Fun, Safe and Elevated Tourism Experience Deeply Rooted in The Town's History
Oakland, Calif. – Visit Oakland launches the Oakland Cannabis Trail – a historical, colorful travel adventure with unique retail and cannabis centric experiences for the cannasseur (a well-informed cannabis enthusiast) and canna-curious (one who is discovering the world of cannabis) alike.
Developed by Visit Oakland in collaboration with cannabis travel enthusiasts and Oakland's leading retailers, the Oakland Cannabis Trail offers a curated, immersive trip through The Town's diverse, amazing neighborhoods. Shared information highlights cannabis travel facts and tips for a safe, memorable experience.
The trail provides visitors a one-of-a-kind opportunity to immerse themselves in Oakland history as they explore premium cannabis retail shops, an array of restaurants, local attractions, and sensory activities including hand selected art exhibits and the great outdoors. Featured on the trail are eight cannabis shops that represent the deeply rooted past and innovative future of cannabis in Oakland.
"Oakland is proud to continue our pioneering traditions with the launch of this unique and on-trend tourism offering."
Peter Gamez, Visit Oakland
Pioneering legacy
From Harborside that was established in 2006 and is one of the oldest, largest, and most respected cannabis retailers in the world to Root'd in the 510 – Oakland's newest cannabis retailer that opened on 4/20 in 2022 – the trail offers numerous exploration options. Honoring Oakland's pioneering legacy, three destinations on the trail are Cultural Landmarks – the Oaksterdam Uptown District, Blunts and Moore, and Harborside.
Evolution of emerging travel trend
Oakland has a rich, significant history with safe cannabis access and has played a prominent role in legalization. The Town continues to be at the forefront of progress with some of the best shops and most compelling cannabis offerings in the state. Visit Oakland is leading the evolution of the emerging travel trend. The Cannabis Trail is the visitors trusted guide to enjoying safe, curated cannabis experiences while spending time in Oakland.
"The Oakland Cannabis Trail is an extension of our commitment to stimulate our economy through smart marketing, visitation, destination development and tourism infrastructure" stated Peter Gamez, President and CEO for Visit Oakland. "We created a program to capitalize on the growing cannabis travel trend and enrich our visitor experience. By sharing information that inspires visits to Oakland, makes people comfortable and engaged, we are also promoting and supporting viable local businesses. Oakland is proud to continue our pioneering traditions with the launch of this unique and on-trend tourism offering."
The Affluent Cannabis Traveler
National travel research conducted in 2020 unveiled a ready, willing, and surprisingly affluent cannabis traveler that prefers cannabis experiences while on vacation. The study found that the cannabis-motivated travel audience in the United States accounted for 18% of all adult Americans in January 2020.
"The 2020 study was conducted prior to the pandemic", shared Brian Applegarth, the Chief Strategy Officer of Cultivar Brands, a key collaborator, and advisor on the groundbreaking research. "With cannabis being deemed essential and product sales significantly increasing the past two plus years across multiple destinations, the cannabis travel audience has likely grown exponentially" he continued. Cultivar Brands is the leading agency at the intersection of cannabis and travel. "We are honored to support the development and launch of the Oakland Cannabis Trail."
Know before you go
The Oakland Cannabis Trail is available online at OaklandCannabisTrail.com. The trail information includes a detailed map, descriptions of dispensaries and retailers, list of activities and attractions, a blog/how to guide, know before you go tips, a glossary of terms and the history of cannabis in Oakland.
For more information on Visit Oakland, the Oakland Cannabis Trail and all that Oakland has to offer go to visitoakland.com.