Guide to 420-friendly travel in California

Boom or bust, California has always been a destination for travelers of all stripes. From ocean and forests to foothills, mountains, high desert and beyond, the Golden State has much to offer visitors interested in world-famous attractions, national parks and urban nightlife.

The Visit California tourism board estimates that in 2022 leisure travelers will recover by 94% to pre-pandemic levels. Now, leisure travelers looking for sun and fun can plan cannabis-friendly destinations and activities on their dream California itinerary.

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Travel and cannabis on the west coast

“California is establishing itself as a true cannabis vacation destination. We’ve seen a noticeable increase in travel planning lately,” said Monique Jackson-Fitzgerald, CEO of cannabis-friendly travel booking platform Indica.

“It was the summer of travel,” she added. “For our visitors who have emerged from pandemic restrictions, the new mindset of travel is about finding meaningful gatherings, unique destinations and transformative experiences. We’ve found that there are almost limitless ways to combine cannabis with travel, making it easy to create an itinerary that encompasses the best of what a destination has to offer.

Finally, with its enviable climate, California is home to some of the world’s most legendary cannabis growing regions, such as the Emerald Triangle north of San Francisco, in forests and mountains that stretch north from the ocean across the Oregon border.

Here are some 420 friendly travel destinations in California.

420-friendly destinations in Northern California

Visitors to Humboldt County’s Lost Coast and small towns once considered secret like Mendocino and Guerneville can increasingly find “420-friendly” bed and breakfast accommodations, cannabis-infused spa activities and cannabis farm tours.

Mine+Farm Inn

“One of our favorite places in Northern California is the Mine+Farm Inn. It is a beautiful property surrounded by nature. They are adjacent to Korbel Vineyards (in Guerneville, California),” said Jackson-Fitzgerald. “A perfect place to pick a vintage to enjoy with your flower.”

The Mine+Farm Inn offers an organic breakfast using ingredients from local farms and special dining events. Guests can easily arrange a cannabis farm tour with one of several local tour operators. “Both the Sonoma County Experience and Happy Travelers Tours are in the area and offer visitors the opportunity to explore cannabis from seed to shelf,” said Jackson-Fitzgerald.

Oakland Cannabis Trail

Hop onto Highway 1 to head up the winding coast to the Bay Area and the city of Oakland, which has become a hub of the state’s cannabis industry. They are also leaders in social justice through the efforts of local pioneering cannabis companies such as the Harborside Dispensary and affiliated cannabis college Oaksterdam University, as well as local women-owned and POC small producers and sellers.

Hoping to encourage the city’s cannabis renaissance, tourist organization Visit Oakland developed the Oakland Cannabis Trail, a walking guide through downtown Oakland where tourists can explore a long list of cannabis retailers and attractions including interactive art, restaurants, shopping, and… can find entertainment.

“Visit Oakland launched the trail in Spring 2022, so this is a new Oakland experience,” Peter Gamez, President and CEO of Visit Oakland, told Weedmaps. “There has been a lot of interest in the Oakland Cannabis Trail. It quickly became one of the top ten searches on our site and continues to climb. The pharmacies have experienced that people visit them because they have heard or read about the trail. We’re confident this will continue to grow as information is shared and people become more aware of their cannabis travel options when visiting Oakland.”

“Some of the most popular experiences,” Gamez added, “were hiking our beautiful redwood forests, visiting the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), and taking a self-guided art walk. The most popular activity is exploring Oakland’s diverse and amazing culinary scene,”

Cannabis dispensaries in the trail guide include Harborside, Cookies, NUG Oakland, Ivy Hill Cannabis, and Blunts + Moore, among others. Local outdoor attractions like Lake Merrit are included on the trail, and multiple foodie options like LJ Quinn’s Lighthouse Pub, Off the Hook Seafood & Super Burritos, Au Lounge, and Aburaya’s Japanese Fried Chicken to name a few.

420-friendly destinations in Central California

For all-inclusive cannabis getaways, head to the Central California coast.

highway travel

Higherway Travel is based in Grover Beach in San Luis Obispo County, near Pismo Beach and Morro Bay. Her co-founder, April Black, has been organizing cannabis tours and special events since the early 2000s, and said she’s also seen an increase in requests recently for some of Higherway’s popular tours, which operate in central and northern California, Hawaii, and even earlier in Europe.

For the event traveler, Black can customize a curated cannabis experience for any occasion, including bridal showers, weddings, birthdays and group tours, and help guests coordinate accommodations and plan local activities, “With so many people, ‘California Sober’, many refrain from gatherings that involve alcohol,” Black told Weedmaps. “I had a group of older ladies for a private yoga class and they were absolutely a delight. With private yoga I come to you everything. This experience includes mats, blankets, straps, blocks, aromatherapy, music, CBD themes to try, edibles, smoke sesh and of course yoga.”

Curated events vary in price depending on what type of activities guests want to experience; Elaborate all-inclusive weekends can start as low as $1,000 and include wine tastings, a visit to local hot springs, spa treatments, gourmet cuisine, and a round of golf. Black tries to fulfill every request.

“That’s the best thing about being a cannabis tour guide—the sky’s the limit,” she said.

420-Friendly Destinations in Southern California

In Southern California, Jackson-Fitzgerald said the Coachella Valley heats up with plenty of desert vacation options, whether you’re into health and wellness or lazing like a lizard.

Desert Hot Springs Inn

“There are dozens of consumption lounges, delivery services, and canna-friendly hotels. Desert Hot Springs is home to some of the first[hotels]and they’re rolling out a green carpet to welcome them,” Jackson-Fitzgerald shared. “If you are looking for an escape, step through the gates of the Desert Hot Springs Inn and leave the rest of the world behind. The DHS Inn is also dog friendly. Bring the pooch along and he can romp in the enclosed dog run or hang out with you in the fully fenced backyard.”

Because rules and regulations vary from county to state, weed-friendly hotels in California are rare and hard to find. However, the Desert Hot Springs Inn has officially listed “cannabis-friendly” on its website’s list of amenities. The hotel also offers natural mineral water from local hot springs, which is piped into the hotel’s courtyard pool and spa facilities.

Local mineral hot springs have been an attraction there since the 1940s, and Desert Hot Springs is California’s official Spa City. Today, CBD oil can be infused into one of the hotel spa’s menus of massage treatments for an additional topical application of relaxation. When you’re ready for a night on the town, the mid-century glamor of Palm Springs is only 15 minutes away.