The Travel The Cannabis Trail Cooperative Program — in partnership with Visit Oakland and Visit Mendocino County and Humboldt County Visitors Bureau — has won a 2026 Visit California Poppy Award for Best Strategic Partnership.
The Poppy Awards are only given out every two years and represent the highest recognition in California’s travel and tourism industry, celebrating excellence in tourism promotion and destination stewardship across the state. More than 170 programs were submitted this year, and our work together was selected as one of only nineteen winners.
While the award was presented to our destination partners, it truly reflects the partnership ecosystem that makes The Cannabis Trail possible — the Landmark locations, outposts, and collaborators along the Trail who bring authenticity, culture, and place-based storytelling to life every day.
This recognition is a powerful example of what partnership across California industries can accomplish — bridging local businesses, cultural heritage, and destination leadership to introduce visitors to a new kind of California travel experience.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for the care you bring to preserving cannabis heritage across Northern California.
More to come soon — but for now, take a moment to celebrate. This is a big win for the entire Trail community.
With appreciation,
Brian Applegarth
Founder
Applegarth Intelligence
Visit California Link:
Visit California Announces 2026 Poppy Awards Winners | Visit California
