Best Places to Elope in California

**Update 2024: This post is currently being updated with more information & reference photos; if you’re interested in any of the below locations that hasn’t been updated yet, please reach out and I can personally guide you on specific locations!

California offers such a great variety of landscapes, from deserts to oceans to redwood forests and alpine lakes tucked away in the mountains. In Southern California, you can literally go from the high desert to a snowy mountain town in under an hour. Here are some of my favorite places for elopements in California, organized by the type of scenery. It is by no means an exhaustive list since California boasts a million and one great places to travel to or elope in, but I hope this list helps to get you started! And if you’re looking for any specific spots, let’s chat! :D

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Please note that the permitting process for eloping in any of the below locations vary from location to location. If you are interested in eloping in any of the below locations (or any other location for that matter), make sure to check if:
A) permits are needed,
B) what sort of permit is required, and
C) when you should apply for one.

Some areas may not require a permit at all, some require both a Special Use Permit for elopements AND a photography permit, and others may just require one permit that covers both Special Use and Photography. Some areas only accept permit applications within a certain timeframe of your event date, so make sure to check when you’d need to apply… and don’t procrastinate on this! There may be a limited number of permits being issued for certain areas on certain dates, especially if they’re very popular destinations. (P.S. your photographer should also be able to guide you on this!)

Coastal / Cliffs

Palos Verdes (Southern CA)

I might be biased, but in my opinion, Palos Verdes is the best place to elope in the Los Angeles area that offers a beautiful coastal/cliffs area without the crowds that typically flock to Malibu. Yes, it is a little more inconvenient to get to since it’s a little farther away from freeways, but a small price to pay (in my opinion) for that beautiful coastline! Permits are also easy to get, so if you’re planning a last-minute elopement, PV is definitely a great option to consider!

>> Check out some Palos Verdes galleries here!

Sunset Cliffs (Southern CA)
Malibu (Southern CA)
Carpinteria (Southern CA)

I like to think of Carpinteria as the underrated younger sibling to Santa Barbara. Tucked away with its own cute little town, Carpinteria offers a beautiful coastline with beaches and bluffs but that doesn’t get the same crowds that Santa Barbara does. While Santa Barbara is gorgeous in its own right (you can’t beat the vibe in that town!), you’ll often find me recommending Carpinteria over SB for its higher likelihood of privacy ;)

Carpinteria Galleries: Foggy Cliffside Elopement

Big Sur / Carmel / Monterey (Northern CA)
Marin Headlands (Northern CA)

Forests / Trees

Big Bear (Southern CA)
Idyllwild / Mt Jacinto (Southern CA)
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (Northern CA)
Big Basin Redwoods State Park (Northern CA)
Sequoia National Park & Forest (Central CA)

Desert

Joshua Tree National Park (Southern CA)
Death Valley National Park (Central CA)
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (Southern CA)
Vasquez Rocks (Southern CA)

Lakes

Lake Tahoe (Northern CA)
Big Bear Lake (Southern CA)
Mammoth Lakes - multiple (Central CA)
I have a whole guide on eloping in the Eastern Sierra where you’ll find hundreds (if not thousands!) of gorgeous alpine lakes of varying accessibility. If you’re down for an adventure, don’t sleep on this region of the state. It’s one of my favorite places and I can’t believe how it’s only a few hours’ drive from Los Angeles (where I’m based)! Because of how large this area is, it’s absolutely possible to find moments/areas of privacy (of course depending on how accessible the location is!)