Desert High: Palm Springs Cannabis Tourism

Whenever someone mentions Palm Springs my mind instantly goes to the subtle mid-century vibe that the town evokes. It's past as the getaway for the stars of old Hollywood has made it a natural addition to the lore that is California. People flock to this literal hot spot for all sorts of reasons, but my focus is singualr, so I only went for one reason...to scope out the cannabis consumption lounge scene. Although this desert oasis isn't well known for it's weed, they've certainly made it easy for you to get your smoke on when you roll into town! Keep reading to see what I found on my maiden voyage of exploring the Palm Springs cannabis tourism scene.

I've visited Palm Springs on a few different occasions but I always brought my stash along. It's an easy car ride from LA so I've never wanted to put myself through the trouble of trying to find weed if I didn't have to. Luckily even if you're not able to bring your stash you won't have any trouble finding a dispensary or consumption lounge because they are plentiful in the city and it's surrounding areas. The places that I visited all had lounges tucked away inside the dispensary so they did require a purchase for entry, but that tends to be par for the course in many markets due to the heavy legislation and regulations that cannabis businesses are often unfairly sujected to. These regulations can mean that consumers like myself are left without public spaces to enjoy our legal products, so it was a pleasant surprise to find out that I could pick and choose from a number of consumption lounges located in and around Palm Springs.

I wanted to stay in downtown Palm Springs but the prices were better a little further away, so I ended up at The Saguaro. It wasn't a 420 friendly hotel, but we got a room with a private patio so the room ended up being 420 friendly after all ;) If you're not the rule breaking type, then you can always opt to stay at one of the cannabis friendly hotels in the area. The O Spa+Resort (https://theospahotsprings.com) and the Desert Hot Springs Inn (https://deserthotspringsinn.com) are located about 20 minutes away from downtown Palm Springs, so not exactly in the thick of things, but worth the trek if you wanna enjoy your hotel sesh carefree. You'll also have access to the ammenities and events that they offer which I decided would be worth it's own trip...like a solo trip to treat myself to a luxurious weekend away for my birthday!

The Saguaro may not be an official stoner spot, but it is most definitely the kinda place that my high ass liked relaxing at. They have two on-site restaurants, a lively pool area, a courtyard with outdoor games and seating. The rooms were clean with nice views and the property had plenty of parking so it wasn't hard to get a spot near an entrance that was close to our room. All of that combined with the affordable prices not only made me a happy camper, but it also made me wan to recommend it, which is the highest from of flattery in my opinion. The bright pops of color seen throughout the decor and ever present dance inducing playlist, are even further proof that Saguaro knows how to curate a fun vibe without being the party hotel. I will say that visiting in the winter could have shielded me from any raucaous partying that may happen in more populated times. Perhaps another visit is needed, ya know, for research.

While I love to design and don swimwear, I don't actually like the pool...or the beach...or any of the places you may need a swimsuit. However, I am an amenable travel companion and since my homegirl is about that pool life I decided to check it out. I knew that once afternoon came the splashy splash, drinky drink crowd would be making their way down so I was sure to visit ealier in the morning to avoid any unwanted shenanigans. I made a silver one shoulder swimsuit but I never got the chance to wear it because of the whole I don't like the water thing, luckily I remembered to bring it for photo shoot purposes. Please enjoy this poolside fashion moment...

After my poolside photo shoot I was ready to blaze it up so I headed out on my quest to see what types of consumption lounges Palm Springs has to offer. If you happen to be visiting Palm Springs during winter like I did, then you'll also have the option to take your sesh out into nature, something I would NEVER attempt in the summer months because your face might melt off...seriously, it gets extremely hot in the desert! But during December, January and February the weather is perfect for taking a hike or stroll and finding a scenic spot to sesh. Just beware that you are in a desert, so stay mindful of your ashes. My tip would be to make sure you have water, not only to drink but just in case your ashes are really embers. If you'll be venturing out at night, be sure to bring a jacket, those daytime temps will have you forgetting that it's winter, but those chilly desert nights will remind you!

Now that we got that out of the way, lets get into what I got into on my lounge visits!

The first place I chose to visit was close to my hotel, but even closer to the airport. In fact, if you happen to be flying directly into the Palm Springs International airport then you'll have a dispensary & lounge that's only a 4 minute car ride (25 minute walk) away. And while I didn't fly into Palm Springs, I did decide to make my first stop the Reefer Madness Dispensary & Lounge because I read a review that said it had a "down the rabbit hole" theme. One thing about me is, I just LOVE a theme...like, LOVE LOVE LOVE me a theme. So if you ever wanna sell me on an idea or product just give it a great theme and at the very least you'll have piqued my interests.

Unfortunately, pique my interests was all it did, because the follow through was seriously lacking. A black & white swirl design and a rabbit doesn't exactly do the job for me, but maybe they were going for something subtle? And while it didn't transport me down the rabbit hole upon entry, it was clear that they have a massive selection of flower, drinks, concentrates and edibles which can transport you down a whole other kinda rabbit hole. It felt reminiscent of the trap shops that were the standard during the early days of legalization in Los Angeles-dim lighting, miscellaneous clutter, cast of characters who could either be employees or regulars or something else altogether. Not an entirely welcoming or intimidating environment for a seasoned user, but a newcomer would most certainly feel lost or overwhelmed. They had everything behind a counter and you can talk with the budtender so that they can get your things. It also looked like they had self-service kiosks, but they were out of order when I was there. However, there was plenty of staff behind the counter to help out and answer questions.

The lounge portion of the dispensary is located through a doorway tucked off to the right of the sales floor. There wasn't a door or curtain separating the areas, but it was considerably darker in the lounge than it was in the shop. And although I was hoping to see more of the theme, it wasn't really carried throughout save for a few art pieces. They did have things to keep you occupied while you sesh though, like a large TV and some arcade games. Who doesn't love a lil stoney game of Pac-Man? There were also multiple couches, chairs and tables, so whether you come with a group or you're flying solo, you'll have a place to relax. I did visit during a weekday, so the lounge may see more action during peak hours, but only one other person came in while we were there. Overall it was a great experience that reminded me of the famed Astor Club in New York City with it's uber casual, members only vibes. It felt like walking into your dealers apartment and hanging out while he weighs your bag, only Reefer Madness gets bonus points for not having sports on the television!

My next stop was The Row House (https://www.wearerowhouse.com/home) which had a completely different vibe than the last lounge I visited. The dispensary portion of the store was open and bright with products climbing the walls in neat rows for you to peruse. The staff was friendly and ready to answer all of my questions. I'm not exactly a "give me anything and I'll smoke it" kinda gal so I tend to have concerns that need addressing and they were happy to do so. Knowledgeable staff isn't always the standard so it's a pleasant surprise when I don't have an employee just tell me it's "fire"or "gas" in response to my queries. I opted to grab an infused pre-roll as is my norm when I visit a lounge, and I made my way into what ended up being the swankiest cannabis consumption lounge I've ever been to! Upon stepping through the thick glass door that separated the store from the lounge I was instantly transported to an ultra hip nightclub, not the dimly lit eclectic smoke spot I had been expecting. The modern fireplace glowed with shades of blue as the faux flames danced around the shimmery rocks. The sleek furniture all matched and was expertly placed to maximize room flow and conversation. The couches, armchairs and coffee tables perfectly co-mingled with bar stools and hi-tops. However, unlike a nightclub this place was alcohol-free and actually wanted me to smoke weed inside. I visited earlier in the day which is probably why I had the place all to myself, save for the attentive staff that checked in regularly. I'm sure that me coming on a weekday had something to do with the lack of turn out, but according to the staff they have plans in place to bring in more business. Honestly, I was happy to have the place to myself so I could vibe out in peace.

Row House doesn't yet have their event license, but I was told that it's in the works. They're planning to host live music, comedy shows and other events to make use of the lounge. They also have a great bar area that will be perfect for serving infused cocktails while enjoying the canna vibes. One of the trends I've noticed at 420 friendly spaces is the emergent use of interesting screensaver artwork on the televisions. The vibrant colors and swirling designs are sure to catch your eye, but the interesting background scenes are what will keep you from looking away. It's the kind of thing that could easily pull you in and keep you in a daze for hours-or at least until the high wears off. I must say Row House is by far the nicest consumption lounge that I've visited on my travels, and hopefully it sets the precedent for lounges to come.

My last stop was to the Four Twenty Bank (fourtwentybank.com) dispensary and lounge located right in the mix of downtown Palm Springs. With over 35,000 square feet of space it's no surprise that it has taken the title of "World's Largest Weed Lounge". Originally a bank, the space has been transformed into a 420 friendly venue that's ideal for concerts, comedy shows, and any other event that requires a stage. In addition to being performance ready, there's also an upstairs area where you can host private parties, intimate gatherings or create a VIP lounge for special guests. I didn't get to explore the upper level because it wasn't available to me when I went. I do feel like I managed to get a good feel from the place just by exploring the downstairs areas.

As soon as you walk in it's obvious that the Four Twenty Bank has an abundance of space and it's all stoner friendly! There's multiple seating areas with couches, chairs and coffee tables so that you can feel comfortable sparking up no matter where you decide to sit. There were a number of decorations that seemed to be leftover from other events, but it could also just be part of the atmosphere. Stoners gonna stoner and that may include leaving holiday decorations up long past their holiday. As is the case with most consumption lounges, the decor was a mixture of different furnishings and had an overall eclectic feel. There were also some pool tables and arcade games to keep folks entertained.

The one thing that I was left wanting for was a better selection from the dispensary. I tend to be loyal to brands that I recognize because quality assurance can be tricky in this industry. At the 420 Bank I didn't have the option of any recognizeable brands, and the options that I did have were impossible to find any information on. Look, if you're not gonna have a website ya gotta give me at least an IG or Facebook page to read up on. <--this coming from the girl who used to smoke whatever would be packed into the dime bag! But I digress, when you know better you do better, so now I ask questions and seek out quality. I went into the 420 Bank looking for pre-rolls so that we could spark up quickly and not have to worry about papers and rolling up (which I'm terrible at!). Unfortunately, they only had two options and only one that I'd heard of. I did expect more from the selection since the space is so vast, but it feels like the focus is on the consumption friendly space, which they have lots of. I'm hoping that I just caught them at an off time and maybe the selection is better than what I saw. Even though the selection left me wanting more, it's defintely a place I would book for an event...especially if they let me bring my own weed.

Overall I was really pleased with the cannabis consumption lounges I visited in Palm Springs and I definitely wanna go back to check out more since there's about a dozen to choose from in the area. I also had a nice time staying at The Saguaro because the staff was welcoming and helpful...plus no one said anything about us smoking on the patio, so they must be chill or I must be sneaky, either way I'll take it!

Have you ever been to Palm Springs? If so, drop your recommendations of which lounges I should visit on my next trip to the desert.

Happy Travels!