A West Coast Road Trip Turned Adventure Couples Session
We were told not to end up in Bakersfield. Naturally, we ended up in Bakersfield.
Not because we had some glamorous, color-coded, influencer-approved road trip itinerary. Please. We were very much operating on intuition, vibes, questionable gas station snacks, and the deeply humbling experience of eating Taco Bell in Bakersfield after roughly eleven hours of driving.
It kind of cooked.
This whole trip started as a West Coast road trip and turned into the exact kind of adventure couples session experience I wish more people knew they could have.
Featuring: random roadside stops, coffee shop editing days, thrift stores, San Francisco food that changed my brain chemistry, a pitch-black Oregon beach walk where I’m still pretty sure there was a coyote, car camping, record stores, coastal cliffs, city parks, exhaustion, McDonald’s, and of course, baller photos.
Basically, a chaotic scrapbook of locations, couples, and “wait, pull over, the light is fire” moments.
And pookie, I’m obsessed.
Because couples photos do not have to be boring. They do not have to be one hour in a field with the same three Pinterest poses everyone and their mother has saved. They can be a road trip, a date, a weird little side quest, or a full-on memory you actually lived before you ever saw the gallery.
That’s what an adventure couples session can be.
Psst: Why you should book a just-because couples session.
So… What Is an Adventure Couples Session?
An adventure couples session is basically what happens when we stop treating photos like a chore and start treating them like an experience.
It does not have to mean hiking twelve miles in matching earth-tone outfits while pretending you’re not sweating. Love that for some people. Could not be me every time.
An adventure couples session can look like:
- running around Crissy Field in San Francisco
- wandering through redwoods in Sebastopol
- chasing sunrise on the Oregon Coast
- shooting in a record store because you’re cool like that
- grabbing food after because obviously
- driving somewhere new just because the location feels right
- stopping at random roadside spots because the light is being dramatic
The whole point is that we get to collab and cook up something that actually feels like you.
Not “insert couple here.” Not “stand there and fake laugh for 45 minutes.”
This type of session is giving more YOU! Your energy! The weird little inside jokes! Your favorite places. Your “bbg, we’re doing this for the plot” kind of photos.
The Route: California, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and a Lot of “Should We Stop Here?”
This trip had range. Like, truly, she was doing the most.
Day 1: Cedar to San Francisco
We left Cedar and drove roughly eleven hours.
Somehow, despite being advised otherwise, we ended up in Bakersfield. The drive was actually pretty, though, so honestly, no regrets. We just followed our intuition, stopped at random roadside locations, ate Taco Bell, and kept moving.
Then we made it to San Francisco and immediately got food because… priorities.
Food stops: Souvla, which was SO good. Like, spiritually healing. Gott’s Roadside, also a banger.
Day 2: San Francisco
The next day was very much giving “creative road trip gremlin.”
We wandered around thrift stores, and then photographed Aubrey + Brevin at Crissy Field.
Crissy Field is perfect if you want your couples photos to feel coastal, city-ish, windy, cinematic, and a little bit chaotic in the best way. San Francisco understood the assignment.
Day 3: Sebastopol + Armstrong Woods
The next shoot was with Alannie + Nick at Armstrong Woods, which is basically redwood magic without having to scream over crowds every two seconds.
The trees are insanely tall, the light is soft, giving major Twilight vibes meets forest romance. Very “indie movie couple who definitely has good playlists.”
Day 4: Sebastopol to Brookings
We had lunch at the Antique Society, which also has a huge antique store attached to it. Very dangerous if you’re the kind of person who says “I’m just looking” and then suddenly needs a vintage Tiffany lamp, three mugs, and a chair that will not fit in your car.
Then we drove six hours to Brookings.
By the time we got there, we were dead. Like, McDonald’s-for-dinner, camping-in-the-car, no-thoughts-left dead.
We stayed at Harris Beach State Park, which has a one-day camping fee and actual amenities, bless.
And then, because we apparently had not learned the value of rest, we walked around the beach in basically pitch black darkness. It was super fun. It was also giving “this is either a core memory or the opening scene of a low-budget horror movie.”
Pretty sure there was a coyote.
Still worth it.
Day 5: Brookings to Portland
The next morning started with Victoria + David’s elopement on the cliffs about an hour after sunrise, followed by Secret Beach.
This part of the Oregon Coast is unreal. The cliffs have personality, the water is dramatic, and there’s that salty foggy air that makes everything feel cinematic without even trying.
Like not to toot my own horn, but this kind of location, light, and couple?
Baller.
Then we drove six hours to Portland because apparently rest was not invited on this trip.
Days 6–7: Portland Content Days
Portland was for Gage’s content days, and we cooked up multiple shoots.
Shoot 1: Michelle + Brody
Location: Mid-century modern home in Portland
This was giving cozy, funky, editorial, cool people with good taste. A very different vibe from the coast, which is exactly why destination couples photography is so fun. You can go from cliffs and sea stacks to indoor flash/editorial goodness and somehow both make sense.
Shoot 2: @sushisochi
Location: Elk Flats
Moody, coastal, dramatic, fire. That is all that needs to be said.
Shoot 3: Lily + Justin
Location: Apple Maps mystery location, which honestly feels very on-brand for this entire trip.
Food: McMenamins & Pelican Brewing Company
Because again, the food is part of the experience. I will not be taking questions.
Day 8: Nampa + Boise
Then we drove six and a half hours to Nampa for a shoot with Destiny + Xzavier at The Record Exchange.
And this is exactly what I mean when I say couples session ideas do not have to be boring.
A record store session? Say less.
It’s playful, nostalgic, personality-packed, and wayyyy more interesting than pretending you naturally frolic in a random field if that is not your vibe.
Afterward, we had dinner with the couple at some random pizza place. I do not remember the name, which feels rude of my brain, but I do remember the vibes were good.
Then we drove another hour and spent the night in Boise.
Day 9: Salt Lake City to Cedar
We photographed Jeremy + Sydney at Washington Square Park, grabbed dinner at Himalayan Kitchen, and then drove the last three to four hours back to Cedar.
At this point, we were probably 70% caffeine, 20% road trip snacks, and 10% pure delusion.
But the photos were worth it.
Why Road Trip Sessions Make Photos Feel Different
A road trip couples session gives the photos a whole different kind of energy, because you’re not just showing up, smiling, and leaving. You’re making a day out of it. Or a weekend. Or, apparently, a multi-state journey fueled by intuition and McDonald’s.
You get photos that hold the full memory:
- The drive.
- The food.
- The “wait, should we stop here?”
- The thrift store finds.
- The weird little gas station moments.
- The tired laughs.
- The cliffs at sunrise.
- The city at golden hour.
- The record store aisle.
- The pizza after.
That is what makes cinematic couples photos feel cinematic. Not because we forced drama into every pose, but because the whole experience already had a pulse.
Adventure Couples Session Ideas Inspired by This Trip
- Start with coffee, wandering, thrift stores, or a favorite restaurant, then end at the beach or cliffs for sunset.
- Visit a record or bookstore. This is perfect for couples who want something nostalgic, playful, and a little cooler than “we stood in front of a tree.”
- Pick a general route, leave space to pull over, and let the day unfold. This is for my “for the plot” couples.
- Start in a cute Airbnb, cabin, or mid-century house, then head outside for golden hour.
- Grab pizza, tacos, burgers, coffee, ice cream, whatever feels like you. Food photos are underrated and I said what I said.
Locations From This West Coast Couples Session Road Trip
- San Francisco, California — Crissy Field: This is best for couples who want city, coast, bridge views, movement, wind, and a little bit of cinematic chaos.
- Sebastopol, California — Armstrong Woods: Perfect for couples who want redwoods, quiet trails, and that tucked-away forest feeling.
- Brookings, Oregon — Harris Beach + Secret Beach Area: Ideal for couples who want moody cliffs, coastal fog, sea stacks, and sunrise that feels a little unreal. The Southern Oregon Coast is already known for rugged coastline and adventure elopements, which makes it a strong visual anchor for this kind of travel-heavy session.
- Portland, Oregon — Mid-Century Home + Elk Flats: A great place for couples who want editorial, cozy, creative, or coastal energy without everything feeling overly posed.
- Nampa/Boise, Idaho — The Record Exchange: Perfect for couples who want something playful, nostalgic, and personality-packed.
- Salt Lake City, Utah — Washington Square Park A great spot for couples who want a relaxed city session with greenery, architecture, and an easygoing downtown feel.
Who Is This Kind of Couples Session For?
This is for the couples who want more than “pretty.” Pretty is great. We love pretty. Pretty can stay.
But I want more than pretty.
I want photos that feel like you can hear the song that was playing in the car. Like you remember what you ate afterward. Like you can feel the wind, the tired laughs, the weird little in-between moments.
This kind of session is for you if:
- you want your photos to feel like a memory
- you’re down for a little chaos
- you care more about the experience than perfection
- you want to collab instead of be overly posed
- you love travel, road trips, cities, coasts, record stores, forests, or random side quests
- you want photos that feel cinematic without feeling fake
You do not have to be an “adventure couple” in the cargo-shorts-and-hiking-poles sense.
Unless you are. In which case, slay, because lowkey, same.
You just have to be open to doing something that feels like your actual life, but a little more intentional and way more photographed.
How to Plan Your Own Adventure Couples Session
- Pick the general vibe first: Are we giving coastal baddie? Cozy bookstore gremlin? Road trip chaos? City date night? Redwoods? Record store romance? Desert main character?
- Choose one anchor location: This keeps us from spiraling into “what if we did 47 locations in one day?” energy. One strong anchor location gives the session direction.
- Add one experience: Coffee. Dinner. Thrifting. Camping. Driving. Pizza. A brewery. A beach walk. A record store. You pick!!
- Leave room for spontaneity: Some of the best photos happened because we saw a random roadside spot and said, “Wait. That’s fire.”
- Hire someone who can go with the flow: Not to toot my own horn, but this is where I’m baller. The location can change, weather can get weird, lighting can do something dramatic and the original plan can fully leave the chat. And we’ll still make something good.
Want Your Couples Photos to Feel Like an Actual Experience, Too?
If you’re vibing with this, pookie, this is your sign. We can build a session around your favorite city, your dream road trip, your go-to date night, your favorite record store, your weird little idea, or a location that makes your brain go “wait, yes.” Tell me more about your roadtrip couples session.
LOVED THIS BLOG? Check out my anti-boring couples photo guide, next.
