Top Engagement Photo Session Locations in the Twin Cities, SF Bay Area, and Pennsylvania

You’re engaged — congratulations! Now it’s time for your engagement photos. Но where to go? Whether your backdrop is a lush garden, a woodsy park, a romantic historical site, or a concrete jungle, you can’t go wrong with any of these spots!

Unique Engagement Photo Session Locations in the Twin Cities

Today I’m sharing five of my favorite unique spots across the Twin Cities for engagement sessions. These are a bit off-the-beaten-trail, but perfect for a couple looking to be a little adventurous, a little different, and all within an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities.

Interstate Park – Taylors Falls, MN

About an hour northeast of Minneapolis, Interstate Park is a location that feels entirely like the North Shore, without the 5-hour drive or the hike. Within the half-mile of trails, there are an abundance of rocky outcroppings and river views that rival many locations along Minnesota’s North Shore. Because this area is abundant with evergreens (and very few deciduous trees), it’s one of those rare locations that looks good in every season.

Montissippi Regional Park – Monticello, MN

This park in Monticello, MN, boasts 170 acres of beautiful oak savannah, mature pines, and tall prairie grasses. A feature I love most are the 100+ foot pine plantings – the rows of trees create dreamy photos with strong lines and stunning backdrops.

Hennepin Island – Minneapolis, MN

This eight-acre park in the heart of Minneapolis barely feels like you’re in a city. The natural trails and wooden bridges offers state park vibes on the river front, but you’re still downtown. The best part is you can still get those quintessential Minneapolis shots — the Stone Arch Bridge is a four minute walk south of the island trail entrance.

Theodore Wirth Park – Minneapolis, MN

In the western reaches of Minneapolis proper, there’s a small golf course and park called Theodore Wirth Regional Park. Behind the chalet, there’s a small grove of trees atop a hill with the most unique growing patterns and cut.

Long Lake Park – New Brighton, MN

Tall grasses, wildflower fields, woods, beaches, and fishing docks — Long Lake Park in New Brighton screams Minnesota summer lifestyle session. A grassy field complete with native wildflowers grows at park’s center – from June through September, there’s always something blooming.

Breathtaking Engagement Session Locations in the SF Bay Area

I love that we have everything from sweeping golden hills to dreamy beaches and gorgeous redwood forests, all within an hour or so of each other! The potential for photos with a stunning backdrop is endless. Here are my favorite places for engagement sessions in the Bay Area.

Sutro Baths, San Francisco

Sutro Baths and Lands End are definitely a classic for engagement photos here in the Bay Area. I love starting up in the trees at the beginning of the session and making my way down to the baths right around sunset for the best possible light!

Rodeo Beach, Marin County

With the quintessential succulent covered California coast hills and a beautiful beach, it’s no wonder Rodeo Beach has become my favorite spot for engagement photos lately! I often start the session by hiking up the hill to get the sweeping view.

Russian Ridge, Woodside

Russian Ridge is a beautiful open space preserve up in the hills behind Stanford. The view is absolutely stunning though, and I particular love the beautiful layers of hills in the background.

Foothills Park, Los Altos

Despite being in Los Altos, Foothills Park is actually only open to Palo Alto residents! There’s a lovely grassy hill that gets beautiful light, as well as a lake with a fun dock.

Point Montara, Half Moon Bay

The gorgeous succulent covered cliffs overlooking the ocean just scream Northern California to me and have such a wild charm. I particularly love the rocky shoreline right at sunset.

Top Outdoor Engagement Photoshoot Locations in Pennsylvania

Are you planning engagement photos in PA and looking for the perfect outdoor session location to capture your love? I’ve shot hundreds of engagement sessions across the Keystone State and put together a list of my all-time fav outdoor photo locations.

F&M College Campus

I loved the architectural aspect of the campus buildings, walkways, and stairs that we were able to incorporate into photos. This is such a serene and versatile location, especially for couples whose love story began at F&M in Lancaster!

Hershey Theater

The historic Hershey Theater offers breathtaking architecture and timeless charm. The venue’s inspiring décor and manicured grounds are perfect for couples who want a clean and modern look for their photos while still giving a nod to the past.

Overlook Park

Calling all sunset lovers!! Overlook Park in Lancaster County is one of the best outdoor engagement photoshoot locations for capturing blue skies, hills, woods, and picturesque trails.

Longwood Gardens

This list would NOT be complete without mentioning Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square! There are a whopping 1,077 acres of gardens to explore, from flower-filled meadows to elegant fountains.

Tyler Gardens

Tyler Gardens may be one of the best engagement photoshoot locations in Bucks County! Classical architecture and dramatic stairways are surrounded by formal English gardens and ponds.

Summary of Featured Locations

Region	Location Name	Key Features
Twin Cities	Interstate Park	Rocky outcroppings and river views
Twin Cities	Hennepin Island	Natural trails and wooden bridges in the city
SF Bay Area	Sutro Baths	Iconic coastal ruins and sunset light
SF Bay Area	Rodeo Beach	Succulent covered hills and sandy beach
Pennsylvania	Longwood Gardens	1,077 acres of gardens and fountains
Pennsylvania	Conestoga House	Brick-paved walkways and live hedges