Travel

The Ultimate Guide to a Cannabis-Friendly Road Trip

Tips, tools, and thrifts for the most awe-inspiring road trip route ever.

Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely

Both road trips and cannabis have a way of breaking us out of our day to day-interrupting our usual routines and opening our minds with fresh views and perceptions. And just like campfires and s’mores, road trips and cannabis complement each other well, opening up more doors to spontaneity and discovery along the way.

This guide is for explorers fueled by curiosity and cannabis, for those who seek wonder when they pull out of their driveway, and for those as excited about crafting rewarding itineraries as they are about unexpected stops. It’s also for cannabis-enthusiasts, so we covered all your bases-where to go, how to find cannabis-friendly lodging, packing essentials-so you can kick back and focus on identifying copilots and interesting destinations along your route.

Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely

Where to go

First things first, design your itinerary. Best advice: get stoned and look at a map, easy peasy. If you need help deciding where to go, explore the best U.S. cities for next-level cannabis experiences.

Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock
Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock
Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

How to travel

It’s time to pick your vehicle of choice. If vanlife has intrigued you but you aren’t ready to leave your home full-time, try testing it out with a van rental or an RV. These provide the luxury of having a flexible basecamp for adventures, while giving you easy access to open air for your cannabis activities. Another option is to elevate your road trip game with car camping.

RandomHartz/Shutterstock
RandomHartz/Shutterstock
RandomHartz/Shutterstock

Where to stay

If you aren’t sleeping in your vehicle, you’ll need another place to lay your head. When seeking lodging for a cannabis-friendly road trip, it can feel elusive to find a place that’s just private enough and just laid back enough to allow you to do your thing. But not to fear, there are databases of cannabis-friendly lodging, including Inndica, Greentripz, and Bud and Breakfast.

You can also find some through Airbnb. Unfortunately, it is not easy to search for cannabis-friendly spots, but you can check the “Smoking Allowed” filter under “Amenities” and then “Features.” You can also try searching “420 friendly” + your location in your favourite search engine to find the Airbnbs that include that verbiage in their title or description. It can take a little extra effort to find the right spot, but it’s worth knowing you are at a location that is cool with how you roll.

Cavan Images/Cavan/Getty Images
Cavan Images/Cavan/Getty Images
Cavan Images/Cavan/Getty Images

What to pack

Cannabis: Obviously this is a critical piece of the adventure. The most discreet options can provide more aromatic flexibility, like edibles or vape pens. If you are packing flower, be sure to get yourself a smell proof stash pouch or bag.

Sploof: The device can help you to hide the smoke smell when exhaling, while you can make your own, this makes it even easier to be incognito.

Odor Eliminator: To help remedy the remaining lingering smell, get yourself a nice spray or candle to distract others’ nostrils. You can also water two plants with one hose by loading up on bug spray. Bonus: you’ll be ready to enjoy all that nature offers without the bug bites.

Munchies: A road trip without snacks would be disappointing. A cannabis-inspired road trip without snacks would be a seriously sad state of affairs. Reminder: Don’t. Forget. The. Snacks.

Journal: Cannabis and travel have a way of bringing new ideas to the mind, helping one to appreciate the moment, or working through something you were stuck on before. Be sure to bring a way to write down these thoughts to revisit in the future.

Film Camera: If you want to go off the grid, but still crave a visual way to document your trip, lock your phone up in your glove compartment and break out a film camera.

Blanket: Sometimes you’ll want to get out of your car, but not walk around. Easy solution: Bring a picnic blanket and go have a lay in a field.

Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely
Photo by Beck Stavely

What to see

When it comes to cannabis-inspired road trips, it’s important to seek out three stops: smoke-friendly viewpoints, immersive experiences, and all the strange things.

Smoke-friendly viewpoints are the best thing to do when you want to stretch your legs and get some fresh air. Remember it is an at-your-own-risk activity, but often worth it. You can utilize the AllTrails app to filter for “Views” and “Light traffic”, helping to maximize the vista and minimize the interaction with other humans

As for immersive experiences, we’re talking exploring a hemp maze, a puff pass and paint class, or a three-course cannabis pairing dinner. Make it a road trip that you’ll try your best to not forget.

And nothing goes hand in hand with cannabis than weird stuff. We’re talking a Time Travel Mart or a museum dedicated to everyday life. You can find a weird roadside attraction in any state.

Manuel De Los Reyes Rubio/EyeEm/Getty Images
Manuel De Los Reyes Rubio/EyeEm/Getty Images
Manuel De Los Reyes Rubio/EyeEm/Getty Images

What to remember

Nothing ruins a high like someone getting hurt or having a run in with the authorities. While it may go without saying, we want to say it: Do not drive while under the influence. Be the first one to call shotgun and you’ll be golden.

And while laws across the country are becoming less strict, there are still many areas you risk penalties. Be sure to research the laws in each state you are visiting to assess your risk. While looking up the laws, you can look up the accessibility to see if it’s recreational, or even medical.

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Editor’s Note: Any cannabis products referenced above are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The writer is not a medical doctor, and their experience is based on personal use, the results of which may not be typical or intended. The legality of cannabis products varies by state, and readers are encouraged to check their local laws before purchasing and using cannabis products. Possessing, using, distributing, and/or selling marijuana or marijuana-based products is illegal under federal law as of the writing of this article, regardless of any conflicting state laws. Compliance with the laws of a particular state in no way ensures compliance with federal law, and there is a risk that conflicting federal and/or other state laws may be enforced in the future. Nothing in this article should be construed as advice regarding the legal status of cannabis products.

Beck Stavely is the founder of Our Endless Adventure, where she combines her marketing expertise with a coaching approach to assist freelance creatives and entrepreneurs. Follow her for more adventures on Instagram.

Travel

Ditch your Phone for ‘Dome Life’ in this Pastoral Paradise Outside Port Macquarie 

A responsible, sustainable travel choice for escaping big city life for a few days.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

The urge to get as far away as possible from the incessant noise and pressures of ‘big city life’ has witnessed increasingly more of us turn to off-grid adventures for our holidays: Booking.com polled travellers at the start of 2023 and 55% of us wanted to spend our holidays ‘off-grid’.  Achieving total disconnection from the unyielding demands of our digitised lives via some kind of off-grid nature time—soft or adventurous—is positioned not only as a holiday but, indeed, a necessity for our mental health. 

Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, an accommodation collection of geodesic domes dotted across a lush rural property in Greater Port Macquarie (a few hours’ drive from Sydney, NSW), offers a travel experience that is truly ‘off-grid’. In the figurative ‘wellness travel’ sense of the word, and literally, they run on their own independent power supply—bolstered by solar—and rely not on the town grid. 

Ten minutes before you arrive at the gates for a stay at Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, your phone goes into ‘SOS ONLY’. Apple Maps gives up, and you’re pushed out of your comfort zone, driving down unsealed roads in the dark, dodging dozens of dozing cows. Then, you must ditch your car altogether and hoist yourself into an open-air, all-terrain 4WD with gargantuan wheels. It’s great fun being driven through muddy gullies in this buggy; you feel like Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park.  As your buggy pulls in front of your personal Nature Dome, it’s not far off that “Welcome…to Jurassic Park” jaw-dropping moment—your futuristic-looking home is completely engulfed by thriving native bushland; beyond the outdoor campfire lie expansive hills and valleys of green farmland, dotted with sheep and trees. You’re almost waiting to see a roaming brachiosaurus glide past, munching on a towering gum tree…instead, a few inquisitive llamas trot past your Dome to check out their new visitor. 

To fully capture the awe of inhabiting a geodesic dome for a few days, a little history of these futuristic-looking spherical structures helps. Consisting of interlocking triangular skeletal struts supported by (often transparent) light walls, geodesic domes were developed in the 20th century by American engineer and architect R. Buckminster Fuller, and were used for arenas. Smaller incarnations have evolved into a ‘future-proof’ form of modern housing: domes are able to withstand harsh elements due to the stability provided by the durable materials of their construction and their large surface area to volume ratio (which helps minimize wind impact and prevents the structure from collapsing). As housing, they’re also hugely energy efficient – their curved shape helps to conserve heat and reduce energy costs, making them less susceptible to temperature changes outside. The ample light let in by their panels further reduces the need for artificial power. 

Due to their low environmental impact, they’re an ideal sustainable travel choice. Of course, Tom’s Creek Nature Domes’ owner-operators, Cardia and Lee Forsyth, know all this, which is why they have set up their one-of-a-kind Nature Domes experience for the modern traveller. It’s also no surprise to learn that owner Lee is an electrical engineer—experienced in renewable energy—and that he designed the whole set-up. As well as the off-grid power supply, rainwater tanks are used, and the outdoor hot tub is heated by a wood fire—your campfire heats up your tub water via a large metal coil. Like most places in regional Australia, the nights get cold – but rather than blast a heater, the Domes provide you with hot water bottles, warm blankets, lush robes and heavy curtains to ward off the chill.

nature domes port macquarie
Photo: Nature Domes

You’ll need to be self-sufficient during your stay at the Domes, bringing your own food. Support local businesses and stock up in the town of Wauchope on your drive-in (and grab some pastries and coffee at Baked Culture while you’re at it). There’s a stovetop, fridge (stocked as per a mini bar), BBQs, lanterns and mozzie coils, and you can even order DIY S’More packs for fireside fun. The interiors of the Domes have a cosy, stylish fit-out, with a modern bathroom (and a proper flushing toilet—none of that drop bush toilet stuff). As there’s no mobile reception, pack a good book or make the most of treasures that lie waiting to be discovered at every turn: a bed chest full of board games, a cupboard crammed with retro DVDs, a stargazing telescope (the skies are ablaze come night time). Many of these activities are ideal for couples, but there’s plenty on offer for solo travellers, such as yoga mats, locally-made face masks and bath bombs for hot tub soaks. 

It’s these thoughtful human touches that reinforce the benefit of making a responsible travel choice by booking local and giving your money to a tourism operator in the Greater Port Macquarie Region, such as Tom’s Creek Nature Domes. The owners are still working on the property following the setbacks of COVID-19, and flooding in the region —a new series of Domes designed with families and groups in mind is under construction, along with an open-air, barn-style dining hall and garden stage. Once ready, the venue will be ideal for wedding celebrations, with wedding parties able to book out the property. They’ve already got one couple—who honeymooned at the Domes—ready and waiting. Just need to train up the llamas for ring-bearer duties! 

An abundance of favourite moments come to mind from my two-night stay at Tom’s Creek: sipping champagne and gourmet picnicking at the top of a hill on a giant swing under a tree, with a bird’s eye view of the entire property (the ‘Mountain Top picnic’ is a must-do activity add on during your stay), lying on a deckchair at night wrapped in a blanket gazing up at starry constellations and eating hot melted marshmallows, to revelling in the joys of travellers before me, scrawled on notes in a jar of wishes left by the telescope (you’re encouraged to write your own to add to the jar). But I’ll leave you with a gratitude journal entry I made while staying there. I will preface this by saying that I don’t actually keep a gratitude journal, but Tom’s Creek Nature Domes is just the kind of place that makes you want to start one. And so, waking up on my second morning at Tom’s —lacking any 4G bars to facilitate my bad habit of a morning Instagram scroll—I finally opened up a notebook and made my first journal entry:

‘I am grateful to wake up after a deep sleep and breathe in the biggest breaths of this clean air, purified by nature and scented with eucalyptus and rain. I am grateful for this steaming hot coffee brewed on a fire. I feel accomplished at having made myself. I am grateful for the skittish sheep that made me laugh as I enjoyed a long nature walk at dawn and the animated billy goats and friendly llamas overlooking my shoulder as I write this: agreeable company for any solo traveller. I’m grateful for total peace, absolute stillness.” 

Off-grid holiday status: unlocked.

Where: Tom’s Creek Nature Domes, Port Macquarie, 2001 Toms Creek Rd
Price: $450 per night, book at the Natura Domes website.

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