The long weekend of Memorial Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate—servicemen, the coming of summer, time spent with our favorite people. Whether you’re throwing a party, taking a trip, or heading to a more rustic setting for some R&R, cannabis pairs perfectly with all of them. 

Thirty-six states have legalized cannabis for adult (aka recreational) use, and many more have some form of weed legislation on the books. Here’s how to safely and effectively get your smoke, vape, dab, or edible on, no matter where you spend your weekend.

If you’re staying home

Not feeling up to an adventure? We got you. If you need a last-minute delivery, the Leafly app can connect you to the best dispensaries in your area with premium flower, edibles, vapes, dabs, prerolls, and gear.

If you need to make a quick pick-up, your local shop may be running an unbeatable deal through Leafly online. Our ever-growing strain database also shows you the closest legal vendors of your favorite Kush, Haze, or new boutique exotic. If you can’t make up your mind, here are some our favorite strains for the season, from Cherry Pie to Zamosa. 

Before you fire off a joint, make sure you brush up on your state’s laws around consumption, like smoking in apartments versus private property. Some places, like New York City, allow a certain degree of public consumption, while others may relegate you indoors. In states with harsh penalties if you’re caught, it just isn’t worth it.

However, if your state allows consumption lounges (which you can check here), perhaps a quick stop before joining the barbecue or tailgate party is in order.

If you’re traveling across state lines (by car)

Traveling with cannabis is far from impossible, but proceed with caution when venturing out of state. If you’re taking a plane, you can consult our guide to air travel with cannabis.

Hitting the road via car or train is easier, but requires a little planning. Contributor Ted Andersen has a thorough travel guide for day trippers hitting the road with cannabis, as rules vary state to state. We say always double check your local and destination legislation before burning rubber, or a bowl of your favorite hybrid. 

First things first, pack it up. Much like alcohol laws, even states with adult-use laws on the books prohibit smoking/vaping/dosing and driving, and that includes “open containers” (i.e., visible amounts) of bud, vape cartridges. Best to keep that all in the trunk, out of sight.

We recommend storing any products in smell-proof and child-proof containers. Seasoned contributor Matt Jackson wrote us a slick gear guide, including airtight jars, cases, and stash bags. If you prefer to bring your own bong, Puffco device, or similar accoutrement, keep them clean of any plant residue and store them with your goods. 

If your plans take you between recreational states, Leafly can help you find the best dispensaries and delivery services worth your weekend. But if you’ve booked a hotel room or Airbnb, you must abide by the business’ consumption rules. And try not to set off the fire alarm. 

Something else to note: the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized hemp and hemp products, so possession is technically legal coast to coast. Keep in mind, however, that hemp and cannabis products can look identical without clear labelling, so store them with your THC wares.

If you’re camping 

The great outdoors make the perfect backdrop for a weed-infused Memorial Day weekend, from National Parks to private campgrounds. But bringing cannabis into the mix can get tricky. No matter the state you celebrate in, National Parks are federal land, so any possession or use of cannabis and cannabis products is against the law.

Attorney Alex Freeburg, who specializes in cannabis charges in National Parks, said in an interview that violations can lead to hundreds of dollars in fines, probation, and in extreme cases, even jail time.  

Private campgrounds will have their own rules, so cover your bases before you pitch your tent. Make sure anything involving a flame is put out after use to avoid impacting the flora and fauna. If you’re bringing edibles, as with food, make sure you store or dispose of it securely to avoid attracting any uninvited animal guests.

For cannabis entrepreneur and New York City native, Vladimir Bautista, it all begins and ends with his neighborhood. You can call him the Mr. Rodgers of Harlem. His long, enviable career in the cannabis legacy space has given way to legal success, with two dispensaries opened last year in Manhattan and Brooklyn under his Happy Munkey brand. 

“I believe that things are going to go the way they’re supposed to go,” he says. “You ever heard that saying, ‘Man makes plans and God laughs?’”

151 Dykman St., New York, NY — recreational

Bautista grew up in Sugar Hill in a Dominican family, back when the community was mired in the crack epidemic of the 1990s—a far cry from its Columbia University affiliations now. He discovered cannabis as a consumer at a young age, taking those first puffs with his middle school friends.

“There was a lot of doom and gloom around,” he says. “It was helping me mentally compared to all the other substances. It just created good vibes and energy around me and my friends.”

Despite cannabis being much safer than other drugs on the market—heroin, crack, cocaine—it was harder to find. By 16, Bautistia realized there was a market gap, and figured he could be the one to fill it. 

“I remember having that ‘aha’, entrepreneur light bulb moment,” he says. “I’m gonna buy an ounce, and if it doesn’t sell, I’ll smoke it. I have everything to gain, nothing to lose, but this could be my lane.” His instincts proved correct. “After I purchased that ounce, I never had a job again.”

For years, Bautista serviced the city’s legacy market, scaling up his business and reputation. And, of course, fielding multiple arrests by the NYPD. The name Happy Munkey comes from his business partner, Ramon Reyes, whose spirit animal is a monkey. There’s also a story of the Hindu deity Hanuman, a monkey god, who ascended a mountain in search of healing herbs for the god Rama. Plus, it’s playful. In a city of gangsters, the idea of a happy, cheeky monkey feels welcoming. 

Legalization out west changed everything. As states like Colorado, Washington, and California launched adult-use markets, Bautista knew that Happy Munkey needed to switch gears. Reyes had traveled to Amsterdam and recognized the potential in safe, private spaces to light up and meet like-minded people.  He tapped a contact many other cannabis entrepreneurs in the city have met on their way to the legal market, International P. Through their network of contacts, they established an underground space for consumption events in 2017, and within two years Forbes dubbed the “Studio 54 of cannabis.”

Still, there was more growing to do. Before the COVID-19 pandemic would shutter their events arm, Bautista began attending cannabis conferences and festivals across the country, meeting industry legends like Steve DeAngelo and learning about the economics of the emerging business, like stocks.

“That was the moment of ‘there’s something here, this is coming to the East Coast,’” says Bautista, “when we [began] pursuing the legal cannabis market as a business. We understood that we were advocates, because we had a platform, we had influence.”

Bautista, Reyes, and Happy Munkey were instrumental in pushing for the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) and insisting on the bill’s social equity components. They mobilized their podcast, magazine, and merchandise while the city was under quarantine, and hosted an event at Wall Street’s Bobby Van Steakhouse for the first 4/20 post-legalization, in 2021.

As they waited for license approval, they continued hosting events that drew on the vast spectrum of the cannabis community, including an afterparty of the Van Gogh Immersive Experience and their 2022 symposium at Columbia University that featured scientists, entrepreneurs, and government officials. 

“We brought out a lot of big people from the industry—politicians, doctors, lawyers. We attracted a really eclectic crowd; I think we were the first ones in New York to bring Main Street to Wall Street, with the rapper sitting next to the politician, the billionaire sitting next to the gangster.”

They hope the same can manifest in their two legal stores, serving two major hubs of people in two boroughs. They emphasize customer service, situating customers within their neighborhoods, and a wide selection of brands like Kiva Confections, Rolling Green, To The Moon, and Lobo.

While they can’t open an adult-use version of their beloved lounge just yet, they see 2025 as an opportunity. And it’s an opportunity that, Bautista says, was fated to them.

“The irony is that I bought that ounce on Sherman Avenue in 1998. And now, 27 years later, we just opened our first licensed store around the corner from where I bought that first ounce.”

Who needs new weed shops? We do. Miami gets its first medical dispensary, New Mexico welcomes a massive cannabis superstore, and a Detroit rapper brings legal weed to 8 Mile. Here are the new dispensary openings across America this month.

Got a new shop? Put it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise. 

Arizona

Ponderosa Dispensary— Tucson, AZ. Opened Jan. 18. Firstly, let’s start with the desert. Tuscon just got a little greener thanks to the arrival of Ponderosa Dispensary. Stocking over 20 premiere cannabis brands, Ponderosa aka the Pondy also scores bragging rights for having the largest selection of in-house brands Canamo Concentrates and Sonoran Roots available anywhere in Tucson. Other highlights include friendly, informed budtenders and a “full-sensory” shopping experience. 3008 N. Stone Ave, Tucson. 

California

Urbana Oakland— Oakland, CA. Opened Jan. 17. You’ll have to get your order of fries somewhere else as former burger joint Luke’s Taproom has now officially reopened as the latest outpost of Urbana’s chain of NorCal dispensaries. Specifically, the updated digs “preserve the industrial charm of the property while adding modern, welcoming touches” that include consumption lounges and a “vibrant calendar of events that celebrates local art, culture, and education.” 415 W Grand, Oakland.

Florida

Ayr Wellness—Miami, FL. Opened Jan. 10. It took long enough, but Miami’s first medical cannabis dispensary is now finally open. In the works with the City of Miami since 2016, Ayr Wellness has at last opened the chain’s 67^th location in the state. Offering a full menu of flower, vape carts, edibles, and more, representatives for Ayr shared their hope to cater to “underserved medical marijuana patients” at their Midtown store, which is located within a shopping district that draws heavy foot traffic. 3160 N. Miami Ave, Miami.

Maryland

The Forest—Baltimore, MD. Opened Jan. 18. Don’t mistake the trees for The Forest because both are welcome additions to the scene in Baltimore. Marking Maryland’s first vertically integrated social equity license to open shop, The Forest is African American and Latina majority-owned and plans to situate their business as a “holistic wellness experience with access to high-quality cannabis products” including concentrates, pre-rolls, and topicals. 3301 Boston St, Baltimore. 

Michigan

Fly Shifter Cannabis—Detroit, MI. Opened Jan. 11. Don’t tell Poppa Doc but Detroit’s 8 Mile has a new heavyweight in the form of Fly Shifter Cannabis from homegrown rapper and entrepreneur Lou “Big Shifter” Gram. Perks include a plethora of premium cannabis products, a Shifter’s Only Club providing loyalty rewards, and an ongoing commitment to supporting Detroit’s “local economy and cultural landscape.” 6220 8 Mile Rd, Detroit. 

Missouri

CODES—Kansas City, MO. Opened Jan. 18. Comedian and cannabis enthusiast/entrepreneur Jim Belushi was on hand to welcome Kansas City’s newest dispensary to the party. Billed as “one of the fastest-growing brands in Missouri’s cannabis industry,” CODES prides itself on offering premium cannabis products, including exclusive cultivars, edibles, and concentrates, designed to cater to a “broad spectrum of Kansas City’s diverse clientele.” 668 E Red Bridge Rd, Kansas City. 

New Jersey

Budzooka—Elizabeth, NJ. Opened Jan. 29. The proudly Hispanic-owned Budzooka Dispensary has officially opened in the home of a former bank in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Featuring a clean interior flecked with splashes of bright color, Budzooka also offers a “bud bar” where customers can see and smell the various types of cannabis flower available for sale. The shop’s menu also includes an extensive list of vapes, concentrates, edibles, and even a few MSO (multi-state operator) brands like Loud Labs and Nova Farms. 142 Broad St, Elizabeth.

New Mexico

Mango Cannabis—Sunland Park, NM. Opened Jan. 22. If there’s one thing New Mexico was missing, it’s a 9,000-square-foot cannabis superstore. Thankfully, Mango Cannabis has fixed the issue by opening the state’s largest dispensary (to date) last month. Capable of processing 2,000 to 3,0000 order per day, the Sunland Park location is set to carry over 3,000 SKUS (products) that include “the top [hundred] most popular brands in the state.” 1051 McNutt Road, Sunland Park. 

New York

Kaya Bliss— Brooklyn, NY. Opened Jan. 9. The new weed shops of New York keep coming. Once a hair salon, the confines of Brooklyn’s Kaya Bliss have a decidedly different vibe these days. Customers visiting Bay Ridge’s first licensed adult-use cannabis dispensary can look forward to walls decorated with murals, comprehensively trained budtenders, and over 400 products from more than 30 brands to choose from. Purchases can be made either at the registers or at conveniently located in-store kiosks. 8412 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn. 

The Herb Cave—Plattsburgh, NY. Opened Dec. 27. Northern New York scored a big win with the opening of the first woman-owned, licensed cannabis dispensary in the Plattsburgh region last month. With a menu featuring “a variety of craft cannabis products sourced from smaller farms and micro-businesses throughout New York State,” The Herb Cave prides itself as a “experienced, reliable, established” legacy business here to solve your cannabis needs. 19 State Rte 3, Plattsburgh. 

Pennsylvania

Terrapin Care Station—Bellefonte, PA. Opened Jan. 9. One year after Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the bill ushering in a new era of legal medical cannabis in Pennsylvania, independent medical cannabis grower and processor Terrapin has launched a store in Bellefonte. The site marks the first of three planned locations for Terrapin, including forthcoming stores in Lewisburg (Kelly Township) and Lock Haven (Woodward Township). Dates for the latter two stores remain yet to be announced but are expected soon. 205 Park Place, Bellefonte. 

In conclusion—it’s a tremendous time for medical and adult-use cannabis access. Just look at all these new weed shops near you. Did we miss any? Leave a comment with a new one.

Got a new shop? Get it on the map. Visit Leafly Success to advertise.