Road trips are a wonderful way to get away from your routine and see more of what your country has to offer. And if you get together a group of friends who are also into the cannabis culture, hitting the road together can also be a great way to enjoy the herb and explore more of that culture.
You should never drive under the influence. However, even if you are the designated driver, you can still take in the sights and enjoy cannabis-oriented attractions along the way while also treating yourself to local cannabis products after you are done driving each day.
If the idea of going on a 420-friendly road trip sounds like fun, here are some tips to help you plan a good one.
The Top 9 Tips for next 420 friendly road trip are…
1 – Get a group of friends
Trips are not only about the journey and the destination. Who you decide to take with you will have a huge impact on the quality of your journey. And that’s even more true when planning a cannabis road trip due to the need for a designated driver.
If it’s a long trip, see if you can get friends who can also drive. That way, your group can get a designated driver rotation going, where the person who drove today will get to be a high passenger tomorrow. That allows everyone in the group to enjoy some cannabis treats in the passenger seat while keeping the trip safe.
Having more people in the car also allows for more talking and sharing of ideas, which can be quite fun, especially when people are high. And if you get enough people, you all can share the cost and rent a van or even an RV for the trip. Just make sure the people who are supposed to drive during the trip get familiar with the car in the city before taking it on the road.
2 – Keep the trip legal
Keeping the trip legal will take a fair bit of research, especially if you plan to cross state lines. First of all, keep in mind that crossing state lines with any cannabis product is illegal, even if you are traveling between two states that have legalized recreational marijuana. So, make sure you dump whatever cannabis products you haven’t used before crossing state lines.
It’s also worth noting that there are differences in what is legal even between states that have legalized cannabis. One good example is in Colorado, where recreational cannabis use is permitted, but Delta-8 THC products are not.
Do your due diligence when planning a trip, and make sure you check updated sources on what is legal in each state, as the rules and regulations are constantly changing.
It’s also a good idea to check the rules of whatever hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues you visit before lighting a joint. Even in cannabis-legal states, businesses can still set their own rules and boundaries, and it’s just plain polite to check if they are cool with what you’re doing.
3 – Consider sticking to a single state
If researching local laws for dozens of states sounds like a hassle, don’t worry. There’s a simple solution: just limit your cannabis activities to a single cannabis-friendly form. That will make the research process much easier — especially if you are already familiar with the state’s laws in question — while still giving you plenty to do and see.
There is a lot to love about the idea of focusing your road trip on a single state. It’s easy to forget how big each state is when you’re cutting through them on highways, so spending a few days exploring the vistas and tourist attractions of a single state is a great way to get a sense of scale. And it helps to cut down travel times in between interesting attractions.
States that have legalized cannabis will often have a strong cannabis tourism industry, where you’ll be able to book tours of cannabis plantations, check local products, attend cannabis-related events, and more. This means there are more than enough cannabis-related attractions to keep your friends busy if you are visiting a state like Colorado or Washington, especially if the trip is supposed to last less than a week.
4 – Remember that CBD is federally-legal
CBD won’t get you high and is generally not as fun as good old cannabis. However, CBD can be very handy on a road trip because the substance is legal at the federal level. And while some states still limit who is allowed to carry and take CBD, the fact that the substance is legal at the federal level means you won’t have to dump your CBD before crossing state lines. You can even board planes with the substance.
And while CBD won’t get you high, the substance has calming properties that can help keep everyone in the car mellowed out when driving through a state where cannabis is banned.
CBD is safe for the designated driver to use. However, in theory, too much CBD can make you sleepy, so whoever is driving should avoid it. It’s also best to avoid CBD if you intend to be driving past sundown.
5 – Plan for scenic routes
Don’t underestimate how fun it is to be a passenger on weed while the car goes through wonderful vistas and natural wonders. Whenever possible, include scenic roads and detours in your travel itinerary, so your group can enjoy the natural wonders. Those moments can be appreciated in total quiet, while chatting with friends, or accompanied by some nice instrumental tracks. All three will help boost the feeling of wonder.
6 – Choose the right delivery
Smoking weed in a moving car is generally a bad idea. While the idea that secondhand cannabis smoke will get you high is a myth, the smoke can still bother the driver. On top of that, the smell of weed will permeate everything in the car, making the situation awkward if the police ever stop the vehicle.
Even in states where marijuana is legal, driving under the influence is still illegal, and cops don’t have a good way to test whether the driver is high or not.
This means that if they smell weed all over the car, they might end up giving your group trouble or trying to test if the driver is high, which is just a buzzkill.
All of this is to say that you should probably stick to THC edibles during the trip. THC oil and capsules are also good options. Only try vaping and smoking during rest stops while standing outside the car. Also, if anyone in the group has cooking skills, home-cooked edibles can be a great treat during the trip.
7 – Pack a ton of snacks
Speaking of treats, what better to accompany a bunch of high friends on a road trip than a bunch of delicious snacks? So get some nice road-friendly snacks to keep your group munching on the road. Candy, cereal bars, fruits bowls, sandwiches, and whatever else you guys can dream up — pack it all for the trip to enjoy along the way.
While on the subject of snacks, make sure everyone stays hydrated as well. That’s not weed-related advice, and it’s just good wisdom in general.
8 – Check where you can resupply
It can be hard to pack enough weed supplies to last the whole trip. On top of that, you’ll need to dump your cannabis goods if you’re crossing state lines, and you’ll probably want to enjoy the local specialties of whatever state you’re visiting anyway. So you should plan resupply stops ahead of time. Figure out which convenience stores or headshops you’re going to hit to keep your crew fully stocked throughout the trip.
Keep in mind that while some cities have dozens of headshops, others only have a few. Meaning that if you don’t figure out where to get the goods ahead of time, you might find yourself wasting time looking for a store after you arrive, which isn’t ideal. Planning goes a long way.
9 – Look for attractions along the way
Even states that don’t legalize recreational marijuana may still have some interesting cannabis-related attractions along the way. After all, hemp is legal in all US states, and what is hemp if not the brand-safe cousin of Cannabis? Taking a tour of a hemp plantation or trying out some hemp and CBD products can be a great way to keep your crew entertained while making your way to a more 420-friendly US state.
Make sure to check for hemp and CBD-related attractions along the way. You don’t want to learn that you missed something interesting only after the trip is over.