5 Tips for Eloping in the Redwoods
The giant redwood forests of Northern California are one of the most stunning and intimate places to elope. With five redwood forests in a 100 mile range, there are plenty of incredible places to exchange vows. While the options are endless, the options can also be pretty overwhelming. Here are five useful tips to help get you going on your Redwood elopement planning!
We got special permits to hike the Tall Trees Trail in Redwoods National Park
Pick a home base. There are several towns in and around the redwoods, and figuring out where you want to stay in largely dependent on what you’re needing. My personal favorite place to stay is Crescent City. Crescent City is a small, sleepy beach town that sits on the outskirts of the Del Norte Redwoods to the south and the Jedidiah Smith Redwoods to the east. It is also just 35 minutes south of some really amazing spots in Southern Oregon. If you are looking for something a little less remote, Arcata & Eureka sit on the southern end of the 5 redwood national and state parks that are in this are. Arcata and Eureka offer more in terms of mainstream dining, as well as more lodging options.
Pick a park! The five redwood parks in this area are Redwoods National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast State Park, and Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, and for the couples I’ve worked with, the biggest factor has been proximity to the ocean. The parks lining the coast line are going to be your go to if you want to guarantee that thick, early morning fog blanketing the trees, and quick access to endless beaches and coves. Each park also has designated spots available for ceremony permits, so be sure to look up your options and see what each spot might look like. After the ceremony however, we are free to roam and take pictures! The parks more inland are where you’re going to find those giant Jurassic Park looking ferns, as well as rivers and waterfalls cascading through the redwoods. Jedidiah Smith has the Klamath River running through it, which is the longest, undammed river in the united states, which means it has some of the clearest waters in North America! Jedidiah Smith is also one of the top parks in terms of solitude. The endless trails provide the perfect intimate setting.
Find out the local permit requirements. The national park vs state parks will have different permit requirements, and all of them will have specific locations available for wedding ceremonies. The Redwoods National and State Parks visitor/information center is located in Crescent City, and I would definitely recommend calling to get the most up-to-date information. I’m always more than happy to make these calls for you, as well!
Find a good place to eat! One of the best things about these small, coastal towns is they always have the BEST local restaurants, whether you’re looking for Italian, seafood, or bar and grill! Eating local is a great way to give back to the community you’re visiting for your wedding.
Pick something fun to do the day of that represents the two of you. Whether its a picnic on the beach watching the sunset and eating wedding cake, surfing the pacific waves before heading to get hitched, or hiking to an epic viewpoint to start the day off right, make sure you set aside time to do something special that reminds you why you did it this way in the first place!
Exchanging vows under a giant redwood tree!!
Watching a misty ocean sunset after a day of running through the forests
A beautiful and secluded beach with giant redwood driftwood.