If you're a friend of Mary Jane, you want to kick it with her every time you take a vacation. Whether you're camping in the woods or chilling in a luxury hotel suite, wouldn't the whole trip be better if you could light up and fully relax? We know it, you know it, and so does the hospitality industry. As marijuana grows ever-more legal and popular, we're seeing an incredible number of private vacation lodging options going "420 Friendly" as they call it in the industry.
And you know what that means for weed travel. You can now totally smoke out on vacation openly and notoriously. As long as you correctly identify a 420-Friendly place to stay. As professional stoners, we're here to share a few pro-tips on how to identify a 420-friendly vacation place
420 Friendly Definition
- In a Recreational-Legal State
- You are Welcome (by Management) to Stone
- Indoors or Outdoors
Definitely 420-Friendly
Let's start with the 100% 420 signals. If you see any of these indicators when surfing around for a place to take a stoned vacation, then these places are definitely going to be cool. But remember, these signs only count if the place is already located in a recreational-legal state.
The Listing Says "420 Friendly"
If the venue advertises itself as 420 Friendly, then that is all the information you need. This means that management, owners, and anyone else in charge is 100% cool with you hanging with Mary Jane through your entire vacation. You could get stoned out of your mind and invite a dozen friends to join you and they would still be cool.
Bold Rasta Decor and Leaf Silhouettes
Okay, so the place may not openly say it's 420-Friendly, but it's decorated like your Super-Rasta buddy's garage. The photos show a big framed poster of Bob Marley in the background and the couch is front-and-center draped with a red, yellow, and green blanket. The picture of the porch features a giant neon green marijuana leaf.
Chances are, you've found the right place. The owners are trying to send a signal to bud smoking vacationers out there that they won't bust you for stoning, but they may not be comfortable using the words in their ad-copy.
The Description Mentions Dispensaries or Smoking
Another sneaky way that AirBnB and small-town hotels like to show off their 420-Friendliness is by mentioning their proximity to dispensaries, smoke shops, and restaurants. If a vacation place you're looking at mentions how awesomely close they are to dispensaries, then you can assume they expect you to bring some goodies back to the room, cabin, or suite.
Rentable Paraphernalia
And an unmistakable sign that weed is welcome is if you see paraphernalia (pipes, bongs, pens, etc) in the background or they are offered for rent in the listing. When a place features glassware and other convenient stoner accouterments, this means they know you're coming from a non-legal state and may not have any stoner stuff of your own. And they're willing to provide. So you can be darn sure they're welcome to you smoking either in the house or out on the patio.
Weed Themed Smoking Patio
Speaking of the patio... If a vacation rental place has photos of a clearly marijuana or rasta themed patio, they are 420 friendly. Without ever typing the words "marijuana" or "cannabis" they are letting you know that you're welcome to stone out and enjoy the sunset when staying in these particular vacation lodgings.
Probably 420 Friendly
If you don't see any of the 100% indicators, watch out for secondary indicators. There are tons of vacation rentals and summer cabins in legal states that don't mind if you stone (courteously) but they also aren't advertising for stoners-only to visit. This is actually a pretty smart commercial way to allow both weed-cationers and families to feel welcome in a vacation place.
These signs will tell you that a place most likely won't bust you for enjoying a few spleefs, bowls, or dabs as long as you're also a respectful guest.
Not a Hotel
If a hotel doesn't openly say it's 420-friendly, assume it isn't. Many hotel chains and local hotels aren't yet comfortable with the changes. But privately owned Airbnbs and other vacation rentals can totally be 420-Friendly openly or casually. So if it's not a hotel, and it's in a recreational legal state, your chances just shot up.
Moderate Rasta Decor
If there is any rasta decor at all, this may be a subtle sign from a non-stoner manager that weed tourism is welcome. Look out for Bob Marley throw pillows and folded up rasta blankets.
Super Cool Smoking Patio
If they've set up a fire pit, a circle of chairs, a grill, or just a cool decorated area (no matter how big or small), there's a good chance this place won't mind if you light up outdoors.
Maybe 420 Friendly
Finally, there are the places where, if all else fails, are reasonably safe to enjoy a joint. But only if you're careful. You'll remember these places because they'll remind you of trying to get your evening vacation stone on during the non-legal days. Places that are not officially 420-friendly, but are less uptight about smoking in general than the rest of the corporate world.
There are Ashtrays On the Patio
In photos of the patio, you see deck chairs and ashtrays. A smoking area, any smoking area, in a vacation lodging means that you're a little safer enjoying a nice blunt or spleef instead of cigarettes. As long as it doesn't bother anyone, you most likely won't be hassled.
Description Mentions "Chill" or "Laid Back" Environment
Look for places that describe themselves as chill, laid-back, or other descriptors often used next to "Stoner" or "Dude". This means the proprietors aren't in the habit of hassling anyone, stoner or not. So as long as you don't trash the place, they'll be chill and you'll be chill and it'll all be cool.
How to Make Sure Your Stoning is Welcome
But no matter where you end up, it's important to be an awesome guest. From the opnely 420 frienly places to the places with no signs but a cool back patio, your best bet for not getting hassled is to leave the place even better than you found it. And not smelling like a weekend of sticky icky stank.
Smoke Outdoors, Vape Indoors
If you're smoking blunts, spleefs, bongs, or bowls then take it outside. Even 420 friendly places generally ask that you smoke out on the porch instead of indoors with the carpet and furniture.
But you can vape indoors. Vaping is a much lighter vapor and doesn't stank or cling like smoke. So if you want to stone while watching movies or hanging out indoors, bring a vape pen and try a little dab.
Clean Up After Yourself
Make sure all the snacks, pizza boxes, and lost socks are picked up before you go. Get the trash bagged up (bring extra bags), wipe down the surfaces, and make the beds. You'll get glowing Airbnb reviews and a welcome back any time.
Don't Leave a "Weed Stank"
Spray a little Blunt Power air freshener around when you're done living in a badass vacation cloud. Just a few sprays in each room can completely eliminate your weekend of stank and freshen the place up for the next stoners to kick it in your super cool vacation spot.
Leave a Tip and a Nice Note
Finally, leave a tip for the cleaning service and a nice not. Hosts dig that shit and it's a great way to support the 420-friendly weed tourism industry.
