Nestled in the vibrant heart of Los Angeles, West Hollywood stands as one of the top cannabis destinations in the world today. This is due to forward-thinking activists, entrepreneurs, and local leaders who made national headlines in 2018 by making WeHo one of the first cities in the U.S. to establish regulations allowing brick and mortar cannabis consumption lounges where adults ages 21 and up could safely smoke weed.
With deep roots of their own in Los Angeles, Beard Bros Pharms linked up with The Ganja Traveler for a weekend of cannabis-lounge-crawling in one of California’s coolest canna-destinations. With four extraordinary modern-day cannabis lounge experiences within its highly walkable 1.9 square miles, West Hollywood welcomes visitors daily to enjoy a curated, marijuana-minded setting that has been dubbed The Emerald Village.
Follow along as Bill and Jeff Levers of Beard Bros Pharms spend a full weekend in the West Hollywood weed scene.
Beard Bros Pharms and the 2024 West Hollywood Cannabis Lounge Crawl
For years here at Beard Bros Pharms we have been covering the revolutionary efforts made by progressive leaders in West Hollywood to ease the stigma surrounding the cannabis plant and the culture at her roots.
As of September 2024, there are four distinct cannabis consumption experiences worthy of building your West Hollywood itinerary around, but to fully immerse yourself in the Emerald Village experience, it’s best to break it up into a few super stony days.
First, start by picking your travel dates and booking your hotel. When choosing a place to stay, remember that traveling by foot or rideshare is the best way to get around this beautiful, compact city.
Parking can be tricky, and dealing with timed parking meters is especially annoying when you’re high, so it’s best to avoid it. The Bros bunked at Petit Ermitage, a centrally located hotel with a tasteful European flair and a dope rooftop atmosphere day and night – the perfect headquarters for a weekend full of consuming Cali’s finest cannabis.
Visits to the city’s uniquely curated cannabis consumption lounges were high on the to-do list as our crew looked forward to a weekend full of amazing food, atmosphere, and experiences, all enhanced by cannabis.
2024 West Hollywood Cannabis Lounge Crawl – Day One – The OG Cafe
The Beard Bros pulled into town in the early afternoon to check into their West Hollywood hotel, the Petit Ermitage, dropping their bags and heading straight to the rooftop pool for a sesh. Their first stop post-sesh was the OG Cannabis Cafe and its delicious menu—food, drinks, and cannabis—taste buds tingling just thinking about the terpene-fueled evening ahead.
The OG Cannabis Cafe offers a fantastic, vibrant al fresco restaurant-style atmosphere, allowing guests to mix and match food, beverages, and cannabis as they desire. Sanitary bongs and smoking pieces are available, and the adjacent patio offers beer and wine. With beautiful lighting (and an outstanding cheeseburger!), this is one of the best cannabis experiences in California.
Beard Bros Cannabis Travel Tip: If you plan to pull up on a Thursday or Friday, be sure to make advanced reservations. The OG Cafe is increasingly known for its weekly comedy shows and live music as well, making midweek visits all the more alluring.
2024 West Hollywood Cannabis Lounge Crawl – Day Two – The Woods and Pleasure Med
Day two dawns and… dang… still a bit baked from day one, but the tour must go on! After a wake and bake and walk around the block, it was time to head to The Woods cannabis lounge and dispensary.
Actor/Activist Woody Harrelson and his team have curated a beautiful space with an innovative cannabis beverage bar and a calm, welcoming jungle-vibed lounge oasis, complete with a koi fish pond, zen statues, big leafy plants, and three resident parrots.
The Woods lounge features several private cabana-style spaces tailored for intimate sessions centered around deeper connection and conversation.
The Woods cannabis menu boasts award-winning California products and brands, many of them cultivated and crafted in Emerald Triangle by legacy farms and artisan makers. This special setting offers a top-shelf experience worthy of your travel bucket list.
Beard Bros Cannabis Travel Tip: Reserve your cabana far in advance! This is a great spot to re-fill your stash with some of the finest flowers, pre-rolls, edibles, tinctures, and topicals that the California cannabis market has to offer.
Walking out of The Woods baked as banana bread, the Beard Bros dedicated the evening to a trip over to Pleasure Med, also revered as one of the best cannabis lounge dining experiences in California, and perhaps the world.
The lounge space at Pleasure Med is filled with towering plants and sensory stimulating decor that pairs perfectly with the top shelf experience that awaits. With world-class cuisine and high class service, Pleasure Med offers a journey of flavor and effects that is not to be missed.
Compliments to the chef for the unforgettable Kampachi ceviche, Lion’s Mane cakes, Turkish eggs, and Shaner citrus salad. Take a look at the full menu and we’re sure you’ll find something to make your mouth water and temporarily kill that cottonmouth. A perfect end to a perfect day in West Hollywood.
2024 West Hollywood Cannabis Lounge Crawl – Day Three – The Artist Tree
The Artist Tree is a three-floor hybrid mix of art gallery and cannabis consumption and retail shopping experience. As you enter the ground floor shop, you’ll be greeted by a friendly staff member along with the happy and healthy cannabis plants beside the check-in desk. Be sure to browse for some fresh nugs, doobs, or dabs and trip out on the local art before heading up to the cannabis bar and lounges.
In the lounge space, explore the craft mocktail beverages with a cannabis splash kicker. The Artist Tree offers one of the best cannabis mocktail experiences you’ll find anywhere. Spend a few hours getting baked with your buds on the outdoor patio lounge soaking in the full spectrum of sights, sounds, and strains that have put the West Hollywood cannabis scene on the map.
Beard Bros Cannabis Travel Tip: If you’re a digital nomad needing morning work sessions, The Artist Tree outdoor patio lounge and the rooftop restaurant at Petit Ermitage are great hotspots.
Overall, the entire weekend was inspirational, educational, and eye-opening, even for our group of long-time cannabis operators and aficionados who have the utmost respect for the deep history of activism – not only for cannabis but for human rights – that West Hollywood is known for.
Rebellious Roots Run Deep in West Hollywood
The history of West Hollywood and progressive activism is a tale of resilience, compassion, and innovation. From its early days as a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community to its current status as an epicenter of cannabis culture, WeHo has always been about breaking barriers and embracing change.
Today, its vibrant cannabis-friendly community is a testament to its rebellious citizenry and their collective commitment to a brighter, more inclusive future. So here’s to West Hollywood, where the past and future of cannabis come together in one legendary love story.
Effect Pairing to Enhance Cannabis Travel
Intentionally pairing unique cannabis cultivar effects with specific activities is a growing trend in California and beyond. Consider pairing strain-related effects with an activity, setting, or experience to magnify your travel moments with intention.
For example, citrus-smelling cannabis products often induce energy and pair well with a weedy walkabout or active hike. Floral-leaning cannabis can amplify color and shape, making it an excellent precursor to an art experience. Gas or fuel-smelling cannabis stimulates appetite, enhancing flavors, taste, and texture, making it an excellent aperitif before a culinary experience like the Wake and Bake Drag Brunch at The Artist Tree.
For another stimulating effect pairing, get tickets to a live music performance at The Viper Room, a legendary Sunset Blvd music venue.
However you love to consume cannabis you can use the wide variety of products on the market to fine tune your vibe to optimize your individual experience in the unique and vibrant weed scene of West Hollywood, and create unforgettable memories in this iconic SoCal destination.Learn more about The Ganja Travelerl HERE.
(Featured Photo Credit: City of West Hollywood)
