These days, most everyone has a legal opportunity to buy weed in their hometown. Though in some places you might need to apply for a medical marijuana card, the process isn’t too difficult to gain access to medical dispensaries. There are dozens of benefits to this expanded access — but on the other hand, there isn’t anything particularly romantic about smoking weed bought at a Rockville dispensary in Maryland.
If you want your cannabis experience to feel transcendent, you need to travel to a place that is beautiful, historical, and culturally impactful. Here are a few places around the world where weed is legal — at least in some capacity — and where you can easily find gorgeous experiences to change your worldview.
Arizona
While prospects are good that American travel restrictions will be lifted by 2022, if you still aren’t comfortable traveling internationally, we recommend booking a trip to the Valley of the Sun. Arizona is the most recent state to pass and enact recreational cannabis regulations, and already its retail market is booming, with hundreds of operating dispensaries around the state.
While you could spend your summer beating the Arizona heat next to one of the Valley’s world-class resort pools, you might also venture into other corners of the Grand Canyon State to find exceptional and fascinating natural wonder. The Grand Canyon itself is a bucket-list destination, but there are other remarkably underrated places worth visiting in Arizona, like Horseshoe Bend, Marble Canyon, the Petrified National Forest and Montezuma’s Castle, among others. You might even take a couple weeks to explore this stunning state — with a few sativa strains packed in your suitcase, of course.
British Columbia
Canada was the first major economic power to legalize cannabis nationwide, which means you can buy bud in every province as long as you reach the minimum legal age. Though there are more than a few Canadian destinations that suit the adjective “beautiful,” the best for bud is easily British Columbia, on Canada’s western coast.
Your trip should start in Vancouver or Victoria, two large cities that have enough dispensaries to cater to your cannabis needs. Then, you can head to Tofino, which has Chesterman Beach — one of the top-rated beaches in the world. Both Yoho National Park and Joffre Lakes have breathtaking mountain and lake scenery. If you delay your trip until wintertime, you can enjoy some outstanding skiing in Whistler, but it isn’t advisable to engage in winter sports (or any potentially dangerous activity) while stoned.
Costa Rica
Technically, Costa Rica hasn’t legalized recreational cannabis just yet, but personal possession and consumption don’t carry any criminal penalties. As a result, it is remarkably easy to find a local selling weed, and authorities tend to look the other way when foreigners partake, as long as they do so responsibly and discreetly.
The entire country of Costa Rica is like a tropical paradise, and you are unlikely to visit without finding your own favorite beautiful spots. Still, if you need some direction, Tortuguero National Park is seldom-visited and undeniably rich in natural splendor. Alternatively, the Guanacaste Beaches combine dazzling white sands with clear water and lush rainforest, making them the perfect place to get high and soak up the sun.
Spain
Europeans aren’t as keen on cannabis consumption as much of the rest of the world — with the exception of Spain. Though cannabis sales remain against the law in Spanish cities, residents can cultivate and consume their own weed, as long as they do so in their own homes. Even better, some cities, like Barcelona, allow for the operation of cannabis clubs, which charge nominal “membership” fees and allow visitors to acquire and use cannabis on their premises.
It is important to note that public consumption of cannabis remains expressly illegal in Spain, so you do need to be careful about where and when you partake. It might be best to soberly explore Spain’s most beautiful spots — like the Cies Archipelago in Galicia or the lavender fields of Castilla-La Mancha — and reserve cannabis consumption for when you have 420-friendly accommodations or access to a legal weed lounge.
The world is full of beautiful places, and many of those places are becoming increasingly tolerant of bud. For a stoner session to remember, you should book your next vacation to one of the above destinations and spend your high taking in some true one-of-a-kind sights.
