Best places to Elope Along Lake Superior

Growing up, Lake Superior was in my backyard. Its beauty is astounding, its fierceness is a force to be reckoned with, and its tranquility is life-giving. Those fortunate enough to enjoy all that Lake Superior has to offer tend to have a spiritual connection to it.

This is why it is a wonderful place for the backdrop of your elopement. Lake Superior has different characteristics as you travel around it and each boasts different views for you to take in along the shore.

Spend time in the region and you’ll soon learn that the Ojibwe name for the lake is Kitchi Gami, Gitche Gumee, or Gitchi Gami which translates to “big sea.” 

Duluth/Superior beaches

Duluth and Superior are home to some lovely shorelines. In Duluth, you’ll find Kitchi Gammi Park (my family affectionately calls it the “rock beach”) on the Northern end of the city. Unsurprisingly, you’ll find a shoreline with many basalt rocks for you to host a small ceremony with just a few people.

Moving along the shores of the Twin Ports, you can head to Park Point in Duluth or Wisconsin Point in Superior if you are looking for more space. Both have similar views and space, but in the summertime, Park Point is much busier than its Wisconsin counterpart. 

Black Beach

Black Beach in Silver Bay is a unique little place along the shore. Communities in the Northern parts of Minnesota are known for the industries that started there. The North Shore is also known as the Iron Range for its large iron deposits making the perfect conditions for mining taconite. The sand on the beach is black because of the remaining taconite pieces that were dumped into the lake. 

Despite the fact that the sand there is not naturally occurring, it is a beautiful place. There are gorgeous rock formations at either end of the beach defining the space and making a wonderful view for couples who choose to get married there. 

It is worth noting that this is one of the most popular places along Minnesota’s North Shore so I recommend a weekday elopement here.

Artists Point

Perhaps my favorite place along the shore is Grand Marais, MN. This small town is filled with lots to do and is the perfect destination for an elopement. Artists Point requires a little excursion out to the basalt rocks at the tombolo that juts out into the Lake. This also tends to get busy during peak season so I highly recommend thinking about a sunrise elopement if you want to get married here. There are plenty of nooks and crannies on the tombolo for a couple to have an intimate ceremony with the most beautiful views of Lake Superior.

Pincushion Mountain

For those seeking an adventure elopement, head just up the hill from Artists Point to Pincushion Mountain. I know… Mountains…? In Minnesota? Yep. Turns out that there were once mountains in the midwest that looked a lot like the Andes Mountains thousands and thousands of years ago (at least, that’s what the park ranger told us on the tour we took at Voyageurs National Park). This short hike is 1,000% worth it if you’re looking for a fun activity for your elopement and a little privacy. 

This is an overlook on a section of the Superior Hiking Trail that doesn’t have the same traffic levels as other parts of the trail system. There is plenty of room for couples to have a private ceremony and also has a good amount of space for guests to join if they can make the hike to the overlook.

Madeline Island

Back in Wisconsin, the Apostle Islands make up a beautiful archipelago that includes Madeline Island. Take a ferry from Bayfield to the island to experience all that it has to offer. The island has a small state park that is fantastic for an elopement.

Here, the geology along the shore starts to change. Many of the views on the North Shore of the Lake have basalt rocks, but as you move along the southern shore of Lake Superior, you will find that the rocks have warmer tones and are sandstone giving an entirely different feel to the Lake views.

Porcupine Mountains

Crossing into Michigan, couples who enjoy hiking will find the Porcupine Mountains (the Porkies) to be a beautiful place to have an elopement. From the iconic view of the Lake of the Clouds to the gorgeous waterfalls leading into the lake, there is no shortage of options for adventurous couples hoping to tie the knot in this stunning state park.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

This National Park site is a gem along the shores of Lake Superior. The park spans across 42 miles of Lake Superior’s coastline and there are so many views that couples can use for their elopement. From waterfalls, to cliffs, to sand dunes, and beaches, Pictured Rocks is a fantastic place to host your small elopement. Keep in mind that as part of the National Park System, this destination requires a permit and will require couples to follow specific rules if they choose to have an elopement here. All of these efforts go into making sure that this shoreline can remain intact for generations to come.