The Ganja Traveler's Guide to West Hollywood
A ganja traveler Team (Megan Prusynski, Jeff Levers, Bill Levers, Brian Applegarth) Walking in West Hollywood.
A West Hollywood Travel Guide - originally published by Beard Bros Media
Nestled in the heart of Los Angeles, West Hollywood is one of the best cannabis destinations in the world today. There are four extraordinary modern day cannabis lounge experiences that welcome visitors daily, experiences that any seasoned traveler would enjoy.
The four experiences are hospitality-minded and curated in memorable settings, each offering a bespoke atmosphere and vibe. It’s the future, and when experienced together as a lounge hopping getaway adventure it’s a California vacation like no other.
The History
Powered by it’s LGBTQ+ community, West Hollywood has long been long known as a queer haven, a place that champions human rights advocacy and forward-thinking innovation - cannabis included. More than 40 percent of West Hollywood’s residents identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.
In the mid-nineties shortly after medical cannabis was legalized in California, gay cannabis pioneer Scott Imler founded the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center in West Hollywood to support HIV/AIDS patients in his community.
Cannabis was THE frontline medicine that effectively stimulated appetite for suffering patients in the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, combating wasting syndrome. The original cannabis legalization story happened in California in 1996, and was led by the LGBTQ+ communities and their allies in the spirit of compassionate use and safe patient access, West Hollywood included.
The Culture
In cannabis circles, West Hollywood is known today as The Emerald Village, a nod to the emerging world-class cannabis scene that is leading this new ganja experience frontier. West Hollywood - also known shorthand as WeHo - is home to a trend-setting culture that values idealism, freedom, bold creativity, authentic self-expression and human dignity.
West Hollywood shares borders with the city of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, and reflects both the sophisticated polish of Beverly Hills and the eclectic diversity of Los Angeles, with a bold queer innovative twist. The 1.9 square miles that make up the city of West Hollywood are filled with quaint shops, boutiques, art galleries, and world-class foodie spots that make it a perfect destination for a cannabis enhanced walkabout, indulging in sensory-stimulating activities in an elevated state.
The Destination
Welcome to West Hollywood, a destination that offers art-infused cannabis lounges, cannabis cafes and restaurants with great food, and zen cabana-style settings that will transport you, inspire, and awaken the senses.
As you embark on your cannabis adventure, embrace a go with the flow mindset. Leave plenty of space and time to be completely in the moment and follow your instincts and intuition.
West Hollywood is a small and beautiful destination with fantastic people watching, so traveling by foot or rideshare are best for getting around. Parking is often difficult and dealing with timed parking meters is annoying, especially when you are high, so I recommend avoiding that.
The Cannabis Lounge Crawl
The Ganja Traveler crew wasn’t running solo on the trip, as we teamed up with Bill and Jeff Levers of Beard Bros Pharms to experience West Hollywood’s cannabis scene first hand with a good old fashioned multi-day lounge crawl. The entire weekend was memorable and eye-opening, even for our group of long-time cannabis aficionados.
As of June 2024 there are four distinct cannabis consumption experiences worthy of building your West Hollywood itinerary around. Pick your travel dates and book your hotel first and foremost. My favorite place to stay is Petit Ermitage, a centrally located hotel with a European whimsical flair and stellar rooftop atmosphere day and night.
Next, take a look at The Artist Tree or OG Cannabis Cafe experiences calendar for activities happening while you are visiting the destination. Plan accordingly and as you make your plans, know that OG Cannabis Cafe and Pleasure Med are as much about the food, atmosphere and service as they are about cannabis.
Below is my recommended Ganja Traveler itinerary for a West Hollywood cannabis lounge hopping adventure:
Day One - The OG Cafe
Arrive in the early afternoon and check into your West Hollywood hotel, preferably a hotel with a rooftop pool like the Chamberlain or Petit Ermitage. Settle in and relax. While poolside taking in the afternoon vibe, check out OG Cannabis Cafe menus - food, beverage, and cannabis - and begin dreaming about the evening ahead.
The OG Cannabis Cafe is fantastic. Time spent in this lively and vibrant al fresco restaurant-style atmosphere is one of the best cannabis experiences in California. Guests are invited to mix and match the three menus - food, beverages, and cannabis - as they desire.
Bongs and smoking pieces are available and there is an adjacent patio that offers beer and wine. The entire OG Cafe establishment features beautiful lighting and the cheeseburger is pretty outstanding.
Arriving on a Thursday or Friday is best and advanced reservations are highly encouraged. The OG Cafe is increasingly known for its weekly comedy shows, something to consider that adds another layer to the OG Cafe experience.
Day Two - The Woods and Pleasure Med
In the early afternoon make your way to The Woods cannabis lounge. Actor Woody Harrelson and his team hit a bullseye with The Woods lounge experience. It’s beautifully curated and features an innovative and fun cannabis beverage bar, and is complimented by a lounge oasis that is calm and welcoming. Complete with a koi fish pond, zen statues, big leafy plants, and three resident parrots - The Woods lounge consists of several private airy cabana-style spaces tailored for a more intimate kind of sesh that centers around deeper connection and conversation.
The Woods cannabis menu features some of the most award-winning California cannabis craft products and brands, grown and made in Emerald Triangle by legacy farms and artisan makers. The Woods is a special setting, an experience worthy of top shelf indulgence, a worthy travel bucket list adventure. Reserve your cabana far in advance.
Dedicate your evening experience to Pleasure Med, maybe the best cannabis lounge dining experience in California or the world. The lounge space is filled with towering plants and pleasing aesthetics that awaken the senses. The cuisine is world-class and visitors enjoy a high touch service inclusive of cannabis menus alongside outstanding culinary and beverage.
Pleasure Med is on par with a Michelin-rated establishment. I recommend the Kampachi ceviche, the Lion’s Mane cakes, the Turkish eggs, or the Shaner citrus salad. The experience is a pleasure-filled sensory journey not to be missed.
Day Three - The Artist Tree
A hybrid mix of art gallery and cannabis experience space with three different floors of fun, The Artist Tree offers several travel worthy moments. As you enter the ground floor shop level, say ‘high’ to the plants beside the check-in desk. Take a moment to see real cannabis plants up close and smell the flowers, literally. Browse the cannabis retail shop and enjoy the local art on display throughout the store before heading up to the cannabis bar and lounges.
As you enter the lounge space, the bar is on your right and the stylish outdoor lounge is on your far left. Belly up to the bar and dive into a conversation exploring all the offerings and what makes them unique and special.
Ask about the craft mocktail beverages with a cannabis splash kicker. When it comes to the cannabis mocktail beverage experience today, The Artist Tree has one of the best experiences for visitors. I recommend spending a few hours relaxing on the outdoor patio lounge and consider renting an Ooka for a flavorful hookah-like vape sesh.
Travel Tips
If you’re a digital nomad-type and travel sometimes includes morning work sessions, The Artist Tree outdoor patio lounge and the rooftop restaurant at the Petit Ermitage are two great spots for that.
If you are a traveler that collects life experiences reflective of authentic local culture, I recommend planning your trip around the Wake and Bake Drag Brunch at The Artist Tree. West Hollywood is one of two destinations in the world where you can experience this specific mix of local culture, entertainment and imbibement.
When choosing your cannabis, share your THC experience level and tolerance with the staff, including your preferred consumption method and why you are enjoying cannabis today. To relax, to laugh, a pre-dinner aperitif to stimulate appetite, or something else? Communicate clearly and honestly to allow the budtender to help guide you.
Remember to always ‘start low and go slow’ if you consume THC-rich cannabis. When it comes to edibles, wait at least two hours to feel the full effects prior to consuming additional THC.
Keep water close by, a pack of gum can come in handy when dry mouth hits, and enjoy that which makes cannabis special. As you feel the micro of flow state, perspective shifts, as does time and space. Moments where you laugh and giggle, over-think, or lose track of time and conversation are all expected and part of the fun. Lean into it.
Effect Pairing
Intentionally Effect Pairing cannabis is a growing trend in California. Effect Pairing is when you pair specific cannabis effects with an activity, setting or experience.
For example, citrus smelling cannabis products are often energy-inducing and pair well with a walkabout or active hike adventure. Floral leaning cannabis often amplifies color and shape and provokes deep thought, an excellent precursor to an art experience. A cannabis cultivar with a gas or fuel smell is increasingly known as an appetite stimulant that enhances flavors, taste and texture, and is an excellent aperitif prior to a food or culinary experience. Effect Pairing is a way to magnify your travel moments and experiences, with intention.
Art Effect Pairing recommendation: get tickets to a local live music performance at The Viper Room. The Viper Room is a legendary Sunset Blvd live music venue where new aspiring acts compete to get their big breaks.