As much as we’d like to think that Colorado is the epicenter of cannabis culture, the reality is that our favorite state is not the only place in the U.S. where you can have a good ol’ time with cannabis.
Sure, we were the first ones to pave the way for legal cannabis in the country, but as medicinal and recreational marijuana becomes legal state-by state, other cities across America are giving Denver, and other pot-loving cities in Colorado, a run for their money.
Just take Las Vegas, for example. The desert city that was once known for rows of slot machines and roulette tables — not to mention the epic nightlife — is now earning its rightful spot as a cannabis destination. Don’t believe us? Just check out the very Vegas-y Reef Dispensaries, what with their underwater theme and all.
But it’s hardly just Vegas that has carved out a visit-worthy niche in the cannabis scene. If you’re itching to take a road trip and want to make some interesting pot stops along the way, here are a few pot lovin’ cities
and dispensaries you should consider hitting up as part of your plans.
Anchorage, Alaska
Most interesting dispensary to visit: Cannabaska
If you’re a lover of nature, Alaska has a lot to offer: breathtaking views, access to the ocean AND mountains, and not too many people around to disturb your trip. Anchorage is home to events such as the Anchorage Folk Festival and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
It also so happens that Alaska has dozens of pristine dispensaries worth checking out.
Alaska was one of the first states to allow social consumption of marijuana products, meaning you don’t have to hide in your home (if you don’t want to) in order to enjoy a blunt. It is now legal for marijuana users to partake in consumption on the property of approved retailers and lounges.
For example, Cannabaska, a dispensary in Anchorage with its own grow, allows those of legal age (21) to plan private events on the company’s property. As part of its party packaging, Cannabaska offers edibles, flower, prerolls, concentrate carts, and wax.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Most interesting dispensary to visit: Planet 13
Las Vegas’ very Vegas-y dispensaries are like nothing Colorado has ever seen. Take Planet 13, for example, where this shop isn’t just a dispensary. It’s a superstore. Strolling through Planet 13 will feel more like you’re strolling through a bougie casino or movie premiere rather than picking up flower.
Let us paint a picture for you. When you walk up to the shop, er, ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, you’ll be met with 13 LED lotus flowers that stand 15-foot tall on Planet 13’s roof. The flowers are meant to be pieces of interactive art and are made of acrylic leaves and metal stems. On top of that, there is also an 18-foot outdoor water feature that utilizes LED lights and fog to create a glowing show for visitors. Don’t believe us?
According to Planet 13’s website, you can spot the waterworks from the 65,000 hotel rooms with a view of the complex. But wait! We haven’t even gotten to the orb show yet. Once inside the store, are greeted with an orb show to entertain them while they wait in line.
Los Angeles, California
Most interesting dispensary to visit: Cookies on Melrose
California’s cannabis industry has long been popular for the state’s southern residents, and for good reason(s). For starters, it’s home to Cookies on Melrose, the go-to dispensary for celebrities like Logic,
Sosamann, Scott Storch, and Wiz Khalifa.
And, it’s not just dispensaries that set La-La Land apart from the rest. There’s plenty of pot-centric entertainment to help drive the interest.
If you’re looking for a 420 experience, there are plenty of pot tours available in this southern Cali city.
One of the more popular options is Green Tours, which takes you through the history and current events of the marijuana industry in LA, starting at Universal Studios Hollywood. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore some of LA’s top-notch dispensaries while indulging in what Green Tour calls “bake sessions.”
We want in.
San Francisco, California
Most interesting dispensary to visit: Foggy Daze, which is only sort of a dispensary
Of course the city of San Francisco, which was home to the hippie movement and the infamous alt-district known as Haight-Ashbury, is going to be on this list.
If you happen to be in town on April 20, otherwise known as 4/20, you may want to make plans to show up at Hippie Hill to party hearty.
And, while you’re there, you should also swing by Hempcon in the Bay Area, where you can enjoy live music and (we’re assuming) plenty of secondhand marijuana smoke.
San Francisco also offers plenty of unique cannabis businesses like Foggy Daze — a shop without a shop, so to speak.
With this service, you don’t need to worry about peeling your butt off the couch and trouble yourself with driving all the way out to a dispensary. Foggy Daze does all that for you. Think of them as San Fran’s
GrubHub of weed.
Seattle, Washington
Most interesting dispensary to visit: Uncle Ike’s on 23rd and Union
This West Coast city may be cloudy and rainy, but it offers enough pot to make any day feel like sunshine.
While in Seattle, you can explore the city’s cannabis industry via bus, limo, or even carriage tour. We’re pretty sure if hovering space crafts were a common thing, Seattle would offer those tours as well. Some tours will even pick you up from the airport! How is that for convenience?
Aside from checking out the Space Needle and Pike Place Market, you’ll want to explore some of the city’s plentiful pot shops as well. Seattle is, after all, the second state in the nation to legalize recreational cannabis.
One of the shops you may want to consider hitting up is Uncle Ike’s on 23rd and Union. We don’t know who
Uncle Ike is, but he has a place in our heart because of his flagship dispensary, which is home to one of the biggest 420 parties anywhere in the city.
This shop also has a “daily deals” program that gets you up to 55% off select items. Need to make a call to the shop first? Well, you can ring up 1.800.GET. DRUGS — which is the shop’s number and a major part of why we love it. While you’re out, make sure to swing by Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis and Have a Heart, two other noteworthy dispensaries in San Francisco.
