15 Best Places to Elope in Texas

How to Elope in Texas

Eloping in Texas

Texas is such a diverse and beautiful state, and nothing beats the feeling of jumping into a lake on those hot summer days, taking road trips through west Texas, the epic combination of mountain and desert views, lovely springs surrounded by greenery, and seeing families of deer in our backyards.

Since this amazing state has so much versatile landscape scenery to enjoy, you have so many options when you’re deciding where to elope in Texas. I’ve put together a list of some of the best places to elope in Texas to give you some ideas to help make your vision come true for your Texas elopement!

Places to Elope in Texas

 

There are so many options for a Texas elopement when it comes to the types of scenery and experience you can expect! Most of Texas is a subtropical climate, which means plenty of moisture for beautiful lush greenery for much of the year, beautiful flowers blooming in Spring, fall foliage in the Autumn months, and generally mild winters with some areas seeing snow. That already means a lot of diversity just due to the climate and weather conditions alone! Apart form that, you can find a wide variety of landscapes like grand rock formations and canyons, lakes and rivers, hills and mountain views, woods and green pastures…and other iconic spots like architectural masterpieces, unique greenhouses, botanical gardens, and more!

Texas has over 80 state parks, natural areas and historic sites spanning over 630,000 acres! It’s home to two national parks - Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Big Bend National Park - and features other beautiful protected lands like Padre Island, the Big Thicket, the Rio Grande, Lake Amistad and Lake Meredith. Here are some of my favorite Texas elopement locations to find exactly what feels right for you and your adventurous wedding experience…

P.S. As you’re picturing where to elope, be sure to check out my guide on how to choose your elopement location!

 
 
 

Micro Wedding Texas

 
 

Texas Hill Country

One of my favorite areas in all of Texas (and basically in my backyard!) - I even have an entire blog post on Texas Hill Country weddings. Texas Hill Country is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream - there’s endless hiking trails, activities, lakes, rivers, state parks, camping, horseback riding, zip-lining, vineyards, and more! Some of the lovely spots that can be found in the Texas Hill Country area are Enchanted Rock, Wimberly, Colorado Bend State Park, Pedernales Falls State Park, McKinney Falls, Pace Bend Park, Gruene, Hamilton Pool, and more…

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is one of Texas’s two national parks, and is my FAVORITE location for a Texas elopement. It’s a perfect choice for a secluded and intimate location for your Texas elopement, and the perfect opportunity for a fun road trip! I have a whole blog post on Big Bend weddings too. Since it’s a more remote location, you don’t get as much of the crowds, and you can also get some incredible star gazing here since there’s less light pollution (we can also work that into your photos)! You should definitely check out the famous Santa Elena Canyon and the Window View, or go on some hikes like Lost Mine Trail and Balanced Rock Trail - and of course I have some gorgeous secret spots for my couples! With some of the most beautiful mountain views, canyons, desert vibes, hot springs, rivers, and more - Big Bend is a great option for an elopement in Texas. You can even include fun experiences like a Jeep tour, horseback riding, or getting on a canoe or kayak on the river!

Monahans Sandhills State Park

Sand Dunes in general are such a magical spot for an elopement - the sand dancing in the wind is truly surreal and it’s also so much fun to run around barefoot in the sand! Did you know that Texas has sand dunes?! I’m telling you - Texas has a little bit of everything! This spot is more ideal during cooler months, and there’s some great activities you can do here like camping, horseback riding, and even sledding - how cool is that.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Palo Duro Canyon has earned its title as the “Grand Canyon of Texas” and is actually the second largest canyon in the country! Since this is another favorite spot of mine, I have a whole blog post about Palo Duro Canyon weddings. There is so much amazing history to this beautiful place and there’s lots of activities like hiking trails, biking, horseback riding, camping, glamping (which is new here!), epic slot canyons, bird watching and more. The TEXAS Outdoor Music Festival also happens here in the summer, fun fact!

Davis Mountains State Park

The Davis Mountains rest high in the mountains of West Texas, where you can enjoy lots of beauty and history. With miles of hiking trails, backpacking, camping, mountain biking, horseback riding, and stargazing, this is a beautiful spot for an elopement in Texas. Even just driving through these mountains makes for a great day of scenic routes!

Garner State Park

One of the most visited parks in Texas, Garner State Park is one of those places that’s awesome for a wedding weekend, or even just a weekend with loved ones (which you can also incorporate into your elopement)! You can enjoy a relaxing swim in the Frio River, or a scenic hike around Texas Hill Country. Some fun activities here include inner tubing, paddle boating, hiking trails, camping, canoeing, fishing, mini golf, biking, and more!

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park is filled with stunning mountains and canyons, desert sand dunes, epic night skies, and features the four highest peaks in Texas and the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef! This park offers hiking trails, camping, backpacking, bird watching, wildlife, and stargazing. You can head to McKittrick Canyon, Frijole Ranch, Salt Basin Dunes, Dog Canyon, and Williams Ranch - and fun fact, there’s some gorgeous fall colors if you’re thinking of a fall elopement!

Lost Maples State Park

Lost Maples is known for its incredible fall colors, but its beautiful all year as the colors change with the seasons! Not far from San Antonio, Lost Maples State Park features wildflowers, canyons, and the lovely Sabinal River and Can Creek. You’ll find over 10 miles of hiking trails, fishing, wildlife, camping, backpacking, and stargazing - you can also go swimming at Medina Lake. This is another great one for a full elopement weekend! Be sure to check out the colorful forests of Bigtooth Maples!

Cedar Hill State Park

Cedar Hill State Park is a great spot to hike, bike, picnic, camp, boat, paddle, swim, and fish! Resting on the shore of Joe Pool Lake (a spectacular place for boating!), this urban oasis offers relaxation by the lake, rugged limestone hills, and beautiful prairie pockets. You can even have an afternoon BBQ with your loved ones as your elopement dinner!

Dinosaur Valley

Just a short drive from Fort Worth, Dinosaur Valley is filled with earthly history - dinosaur footprints can be found in the mud at the edge of an ancient ocean and you can walk in their tracks at the Paluxy River! Apart from dinosaur tracks, you’ll also find lovely hiking trails, picnic areas, mountain biking, swimming, fishing and paddling in the river, searching for geocaches, horseback riding, kayaking, and more!

Lake Whitney State Park

Another beautiful weekend getaway spot, Lake Whitney State Park is short road trip from DFW or Waco. Lake Whitney features stunning clear water, hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, boating, and even skiing! This is another spot where you can try geocaching, and see some pretty awesome wildlife.

Big Thicket National Preserve

Big Thicket is natural preserve protecting a variety of ecosystems and habitats in southeast Texas. Here you’ll find such a diverse landscape that includes about 40 hiking trails, creeks and rivers, longleaf pine forests, and cypress-lined bayous. You can also experience paddling at the Neches River, go backcountry camping, and visit beautiful areas like Turkey Creek, Hickory Creek, Beaumont, Beach Creek, Big Sandy Creek, Canyonlands, and many more!

Padre Island

Padre Island offers the perfect place for an island getaway (or in this case, an elopement getaway), with the most beautiful stretch of Texas coastline! Featuring sandy beaches, tranquil resorts, wildlife like dolphins and sea turtles (there’s even a release of baby turtles during hatching season), kite boarding, fishing, and just incredible relaxation! You should check out the Padre Island National Sea Shores and the Grasslands Nature Trail while you’re there!

Lake Texoma

Lake Texoma rests on the Red River between Texas and Oklahoma and is a popular vacation spot. With cozy cabins to stay in and beautiful spots like Cross Timbers Trail, you’ll find stunning shorelines with rocky bluffs, lovely woodlands, and gorgeous lake views!

Caprock Canyon State Park

Caprock Canyon State Park offers some of the most beautiful canyon views in Texas, similar to Palo Duro Canyon. Here you’ll find herd fo roaming Bison (how cool is that?), 90 miles of hiking trails, camping, mountain biking, and horseback riding! Some lovely spots to see are Clarity Tunnel and Lake Theo, and definitely check out the amazing hiking trails!

Texas Elopement Photographer

 

I’m your Texas Elopement Photographer & Guide, experience creator, resource provider, planning consultant, location scouter, idea machine, and adventure buddy

I’m your personal GUIDE, your PLANNER, and your BEST FRIEND! As both a Texas local and your elopement expert, I’m here to help craft the experience of your dreams - and capture it all for you! I’ll be there every step of the way to help make your vision come to life…

LET’S DO THIS!!

 
 

HEY - I’M SARAH!

I’m your elopement expert + experience creator, designing and capturing your unique wedding.

 
 

I’m your PLANNER too!

I’ll help you plan your elopement from start to finish!

*You’ll have an EXPERT by your side the whole way*

 
 
 

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Elopement Locations, Elopement Resources, Elopement TipsSarah MezaTexas Elopement, Texas, Desert, Elopement LocationsComment