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If you come from a prohibition state where partaking in cannabis is limited to puff-puff-passing a joint handed to you by some strangers at a music festival, coming to Oregon can feel like crash landing in a promised land where the streets are paved with kif.
From neighborhood dispensaries to bud-and-breakfasts to mellow, terpene-infused cocktails, there are so many ways to consume THC and CBD in Portland it'll make an outsider's head spin. Shoot, it sometimes even overwhelms the natives.
Fortunately, we took some of the legwork out of finding the best cannabis experiences in Stumptown, and created this handy weed tourist road map. From dining and shopping to activities and lodging, we've got you covered in the many fun ways to explore Portland's rich cannabis culture.
WHERE TO STAY
1. The Doctor's House
5024 NE 30th Ave., 855-218-8410, doxhouse.com.
The great irony of parachuting into Portland's cannabis scene is that, due to public clean-air and consumption laws, there are few places to legally smoke. Hotels are out, so you'll have to find a weed-friendly Airbnb—in this case, that stands for "bud-and-breakfast." To that end, you've got a few options, but you'll be hard-pressed to find better hospitality than you will with Bill, a professional in the medical cannabis industry who runs this cozy, art-deco home in the Alberta Arts District. Staying at the Doctor's House, you feel instantly a part of the community, and right at home. No one will bat an eye if you wake and bake, and your morning toke might be accompanied by fresh coffee and homemade muffins, as your host is an excellent cook. See page 52 for more options.
WHERE TO BUY WEED
2. Farma
916 SE Hawthorne Blvd., farmapdx.com, 503-206-4357.
No cannabis tour of Portland would be complete without a visit to this dispensary, often named the best in Oregon. Here, you'll find a clean, well-lighted space where different strains of top-flight flower are displayed like rare museum specimens against a minimalist backdrop. The budtenders are deeply knowledgeable, there is a wide variety of quality accessories available, and the boutique experience is utterly unlike the headshops you might have experienced in the past.
3. Tree PDX
5135 NW St. Helens Road, 503-208-2454.
If you like combining Mother Nature and Mary Jane, head to Tree PDX, a hillside dispensary close to some of the best hiking trails in Forest Park. Even better, shopping here means supporting women of color in the Portland cannabis industry, and the shop is run by a funny, friendly mother-daughter duo.
WHERE TO DRINK
4. Push x Pull
821 SE Stark St., pushxpullcoffee.com.
If you want to enjoy some quality coffee without getting too amped up, head to Push x Pull on Stark in the Buckman neighborhood for a Grön CBD mocha. There's no sticky syrups flavoring your coffee with this drink—just some very dark, CBD-infused chocolate melted into top-quality espresso, which is roasted in-house.
5. Donnie Vegas
1203 NE Alberta St., 503-477-7244.
Just a mile up Alberta from the Doctor's House is this no-frills dive, where a chili dog, made with the owner's secret recipe, will take the edge off your munchies, while the famous CBD-infused Marg-a-Weed-a will help you really unwind. Once you're at peak potency, check out the vending machine on your way to the patio—it's full of oddities, including vintage paperbacks, "misfortune cookies" and other sundry amusements.
6. Ringlers Pub
1332 W Burnside St., 503-225-0627, mcmenamins.com/crystal-ballroom/ringlers-pub.
McMenamins' Ringlers Pub forms the ground floor of the famous Crystal Ballroom music venue, not far from the Dr. Marten's store, Fluevog boutique and record store Everyday Music. Together the neighborhood carries a torch for classic Pacific Northwest counterculture while still letting time march forward. Progress looks like McMenamins' Saber Tooth Kush IPA, brewed with the terpenes that give cannabis its signature skunky, funky flavor. While this beer won't get you high, it will give you a good buzz and a depth of flavor few other cannabis-inflected beers can match.
7. Coalition Brewing
2705 SE Ankeny St., 503-894-8080, coalitionbrewing.com.
This Laurelhurst brewery has a different take on cannabeer than McMenamins, with a Two Flowers CBD-infused IPA that plays citrus-inflected terpenes and grassy hops off each other. You might find yourself feeling more mellow than you usually do after one beer, thanks to 6 percent ABV and 4 grams of CBD per glass.
WHERE TO SHOP
8. Altar
3279 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-236-6120, altarpdx.com.
If you've ever had the urge to smoke herb out of a crystal, head to Altar, where you can buy beautiful pipes carved from brilliant gemstones. The store is packed with other goodies, too, from jewelry to cosmetics.
9. Make & Mary
665 N Tillamook St., makeandmary.com.
Speaking of cosmetics, Make & Mary are purveyors of adaptogenic potions for your skin, aromatherapy or consumption—think CBD-infused beauty wands to swipe under your eyes, face serum to pat on at night and candles made with wild-crafted cannabis essential oil. In addition to products, Make & Mary also offers classes out of Tillamook Station on subjects ranging from natural fiber dyes to "cannabis-infused" lifted yoga classes.
10. Ladies of Paradise
959 SE Division St., No. 125, ladiesofparadise.com.
Ladies of Paradise is a splashy boutique straight out of Broad City. From door-knocker earrings that proudly read "POTHEAD" to distinctly feminine pipes by Stonedware to T-shirts and other apparel, this shop proudly proclaims you can be cute, sweet and fierce while also enjoying a little dankity dank. Ladies of Paradise is also a creative agency that helps promote female-run cannabis brands and events, so check its calendar.
WHERE TO GO
11. The Commune
19 NW 5th Ave., Suite 300, thecommunepdx.com.
It seems every day a new pot-based business is opening in Portland, and this natural-light-drenched co-working space is giving those startups and cannapreneurs a place to come together and share ideas. Check its calendar to see if an open house or event will be happening during your time in Portland.
12. Skyline Tavern
8031 NW Skyline Blvd., 503-286-4788, skytav.com.
If you plan your hiking route just so, you can start near some of the best views of the St. Johns Bridge and Mount St. Helens in Portland. You can also finish near Skyline Tavern, a sunny neighborhood pub set on several acres of wooded land. Come for the currywurst and live music, stay for a drink mixed with Ablis CBD soda.
13. High 5 Tours
Have you ever wanted to tour a pot farm? Dreamed of doing dabs between dispensaries? Like the concept of a pedal-pub or party bus but don't drink? High 5 Tours is the answer. It offers a variety of different regular tours, including a Multnomah Falls trip. Not only do you not have to worry about navigating, you can blaze on your way to and from the waterfall.
The Do's and Don'ts of Portland Cannabis
By Lauren Yoshiko
DO: Smoke at your house or a friend's—so long as you're at least 21 years of age and out of public view when you light up.
DON'T: Smoke on the street or at a park. Technically, cannabis can only be consumed within a private residence, but…there is some wiggle room.
DO: Enjoy that wiggle room at one of Portland's cannabis house parties—from the women-only Tokeativity events, where you can dance, get a tarot reading, and shop local artisans—to Live at HiFi Farms concerts and the crafty Make & Mary art classes.
DON'T: Forget your ID when you visit a dispensary, even if you don't intend to buy anything. To see inside, you'll need state-issued identification or a passport.
DO: Buy something at a dispensary. Oregon has the strictest testing laws in the world, bans the most pesticides, and is home to the cleanest iterations of cannabis's ideal growing climate.
DON'T: Just walk to the nearest shop. There are over 300 shops in the Portland area—all offering their own unique experiences.