In early April, I traveled to Phoenix for a cannabis-focused weekend with the multi-state cannabis brand Trulieve. I’m no stranger to cannabis weekends as someone who lives in Denver and has written about cannabis off and on for nearly a decade. Still, going to Phoenix for cannabis was a new one for me. Arizona legalized adult use in 2020, and cannabis has become a part of mainstream culture in Phoenix for many people in the years since.
Phoenix proved to be a fruitful place to indulge while soaking in everything the city has to offer. The large Airbnb I stayed at was smoke-friendly and built for entertaining. Chef Devan Cunningham stopped by to make a New Orleans-inspired dinner with cannabis infused in the pimento cheese, crab dip, shrimp étouffée, and collard green salad. Museums, restaurants, gardens, and the stunning desert environment were all nearby for high-minded exploration.
Itineraries like this, where cannabis is one part of the experience, are becoming increasingly accessible each year. It takes some searching, but cannabis dining experiences can be found in many major cities in the United States with legal recreational cannabis, though typically only for private or underground events. The experience is well worth it for travelers who can time it right and make the proper arrangements — and who are willing to do plenty of prior research and ask around.
As the cannabis market starts to mature and more states legalize adult use, cannabis is becoming something that more and more people are planning trips around. The market and research company Grand View Research estimated cannabis tourism to be a $10.23 billion industry in 2023, with an annual growth of more than 12 percent through 2030.
One of the hardest parts for travelers who wanted to take a cannabis-focused trip used to be related to sourcing. Now, the challenge is more about understanding the full scope of what to do, how to do it, and which of the many dispensaries to choose from.
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