Rewrite Get ready to be stoked. California’s got more than 800 cannabis dispensaries carrying the best weed the world’s ever seen—purer and often cheaper than the illicit market. And here’s the crazy part—California shops have yet to even really blossom. Due to the state’s “home rule” policy, which allows local governments to forbid legal cannabis businesses, other government policies, and the sheer size of the state, 800 is relatively very few. Colorado has about 14 pot shops per 100,000 people. California has just two per 100,000 people. That said, most tourists and people outside the inland “pot deserts” nevertheless have a wide selection of quality dispensaries to choose from. Not to mention delivery services. This Leafly List rounds up the ones our reviewers rated most highly.Jump to a sectionHighest-rated recreational dispensaries in CaliforniaHighest-rated medical dispensaries in CaliforniaRelatedThe best-rated weed dispensaries in California 2023Highest-rated recreational dispensaries in CaliforniaThe difference between “medical” and “recreational” dispensaries is fading in California, with many recreational shops serving medical patients. That said, they are for now still two distinct markets. Despite the state’s relatively small number of recreational dispensaries, we found top-notch shops across most regions of California.Captain Jack’s100 W. Hospitality Lane—San Bernardino, CA ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.9. star rating out of 2219 dispensary reviewsCombining a primo selection, welcoming environment, and knowledgeable staff, Captain Jack’s is as well-liked as a dispensary can be. Leafly’s reviewers are effusive in their praise for this Inland Empire store, which features a vast selection of products displayed across a roomy, well-lit shop floor. Customers particularly enjoy the comfortable consumption bar and lounge, which offers a selection of vaporizers including the Volcano and the Dr. Dabber SWITCH. “You make me feel like family every time,” one Leafly reviewer writes.HPRC445 4th St.—Eureka, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.9. star rating out of 54 dispensary reviewsOther Locations: 334 F St, Eureka; 980 6th St., Arcata. Thanks mainly to state and local taxes, legal weed is expensive in California. HPRC deals with this problem by regularly offering discounts and special deals. But that doesn’t mean it’s just a bargain bin: Customers routinely cite HPRC as their favorite in all of Humboldt County—America’s pot heartland. Formally known as the Humboldt Patient Resource Center, HPRC is particularly adept at helping customers with their health and wellness needs. It’s also known for its selection of products made for pets. Many Leafly reviewers praise the “helpful and friendly staff.”Blue Mountain Collective692 Marshall Ave.—San Andreas, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.9-star rating out of 40 dispensary reviews“I couldn’t imagine wanting to go anywhere else,” wrote one Leafly reviewer about Blue Mountain Collective. “This place is like a dream, plus they have the cheapest rates around.” The first dispensary to open in Calaveras County, Blue Mountain serves both the recreational and medical markets. Customers say they particularly value the staff’s expertise, and its fast, efficient service. Several reviewers also note the comparatively low prices.Los Angeles Kush5470 Valley Blvd.—Los Angeles⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5-star rating out of 1401 dispensary reviewsLos Angeles is rife with quality dispensaries, but Los Angeles Kush stands out. It’s won a raft of awards, and customers are lavish with their praise. A vast selection of products across a wide range of prices makes LA Kush “the go-to shop” in the City of Angels, one Leafly reviewer wrote. Giving discounts to first-time customers and offering random special deals and giveaways keeps people coming back. LA Kush opened in 2007 as California Herbal Remedies, a medical marijuana dispensary. Its crew of expert budtenders still serves medical customers as well as adult-use cannabis enthusiasts.The Heart of Humboldt601 I St. Suite B—Arcata, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.6-star rating out of 139 dispensary reviewsSome dispensaries employ aloof staffers who act like snooty clerks at indie record shops. The Heart of Humboldt, customers say, is the precise opposite. Many of Leafly’s reviewers mention the “friendly staff” and attention to service. “The vibe is so groovy, I keep coming back,” one writes. The Heart of Humboldt tries to live up to its name by participating in community events and offering discounts for military members, veterans, teachers, and students. New customers get a 10 percent discount on their first order.Mercy Wellness of Cotati7950 Redwood Drive—Cotati, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.7-star rating out of 140 dispensary reviewsOther Locations: Santa RosaMercy Wellness prides itself not only on its quality products and great service, but also on being an engaged member of its community, an active proponent of the legal cannabis industry, and a supporter of various causes. Mercy, which has served Sonoma County for nearly 12 years, has particular expertise in serving seniors, not only with products and programs aimed at their needs but also with discounts for people 55 and up. “Mercy Wellness is not just a dispensary,” one Leafly reviewer writes. “The staff, customers, and all their business partners are like family. There is so much Mercy Love!”Sticky Grove1070 US Hwy 101 N—Crescent City, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.7-star rating out of 60 dispensary reviewsSticky Grove is all about efficient service. The storefront pick-up service is for people who know what they want—which they often learn from talking via phone to one of its knowledgeable budtenders—and who just want it without a lot of hassle. “It was less than 10 minutes for my order to be ready,” one Leafly reviewer wrote. “Friendly associates, great prices, fast service!” The shop takes advantage of its lack of overhead by offering low prices.Highway 29 Health Care3737 Sonoma Blvd.—Vallejo, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.9-star rating out of 11 dispensary reviewsHighway 29 Health Care has been serving the city of Vallejo since 2012, offering a wide array of top-tier products for both medical and adult-use customers. One Leafly reviewer who decided to use cannabis to relieve ADHD symptoms wrote that, on the phone, “I was greeted with a friendly man who assisted me with my nervousness and questions. Upon arrival, the front desk woman was also kind regardless of my pure ignorance at their operational procedures. Upon entry Into the shop each clerk was kind and the gentleman who helped me specifically was professional and kind. I recommend this place to anyone.”Wild Seed Wellness1109 Chestnut St.—Marysville, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.8-star rating out of 21 dispensary reviewsComfort and efficiency are the watchwords at Wild Seed Wellness, with several Leafly reviewers noting the relaxed atmosphere and “chill,” staff. “We take great pride in having a knowledgeable staff that can guide you to the right product for your needs,” Wild Seed promises. Customers agree, with several indicating that the budtenders really know their stuff. Wild Seed offers a different discount promotion every day.Mount Shasta Patients Collective408 S. Mt. Shasta Blvd.—Mount Shasta, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.9-star rating out of 94 dispensary reviewsA Leafly reviewer’s anecdote about Mount Shasta Patients Collective highlights the dispensary’s attention to service: After helping the customer with a purchase, the budtender “even helped me troubleshoot a problem I am having with a plant I’m trying to grow,” the reviewer writes. “I will totally be asking for her the next time I’m in there. Good experience all around.” Nothing says “service” like a retail dispensary assisting a customer in growing his or her own. Other reviewers also heaped praise on the staff. Mount Shasta happily serves adult-use customers, but specializes in medical users, with a wide selection of high-THC and high-CBD products.Highest-rated medical dispensaries in CaliforniaSince 2016, when Californians voted to legalize cannabis for adult use, the distinction between medical and recreational cannabis use has blurred. Nevertheless, there are still important distinctions between them, and there are still dispensaries that serve primarily, or only, medical marijuana patients. Possessing a state medical cannabis ID card and a physician’s recommendation bestows numerous benefits that are protected by law, including access to cannabis with more THC than is allowed for adult-use customers and the freedom to possess as much pot as a patient’s doctor recommends (recreational consumers are allowed to possess only up to one ounce). You also save money on sales taxes. That said, relatively few people get a medical ID card. California has a proud tradition of serving medical marijuana patients dating back decades, since well before the state legalized medical pot in 1996. Many of the state’s dispensaries are carrying on that tradition.Central Coast Wellness Center7932 Hwy 9—Ben Lomond, CA⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5-star rating out of 17 dispensary…
