Although this desert oasis isn't well known for it's weed, they've certainly made it easy for you to get your smoke on when you roll into town! Keep reading to see what I found on my maiden voyage of exploring the Palm Springs cannabis tourism scene.
I've visited Palm Springs on a few different occasions but I always brought my stash along. It's an easy car ride from LA so I've never wanted to put myself through the trouble of trying to find weed since I didn't have to. But even if you're not able to bring your stash you won't have any trouble finding a dispensary or consumption lounge because they are plentiful in the city and it's surrounding areas. The places that I visited all had lounges tucked away somewhere inside the dispensary so they did require a purchase to be able to use it, but that tends to be par for the course in many markets. I was so overwhelmed with the amount of options for consumption lounges, but it was kind of refreshing since Los Angeles has been slow to open them.
I wanted to stay in downtown Palm Springs but the prices were better a little further away, so I ended up at The Saguaro. It wasn't a 420 friendly hotel, but we got a room with a private patio so the room ended up being 420 friendly after all ;) If you're not the rule breaking type, then you can always opt to stay at one of the cannabis friendly hotels in the area. The O Spa+Resort (https://theospahotsprings.com) and the Desert Hot Springs Inn (https://deserthotspringsinn.com) are located about 20 minutes away from downtown Palm Springs, so not exactly in the thick of things, but worth the trek if you wanna enjoy your hotel sesh carefree.
Even though Saguaro isn't a stoner oasis, it still had great prices, great food and a great pool. The bright pops of color and dance inducing playlist are proof that Saguaro knows how to curate a vibe. I don't really do the pool, but my friend does so I decided to check it out for a little bit in the morning before it filled up with the party crowd. I made a silver one shoulder swimsuit last year but by the time I got around to finishing it, pool weather was over. Luckily I got the chance to bust it out during the winter and it was the perfect addition to my white pants and rainbow pumps. Please enjoy this poolside fashion moment...
If you happen to be visiting Palm Springs during winter like I did, then you'll also have the option to take your sesh out into nature, something I would NEVER attempt in the summer months because your face might melt off...seriously, it gets soooooo hot there! But during December, January and February the weather is perfect for taking a hike or stroll and finding a scenic spot to sesh. If you'll be venturing out at night, be sure to bring a jacket. Those daytime temps will have you forgetting that it's winter, but those chilly desert nights will remind you!
Now that we got that out of the way, lets get into what I got into on my lounge visits!
The first place I chose to visit was close to my hotel, but even closer to the airport. In fact, if you happen to be flying directly into the Palm Springs International airport then you'll have a dispensary & lounge that's only a 4 minute car ride (25 minute walk) away. And while I didn't fly into Palm Springs, I did decide to make my first stop the Reefer Madness Dispensary & Lounge because I read a review that said it had a "down the rabbit hole" theme!
While it didn't transport me down the rabbit hole upon entry, it was clear that they have a massive selection of flower, drinks, concentrates and edibles which can transport you down a whole other kinda rabbit hole! It's reminiscent of the trap shops that were the standard during the early days of legalization. They had everything behind a counter and you can talk with the bud tender so they can get your things. It also looked like they had self-service kiosks, but they were out of order when I was there. However, there was plenty of staff behind the counter to help out and answer questions.
The lounge portion of the dispensary is located through a doorway that's located to the right of the sales floor. There wasn't a door or curtain separating the areas, but it was considerably darker in the lounge than it was in the shop. And although I was hoping to see more of the theme, it wasn't really carried throughout save for a few art pieces. They did have things to keep you occupied while you sesh though, like a large TV and some arcade games. There were also multiple couches, chairs and tables, so if you come with a group or solo, you'll have a spot. I did visit during a weekday, so the lounge may see more action during peak hours, but only one other person came in while we were there.
Overall it was a great experience. I like that the vibes weren't sterile, which has started to takeover the LA scene. This place reminded me of the famed Astor Club, like you're walking into your dealers apartment and hanging out while he weighs your bag. And they get bonus points for not having sports on the television!
My next stop was The Row House (https://www.wearerowhouse.com/home) which ended up being the swankiest cannabis consumption lounge I've ever been to! It definitely felt like I was walking into a hip nightclub instead of a chill smoke spot. However, unlike a nightclub this place was completely empty. I don't know if the lack of patrons had to do with the fact that it's still fairly new, or if Palm Springs stoners just like being at home. I'm sure that once the word gets out about their awesome selection and huge lounge space, they'll be busy nonstop, but I was happy to have the place to myself so I could vibe out :)
Row House doesn't yet have their event license, but I was told that it's in the works. They're planning to host live music, comedy shows and other events to make use of the lounge. They also have a great bar area that will be perfect for serving infused cocktails while enjoying the canna vibes.
One of the trends I've noticed at 420 friendly spaces is the emergent use of interesting screensaver artwork on the televisions. The vibrant colors and swirling designs are sure to catch your eye, but the interesting background scenes are what will keep you from looking away. They also have a small fireplace area with plenty of seating that can be utilized on those frosty desert nights. This was easily the nicest consumption lounge that I've visited on my travels, and hopefully it sets the precedent for lounges to come.
My last stop was to the Four Twenty Bank (fourtwentybank.com) dispensary and lounge located right in the mix of downtown Palm Springs. With over 35,000 square feet of space it's no surprise that it has taken the title of "World's Largest Weed Lounge". Originally a bank, the space has been transformed into a 420 friendly venue that's ideal for concerts, comedy shows, and any other event that requires a stage. In addition to being performance ready, there's also an upstairs area where you can host private parties, intimate gatherings or create a VIP lounge for special guests. I didn't get to explore the upper level, but I did get a good feel for the downstairs portion of the lounge.
As soon as you walk in it's obvious that the Four Twenty Bank has an abundance of space and it's all stoner friendly! There's multiple seating areas with couches, chairs and coffee tables so that you can feel comfortable sparking up no matter where you decide to sit. There were a number of decorations that seemed to be leftover from other events, but it could also just be part of the atmosphere. As is the case with most consumption lounges, the decor was a mixture of different furnishings and had an overall eclectic feel. There were also some pool tables and arcade games to keep folks entertained.
The one thing that I was left wanting for was a better selection. I tend to be loyal to brands that I recognize because quality assurance can be tricky in this industry, but that wasn't possible here. I came in looking for pre-rolls so that we could spark up quickly and not have to worry about papers and rolling up (which I'm terrible at!). Unfortunately, they only had two options and only one that I'd heard of. I did expect more from the selection since the space is so vast, but it feels like the focus is on the consumption friendly space, which they have lots of.
Overall I was really pleased with the cannabis consumption lounges I visited in Palm Springs and I definitely wanna go back to check out more since there's about a dozen to choose from in the area. I also had a nice time staying at The Saguaro because the staff was welcoming and helpful...plus no one said anything about us smoking on the patio! Have you ever been to Palm Springs? If so, drop your recommendations of which lounges I should visit on my next trip to the desert.
Happy Travels!
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