution
- Turtleback Mountain
- Friday Harbor
6. Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is technically the pass you cross over when you’re driving between eastern & western Washington – ya know, the one you have to be careful of in the fall/winter because it get suuuper snowy. But there’s so much more in the region than that annoying pass you have to drive through: there are beautiful ponds & lakes, mountain areas to hike through, an iconic waterfall, & really amazing skiing. This area is definitely an underrated one when it comes to beautiful locations in WA!
Location: western WA
Distance from Seattle: 1 hour
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass.
Permit(s) Needed: none
Best Time of Year to Elope: Summer (July-August)
Best Elopement Locations in Snoqualmie Pass:
Olympic National Park Elopement Resources + Inspo
7. Leavenworth
Finally, Leavenworth is a super weird & cute Bavarian town in central Washington, inspired by, well, Bavarian villages. It’s filled with unique little shops, eclectic restaurants, relaxing spas, and tonssss of amazing things to do for outdoor lovers. Whether you want to visit a beautiful clear blue lake nearby, go hiking, go white water rafting, walk around downtown at night and grab a beer, or simply lounge at a spa in a cozy lodge in town, there’s no shortage of fun things to do in Leavenworth for everybody!
Location: central WA
Distance from Seattle: 2.5 hours
Click here for a map with directions from Seattle to Leavenworth.
Permit(s) Needed: none
Best Time of Year to Elope: Summer (April-July)
Best Elopement Locations near Leavenworth:
Washington Elopement Planning Resources
Okay you knowwww I have even MORE helpful stuff to give you, so check out some of my fav resources below that’ll give you even more guidance when it comes to planning your Washington adventure elopement!
This is so informative and such a great guide for couples looking to elope in Washington! So many options and even info on permits—invaluable!
Gosh, it is SO hard to choose where to elope much less how to narrow down options within the Pacific northwest! These are great ideas and really help people get a starting point on what all Washington State has to offer! Thanks for sharing some helpful tips and location ideas!
You highlighted so many amazing spots, many that I have never even heard of which is impressive! What a great guide for your couples!
Ok, now I want to visit all these places because your photos are so good! Sun flares on point! Great resource and list of locations for anyone planning a Washington state elopement.
Wow this is such an informative post! I especially love the contents part at the top so I could go straight to each section. Gorgeous images!
This is such a thorough guide on Washington elopement locations! I’m also totally just going to borrow this list for my next vacation – what dreamy spots!
So many beautiful and scenic locations in Washington! So helpful that you included elopement specific information about each location. Beautiful photos!
Ahhh I’m trying to finally make it here after years of just looking at photos. So pretty!
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