diff --git a/test/test_plot.py b/test/test_plot.py
index dc5d8a39b..c04fea9b1 100644
--- a/test/test_plot.py
+++ b/test/test_plot.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import os
 import uxarray as ux
+import holoviews as hv
+
 
 from unittest import TestCase
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -44,15 +46,9 @@ def test_face_centered_data(self):
         uxds = ux.open_dataset(gridfile_mpas, gridfile_mpas)
 
         for backend in ['matplotlib', 'bokeh']:
-
-            uxds['bottomDepth'].plot(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.polygons(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.points(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.rasterize(method='polygon',
-                                               backend=backend)
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['bottomDepth'].plot(backend=backend), hv.DynamicMap))
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.polygons(backend=backend), hv.DynamicMap))
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.points(backend=backend), hv.Points))
 
     def test_face_centered_remapped_dim(self):
         """Tests execution of plotting method on a data variable whose
@@ -60,14 +56,10 @@ def test_face_centered_remapped_dim(self):
         uxds = ux.open_dataset(gridfile_ne30, datafile_ne30)
 
         for backend in ['matplotlib', 'bokeh']:
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['psi'].plot(backend=backend), hv.DynamicMap))
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['psi'].plot.polygons(backend=backend), hv.DynamicMap))
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['psi'].plot.points(backend=backend), hv.Points))
 
-            uxds['psi'].plot(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['psi'].plot.polygons(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['psi'].plot.points(backend=backend)
-
-            uxds['psi'].plot.rasterize(method='polygon', backend=backend)
 
     def test_node_centered_data(self):
         """Tests execution of plotting methods on node-centered data."""
@@ -75,11 +67,12 @@ def test_node_centered_data(self):
         uxds = ux.open_dataset(gridfile_geoflow, datafile_geoflow)
 
         for backend in ['matplotlib', 'bokeh']:
-            uxds['v1'][0][0].plot(backend=backend)
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['v1'][0][0].plot(backend=backend), hv.Points))
 
-            uxds['v1'][0][0].plot.points(backend=backend)
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['v1'][0][0].plot.points(backend=backend), hv.Points))
+
+            assert(isinstance(uxds['v1'][0][0].topological_mean(destination='face').plot.polygons(backend=backend), hv.DynamicMap))
 
-            uxds['v1'][0][0].topological_mean(destination='face').plot.polygons(backend=backend)
 
 
     def test_clabel(self):
@@ -88,9 +81,18 @@ def test_clabel(self):
         uxds = ux.open_dataset(gridfile_geoflow, datafile_geoflow)
 
         raster_no_clabel = uxds['v1'][0][0].plot.rasterize(method='point')
-
         raster_with_clabel = uxds['v1'][0][0].plot.rasterize(method='point', clabel='Foo')
 
+    def test_engine(self):
+        uxds = ux.open_dataset(gridfile_mpas, gridfile_mpas)
+        _plot_sp = uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.polygons(rasterize=True, engine='spatialpandas')
+        _plot_gp = uxds['bottomDepth'].plot.polygons(rasterize=True, engine='geopandas')
+
+        assert isinstance(_plot_sp, hv.DynamicMap)
+        assert isinstance(_plot_gp, hv.DynamicMap)
+
+
+
 class TestXarrayMethods(TestCase):
 
     def test_dataset(self):
diff --git a/uxarray/core/dataarray.py b/uxarray/core/dataarray.py
index a038ca5a0..1cb63b070 100644
--- a/uxarray/core/dataarray.py
+++ b/uxarray/core/dataarray.py
@@ -154,11 +154,11 @@ def to_geodataframe(
         self,
         periodic_elements: Optional[str] = "exclude",
         projection: Optional[ccrs.Projection] = None,
-        project: Optional[bool] = False,
         cache: Optional[bool] = True,
         override: Optional[bool] = False,
         engine: Optional[str] = "spatialpandas",
         exclude_antimeridian: Optional[bool] = None,
+        **kwargs,
     ):
         """Constructs a ``GeoDataFrame`` consisting of polygons representing
         the faces of the current ``Grid`` with a face-centered data variable
@@ -178,7 +178,8 @@ def to_geodataframe(
             - 'split': Periodic elements will be identified and split using the ``antimeridian`` package
             - 'ignore': No processing will be applied to periodic elements.
         projection: ccrs.Projection, optional
-            Geographic projection used to transform polygons
+            Geographic projection used to transform polygons. Only supported when periodic_elements is set to
+            'ignore' or 'exclude'
         cache: bool, optional
             Flag used to select whether to cache the computed GeoDataFrame
         override: bool, optional
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ def to_geodataframe(
 
         Returns
         -------
-        gdf : spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame
+        gdf : spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame or geopandas.GeoDataFrame
             The output ``GeoDataFrame`` with a filled out "geometry" column of polygons and a data column with the
             same name as the ``UxDataArray`` (or named ``var`` if no name exists)
         """
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ def to_geodataframe(
             gdf, non_nan_polygon_indices = self.uxgrid.to_geodataframe(
                 periodic_elements=periodic_elements,
                 projection=projection,
-                project=project,
+                project=kwargs.get("project", True),
                 cache=cache,
                 override=override,
                 exclude_antimeridian=exclude_antimeridian,
diff --git a/uxarray/grid/geometry.py b/uxarray/grid/geometry.py
index bb2f68f43..09f5e50b0 100644
--- a/uxarray/grid/geometry.py
+++ b/uxarray/grid/geometry.py
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def _correct_central_longitude(node_lon, node_lat, projection):
 
 def _grid_to_polygon_geodataframe(grid, periodic_elements, projection, project, engine):
     """Converts the faces of a ``Grid`` into a ``spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame``
-    with a geometry column of polygons."""
+    or ``geopandas.GeoDataFrame`` with a geometry column of polygons."""
 
     node_lon, node_lat, central_longitude = _correct_central_longitude(
         grid.node_lon.values, grid.node_lat.values, projection
@@ -214,9 +214,8 @@ def _grid_to_polygon_geodataframe(grid, periodic_elements, projection, project,
         gdf = _build_geodataframe_with_antimeridian(
             polygon_shells,
             projected_polygon_shells,
-            projection,
             antimeridian_face_indices,
-            engine=geopandas,
+            engine=engine,
         )
     elif periodic_elements == "ignore":
         if engine == "geopandas":
@@ -248,8 +247,9 @@ def _grid_to_polygon_geodataframe(grid, periodic_elements, projection, project,
 def _build_geodataframe_without_antimeridian(
     polygon_shells, projected_polygon_shells, antimeridian_face_indices, engine
 ):
-    """Builds a ``spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame`` excluding any faces that cross
-    the antimeridian."""
+    """Builds a ``spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame`` or
+    ``geopandas.GeoDataFrame``excluding any faces that cross the
+    antimeridian."""
     if projected_polygon_shells is not None:
         # use projected shells if a projection is applied
         shells_without_antimeridian = np.delete(
@@ -276,12 +276,11 @@ def _build_geodataframe_without_antimeridian(
 def _build_geodataframe_with_antimeridian(
     polygon_shells,
     projected_polygon_shells,
-    projection,
     antimeridian_face_indices,
     engine,
 ):
-    """Builds a ``spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame`` including any faces that cross
-    the antimeridian."""
+    """Builds a ``spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame`` or ``geopandas.GeoDataFrame``
+    including any faces that cross the antimeridian."""
     polygons = _build_corrected_shapely_polygons(
         polygon_shells, projected_polygon_shells, antimeridian_face_indices
     )
@@ -425,7 +424,8 @@ def _grid_to_matplotlib_polycollection(
     # Handle unsupported configuration: splitting periodic elements with projection
     if periodic_elements == "split" and projection is not None:
         raise ValueError(
-            "Projections are not supported when splitting periodic elements.'"
+            "Explicitly projecting lines is not supported. Please pass in your projection"
+            "using the 'transform' parameter"
         )
 
     # Correct the central longitude and build polygon shells
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ def _grid_to_matplotlib_polycollection(
         return PolyCollection(polygon_shells, **kwargs), []
 
 
-def _get_polygons(grid, periodic_elements, projection=None):
+def _get_polygons(grid, periodic_elements, projection=None, apply_projection=True):
     # Correct the central longitude if projection is provided
     node_lon, node_lat, central_longitude = _correct_central_longitude(
         grid.node_lon.values, grid.node_lat.values, projection
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ def _get_polygons(grid, periodic_elements, projection=None):
     )
 
     # If projection is provided, create the projected polygon shells
-    if projection:
+    if projection and apply_projection:
         projected_polygon_shells = _build_polygon_shells(
             node_lon,
             node_lat,
@@ -625,8 +625,14 @@ def _grid_to_matplotlib_linecollection(
 ):
     """Constructs and returns a ``matplotlib.collections.LineCollection``"""
 
+    if periodic_elements == "split" and projection is not None:
+        apply_projection = False
+    else:
+        apply_projection = True
+
+    # do not explicitly project when splitting elements
     polygons, central_longitude, _, _ = _get_polygons(
-        grid, periodic_elements, projection
+        grid, periodic_elements, projection, apply_projection
     )
 
     # Convert polygons to line segments for the LineCollection
@@ -639,14 +645,13 @@ def _grid_to_matplotlib_linecollection(
         else:
             lines.append(np.array(boundary.coords))
 
-    # Set default transform if not provided
     if "transform" not in kwargs:
-        if projection is None:
+        # Set default transform if one is not provided not provided
+        if projection is None or not apply_projection:
             kwargs["transform"] = ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=central_longitude)
         else:
             kwargs["transform"] = projection
 
-    # Return a LineCollection of the line segments
     return LineCollection(lines, **kwargs)
 
 
diff --git a/uxarray/grid/grid.py b/uxarray/grid/grid.py
index 211aa7949..c90b97786 100644
--- a/uxarray/grid/grid.py
+++ b/uxarray/grid/grid.py
@@ -1635,13 +1635,13 @@ def to_geodataframe(
         self,
         periodic_elements: Optional[str] = "exclude",
         projection: Optional[ccrs.Projection] = None,
-        project: Optional[bool] = False,
         cache: Optional[bool] = True,
         override: Optional[bool] = False,
         engine: Optional[str] = "spatialpandas",
         exclude_antimeridian: Optional[bool] = None,
         return_non_nan_polygon_indices: Optional[bool] = False,
         exclude_nan_polygons: Optional[bool] = True,
+        **kwargs,
     ):
         """Constructs a ``GeoDataFrame`` consisting of polygons representing
         the faces of the current ``Grid``
@@ -1661,7 +1661,8 @@ def to_geodataframe(
             - 'split': Periodic elements will be identified and split using the ``antimeridian`` package
             - 'ignore': No processing will be applied to periodic elements.
         projection: ccrs.Projection, optional
-            Geographic projection used to transform polygons
+            Geographic projection used to transform polygons. Only supported when periodic_elements is set to
+            'ignore' or 'exclude'
         cache: bool, optional
             Flag used to select whether to cache the computed GeoDataFrame
         override: bool, optional
@@ -1679,7 +1680,7 @@ def to_geodataframe(
 
         Returns
         -------
-        gdf : spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame
+        gdf : spatialpandas.GeoDataFrame or geopandas.GeoDataFrame
             The output ``GeoDataFrame`` with a filled out "geometry" column of polygons.
         """
 
@@ -1688,6 +1689,9 @@ def to_geodataframe(
                 f"Invalid engine. Expected one of ['spatialpandas', 'geopandas'] but received {engine}"
             )
 
+        # if project is false, projection is only used for determining central coordinates
+        project = kwargs.get("project", True)
+
         if projection and project:
             if periodic_elements == "split":
                 raise ValueError(
@@ -1871,13 +1875,6 @@ def to_linecollection(
                 f"Invalid value for 'periodic_elements'. Expected one of ['ignore', 'exclude', 'split'] but received: {periodic_elements}"
             )
 
-        if projection is not None:
-            if periodic_elements == "split":
-                raise ValueError(
-                    "Setting ``periodic_elements='split'`` is not supported when a "
-                    "projection is provided."
-                )
-
         if self._line_collection_cached_parameters["line_collection"] is not None:
             if (
                 self._line_collection_cached_parameters["periodic_elements"]
diff --git a/uxarray/plot/accessor.py b/uxarray/plot/accessor.py
index bfaa3c16e..8f4938f5a 100644
--- a/uxarray/plot/accessor.py
+++ b/uxarray/plot/accessor.py
@@ -163,7 +163,13 @@ def face_centers(self, backend=None, **kwargs):
 
     face_centers.__doc__ = face_coords.__doc__
 
-    def edges(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, **kwargs):
+    def edges(
+        self,
+        periodic_elements="exclude",
+        backend=None,
+        engine="spatialpandas",
+        **kwargs,
+    ):
         """Plots the edges of a Grid.
 
         This function plots the edges of the grid as geographical paths using `hvplot`.
@@ -182,6 +188,8 @@ def edges(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, **kwargs):
             - "split": Split periodic elements.
         backend : str or None, optional
             Plotting backend to use. One of ['matplotlib', 'bokeh']. Equivalent to running holoviews.extension(backend)
+        engine: str, optional
+            Engine to use for GeoDataFrame construction. One of ['spatialpandas', 'geopandas']
         **kwargs : dict
             Additional keyword arguments passed to `hvplot.paths`. These can include:
             - "rasterize" (bool): Whether to rasterize the plot (default: False),
@@ -195,7 +203,6 @@ def edges(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, **kwargs):
         gdf.hvplot.paths : hvplot.paths
             A paths plot of the edges of the unstructured grid
         """
-
         uxarray.plot.utils.backend.assign(backend)
 
         if "rasterize" not in kwargs:
@@ -212,8 +219,11 @@ def edges(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, **kwargs):
             kwargs["crs"] = ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=central_longitude)
 
         gdf = self._uxgrid.to_geodataframe(
-            periodic_elements=periodic_elements, projection=kwargs.get("projection")
-        )[["geometry"]]
+            periodic_elements=periodic_elements,
+            projection=kwargs.get("projection"),
+            engine=engine,
+            project=False,
+        )
 
         return gdf.hvplot.paths(geo=True, **kwargs)
 
@@ -260,8 +270,15 @@ def __getattr__(self, name: str) -> Any:
         else:
             raise AttributeError(f"Unsupported Plotting Method: '{name}'")
 
-    def polygons(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, *args, **kwargs):
-        """Generate a shaded polygon plot of a face-centered data variable.
+    def polygons(
+        self,
+        periodic_elements="exclude",
+        backend=None,
+        engine="spatialpandas",
+        *args,
+        **kwargs,
+    ):
+        """Generated a shaded polygon plot.
 
         This function plots the faces of an unstructured grid shaded with a face-centered data variable using hvplot.
         It allows for rasterization, projection settings, and labeling of the data variable to be
@@ -278,6 +295,8 @@ def polygons(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, *args, **kwargs):
             - "ignore": Include periodic elements without any corrections
         backend : str or None, optional
             Plotting backend to use. One of ['matplotlib', 'bokeh']. Equivalent to running holoviews.extension(backend)
+        engine: str, optional
+            Engine to use for GeoDataFrame construction. One of ['spatialpandas', 'geopandas']
         *args : tuple
             Additional positional arguments to be passed to `hvplot.polygons`.
         **kwargs : dict
@@ -309,7 +328,10 @@ def polygons(self, periodic_elements="exclude", backend=None, *args, **kwargs):
             kwargs["crs"] = ccrs.PlateCarree(central_longitude=central_longitude)
 
         gdf = self._uxda.to_geodataframe(
-            periodic_elements=periodic_elements, projection=kwargs.get("projection")
+            periodic_elements=periodic_elements,
+            projection=kwargs.get("projection"),
+            engine=engine,
+            project=False,
         )
 
         return gdf.hvplot.polygons(