Pack your bags for a stoner’s weekend in weed and wine country

Hidden gems and local code words in Anderson Valley, California

One of California’s most worthwhile road trips lies along State Route 128 West. Head toward Fort Bragg/Mendocino from the 101 Highway, and you’ll arrive in a verdant stretch of California farm country known as the Emerald Triangle. Here, miles of wine vineyards, fruit orchards, and hidden cannabis farms stretch to the horizon.

Situated three hours north of San Francisco, Mendocino’s cool, foggy nights and hot, sunny days create ideal growing conditions for exceptional sun-grown cannabis for decades. Renowned for its vineyards and apple orchards, the Anderson Valley is a picturesque destination for cannabis lovers seeking repose and paying homage to lands that have cultivated this plant since the 1970s. It’s also the only place in the world where you can stay at a luxurious, cannabis-friendly, Mediterranean-style inn with an on-site dispensary and outdoor consumption lounge, all within proximity to several California wineries.

Pack your bags and your preferred paraphernalia, and let’s go on the ultimate road trip to weed and wine country.

Anderson Valley is a rural area, and it’s best to call ahead at least a week in advance to make sure places are open. Many restaurants in the valley are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and often between 2 to 3 pm. Most businesses close around 8 pm, and often for months at a time during the slower winter months. Some winery tasting rooms are by reservation only.

Another essential piece of advice from Anderson Valley locals: Be sure to brush up on your boontling—a regional dialect from the 1890s created by Boonville locals who wished to keep conversations private and confuse outsiders. Mostly spoken by working men of the era, much of the 1,600 word vocabulary is centered around drinking and burlapping.

Wherever you wind up, remember that life moves at a different pace here. The best brightlighters—that’s boontling for anyone not from Boonville—are always patient and tip well.

Published: October 31, 2022