Must Visit Cannabis Tourist Attractions in the U.S.

In 1936, the film Reefer Madness warned of all the inherent dangers of taking even so much as one puff of a marijuana cigarette. But this isn’t 1936. This is 2024, and cannabis is finally starting to be recognized for the wonder plant that it is. Marijuana is now legal for recreational use by persons over 21 years of age in 24 of these United States, and 17 states allow it for medicinal use. Of the nine remaining states, seven of them are easing into acceptance by allowing CBD oil – leaving only Idaho and Nebraska as the primitive holdouts. Oh, the times they are a changin’.

With that said, here’s a guide to some of the best cannabis tourist attractions within some of those fabulous and progressive 24 states that you should check out when you can.

Los Angeles, California

Where better to start this list than in Hollywood? California was the first state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes way back in 1996. As home to cannabis media giants High Times, Merry Jane, and Civilized, as well as more than 1,400 licensed dispensaries, LA is definitely a 420-friendly kind of city. If publicly consuming cannabis in a social environment is your thing, then the City of Angels should definitely top your list of cannabis tourist attractions. Cannabis tourists can pay a visit to the landmark OG Cannabis Cafe, which was the world’s first cannabis restaurant established back in 2019, where they can enjoy everything from premium flower and pre-rolls to infused eats along with rentable smoking accessories to experiment with — or any of the 3 later entries into the West Hollywood cannabis consumption lounge scene – PleasureMed, The Woods and The Artist Tree. La La Land is not only a place to acquire premium marijuana and make use of it without fear but also offers tons of fun-to-do-while-high activities such as Weed Bus Tours, Stoner Painting Classes, not to mention blazing trips to museums, beaches, and clubs as well.

Denver, Colorado

Here’s a fun fact: Colorado contains more dispensaries than all of their Starbucks and McDonald’s combined! Along with Washington, Colorado was one of the first two states to fully legalize marijuana in 2012. And Denver alone has more than 300 different dispensaries. While in Denver as a cannabis tourist, you can experience the best field trip ever by visiting Euflora — often referred to as The Apple Store of cannabis — where the marijuana for sale is kept on display tables that allow customers to closely examine and even smell the different buds without touching them, with tablet computers next to them containing detailed and regularly updated information about each of the strains for sale. The Mile High City is also the perfect place for a cannabis tourist to enjoy The Cannabis Experience, the nation’s first marijuana-licensed consumption bus. The epitome of blazing fun on wheels, you can get baked and then go miniature golfing, do your own glass-blowing, chow down on tacos and so much more. If you get exhausted from all the fun, be sure to book a night at the 420-friendly Bed & Breakfast known as Arrowhead Manor, where, with a little advance planning, you can partake of a gourmet cannabis-infused dinner prepared by an award-winning chef!

Chicago, Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker made marijuana legalization a key component in his election campaign and then passed the legalization bill into law at the start of 2020. Since then, Chi-Town has never looked back. Residents of the Windy City have fully embraced their love of the green with businesses like the Wake-N-Bakery, a cannabis tourist attraction coffee shop offering not only a darn good cup o’ joe but the finest infused baked goods as well. You can then relax by taking in a show or playing some video games along with tableside cannabis service at the RISE consumption lounge.  Then, once you’re fully flying high, you can explore some of the sights by taking a boat tour of the Chicago River, checking out the Shedd Aquarium, immersing yourself at the Art Institute of Chicago, or tooling around Millennium Park.

Boston, Massachusetts

A plethora of fun tours of this fine city can be booked through Boston Cannabis Tours. When looking to stay at a cannabis friendly hotel, there is no better choice than Boston’s Courtyard Marriott. Aficionados of the combination of physical fitness and pot can enjoy canna-yoga events held twice a month through Dinner at Mary’s, while cannabis tourists who would rather just eat without having to get sweaty can partake at the pop-up supper club known for their menus, which are curated to the season and make use of local ingredients, Eat Sacrilicious. And for a private club that provides a welcoming space for pot-appreciative members to socialize, there is The Summit Lounge.

Every day, in every way, the world is becoming a little bit more open to the wonders of cannabis. If you are a lover of it, you should definitely incorporate green into your vacations and find places that will allow you to do so without any stigma. Hopefully, this guide has pointed you in some interesting directions where you can find a good cannabis tourist attraction — and inspired you to do a little research of your own when planning your next trip to wherever that location may be.

When looking to get away and enjoy your legal right to enjoy cannabis the way you choose to while being surrounded by other like-minded folks, consider one of the upcoming CannaCon expos. When it comes to cannabis tourist attractions, there is nothing like being a part of the nation’s leading B2B conference, where you can be among thousands of other attendees and see hundreds of exhibitors. Start making your plans today!

This article was originally published on Feb 14, 2020, and was updated on May 13, 2024.