Summer or winter, the little Idaho town of McCall is a stunning place for your adventure elopement! Surrounded by Payette Lake, McCall has lots of activities to choose from that will suit any adventurer. In this ultimate planning guide for eloping in McCall, Idaho, I'll go over:
Places to Stay in McCall - Including Dog Friendly Options
Places to Eat
Awesome Hikes for your Adventure Elopement
Winter Activities
Summer Activities
Recreation Areas and Parks
Hot Springs
Rental Places
Other Info
Vendor Info for your Elopement
Places to Stay in McCall - Including Dog Friendly Options
McCall has some great options to stay right in town, which is super nice if you elope there because everything is right there! The main drive in McCall has beautiful views of Payette Lake. If you don't want to stay right in town, check out New Meadows which is right down the road for some more options! There are also some yurts to stay in as well throughout the McCall area if you are feeling extra adventurous! Here's some top popular places in town.
Shore Lodge
Brundage Bungalows
The Scandia Inn
Hotel McCall
Rustic Inn
Tamarack Resort
And here's some awesome Airbnb's that would be great for getting ready photos!
Here's some awesome VRBO's as well! Be sure to look at all the listings for VRBO's in McCall because there are several amazing places to stay! Here's a few just from the top of the first page:
Great Places to Eat in McCall
After adventuring around all day, here's some popular places to grab some grub!
Front Porch Pizza (this is located in New Meadows, but it's a great pizza place)!
Toll Station Pizza
Growler's Pizza Grill
Frenchie's
Steamer's Steak and Seafood
My Father's Place
Stax
Rupert's
Lardos Grill and Saloon
Bistro 45
Awesome Hikes for Your Adventure Elopement
McCall is a perfect place to visit if you love doing activities outdoors! These hikes would be perfect if you want to incorporate hiking into your day. Here's some stunning hikes to check out for your adventure elopement (imagine having your ceremony at any of these spots)!
Louie Lake Trail (Jughandle Mountain)
Box Lake Trail
Brundage Mountain Hiking Trails
Deep Lake Trail
Josephine Lake Trail
Duck Lake via Twentymile Trail
Rainbow Lake Trail
Granite Mountain Trail 165
Lake Serene Trail
Winter Elopement Activities in McCall
McCall is the perfect place to visit in the winter, and here's some ideas on what you can do if you're craving a winter elopement!
Visit ski resorts - McCall has 3 hills to ski and snowboard at: Brundage Mountain Resort, Little Ski Hill, and Top of Bluebird Lift.
Snowmobile - The area of McCall is known as some of the West's premier snowmobiling country.
Go snow tubing at the McCall Activity Barn
Sleigh rides
Snowshoe
Snow bike
Nordic ski or snowshoe on Bear Basin trails
Ice skate
Attend the winter carnival
Stay and ski at Tamarack Resort
Summer Elopement Activities in McCall
If winter isn't your thing, check out these summer activities in McCall! Winter is more limited on accessibility in the mountains, so here's some ideas for you summer lovers. Also check out Lake Cascade just down the road!
Rent a canoe or kayak at Backwoods Adventures on North Beach
Recreate on Jughandle Mountain - hike, picnic, swim, fish, rock climb
Mountain bike on Bear Basin trails
Hike to an alpine lake
Zipline
Horseback ride
Boat, swim, fish, paddleboard, kayak on Payette Lake
Jet boat on the river
See the wooden and classic boat show on Payette Lake
Take a scenic boat tour
Recreation Areas and Parks
North Beach
Rotary Park
Brown Park
Art Roberts Park
Davis Beach
Ponderosa State Park - Osprey Cliff Overlook
Payette Lake, Little Payette Lake, Lake Cascade
Tamarack Falls Fishing Bridge
Hot Springs
Hot springs are a perfect winter (or summer) activity to include in your elopement timeline! Imagine snow falling down, drinking some good drinks, wearing a beanie, and getting cute romantic photos taken while you soak! This would also be perfect before or after the elopement, or after a day of skiing on the mountain.
Burgdorf Hot Springs and Resort - You can snowmobile to this hot spring in the winter!
Trail Creek Hot Springs
Council Mountain Hot Springs
Kirkham Hot Springs
Rental Places for Fun Activities
Looking to rent some gear for your stay? Check out these places!
Mile High Power Sports
Cheap Thrills Rentals
McCall Sports
Gravity Sports
Mile High Marina
Home Town Sports
Backwoods Adventures Canoe and Kayak Rental
Mountain Meadow Adventure Rentals
CM Backcountry Rentals and Adventures
Apex Electric Bike Sales and Rentals
Redline Recreational Toys
Other Info
There are only two grocery stores in McCall - Albertson's and Ridley's Family Market.
McCall has an elevation of over 5,000 feet. Be sure to arrive into town a few days early to help avoid altitude sickness during your elopement. You can also get medicine to help.
Dogs aren't allowed in Ponderosa State Park in the winter, except for one trail (Rover's Round About).
You can snowshoe or cross country ski in the winter at Ponderosa, but it's not open for hiking or biking until spring.
There are a ton of available campgrounds around McCall.
Vendor Info for Your McCall Elopement
If you're coming in from out of town, there are limited vendors you can hire. There aren't a ton of options in McCall, but the nearby town of Boise has way more options for vendors like hair stylists, makeup artists, and florists. If you still can't find what you're looking for, some companies can deliver. You could also probably meet in the middle so the delivery cost isn't so high.
There are some tips you can keep in mind to make the process smoother, such as ordering wood flowers so they won't wilt by the time you are ready, or keep in mind flowers can be ready to go for a few days if they're kept cold. You can order pre-made floral bouquets as well, and they come in a cooler. Usually bouquets can be put together before the blooms open, so in the few days until you arrive, they won't be bloomed out. Or you can simply make the bouquet yourself. I've had brides do this and the florals turn out beautiful! As for food, you can also order dessert ahead of time, and have it delivered to you if you don't order locally. If you aren't a fan of cake, it will be easier to order something like custom cookies, and bring them with you.
I also do some research for you to help you find the vendors you are needing for your elopement, so I provide a custom list of vendors for you as well!
McCall Elopement Photographer
I hope this ultimate planning guide for eloping in McCall helps you see what activities you can incorporate into your adventure elopement! McCall is the perfect town for some fun and memorable adventures!
Here's a review that was left for me when I photographed Tasha and Billy's Winter Wonderland McCall elopement:
"When planning for our elopement in Idaho & coming from Florida, Karlie made the whole process smooth from start to finish. No detail was left out. She made our wedding day experience one we will never forget and the photos we get to cherish for a lifetime. I highly recommend Karlie for all your photography needs. She puts a lot of time and effort into planning your session and truly goes above and beyond."
If you hire me for your adventure elopement, you'll be provided with a customized list based off of your vision and location for your elopement day! You can contact me here if you are interested in booking with me!
