Beyond the Leaf: Promoting State Tourism with Cannabis as a Cultural Experience
Cannabis tourism has evolved far beyond simple dispensary visits. Today's successful destinations are reimagining how cannabis integrates into their broader cultural narrative, creating rich, multifaceted experiences that celebrate both heritage and innovation, attracting both cannabis lovers and the canna-curious travelers.
Ways to Promote Cannabis Tourism Beyond Smoking Pot
Creating Authentic Cultural Connections
The most compelling cannabis tourism programs treat the plant like wine regions treat their vineyards – as one thread in a larger cultural tapestry. When cannabis tourism is woven into existing cultural frameworks, it creates more authentic and appealing experiences for a broader range of visitors. It's not just about "smoking weed" or getting high; it's about honoring an incredibly complex plant that has been an integral part of human evolution since before recorded time.
Cultural Integration Through Food and Art
Local culinary scenes are natural integration points for cannabis culture. Hemp-infused dining experiences and educational cooking classes celebrate regional agricultural heritage while showcasing the versatility of cannabis in cooking. Meanwhile, art institutions can explore these connections through innovative programming like guided museum tours examining the historical relationship between creativity and cannabis throughout history. It only takes a little creativity (which cannabis can help with!) to start looking for out-of-the-box connections between cannabis and tourism.
The Heritage Connection
"Legacy Tours" have emerged as powerful tools for cultural storytelling. These experiences explore the evolution of cannabis in specific regions – from indigenous uses to the counterculture movement to today's legal market. By connecting cannabis to local history, destinations can offer deeper, more meaningful experiences that appeal to culture-seeking travelers.
Not every destination is the Emerald Triangle, famed for decades of under-the-radar growing cultures and keeping cannabis genetics alive. But nearly every state has a connection to cannabis that stretches back before the plant was made illegal - consider that hemp was used as a currency in the original 13 colonies and some states (like Virginia) went as far to mandate its planting on farms.
Ideas to Brainstorm Creative Cannabis Tourism Offerings
Educational Programming as a Cultural Bridge
Educational initiatives serve as perfect vehicles for cultural integration. Consider the following:
University partnerships offering workshops on hemp farming history
Scientific education about cultivation and plant properties
Sustainable agriculture programs
Cultural history seminars exploring cannabis in literature and art
Festival Integration
Smart destinations are incorporating cannabis themes into existing cultural events rather than creating separate cannabis-only experiences:
Traditional harvest festivals featuring cannabis agriculture exhibits
Music festivals including hemp craft vendors and designated smoking areas
Farmers' markets incorporating hemp and cannabis products from smokable to edible and topical
Art festivals showcasing cannabis-inspired works
Building Community Connections
Successful cannabis tourism programs prioritize authentic community integration:
Partnering with local farmers to share agricultural transition stories and the differences in farming hemp versus other crops.
Showcasing local artisans who work with hemp or cannabis in their mediums or as inspiration
Highlighting regional cannabis entrepreneurs who offer unique cannabis experiences, like Puff and Paint or Puff and Cook classes
The Path Forward for Cannabis Tourism
The future of cannabis tourism lies in deeper cultural integration rather than isolation. Get creative for what cannabis tourism looks like for your destination. Consider these categories and let your brain run wild:
Interactive museum exhibits
Music and literary events
Wellness programming
Scientific and innovative showcases
Agricultural heritage programs
Hemp Farm Tours
Keys to Success
For destinations looking to develop cultural cannabis tourism:
Start with authentic local connections - who in your community is a part of the cannabis industry and culture?
Integrate with existing cultural institutions - how can cannabis offerings be added to existing tourism attractions?
Focus on education and heritage. Prohibition means that most people don't understand this plant in the slightest. In the same way a wine tour educates about wine, cannabis experiences are opportunities to educate about this incredible plant.
Create inclusive experiences that appeal beyond cannabis consumers. It's not all about the traditional idea of a stoner - today's consumers are parents, graduate students, business professionals, athletes, and more. Don't lean too hard on outdated psychedelic imagery or sexist marketing.
Maintain strong community relationships. You don't need to look outside your community to find a strong cannabis culture - I promise you it exists already.
Prioritize authentic storytelling over consumption. People are so curious about cannabis and when given the opportunity, would love to learn more in a safe environment.
By focusing on cultural integration rather than isolated experiences, destinations can create cannabis tourism programs that enhance their broader tourism appeal while celebrating local heritage. The key is to view cannabis not as a separate attraction but as part of the destination's cultural fabric – contributing to rather than competing with existing tourism offerings.
This approach helps normalize cannabis tourism while creating richer, more meaningful experiences that attract diverse visitors and contribute to sustainable tourism development. When done right, cultural cannabis tourism becomes a natural extension of a destination's existing appeal rather than a controversial add-on.
Embracing the Green Wave of Tourism
If your DMO or CVB is ready to lean into promoting your cannabis tourism assets, I can help!
I’m an SEO writer who specializes in cannabis education with a background is in travel and tourism, writing resources for tourism agencies from social media posts and destination guides to full Simpleview websites - and over 1,000 pieces of educational cannabis content since 2021. I’m intimately familiar with cannabis laws across the country and the SEO strategies needed to get the information in front of people who want it.
I help destination marketers create cannabis resources to embrace the future of cannabis tourism. And, as a cannabis tourist myself, having visited 14+ states where weed is legal, I know the resources your visitors are looking for. Send me a note today to get started.
