Smokin Moose
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
The following is a list of places where there exists a sizable hippy population, where there is tolerance towards hippies, where hippies are free to pursue their lifestyle with community support. Whether you're looking to visit or relocate, you can be sure there'll be places to stay, interesting things to see and do, and lots of other hippies in these places. Since most of these were posted on the site by visitors to Hippyland, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of each report. You should check into these places more before visiting and certainly before moving there! If you know of any other places to add to this list please write to us - havens@hippy.com.
USA
Alabama
"We've got lots of forests in North Alabama and sometimes a group called the Rainbow People come to Mount Cheaha and harmonize with nature. There are a great number of hippies living in the Calhoun County area; mainly in Anniston, Oxford and Jacksonville, Alabama. If any hippies need somewhere to move to, come on to Alabama. We have plenty of room and the people of our land don't care what you look like."
Alaska
"After spending the past few summers in the wonderful state of Alaska, I must let you know that the entire state is a great place to be. All summer long there are bluegrass shows, festivals and trips to be taken. Whether you are into the Matanuska thunderfuck, fruity pebbles, or any of the other delectables of the state, or just hitching around to see the land, you surely are welcome no matter what you are. I've had more amazing experiences in Alaska than I could ever imagine. My boyfriend and I hitched over a thousand miles to Homer. We had no problems getting a ride. Jerry's twin (right down to the nubby fingers) picked us up and let us camp in his front yard, fed us strawberry daiquiris and smoked all night. Let everyone know that Alaska is only part of the US because of it's government and monetary units. Go and visit, you may never come back
"
Delta Junction, Alaska - according to a contributor is the "highest per capita weed smokin' community - about 85% of the town here does!"
Homer, Alaska - Located on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula it's FULL of people living as they wish. Some in schoolbuses, some in cabins, many w/o running water, electricity or with all the amenities, but the hearts are full. There are people living off the grid and the entire town is geared toward spirituality. The town of Homer has been called for many years, 'the cosmic hamlet by the sea'. Check out available web sites...although most of those are geared toward tourists. Do the bay...you will find many interesting people living a conscious, purposeful life
Matanuska Valley, Alaska - Here grows the wonderful Matanuska Thunder Fuck, people all over the country who have tried Alaskan weed beg for more of this! Many laid back hippies moved to Alaska because marijuana was legal until 1990.
Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona - This small community really flourished when the mining-company which owned the town bailed out in the mid-seventies and hippies from all over moved in. There is a great community here, with a co-op and lots of hippy artists living out in the desert. Check it out for yourself! Have a brew and a few games of nine ball at the Bisbee Grand, or play hacky sack in the grassy park in front of the mining museum right in downtown.
Flagstaff, Arizona - a large community or family of hippies came here for the diversity of "the kind" and other "party favors." With the San Francisco Peaks and Sedona only twenty minutes away the opportunities for adventure are endless.
Prescott, Arizona - The home of Prescott, University. You will find a large number of artists, mountain bikers, hikers, and outdoorsmen in this town, along with communes galore. Dancing circles of hippies beating drums and enjoying life in the middle of the wilderness are seen on mountain tops near here. People tell me that the university here is one of the most open-minded in the world, and it offers a variety of alternative majors (mountain climbing, kayaking, etc.) and the majority of students are studying from abroad.
Sedona, Arizona - A hippie haven since before the Harmonic Convergence, this little town grew way too big and unfortunately allowed Macdonald's and other chains to destroy the charm. They say the vortexes are still there, humming in the mountains and sacred secret places.
Tempe, Arizona - A visitor wrote us that "every Sunday there is a gathering of kind brothers and sisters in Tempe at the Sail Inn. We have been getting together for about two years for an afternoon of kind vibes with the incredible Grateful Dead cover band Noodles. They play from 4:20 till? If you're ever in town, we would love to have you join us. Hope to see ya sometime."
Tucson, Arizona - Home to the University of Arizona and a large hippy population, Tucson is happening! 4th Avenue is a hangout with lots of cool shops, cafes and clubs. The street occasionally gets transformed into a huge Art Festival. There's usually some good music around town, plus the nice climate and cheap smoke keeps everybody groovin'! That's why some call it "TooStoned".
California
Arcata, California - "This is the best place to go if you're a hippie.. well, besides the Haight-Ashbury. It's located in Humboldt County, which is pretty well-known for it's marijuana growing. The community is great, there are always festivals going on about the earth, such as the Mushroom Fair, the Hemp Festival, North Country Fair, everything you can imagine. I love it here! The people are so supportive of you.. they've even made a law which states that women can indeed go topless around the plaza in the centre of town. ; )
Arcata is a totally unreal place to check out and LIVE too! The rents are cheap and it seems everyone is way laid back, with Humboldt next door and being amongst the greatest redwoods in the world, how can you go wrong!"
Humboldt, California - "I Personally Don't Think You Emphasized how Many Hippies And How Much Ganja There really Is Out in Humboldt, Humboldt Is Like One Of The Main Places. We are the center of the "emerald triangle"... need I say more?"
Mt. Shasta, California - "One of the most sacred places on earth. Everyone is so totally kind. The mountain pours out its love and watches over all its inhabitants. It snows for days in the winter, but in the summer I go live in the woods and draw off the healing energies. Another kind thing is that the cops realize that hippies are really laid back and we do a lot for the community and keep it beautiful, therefore we all do well living in harmony."
San Diego, California - Especially Ocean Beach, Encinitas areas. Laid back mixture of surfers and hippies make for a cool scene. Check out The Black a famous headshop in O.B. Also "blacks beach every full moon at 8:00 p.m."
San Francisco, California - Is still happening, especially the Haight-Asbury and Berkeley areas. The place where it all began in the Summer of Love, 1967 and where it continues to this day.
Santa Cruz, California - "I'm not sure there is really a large population of hippies IN Santa Cruz--it's kind of a melting pot of all types of people--but if you're looking for some really beautiful scenery, kind people, and totally peaceful chillin', head to one of the towns a little bit north of Santa Cruz. Felton, Boulder Creek, Bonny Doon...it's way mellow there, and everyone's basically into mother nature and their brothers and sisters. It's also real close to the ocean. It's one of the prettiest areas you can imagine...head there on your travels. You won't be sorry!"
Venice Beach, California - every Sunday people get together and form a drum circle. "It's a hippie haven and it lasts until sunset. Come visit us!"
Colorado
Boulder, Colorado - "As one who has lived in and visited Boulder, CO over the years, I must warn everybody not to judge a book by it's cover. Sure, Boulder is a very hip & fun town, but times are changing. Due to an ever-increasing influx of "hippies", Deadheads, Phishheads, etc., the local law enforcement has been cracking down on the free-spirited mentality of our lifestyle. I have personally witnessed numerous human rights violations & unnecessary arrests all stemming from pressure by the local government & Boulder residents to "clean up the town". I mean, how many places can you go where both you AND YOUR DOG get arrested in the same day?!!! Don't laugh, because it has happened!"
Nederland, Colorado - 17 miles west, up the canyon from Boulder. This town has old to young hippies from all over the country. Very awesome music scene for a little mountain town (Leftover Salmon, etc...). "Majical place." "Very kind in many ways."
Connecticut
Ellington, Connecticut - "Because, like there's a lot of hippies here - it's a real trip man."
Delaware
Newark, Delaware - this place is the home of the University of Delaware. "Tons of hippies here. Most live on Madison which consists of apartment/townhouses and this friendly group is very intelligent and KIND."
Florida
Orlando, Florida - "Gainesville is not all the bomb that you say it is. it is not the "hippy capital" of phlorida. there are kydz there cause there is a college. that's it. just a college. if there were no college, the town would be non-existent. there are some nice kydz there, but no family. they have some good shows maybe once a month. i live in Orlando. it is mofuckin awesome! i have lived in many places and for about 6 mos. in different places in phlorida. The "hippy capital" is definitely St. Augustine. SUCH A fabulous family!! there's a beach, there's plenty of places to sell crafts on the street all year round. there's tons of cool shit like an old fort that you can trip around in and plenty of kynd folks. not much of a nightlife unfortunately. They never have big name bands. Orlando on the other hand is a mecca. we get awesome shows here pretty regularly. we've got the house of blues, we've got a university, we're an hour from the beach, an hour from Daytona Beach, not much further from Gainesville, a little less from St. Augustine. we've got the big ekon river. two drum circles every week. we've got the Orlando family. we've got the hippy hole."
Key West, Florida - "Despite the commercialism, the boat people and street performers, still living the good life. The town is tolerant of long hairs and pot is available from Jamaica. Love the town but there are some drawbacks."
Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia - "There is a certain area in Atlanta that is known as Midtown which houses an area known as Little Five Points. This is truly the hippie haven of the south - or at least Georgia. In this little portion of town there are many body art and vintage shops, including a favorite of the locals called Groovy Girls. Other odds and ends are sold around here such as African drums, futons, and crystals. Just like the goods that are sold here, the people are an assorted mixture as well. New age Flower Children, aging Flower Children, skateboarders, and Rastafarians line the streets daily. Drum circles are common practices here. Little Five Points and the nearby Piedmont Park also host the Pot Festival every year."
Hawaii
Big Island and Kauai - Lots of growers here. Scene is low key and laid back. Communes around. On Big Island, the hippies are all in the Puna District mainly in the Pahoa area from Kalapana to Pahoa and from Pahoa over to Volcano.
Maui, Hawaii - Still full of hippies living on the slopes of Haleakela, the dormant volcano, in places like Kipahulu, Kula, Hana, Paia. You'll need a few gold cards to visit here. This scene is expensive.
Idaho
Moscow, Idaho - "You will find some of the most absolutely wonderful people there! Besides the people, Moscow is the Mecca of outdoor activities and being one with nature and life."
Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana - "This town has a modest, but decent, hippie community. At 4:20 (p.m.) at a park on 9th Street, there is a drum circle. Also a cafe/restaurant called the Runcible Spoon is visited by many hippies and other interesting people. A few hippies (roughly 6) work there as well. The restaurant is located on 6th Street downtown. Across the back parking lot of this restaurant is a little natural foods Co-op store called Bloomingfoods, where many hippies are employed, and where most hippies buy all their essentials. On Kirkwood Avenue, the most active part of the downtown, there is a little shop called the Dharma Emporium, owned and frequented by lots of groovy people. On Walnut Street, there lies a shop called the Magic Bus, owned and operated by a bunch of hippies that live in the back; kind and gentle folk. Also, the town of Bloomington is mostly liberal, and there are a lot of interesting people. Just stay away from the west side of town: this is a "thriving" commercial part of town with no trees and a lot of new subdivisions. Bad, bad, bad."
Needmore, Indiana - "This is a tiny, tiny place way, way out in the boonies, but an ideal location for a commune, wouldn't you say? Yes, Lothlorien is the name of the place and is just south of Bloomington a ways. Lothlorien is the beautiful location of many festivals throughout the year, and they have an open season during which space can be reserved for celebrations. Lovely, lovely place. Their website is: Elflore.org has moved! "
Iowa
Quad Cities, Iowa - "We have started a small hippie community. Our Rainbow Family has potlucks every other Sunday campouts every month or so."
Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas - "The place is very chill and down to earth. As much as marijuana seems to be a symbol of hippydom, i would have to say that Lawrence grows some of the finer buds in the states, of course next to Oregon and Boulder."
Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky - "Bardstown Road is a large street where you can not only find hippies, but every kind of person there is. The best parts of Bardstown Road stretch for about 3 miles. It's lined with eclectic shops, head and hemp and beads and vintage clothing...as well as vegetarian cuisine. It's a great place to just take a walk. It really does look like it's straight out of 1968. There are great coffee shops with outdoor cafes, "gently used" book stores, instrument and record shops, head shops, vintage clothing stores, specialty stores and everything in between. It's absolutely the best place in Louisville to visit!!!"
"There is a happy thriving hippie community here. Cherokee Park is home to many drummers and smokers. This city also has a solid gay community, and a well-known affinity for birthing original bands--there are very many opportunities for budding musicians to meet like-minded folks...Also many poets and artists claim Louisville for their home. It is groovy."
Maine
Industry, Maine - "Plenty of old hippies, die hard hippies, new hippies and a bunch of drunk ones too you. Ever hear of Hempstock? That's in the town right next to us. Then Harvestfest isn't too far away either."
Starks, Maine - "Home of the annual HEMPSTOCK. More than 30 bands will play through-out the weekend of August 14th...many local bands.......There were no reported arrests last year !!!! And everyone is Hippie like up there in Maine anyway..."
Maryland
Mount Rainier, Maryland - "A funky little town near DC that literally hasn't changed since the 60's. Or if it has, the resemblance has gotten even closer. Since there's a major African American presence it has a somewhat Rastafarian ambiance. Check out the Glut Food Co-op (started by Marxists in 1969), the Eye Opener coffee shop (owned by a Deadhead) and the used furniture / alternative health stores. Possibly the cheapest place you can live between the mountains and the Chesapeake, if you're a hippie."
Takoma Park, DC/Maryland - "Takoma Park is known as the Berkeley of the East. Competitors, we're more modest than that, please challenge us to greatness. DC is famous for being the most politically liberal big city, but then it's also famous for being the nexus of the Counter-Counter-Culture (it's actually hip to be drug free here, though you can do just about anything in public and still get elected to high office), so you may be wondering, where do hippies fit in? As it happens, Takoma Park is not the sad, commercialized, isolated enclave of hipness that you find in most big cities. It is at the geographic heart of a wreath of easygoing, progressive, really racially integrated, communities. Which is why we've escaped gentrification and "hip"-ization & remain a low-key, 70's style small town. White-bread hipsters with racial jones beware.
Hippiedom here is not about commercial lifestyle. It's part of the culture. Nobody moves here for the shopping or arts, but very large percentages of the populations are vegetarians, recyclers, renters, non-car owners, members of the two co-ops. We cheer on the annual Reel mower Brigade in their efforts to ban gas lawnmowers. To benefit our large illegal alien population, who can vote, we have a tradition of hiring police chiefs committed to not cooperating with the IMF. Bizarrely, we're also a mecca for evangelicals and libertarians who share a similar political zeal and fondness for natural food - one of the organic co-ops is the world's largest Christian book store, and the other is staffed by ex-Maoists. There aren't many tensions in the community, though. Our favorite mayor was a ninety yr. old Socialist. Anyhow, we used to have two wild roosters, but one got run over. You can hear the other one crowing behind the boarding houses downtown, between the House of Musical Traditions and the Metaphysical Chapel, on the spring solstice when the Foggy Bottom Morris Men gather to dance the sun up.
Definitely a community for longtime residents & hippies-at-heart; fair-weather hippies will get bored and move to some overrated part of DC. We've already got too many yuppies, most of whom were still hippies before they moved here and got a job teaching at the Jane Goodall Institute or Nuclear Environmental Research group or something similar in town, so I guess they're okay."
Massachuesetts
Amherst, Massachuesetts - "Home to the annual "Extravaganja" festival, Amherst residents are about to vote on a decriminalization of marijuana referendum. Amherst boasts a huge student population -- from Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass-- and is less than 10 minutes from Northampton, another hippy haven. Great concerts and shows, wonderful cheap restaurants, and an extremely liberal community."
Northampton, Massachuesetts - "Great place for hippies and hippie-types. Tolerant largely gay community welcomes "alternative people". Love the place! Lots of hippie shops and restaurants too!!"
West Newbury and Newburyport, Massachuesetts - "are filled with tons of young hippies. In Newburyport there are a lot of cool little coffee houses located on an old 1800 waterfront. Many places to toke up and everything is always readily available. People such as Toots and the Maytalls, Livingston Taylor (James' bro) and David Grisman have performed in this small town."
Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan - "There is a Hash Bash every year there and so many hippies come. Ann Arbor is a great place."
Saugatuck, Michigan - "This is truly a hip community, located along the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan, surrounded by picturesque sand dunes. Saugatuck is the epicenter of many western Michigan coastal communities offering a very laid-back chilled atmosphere, and amongst the population you will find an immense multitude of artists and a majority of open-minded people. The downtown is very eclectic, with many far-out shops, including the popular Shakedown Street, offering a variety of Grateful Dead and hippy-related merchandise. Coffee shops are also quite abundant here. There's also a lot of very cool natural attractions, such as Mt. Baldhead and Oval Beach. The entire scene here reeks of peace. I must say that this town is the ultimate chill-spot."
Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri - "There is a substantial hippie community that exists on St. Louis' South Side around the area of South Grand Avenue. There is also another older, but growing hippie enclave in a close-in suburb of St. Louis. Known as the University City Loop along 10 blocks of Delmar Boulevard, the area is hopping with hippie-run shops and vendor stands."
Columbia, Missouri - Downtown Peace Park and Peace Nook
Westport, Missouri - "Missouri has more then two hippy hangouts (gasp!). Westport's a very cool place. It has head shops, VW buses, and lots of drugs."
Montana
Missoula, Montana - "...is a hip place with many hippies. Its population is small so everything is laid back. It's very similar to Eugene Oregon, but without the rain. There are a lot of hippy stores and vegetarian restaurants. The town lies over a pretty river and is next to a large mountain so many people hike, bike, hunt shrooms and river raft. Missoula is also the home of Plunker, one of the founders of the Rainbow Nation."
Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska "...is a pretty phun li'l town. Pretty good family. There are NO CLUBS there, so those annoying clubkids are not even present (woo-hoo!). They'll introduce you to a real rave, which everyone should experience. Omaha also has the oldmarket which is downtown and a fun place to hang out day and night with a park to the east, the Big Slides (extreme amounts of child-like fun) on the north, the abandoned warehouses are also right near where the parties rage at night. Lots of grassroots organizations are sprouting up. Definitely worth checking out if you're traveling through to Boulder or somewhere."
New Mexico
Taos, New Mexico - "I went to Taos, New Mexico last summer and found the place swarming with beautiful people. There are a few communes right outside of town... where Easy Rider was filmed. Lots of freaks around and so much to learn from each other... ecstacy. A bit touristy, but not yet too corrupt with society."
Silver City, New Mexico - is a hippy mecca. They have loads of herbal stores in the city with "classes" on locating and identifying local herbs. Their co-op bulletin board is loaded with new age info. They have drum circles and a number of communes within 25 miles of the city, some better than others. Don't forget to ask about the hot springs.
New York
Ithaca, New York - "...has one of the largest hippie populations in New York State. It has natural beauty and is crawling with old and new hippies. It's home to many communes, head shops, natural groceries, drum circles, and kind bud. Ithaca has a sizeable college population."
New Paltz, New York - Home to State University of NY at New Paltz, this small town has a sizable hippy community as well as students. The young feeling is a refreshing change from upstate NY's older crowd. "There are just as many real hippies there as there are in Woodstock, N.Y. I know this because I am a long hair dreded hippy that lives near by both of these locations. The good thing about New Paltz is that it isn't nearly as hyped up as Woodstock. This provides for a nice relaxing atmosphere."
Tonawanda, New York - "There is a lot of hippies in Tonawanda NY. We have protested so many times and when we used to be the Lumber Capital of the world, we made them stop cutting the trees down, and we saved a lot of trees."
Woodstock, New York - Not the actual location of the famous festival (that is Bethel, N.Y.), and a bit of a tourist trap, but yes, lots of hippies live here.
North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina "...is undoubtedly one of the kindest places on the East Coast. Nice nuggets, a lively and experimental music scene, and the overall friendly atmosphere make this town a must for nomadic freaky friends! I'll see you when I roll through town."
Ohio
Yellow Springs, Ohio - (east of Dayton) pop. 10,000 "Home of the Ivy League Antioch College, head shops, hemp and Earth Friendly clothing and jewelry stores, several music stores (one specializing in hand made drums) and several specialty gift stores. One of Dayton's biggest hippie hangouts."
Columbus, Ohio - pop. 2,500,000. High Street @ Ohio State University (Largest University in the US, 70,000 students) dozens of head shops, 100's of specialty stores including 50 record and tape stores (tons of used) dozens of hemp clothing stores.
Waynesville, Ohio - "Near Fairborn. The Renaissance Festival. Hippies everywhere you look and lots of stuff about medieval times.... you can buy clothes and different things. It's a great place to meet people and everyone shares everything."
Oregon
Just about Any city in Oregon West of the Cascade Mountains is a Hippy Haven. Oregon is the only state where hippies enjoy a majority at the voting booths come election time. There's a saying going around "Hippies don't die. They just move to Oregon." During the past few years hippies have been moving to Oregon in droves because there's employment for hippies here, and we hippies can go full out in our glad rags in public view with out being accosted, laughed at or put down. Oregon is a true hippy Haven. Under an oz. of pot isn't illegal here. It's only a civil fine that would cost you $500.
Corvallis, Oregon - Corvallis, Oregon has a lot of hippies. "There are so many coffee shops and bookstores to see them at. The waterfront is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy if you are a hippy."
Eugene, Oregon - Near the site of the Oregon Country Faire (each July) where each year hippies gather to celebrate their hippiness. Home to the University of Oregon, many cooperatives, communes galore, a real cool Saturday Market, and eco-consciousness.
Portland, Oregon - is a wonderful place that is very tolerant of hippie-types. Plenty of great people, and home to some great places, such as the nationally famous Saturday Market, a great place to meet people and just chill on the waterfront.
Pennsylvania
New Hope, Pennsylvania - There are a whole lot of hippies there and lots of shops. It's on a river and there's a smaller one within it. Many, many shops a lot of artwork, nice places to eat (Places you can eat lunch outside by the river and exotic flavor ice creams)."
The Rainbow Gathering
This movable community of Rainbow Family members gathers for a few weeks each year in some remote location. Check out their web page for more info. Rainbow Family of Living Light Unofficial Home Page
South Carolina
Hilton Head, South Carolina - "Everybody on this li'l tourist island is flowing. There's a small, but vivid hippie population, who tend to gather at Looce Lucy's or Black Market Minerals in Coligny Plaza, and The Hemp Seed off Sea Pines Circle. Unless you're at the high school, nobody is a hassler. It's good as far as South Carolina goes, I'd say haul your asses down here for a little peace on the beach."
Spartanburg, South Carolina - "It's a medium size city in Upstate SC. I grew up on the east side with tons of hippies. Our parents were the original flower children and for the most part raised us in true hippie fashion. There isn't a lot for teenagers to do in Spartanburg, but we make do. One of our favorite places to hang out is Pill Hill, a park near the high school. Anyway Spartanburg is a nice city, kind of boring, but definitely full of hippies."
Tennessee
The Farm, Home, Summertown, Tennessee - This commune founded by hippies including Stephen Gaskin, has pioneered the hippie communal lifestyle. Check out their website for more info! For a good history of The Farm see the Vegetarian Times story Vegetarian Times
Texas
Austin, Texas - "the second largest vegetarian population in the nation....along with some great scenery here in the hill country. People should check it out. My older brother lives there, and works as a chef. Almost every night we get 2 or 3 bucks from each of his roommates, head up to Central Market and get tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, etc. - and have a giant veggie-kabob for dinner. It feeds everyone and also provides for a great way to get together at night in the backyard and just hang out. Barton Creek Park is another great hangout - it's a linear park that follows Barton Creek - along the cliff walls there are several caves for exploring... just a totally surreal environment. Everyone in Austin just seems so mellow and content, i wish i could live there - but for now I'll just be happy with visiting...."
Utah
"Hey, there are more than Mormons in Utah! Check out Moab sometime, you'll find plenty of hippies there!"
Vermont
"There aren't that many hippies but there is weed everywhere!!! And a lot of other drugs. What else is there to do up here?"
Burlington, Vermont - "on Church Street is the coolest place to be. There's varieties of people including hippies, mostly new hippies. There's also a restaurant type place off Church Street called Necters, which is where all the bands eat when they come to play down the street at Club Toast. Necters serves the most addicting gravy fries you will ever eat. Bands such as Phish, Belizbeha, and tons of others eat there. There's also really cool places to shop, and there's a green which is the hippies grassy knoll."
Virginia
Floyd, Virginia - "Having grown up in the Blue Ridge, I am fortunate enough to have been thoroughly familiarized with the hippie pilgrimage that has taken place since the early 70's.....and they're all still heading to Floyd county. I believe there must be upwards of 10 intentional communities up on the beautiful plateau where Floyd County is situated and the numbers are ever growing. The nice thing, too, is that the population is fairly consistent, that is to say that it's not really too transient. People go there and they tend to stay. It's amazingly beautiful, and I'm so glad that it's just right outside my back door."
Washington
"There is a large hippie community in Northeast Washington especially around the small town of Republic and Northern Stevens county."
Bellingham, Washington -"This beautiful place is an island of hip folk in the Northwest."
Olympia, Washington - "Old and young hippies hanging out among the earth and animal friendly paradise in the Northwest. Veggie restaurants abound."
Orcas Island, Washington - "In the San Juan Islands. It's an old hippy commune where many hippies still go. It's a campsite so if you're looking for vacation, it's definitely the place."
Seattle, Washington - "I moved here two years ago from LA and find this town to be the most hip place on the west coast. From Fremont to Belltown, from Pike Place to Capital Hill, Seattle is what's happening."
West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia - "Downtown on High Street and surrounding areas are two REALLY good head shops...The Den and Cool Ridge, several coffee shops, including The Blue Moose (the best bohemian coffee shop}. There's also a really good bead shop, comic shops, bike shops, and bunches of restaurants. In West Va. anywhere long hair is the norm, (I even worked at Monkey Wards w/shoulder-length hair) and there are lots of long-haired self-sufficient types living in the woods with sweat lodges, drumming parties, outhouses, log homes, herb gardens, and co-ops."
Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin - "A beautiful downtown, with a beautiful university right on the lake, lots of housing co-ops, and really friendly and nice people. People from Wisconsin tend to be slightly dingy, and Madison is considered to be the craziest town in the state (it's also the state capital) - but it's the right kind of crazy, in my opinion. The only drawback is that it gets a little cold there in winter."
"Madison is a VERY groovy place, and state street is chock full of head shops/coffee shops/every shop that deviates from the norm that you can think of......there is even a Nepali restaurant that I loved....also loads of interesting people throughout the town. I
couldn't believe how many street performers I saw, there were devil-sticks flying everywhere and lone saxophonists filling up the empty alleyways, soothing your mind like a mental Halls cough drop."
Canada
Vancouver, Victoria and Nelson, Canada - "(A.K.A. hippytown in the boonies)? Vancouver is the founding city of Greenpeace, and our mainstream neighbours to the south (of course not including you marvelous and open-minded brothers + sisters) call us Columbia of the north! AND WE'VE LEGALIZED HEMP TOO!"
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada - "It's right on the ocean, and I have never seen so many free spirited, beautiful people in my life. Everyone was so kind to everyone. Lots of free flowing clothes and flowers. You're always near a beach for a picnic, or just lounging. My guitar was quite welcome there. Tofino is not particularly friendly since the locals are inundated with the mass influx of tourists every year, so they have become somewhat immune to outsiders."
Kitchener Ontario Canada - "Hippies roam the streets of Kitchener and especially Cambridge. We are up there along with the freaks and jocks, geeks and the boring ones. Hippies are the best, with our butterfly shirts and bell-bottoms, we have our own twists to the 60's fashions."
In response another visitor wrote:
"Thought I'd add a note to what our obviously young friend above has said, the scene here is extremely diversified, there is much to do see and experience. I have jokingly referred to Kitchener for years as the Berkley of Canada. For some strange reason this little city is a drawing card for hippies. But don't show up expecting chaos and revolution in the air, because for the ten years I've lived here, most of what I've seen is behind the scenes, although the older hippie and deadhead community here threw some of the biggest bashes going."
The Gulf Islands B.C. Canada - "particularly Gabriola, Hornby and Cortes. Enchanted, laid-back, new-age. Hornby Island does in fact have hippies. However, the island has become overcrowded and increasingly slick and commercial. Not so "groovy" now. Cortes Island, which is rather remote and is a pleasant looking place, was inundated by marine radiation dumps from government ships about 30 years ago before pollution regulations were enforced. Many people on this island have developed cancer as a result of this, including the majority of the local police department who regularly patrol the area. Under no conditions, would I ever choose to live there, as a hippy."
Joussard, Alberta, Canada, Location of the NORTH COUNTRY FAIR. "Each summer on June 20-23 (sometimes on the 19th, depending which one falls on Friday) there is a Summer Solstice Celebration held in this little northern Alberta town. Hippies and free spirits alike come from all over to enjoy this wonderful enlightening experience of live music, new age work-shops, dancing and of course the artisan market. Situated beside the Lesser Slave Lake, there are many great places to camp on and off the fair site. It's like taking a step back in time, if only for one memorable weekend a year, to see beautiful people join together and celebrate the longest day of the year. This year is the 20th celebration of the North Country Fair and it will surely be a huge gathering of the free."
Sherbrooke and Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada - "the townships are also the most English place in Quebec. Many old and younger hippies live out in the country here. There's also been a few sizeable communes, one of them mysteriously gone leaving all their stuff behind."
Montreal and Quebec, Canada - "also have huge countercultural activity. If you're looking for cheap drugs you've come to the right place. Rent is super cheap, but jobs may not be available."
"Just want to add a note about Montreal. This is a city with a lot of Spirit. It's a place where freedom and individuality are cherished. Where people can still get by doing their art & music. Where hundreds of drummers and dancers meet on the mountain to celebrate regularly. Where you can always find a good veggie meal, and share a spliff on the street with a friend. Many Rainbow Family folks here too."
Central America
Mexico - Long an escape for the gringos, still an interesting country to visit from Baha to the Yucatan, lots of places to explore and hang out.
Maruata, Mexico - "On the coast of Michoacan, Maruata has been a mecca for some time now. The big Parties are Christmas and Easter. No hotels, only camping. Lots of drums and other music. The locals are Nahuatl Indians, and extremely friendly. Best beach on the West Coast of Mexico. Good herb for around five dollars an ounce, plus the occasional peyote surprise. Please bring sheets of blotter acid, there's always a terrible shortage. Things are a bit weird since the gathering of '95-'96 but there's always room for a few more freaks."
Zipolite, Mexico - "I was there maybe 3 years ago and it was the best most beautiful hippy place ever. Hammocks on the beach $1 a night. Grass can be ordered and delivered from ones hammock. Food is great too. Strong waves - watch it! Nice sunsets."
Costa Rica - "is a way cool place. There are many kind nature spirits there. Hey, every time someone greets you they say "Pura Vida" (pure life). Just that line shows you that the country is totally at peace."
"What can I say except for that this is the ultimate haven for anyone who has grasped peace and knows how to live life to the fullest.....Pura Vida (pure life) is not only the universal greeting, but it's a great substitute for "cool". (My bus driver Rodrigo used it that way). The people are very hip here. Incredible atmosphere......and the food is the best I've ever had!"
Guatemala - Lots of hippies live in communities here. Mayans are very cool people, but check with the State Department for warnings, as occasionally there is political violence in certain areas.
Tikal, Guatemala - A very important hippy ancient Maya site. Stay on the island when in Flores. The town is a bit rough. Tikal is beautiful, make sure you go out into the jungles where you can see so many monkeys! The grass is top quality there too. But sometimes climbing those pyramids can be a bit of a scary experience, especially when remembering that they were built extra steep just so when you were thrown down the steps you weren't going to stop till you hit the bottom!"
Europe
Amsterdam, Holland - THE hippy center of Europe. Marijuana sold legally in more than 400 coffeeshops, a long history of tolerance, beautiful old city, great vibes everywhere, and yes the friendly Dutch speak English. Hippie Heaven! Lots of headshops, smartshops, rave venues, hip fashions, museums and concerts. The Vondelpark has been a gathering place for hippies since the 60s. Please see our Hip Guide to Amsterdam at The Hip Guide To Amsterdam for lots more info.
Belgium - "I moved from Brussels to the little town of Mesnil Eglise (yes, Belgium) and see from the 75 habitants half of them are old and new tekno-hippies. From the solar energy professor to artists and bio food producers all invite friends to spend the summer in the woods of the Ardennes. This makes a lot of people smokin' and roamin' the 3 streets of the village... The melting pot with the original farmers worked well out during the last 25 years."
Prague, Czech Republic - "The capital of Czech republic is also a capital of hippie life-forms here in Czech and also for a quite a lot of them from other countries. Mary Jane is not legal, but there are a lot of small clubs, organizing the festivals, concerts, theatre and a lot of other actions, where the MJ smoke is tolerated. It has a kind of legality as by our law you can smoke it, but can not grow it, trade it etc."
The Greek Islands - European hippies flock to dozens of islands in the summer. Hot spots are Ios, Santorini, and Crete. "Other really hot places in the Greek Islands are Paros and AntiParos. The two islands are half an hour from one another. I live in Greece so I know the really cool places. There you can find a lot of Hippies, ( French, English and Greek usually...)."
Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark - "is a free-city and the ultimate hippie haven in Europe, after Amsterdam, of course. In Kristiania you can smoke dope as much as you please and the city is very beautiful with many attractions and a lot of young people... among the hippies most popular rock band Gasolin. For more info, check out Christiania.org - Forside "
Helsinki, Finland - "There is a small hippie-community here too... Not a big one, but a GREAT one... As said here before, there's a lot going on in Kaisaniemi Park, but also in Koff Park, where at night you can hear the congas and really get (high) into the spirit of Helsinki. Just in the neighbourhood where I live, Kallio, there are loads of hippie parties, smoky living rooms and little peaceful parks. Of course, because of the cold winters, there's really no life after summer... but I highly recommend Finland from May to September…"
"If you want to have really psychedelic vibrations in Finland, please visit in Kaisaniemi´s Park in Helsinki. Lots of nice people, well, only in summertime, sadly. Bring your own shaman drum and enjoy... But be careful, the cops are not very friendly here."
"There is a huge hippy movement here started about 2 years ago. There are only 5 million people in Finland and 18% of the youth are on drugs, mostly ganja. I am very proud of the hippy movement here. You can spot the hippies here. If you dress like them they more than likely will offer you a joint!!"
Geneva, Switzerland - "It's a real hip city... Pot is almost legal here now, the town's full of somehow-illegal-but-tolerated places where you can sit, listen to some really cool music while rolling a nice one and have a beer for a couple of coins... Hey, it's a great place! And it ain't THAT expensive. Less than Paris! The best is in summer, at the end of July. There's a huge open air festival which really looks like a small Woodstock...Same spirit (almost) and lots and lots of friendly people who are just there for the music, the spirit and the party... It lasts for a week. It's the PALEO festival and I think you guys should get to know it!"
Spain - Spain is the European country that is closest to Morocco, with more than 1500 years of cannabis and hash smoking history. "Here are a couple of places in Spain that you NEED to visit:
Altea (in the province of Alicante)- Paradise! A beautiful little Mediterranean town where everyone's as free as he wants to get.... Don't miss "Franky`s Place", in Benidorm (just 5 miles away), a little 20 year old semi-underground bar where you can find the "relax" and good music, having a peaceful smoke.
Ibiza (Mediterranean Island, 75 N. miles out of Spanish Coast) This is THE place. Ibiza is the big party scene. Lots of young beautiful people, music, beaches, etc."
Asia
Thailand - A beautiful, friendly, tolerant country (it is full of Buddhists after all). Unfortunately economic development and unbridled tourism has deformed this country. Check out Ko Samui or Ko Phanghan for a real getaway. Stay away from Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Chaing Mai too has changed for the worse. The hill tribes of the north are worth a visit though.
Bali, Indonesia - The beauty of this island is surpassed only by the beauty of the people and their Hindu/animistic culture. A mecca for hippies! Ubud is a great place to base. Give Kuta Beach a wide berth unless you like surfing, shopping and getting hounded.
India - A hundred lifetimes is not enough to absorb the culture, the land and the people of this amazing country. Many a seeker has found nirvana here. Goa is one of many places where hippies congregate. Other groovy places are Kerala State in the south, full of canals, Rajastan, deserts and forts, Benares if you want to get holy, the foothills of the Himalayas to get high on the mountains and charas.
The Himalayas - "There are hippies everywhere, man! Well, in India anyway. I was there from January to June and they seem to be most concentrated in the Himalayas. You can find people high on all sorts of drugs, including the awesome sight of the mountains covered in snow (it was my first time in the snow, by the way and my somewhat awkward attempts at walking up and down the slopes generated a few laughs from the stoned ones). I was told that being in India is like being stoned without having to smoke anything. It is true! If you're a real hippy you won't want to go to Goa, find your own piece of hippy heaven like I did, (unless you really MUST go to Goa!). My advice for hippies is GO NOW!"
Japan - Shimo-Kitazawa, Tokyo - "This is a great little hippy part of Tokyo, no cars, lots of nice shops and restaurants, home of Tokyo's first hemp shop and hemp restaurant, also did you know that it is legal to sell mushrooms in Japan? Just look outside the station here! Hokkaido is Japans North Island and is a nature paradise. It also has lots of wild hemp growing, some of which is quite smokable apparently. Japan Alps - during the summer it hosts lots of outdoor festivals and rave parties. These are real hippy congregations - people you don't see too often in Japan they suddenly appear. Where do they live?!"
Down Under
Australia - Many communes in the bush, some small hippie communities. Australians now spend more money on marijuana than on wine, and almost as much as BEER! How things have changed down under!
Byron Bay, Australia - The "Hippie Capital" of Australia is a place called Byron Bay (look it up!) which is situated at the top of New South Wales, near Brisbane. Byron Bay and surrounding towns like Nimbin, Mullumbimby, and Lismore are absolute havens for the alternative, new-age folk.
New Zealand - Reports of hippies here and there. Kiwis are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Hippies can be found in the Coromandel, which is a peninsula just kind of across from Auckland. In Nelson at the top of the south island there are little communities of hippies scattered about.
Waiheke Island, New Zealand - a 35 minute ferry ride from the nations largest city of Auckland. (1.1 million people). With a population of about 5000, Waiheke Island is very popular with those who want to live closer to nature.
Elsewhere
The Caribbean - The laidback island lifestyle attracts many hippies. Warm weather, beaches and life in the slow lane finds hippies in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Martin, the Grenadines, Jamaica and other tropical ports.
Bulls Bay, Jamaica..... "love--guavajelly "
Dahab, Egypt - "Dahab is a small Bedouin village located at the East Coast of the Sinai desert. Since the 70's, it's full of hippie and vagabond types. The atmosphere of the place is really nice and laidback with great music like ambient techno, reggae, 60s rock playing every where. There are several campgrounds where you can stay at rates around 1$ per night. In most restaurants you lay or sit on the floor on carpets and pillows, outdoors or indoors just by the Red Sea. There are great coral reefs a couple of meters from the shore, so many people come here for the diving. Other activities are desert excursions to oases or Mt. Sinai, wind surfing, cheap grass, desert parties, backgammon etc. Definitely a place to visit. Dahab is a very, very special place. Those who like Amsterdam should go to Dahab in winter (Christmas, New Year). Many Divers, Surfers, Trampers. Most of them smoke, even the policeman, Bedouin people and taxi drivers are stoned. The desert is great. Imagine riding on a camel and smoking good stuff. Then go in the water and enjoy the fish!"
Nile River, Egypt - "Felucca (type of boat) on the river Nile can be a most pleasant experience. They fit up to 8, so make sure you are in with the right sort. The captain rolls the joints as its tough with Egyptian papers having no gum. He cooks good chow too. And you have never EVER seen a sunset like the one from a small little boat peacefully going up the Nile. We ordered our boat from the Bob Marley Hotel run by Mohammed Bob, he's a bit of a schemer but he's got plenty of ganja."
Israel - "Many hippies live here in the Holy Land. The only westernized country where communes are part of the system."
Morocco - Once part of the hippy trail from Marrakech to the Rif Mountains, Morocco is still an interesting place to visit. Hip, laid back, places are Chefchaouen and Essaouira. Morocco is cheap and the hashish is excellent. Be aware of the local customs and act appropriately. See the Hip Guide to Morocco, The Hip Guide To Morocco for some first hand experiences and great photos!
Turkey - Perhaps the hottest destination for Europeans these days (it's cheap!). This friendly country has much to offer, including great beaches, culture, and shopping. Again, toe the line - remember the movie "Midnight Express"!
South Africa - "If you're looking for hippies South Africa has got them. Cape Town especially hosts a large hippy community, here we have the famous Green Market Square where hippies sell their creation from clothes to paintings. Every year from late June into early July thousands of people make their way to Grahmstown, a small town in the middle of nowhere, for the Grahmstown festival. Every hippy in the country winds up there sometime time during the 2-week festival. The festival is actually an arts festival where plays of all kinds (from miming to Shakespeare) can be seen, but along with the abundant actors come the hippies, hoping to make a profit off the large crowds of tourists and catch a few laughs at one of the many comedy plays. The entire town consists of two main streets and several theatre houses, what space is not being used for makeshift stages is a hippy market the size of a football field. All those who have been to one of the annual Grahmstown festivals agree on one thing; it gets better every year. As more and more people come and the hordes of hippies become uncountable the atmosphere seems to grow in a unique feeling of appreciation for the newfound peace in this unstable country. As I returned home to Cape Town after the latest festival I realized that I met more humane people from all over South Africa than I had in years of travel. It's an experience of a lifetime not to be missed."
Rustlers Valley, South Africa - "This is a place where people come together in peace and celebrate life, arts and music. There is also a permanent community there. They have recently had a disaster. A fire destroyed most of their infrastructure, but they are rebuilding. To find out more info about this magical place visit their website www.rustlers.co.za."
USA
Alabama
"We've got lots of forests in North Alabama and sometimes a group called the Rainbow People come to Mount Cheaha and harmonize with nature. There are a great number of hippies living in the Calhoun County area; mainly in Anniston, Oxford and Jacksonville, Alabama. If any hippies need somewhere to move to, come on to Alabama. We have plenty of room and the people of our land don't care what you look like."
Alaska
"After spending the past few summers in the wonderful state of Alaska, I must let you know that the entire state is a great place to be. All summer long there are bluegrass shows, festivals and trips to be taken. Whether you are into the Matanuska thunderfuck, fruity pebbles, or any of the other delectables of the state, or just hitching around to see the land, you surely are welcome no matter what you are. I've had more amazing experiences in Alaska than I could ever imagine. My boyfriend and I hitched over a thousand miles to Homer. We had no problems getting a ride. Jerry's twin (right down to the nubby fingers) picked us up and let us camp in his front yard, fed us strawberry daiquiris and smoked all night. Let everyone know that Alaska is only part of the US because of it's government and monetary units. Go and visit, you may never come back
"Delta Junction, Alaska - according to a contributor is the "highest per capita weed smokin' community - about 85% of the town here does!"
Homer, Alaska - Located on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula it's FULL of people living as they wish. Some in schoolbuses, some in cabins, many w/o running water, electricity or with all the amenities, but the hearts are full. There are people living off the grid and the entire town is geared toward spirituality. The town of Homer has been called for many years, 'the cosmic hamlet by the sea'. Check out available web sites...although most of those are geared toward tourists. Do the bay...you will find many interesting people living a conscious, purposeful life
Matanuska Valley, Alaska - Here grows the wonderful Matanuska Thunder Fuck, people all over the country who have tried Alaskan weed beg for more of this! Many laid back hippies moved to Alaska because marijuana was legal until 1990.
Arizona
Bisbee, Arizona - This small community really flourished when the mining-company which owned the town bailed out in the mid-seventies and hippies from all over moved in. There is a great community here, with a co-op and lots of hippy artists living out in the desert. Check it out for yourself! Have a brew and a few games of nine ball at the Bisbee Grand, or play hacky sack in the grassy park in front of the mining museum right in downtown.
Flagstaff, Arizona - a large community or family of hippies came here for the diversity of "the kind" and other "party favors." With the San Francisco Peaks and Sedona only twenty minutes away the opportunities for adventure are endless.
Prescott, Arizona - The home of Prescott, University. You will find a large number of artists, mountain bikers, hikers, and outdoorsmen in this town, along with communes galore. Dancing circles of hippies beating drums and enjoying life in the middle of the wilderness are seen on mountain tops near here. People tell me that the university here is one of the most open-minded in the world, and it offers a variety of alternative majors (mountain climbing, kayaking, etc.) and the majority of students are studying from abroad.
Sedona, Arizona - A hippie haven since before the Harmonic Convergence, this little town grew way too big and unfortunately allowed Macdonald's and other chains to destroy the charm. They say the vortexes are still there, humming in the mountains and sacred secret places.
Tempe, Arizona - A visitor wrote us that "every Sunday there is a gathering of kind brothers and sisters in Tempe at the Sail Inn. We have been getting together for about two years for an afternoon of kind vibes with the incredible Grateful Dead cover band Noodles. They play from 4:20 till? If you're ever in town, we would love to have you join us. Hope to see ya sometime."
Tucson, Arizona - Home to the University of Arizona and a large hippy population, Tucson is happening! 4th Avenue is a hangout with lots of cool shops, cafes and clubs. The street occasionally gets transformed into a huge Art Festival. There's usually some good music around town, plus the nice climate and cheap smoke keeps everybody groovin'! That's why some call it "TooStoned".
California
Arcata, California - "This is the best place to go if you're a hippie.. well, besides the Haight-Ashbury. It's located in Humboldt County, which is pretty well-known for it's marijuana growing. The community is great, there are always festivals going on about the earth, such as the Mushroom Fair, the Hemp Festival, North Country Fair, everything you can imagine. I love it here! The people are so supportive of you.. they've even made a law which states that women can indeed go topless around the plaza in the centre of town. ; )
Arcata is a totally unreal place to check out and LIVE too! The rents are cheap and it seems everyone is way laid back, with Humboldt next door and being amongst the greatest redwoods in the world, how can you go wrong!"
Humboldt, California - "I Personally Don't Think You Emphasized how Many Hippies And How Much Ganja There really Is Out in Humboldt, Humboldt Is Like One Of The Main Places. We are the center of the "emerald triangle"... need I say more?"
Mt. Shasta, California - "One of the most sacred places on earth. Everyone is so totally kind. The mountain pours out its love and watches over all its inhabitants. It snows for days in the winter, but in the summer I go live in the woods and draw off the healing energies. Another kind thing is that the cops realize that hippies are really laid back and we do a lot for the community and keep it beautiful, therefore we all do well living in harmony."
San Diego, California - Especially Ocean Beach, Encinitas areas. Laid back mixture of surfers and hippies make for a cool scene. Check out The Black a famous headshop in O.B. Also "blacks beach every full moon at 8:00 p.m."
San Francisco, California - Is still happening, especially the Haight-Asbury and Berkeley areas. The place where it all began in the Summer of Love, 1967 and where it continues to this day.
Santa Cruz, California - "I'm not sure there is really a large population of hippies IN Santa Cruz--it's kind of a melting pot of all types of people--but if you're looking for some really beautiful scenery, kind people, and totally peaceful chillin', head to one of the towns a little bit north of Santa Cruz. Felton, Boulder Creek, Bonny Doon...it's way mellow there, and everyone's basically into mother nature and their brothers and sisters. It's also real close to the ocean. It's one of the prettiest areas you can imagine...head there on your travels. You won't be sorry!"
Venice Beach, California - every Sunday people get together and form a drum circle. "It's a hippie haven and it lasts until sunset. Come visit us!"
Colorado
Boulder, Colorado - "As one who has lived in and visited Boulder, CO over the years, I must warn everybody not to judge a book by it's cover. Sure, Boulder is a very hip & fun town, but times are changing. Due to an ever-increasing influx of "hippies", Deadheads, Phishheads, etc., the local law enforcement has been cracking down on the free-spirited mentality of our lifestyle. I have personally witnessed numerous human rights violations & unnecessary arrests all stemming from pressure by the local government & Boulder residents to "clean up the town". I mean, how many places can you go where both you AND YOUR DOG get arrested in the same day?!!! Don't laugh, because it has happened!"
Nederland, Colorado - 17 miles west, up the canyon from Boulder. This town has old to young hippies from all over the country. Very awesome music scene for a little mountain town (Leftover Salmon, etc...). "Majical place." "Very kind in many ways."
Connecticut
Ellington, Connecticut - "Because, like there's a lot of hippies here - it's a real trip man."
Delaware
Newark, Delaware - this place is the home of the University of Delaware. "Tons of hippies here. Most live on Madison which consists of apartment/townhouses and this friendly group is very intelligent and KIND."
Florida
Orlando, Florida - "Gainesville is not all the bomb that you say it is. it is not the "hippy capital" of phlorida. there are kydz there cause there is a college. that's it. just a college. if there were no college, the town would be non-existent. there are some nice kydz there, but no family. they have some good shows maybe once a month. i live in Orlando. it is mofuckin awesome! i have lived in many places and for about 6 mos. in different places in phlorida. The "hippy capital" is definitely St. Augustine. SUCH A fabulous family!! there's a beach, there's plenty of places to sell crafts on the street all year round. there's tons of cool shit like an old fort that you can trip around in and plenty of kynd folks. not much of a nightlife unfortunately. They never have big name bands. Orlando on the other hand is a mecca. we get awesome shows here pretty regularly. we've got the house of blues, we've got a university, we're an hour from the beach, an hour from Daytona Beach, not much further from Gainesville, a little less from St. Augustine. we've got the big ekon river. two drum circles every week. we've got the Orlando family. we've got the hippy hole."
Key West, Florida - "Despite the commercialism, the boat people and street performers, still living the good life. The town is tolerant of long hairs and pot is available from Jamaica. Love the town but there are some drawbacks."
Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia - "There is a certain area in Atlanta that is known as Midtown which houses an area known as Little Five Points. This is truly the hippie haven of the south - or at least Georgia. In this little portion of town there are many body art and vintage shops, including a favorite of the locals called Groovy Girls. Other odds and ends are sold around here such as African drums, futons, and crystals. Just like the goods that are sold here, the people are an assorted mixture as well. New age Flower Children, aging Flower Children, skateboarders, and Rastafarians line the streets daily. Drum circles are common practices here. Little Five Points and the nearby Piedmont Park also host the Pot Festival every year."
Hawaii
Big Island and Kauai - Lots of growers here. Scene is low key and laid back. Communes around. On Big Island, the hippies are all in the Puna District mainly in the Pahoa area from Kalapana to Pahoa and from Pahoa over to Volcano.
Maui, Hawaii - Still full of hippies living on the slopes of Haleakela, the dormant volcano, in places like Kipahulu, Kula, Hana, Paia. You'll need a few gold cards to visit here. This scene is expensive.
Idaho
Moscow, Idaho - "You will find some of the most absolutely wonderful people there! Besides the people, Moscow is the Mecca of outdoor activities and being one with nature and life."
Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana - "This town has a modest, but decent, hippie community. At 4:20 (p.m.) at a park on 9th Street, there is a drum circle. Also a cafe/restaurant called the Runcible Spoon is visited by many hippies and other interesting people. A few hippies (roughly 6) work there as well. The restaurant is located on 6th Street downtown. Across the back parking lot of this restaurant is a little natural foods Co-op store called Bloomingfoods, where many hippies are employed, and where most hippies buy all their essentials. On Kirkwood Avenue, the most active part of the downtown, there is a little shop called the Dharma Emporium, owned and frequented by lots of groovy people. On Walnut Street, there lies a shop called the Magic Bus, owned and operated by a bunch of hippies that live in the back; kind and gentle folk. Also, the town of Bloomington is mostly liberal, and there are a lot of interesting people. Just stay away from the west side of town: this is a "thriving" commercial part of town with no trees and a lot of new subdivisions. Bad, bad, bad."
Needmore, Indiana - "This is a tiny, tiny place way, way out in the boonies, but an ideal location for a commune, wouldn't you say? Yes, Lothlorien is the name of the place and is just south of Bloomington a ways. Lothlorien is the beautiful location of many festivals throughout the year, and they have an open season during which space can be reserved for celebrations. Lovely, lovely place. Their website is: Elflore.org has moved! "
Iowa
Quad Cities, Iowa - "We have started a small hippie community. Our Rainbow Family has potlucks every other Sunday campouts every month or so."
Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas - "The place is very chill and down to earth. As much as marijuana seems to be a symbol of hippydom, i would have to say that Lawrence grows some of the finer buds in the states, of course next to Oregon and Boulder."
Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky - "Bardstown Road is a large street where you can not only find hippies, but every kind of person there is. The best parts of Bardstown Road stretch for about 3 miles. It's lined with eclectic shops, head and hemp and beads and vintage clothing...as well as vegetarian cuisine. It's a great place to just take a walk. It really does look like it's straight out of 1968. There are great coffee shops with outdoor cafes, "gently used" book stores, instrument and record shops, head shops, vintage clothing stores, specialty stores and everything in between. It's absolutely the best place in Louisville to visit!!!"
"There is a happy thriving hippie community here. Cherokee Park is home to many drummers and smokers. This city also has a solid gay community, and a well-known affinity for birthing original bands--there are very many opportunities for budding musicians to meet like-minded folks...Also many poets and artists claim Louisville for their home. It is groovy."
Maine
Industry, Maine - "Plenty of old hippies, die hard hippies, new hippies and a bunch of drunk ones too you. Ever hear of Hempstock? That's in the town right next to us. Then Harvestfest isn't too far away either."
Starks, Maine - "Home of the annual HEMPSTOCK. More than 30 bands will play through-out the weekend of August 14th...many local bands.......There were no reported arrests last year !!!! And everyone is Hippie like up there in Maine anyway..."
Maryland
Mount Rainier, Maryland - "A funky little town near DC that literally hasn't changed since the 60's. Or if it has, the resemblance has gotten even closer. Since there's a major African American presence it has a somewhat Rastafarian ambiance. Check out the Glut Food Co-op (started by Marxists in 1969), the Eye Opener coffee shop (owned by a Deadhead) and the used furniture / alternative health stores. Possibly the cheapest place you can live between the mountains and the Chesapeake, if you're a hippie."
Takoma Park, DC/Maryland - "Takoma Park is known as the Berkeley of the East. Competitors, we're more modest than that, please challenge us to greatness. DC is famous for being the most politically liberal big city, but then it's also famous for being the nexus of the Counter-Counter-Culture (it's actually hip to be drug free here, though you can do just about anything in public and still get elected to high office), so you may be wondering, where do hippies fit in? As it happens, Takoma Park is not the sad, commercialized, isolated enclave of hipness that you find in most big cities. It is at the geographic heart of a wreath of easygoing, progressive, really racially integrated, communities. Which is why we've escaped gentrification and "hip"-ization & remain a low-key, 70's style small town. White-bread hipsters with racial jones beware.
Hippiedom here is not about commercial lifestyle. It's part of the culture. Nobody moves here for the shopping or arts, but very large percentages of the populations are vegetarians, recyclers, renters, non-car owners, members of the two co-ops. We cheer on the annual Reel mower Brigade in their efforts to ban gas lawnmowers. To benefit our large illegal alien population, who can vote, we have a tradition of hiring police chiefs committed to not cooperating with the IMF. Bizarrely, we're also a mecca for evangelicals and libertarians who share a similar political zeal and fondness for natural food - one of the organic co-ops is the world's largest Christian book store, and the other is staffed by ex-Maoists. There aren't many tensions in the community, though. Our favorite mayor was a ninety yr. old Socialist. Anyhow, we used to have two wild roosters, but one got run over. You can hear the other one crowing behind the boarding houses downtown, between the House of Musical Traditions and the Metaphysical Chapel, on the spring solstice when the Foggy Bottom Morris Men gather to dance the sun up.
Definitely a community for longtime residents & hippies-at-heart; fair-weather hippies will get bored and move to some overrated part of DC. We've already got too many yuppies, most of whom were still hippies before they moved here and got a job teaching at the Jane Goodall Institute or Nuclear Environmental Research group or something similar in town, so I guess they're okay."
Massachuesetts
Amherst, Massachuesetts - "Home to the annual "Extravaganja" festival, Amherst residents are about to vote on a decriminalization of marijuana referendum. Amherst boasts a huge student population -- from Amherst College, Hampshire College, and UMass-- and is less than 10 minutes from Northampton, another hippy haven. Great concerts and shows, wonderful cheap restaurants, and an extremely liberal community."
Northampton, Massachuesetts - "Great place for hippies and hippie-types. Tolerant largely gay community welcomes "alternative people". Love the place! Lots of hippie shops and restaurants too!!"
West Newbury and Newburyport, Massachuesetts - "are filled with tons of young hippies. In Newburyport there are a lot of cool little coffee houses located on an old 1800 waterfront. Many places to toke up and everything is always readily available. People such as Toots and the Maytalls, Livingston Taylor (James' bro) and David Grisman have performed in this small town."
Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan - "There is a Hash Bash every year there and so many hippies come. Ann Arbor is a great place."
Saugatuck, Michigan - "This is truly a hip community, located along the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan, surrounded by picturesque sand dunes. Saugatuck is the epicenter of many western Michigan coastal communities offering a very laid-back chilled atmosphere, and amongst the population you will find an immense multitude of artists and a majority of open-minded people. The downtown is very eclectic, with many far-out shops, including the popular Shakedown Street, offering a variety of Grateful Dead and hippy-related merchandise. Coffee shops are also quite abundant here. There's also a lot of very cool natural attractions, such as Mt. Baldhead and Oval Beach. The entire scene here reeks of peace. I must say that this town is the ultimate chill-spot."
Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri - "There is a substantial hippie community that exists on St. Louis' South Side around the area of South Grand Avenue. There is also another older, but growing hippie enclave in a close-in suburb of St. Louis. Known as the University City Loop along 10 blocks of Delmar Boulevard, the area is hopping with hippie-run shops and vendor stands."
Columbia, Missouri - Downtown Peace Park and Peace Nook
Westport, Missouri - "Missouri has more then two hippy hangouts (gasp!). Westport's a very cool place. It has head shops, VW buses, and lots of drugs."
Montana
Missoula, Montana - "...is a hip place with many hippies. Its population is small so everything is laid back. It's very similar to Eugene Oregon, but without the rain. There are a lot of hippy stores and vegetarian restaurants. The town lies over a pretty river and is next to a large mountain so many people hike, bike, hunt shrooms and river raft. Missoula is also the home of Plunker, one of the founders of the Rainbow Nation."
Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska "...is a pretty phun li'l town. Pretty good family. There are NO CLUBS there, so those annoying clubkids are not even present (woo-hoo!). They'll introduce you to a real rave, which everyone should experience. Omaha also has the oldmarket which is downtown and a fun place to hang out day and night with a park to the east, the Big Slides (extreme amounts of child-like fun) on the north, the abandoned warehouses are also right near where the parties rage at night. Lots of grassroots organizations are sprouting up. Definitely worth checking out if you're traveling through to Boulder or somewhere."
New Mexico
Taos, New Mexico - "I went to Taos, New Mexico last summer and found the place swarming with beautiful people. There are a few communes right outside of town... where Easy Rider was filmed. Lots of freaks around and so much to learn from each other... ecstacy. A bit touristy, but not yet too corrupt with society."
Silver City, New Mexico - is a hippy mecca. They have loads of herbal stores in the city with "classes" on locating and identifying local herbs. Their co-op bulletin board is loaded with new age info. They have drum circles and a number of communes within 25 miles of the city, some better than others. Don't forget to ask about the hot springs.
New York
Ithaca, New York - "...has one of the largest hippie populations in New York State. It has natural beauty and is crawling with old and new hippies. It's home to many communes, head shops, natural groceries, drum circles, and kind bud. Ithaca has a sizeable college population."
New Paltz, New York - Home to State University of NY at New Paltz, this small town has a sizable hippy community as well as students. The young feeling is a refreshing change from upstate NY's older crowd. "There are just as many real hippies there as there are in Woodstock, N.Y. I know this because I am a long hair dreded hippy that lives near by both of these locations. The good thing about New Paltz is that it isn't nearly as hyped up as Woodstock. This provides for a nice relaxing atmosphere."
Tonawanda, New York - "There is a lot of hippies in Tonawanda NY. We have protested so many times and when we used to be the Lumber Capital of the world, we made them stop cutting the trees down, and we saved a lot of trees."
Woodstock, New York - Not the actual location of the famous festival (that is Bethel, N.Y.), and a bit of a tourist trap, but yes, lots of hippies live here.
North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina "...is undoubtedly one of the kindest places on the East Coast. Nice nuggets, a lively and experimental music scene, and the overall friendly atmosphere make this town a must for nomadic freaky friends! I'll see you when I roll through town."
Ohio
Yellow Springs, Ohio - (east of Dayton) pop. 10,000 "Home of the Ivy League Antioch College, head shops, hemp and Earth Friendly clothing and jewelry stores, several music stores (one specializing in hand made drums) and several specialty gift stores. One of Dayton's biggest hippie hangouts."
Columbus, Ohio - pop. 2,500,000. High Street @ Ohio State University (Largest University in the US, 70,000 students) dozens of head shops, 100's of specialty stores including 50 record and tape stores (tons of used) dozens of hemp clothing stores.
Waynesville, Ohio - "Near Fairborn. The Renaissance Festival. Hippies everywhere you look and lots of stuff about medieval times.... you can buy clothes and different things. It's a great place to meet people and everyone shares everything."
Oregon
Just about Any city in Oregon West of the Cascade Mountains is a Hippy Haven. Oregon is the only state where hippies enjoy a majority at the voting booths come election time. There's a saying going around "Hippies don't die. They just move to Oregon." During the past few years hippies have been moving to Oregon in droves because there's employment for hippies here, and we hippies can go full out in our glad rags in public view with out being accosted, laughed at or put down. Oregon is a true hippy Haven. Under an oz. of pot isn't illegal here. It's only a civil fine that would cost you $500.
Corvallis, Oregon - Corvallis, Oregon has a lot of hippies. "There are so many coffee shops and bookstores to see them at. The waterfront is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy if you are a hippy."
Eugene, Oregon - Near the site of the Oregon Country Faire (each July) where each year hippies gather to celebrate their hippiness. Home to the University of Oregon, many cooperatives, communes galore, a real cool Saturday Market, and eco-consciousness.
Portland, Oregon - is a wonderful place that is very tolerant of hippie-types. Plenty of great people, and home to some great places, such as the nationally famous Saturday Market, a great place to meet people and just chill on the waterfront.
Pennsylvania
New Hope, Pennsylvania - There are a whole lot of hippies there and lots of shops. It's on a river and there's a smaller one within it. Many, many shops a lot of artwork, nice places to eat (Places you can eat lunch outside by the river and exotic flavor ice creams)."
The Rainbow Gathering
This movable community of Rainbow Family members gathers for a few weeks each year in some remote location. Check out their web page for more info. Rainbow Family of Living Light Unofficial Home Page
South Carolina
Hilton Head, South Carolina - "Everybody on this li'l tourist island is flowing. There's a small, but vivid hippie population, who tend to gather at Looce Lucy's or Black Market Minerals in Coligny Plaza, and The Hemp Seed off Sea Pines Circle. Unless you're at the high school, nobody is a hassler. It's good as far as South Carolina goes, I'd say haul your asses down here for a little peace on the beach."
Spartanburg, South Carolina - "It's a medium size city in Upstate SC. I grew up on the east side with tons of hippies. Our parents were the original flower children and for the most part raised us in true hippie fashion. There isn't a lot for teenagers to do in Spartanburg, but we make do. One of our favorite places to hang out is Pill Hill, a park near the high school. Anyway Spartanburg is a nice city, kind of boring, but definitely full of hippies."
Tennessee
The Farm, Home, Summertown, Tennessee - This commune founded by hippies including Stephen Gaskin, has pioneered the hippie communal lifestyle. Check out their website for more info! For a good history of The Farm see the Vegetarian Times story Vegetarian Times
Texas
Austin, Texas - "the second largest vegetarian population in the nation....along with some great scenery here in the hill country. People should check it out. My older brother lives there, and works as a chef. Almost every night we get 2 or 3 bucks from each of his roommates, head up to Central Market and get tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, etc. - and have a giant veggie-kabob for dinner. It feeds everyone and also provides for a great way to get together at night in the backyard and just hang out. Barton Creek Park is another great hangout - it's a linear park that follows Barton Creek - along the cliff walls there are several caves for exploring... just a totally surreal environment. Everyone in Austin just seems so mellow and content, i wish i could live there - but for now I'll just be happy with visiting...."
Utah
"Hey, there are more than Mormons in Utah! Check out Moab sometime, you'll find plenty of hippies there!"
Vermont
"There aren't that many hippies but there is weed everywhere!!! And a lot of other drugs. What else is there to do up here?"
Burlington, Vermont - "on Church Street is the coolest place to be. There's varieties of people including hippies, mostly new hippies. There's also a restaurant type place off Church Street called Necters, which is where all the bands eat when they come to play down the street at Club Toast. Necters serves the most addicting gravy fries you will ever eat. Bands such as Phish, Belizbeha, and tons of others eat there. There's also really cool places to shop, and there's a green which is the hippies grassy knoll."
Virginia
Floyd, Virginia - "Having grown up in the Blue Ridge, I am fortunate enough to have been thoroughly familiarized with the hippie pilgrimage that has taken place since the early 70's.....and they're all still heading to Floyd county. I believe there must be upwards of 10 intentional communities up on the beautiful plateau where Floyd County is situated and the numbers are ever growing. The nice thing, too, is that the population is fairly consistent, that is to say that it's not really too transient. People go there and they tend to stay. It's amazingly beautiful, and I'm so glad that it's just right outside my back door."
Washington
"There is a large hippie community in Northeast Washington especially around the small town of Republic and Northern Stevens county."
Bellingham, Washington -"This beautiful place is an island of hip folk in the Northwest."
Olympia, Washington - "Old and young hippies hanging out among the earth and animal friendly paradise in the Northwest. Veggie restaurants abound."
Orcas Island, Washington - "In the San Juan Islands. It's an old hippy commune where many hippies still go. It's a campsite so if you're looking for vacation, it's definitely the place."
Seattle, Washington - "I moved here two years ago from LA and find this town to be the most hip place on the west coast. From Fremont to Belltown, from Pike Place to Capital Hill, Seattle is what's happening."
West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia - "Downtown on High Street and surrounding areas are two REALLY good head shops...The Den and Cool Ridge, several coffee shops, including The Blue Moose (the best bohemian coffee shop}. There's also a really good bead shop, comic shops, bike shops, and bunches of restaurants. In West Va. anywhere long hair is the norm, (I even worked at Monkey Wards w/shoulder-length hair) and there are lots of long-haired self-sufficient types living in the woods with sweat lodges, drumming parties, outhouses, log homes, herb gardens, and co-ops."
Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin - "A beautiful downtown, with a beautiful university right on the lake, lots of housing co-ops, and really friendly and nice people. People from Wisconsin tend to be slightly dingy, and Madison is considered to be the craziest town in the state (it's also the state capital) - but it's the right kind of crazy, in my opinion. The only drawback is that it gets a little cold there in winter."
"Madison is a VERY groovy place, and state street is chock full of head shops/coffee shops/every shop that deviates from the norm that you can think of......there is even a Nepali restaurant that I loved....also loads of interesting people throughout the town. I
couldn't believe how many street performers I saw, there were devil-sticks flying everywhere and lone saxophonists filling up the empty alleyways, soothing your mind like a mental Halls cough drop."
Canada
Vancouver, Victoria and Nelson, Canada - "(A.K.A. hippytown in the boonies)? Vancouver is the founding city of Greenpeace, and our mainstream neighbours to the south (of course not including you marvelous and open-minded brothers + sisters) call us Columbia of the north! AND WE'VE LEGALIZED HEMP TOO!"
Tofino, British Columbia, Canada - "It's right on the ocean, and I have never seen so many free spirited, beautiful people in my life. Everyone was so kind to everyone. Lots of free flowing clothes and flowers. You're always near a beach for a picnic, or just lounging. My guitar was quite welcome there. Tofino is not particularly friendly since the locals are inundated with the mass influx of tourists every year, so they have become somewhat immune to outsiders."
Kitchener Ontario Canada - "Hippies roam the streets of Kitchener and especially Cambridge. We are up there along with the freaks and jocks, geeks and the boring ones. Hippies are the best, with our butterfly shirts and bell-bottoms, we have our own twists to the 60's fashions."
In response another visitor wrote:
"Thought I'd add a note to what our obviously young friend above has said, the scene here is extremely diversified, there is much to do see and experience. I have jokingly referred to Kitchener for years as the Berkley of Canada. For some strange reason this little city is a drawing card for hippies. But don't show up expecting chaos and revolution in the air, because for the ten years I've lived here, most of what I've seen is behind the scenes, although the older hippie and deadhead community here threw some of the biggest bashes going."
The Gulf Islands B.C. Canada - "particularly Gabriola, Hornby and Cortes. Enchanted, laid-back, new-age. Hornby Island does in fact have hippies. However, the island has become overcrowded and increasingly slick and commercial. Not so "groovy" now. Cortes Island, which is rather remote and is a pleasant looking place, was inundated by marine radiation dumps from government ships about 30 years ago before pollution regulations were enforced. Many people on this island have developed cancer as a result of this, including the majority of the local police department who regularly patrol the area. Under no conditions, would I ever choose to live there, as a hippy."
Joussard, Alberta, Canada, Location of the NORTH COUNTRY FAIR. "Each summer on June 20-23 (sometimes on the 19th, depending which one falls on Friday) there is a Summer Solstice Celebration held in this little northern Alberta town. Hippies and free spirits alike come from all over to enjoy this wonderful enlightening experience of live music, new age work-shops, dancing and of course the artisan market. Situated beside the Lesser Slave Lake, there are many great places to camp on and off the fair site. It's like taking a step back in time, if only for one memorable weekend a year, to see beautiful people join together and celebrate the longest day of the year. This year is the 20th celebration of the North Country Fair and it will surely be a huge gathering of the free."
Sherbrooke and Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada - "the townships are also the most English place in Quebec. Many old and younger hippies live out in the country here. There's also been a few sizeable communes, one of them mysteriously gone leaving all their stuff behind."
Montreal and Quebec, Canada - "also have huge countercultural activity. If you're looking for cheap drugs you've come to the right place. Rent is super cheap, but jobs may not be available."
"Just want to add a note about Montreal. This is a city with a lot of Spirit. It's a place where freedom and individuality are cherished. Where people can still get by doing their art & music. Where hundreds of drummers and dancers meet on the mountain to celebrate regularly. Where you can always find a good veggie meal, and share a spliff on the street with a friend. Many Rainbow Family folks here too."
Central America
Mexico - Long an escape for the gringos, still an interesting country to visit from Baha to the Yucatan, lots of places to explore and hang out.
Maruata, Mexico - "On the coast of Michoacan, Maruata has been a mecca for some time now. The big Parties are Christmas and Easter. No hotels, only camping. Lots of drums and other music. The locals are Nahuatl Indians, and extremely friendly. Best beach on the West Coast of Mexico. Good herb for around five dollars an ounce, plus the occasional peyote surprise. Please bring sheets of blotter acid, there's always a terrible shortage. Things are a bit weird since the gathering of '95-'96 but there's always room for a few more freaks."
Zipolite, Mexico - "I was there maybe 3 years ago and it was the best most beautiful hippy place ever. Hammocks on the beach $1 a night. Grass can be ordered and delivered from ones hammock. Food is great too. Strong waves - watch it! Nice sunsets."
Costa Rica - "is a way cool place. There are many kind nature spirits there. Hey, every time someone greets you they say "Pura Vida" (pure life). Just that line shows you that the country is totally at peace."
"What can I say except for that this is the ultimate haven for anyone who has grasped peace and knows how to live life to the fullest.....Pura Vida (pure life) is not only the universal greeting, but it's a great substitute for "cool". (My bus driver Rodrigo used it that way). The people are very hip here. Incredible atmosphere......and the food is the best I've ever had!"
Guatemala - Lots of hippies live in communities here. Mayans are very cool people, but check with the State Department for warnings, as occasionally there is political violence in certain areas.
Tikal, Guatemala - A very important hippy ancient Maya site. Stay on the island when in Flores. The town is a bit rough. Tikal is beautiful, make sure you go out into the jungles where you can see so many monkeys! The grass is top quality there too. But sometimes climbing those pyramids can be a bit of a scary experience, especially when remembering that they were built extra steep just so when you were thrown down the steps you weren't going to stop till you hit the bottom!"
Europe
Amsterdam, Holland - THE hippy center of Europe. Marijuana sold legally in more than 400 coffeeshops, a long history of tolerance, beautiful old city, great vibes everywhere, and yes the friendly Dutch speak English. Hippie Heaven! Lots of headshops, smartshops, rave venues, hip fashions, museums and concerts. The Vondelpark has been a gathering place for hippies since the 60s. Please see our Hip Guide to Amsterdam at The Hip Guide To Amsterdam for lots more info.
Belgium - "I moved from Brussels to the little town of Mesnil Eglise (yes, Belgium) and see from the 75 habitants half of them are old and new tekno-hippies. From the solar energy professor to artists and bio food producers all invite friends to spend the summer in the woods of the Ardennes. This makes a lot of people smokin' and roamin' the 3 streets of the village... The melting pot with the original farmers worked well out during the last 25 years."
Prague, Czech Republic - "The capital of Czech republic is also a capital of hippie life-forms here in Czech and also for a quite a lot of them from other countries. Mary Jane is not legal, but there are a lot of small clubs, organizing the festivals, concerts, theatre and a lot of other actions, where the MJ smoke is tolerated. It has a kind of legality as by our law you can smoke it, but can not grow it, trade it etc."
The Greek Islands - European hippies flock to dozens of islands in the summer. Hot spots are Ios, Santorini, and Crete. "Other really hot places in the Greek Islands are Paros and AntiParos. The two islands are half an hour from one another. I live in Greece so I know the really cool places. There you can find a lot of Hippies, ( French, English and Greek usually...)."
Christiania, Copenhagen, Denmark - "is a free-city and the ultimate hippie haven in Europe, after Amsterdam, of course. In Kristiania you can smoke dope as much as you please and the city is very beautiful with many attractions and a lot of young people... among the hippies most popular rock band Gasolin. For more info, check out Christiania.org - Forside "
Helsinki, Finland - "There is a small hippie-community here too... Not a big one, but a GREAT one... As said here before, there's a lot going on in Kaisaniemi Park, but also in Koff Park, where at night you can hear the congas and really get (high) into the spirit of Helsinki. Just in the neighbourhood where I live, Kallio, there are loads of hippie parties, smoky living rooms and little peaceful parks. Of course, because of the cold winters, there's really no life after summer... but I highly recommend Finland from May to September…"
"If you want to have really psychedelic vibrations in Finland, please visit in Kaisaniemi´s Park in Helsinki. Lots of nice people, well, only in summertime, sadly. Bring your own shaman drum and enjoy... But be careful, the cops are not very friendly here."
"There is a huge hippy movement here started about 2 years ago. There are only 5 million people in Finland and 18% of the youth are on drugs, mostly ganja. I am very proud of the hippy movement here. You can spot the hippies here. If you dress like them they more than likely will offer you a joint!!"
Geneva, Switzerland - "It's a real hip city... Pot is almost legal here now, the town's full of somehow-illegal-but-tolerated places where you can sit, listen to some really cool music while rolling a nice one and have a beer for a couple of coins... Hey, it's a great place! And it ain't THAT expensive. Less than Paris! The best is in summer, at the end of July. There's a huge open air festival which really looks like a small Woodstock...Same spirit (almost) and lots and lots of friendly people who are just there for the music, the spirit and the party... It lasts for a week. It's the PALEO festival and I think you guys should get to know it!"
Spain - Spain is the European country that is closest to Morocco, with more than 1500 years of cannabis and hash smoking history. "Here are a couple of places in Spain that you NEED to visit:
Altea (in the province of Alicante)- Paradise! A beautiful little Mediterranean town where everyone's as free as he wants to get.... Don't miss "Franky`s Place", in Benidorm (just 5 miles away), a little 20 year old semi-underground bar where you can find the "relax" and good music, having a peaceful smoke.
Ibiza (Mediterranean Island, 75 N. miles out of Spanish Coast) This is THE place. Ibiza is the big party scene. Lots of young beautiful people, music, beaches, etc."
Asia
Thailand - A beautiful, friendly, tolerant country (it is full of Buddhists after all). Unfortunately economic development and unbridled tourism has deformed this country. Check out Ko Samui or Ko Phanghan for a real getaway. Stay away from Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Chaing Mai too has changed for the worse. The hill tribes of the north are worth a visit though.
Bali, Indonesia - The beauty of this island is surpassed only by the beauty of the people and their Hindu/animistic culture. A mecca for hippies! Ubud is a great place to base. Give Kuta Beach a wide berth unless you like surfing, shopping and getting hounded.
India - A hundred lifetimes is not enough to absorb the culture, the land and the people of this amazing country. Many a seeker has found nirvana here. Goa is one of many places where hippies congregate. Other groovy places are Kerala State in the south, full of canals, Rajastan, deserts and forts, Benares if you want to get holy, the foothills of the Himalayas to get high on the mountains and charas.
The Himalayas - "There are hippies everywhere, man! Well, in India anyway. I was there from January to June and they seem to be most concentrated in the Himalayas. You can find people high on all sorts of drugs, including the awesome sight of the mountains covered in snow (it was my first time in the snow, by the way and my somewhat awkward attempts at walking up and down the slopes generated a few laughs from the stoned ones). I was told that being in India is like being stoned without having to smoke anything. It is true! If you're a real hippy you won't want to go to Goa, find your own piece of hippy heaven like I did, (unless you really MUST go to Goa!). My advice for hippies is GO NOW!"
Japan - Shimo-Kitazawa, Tokyo - "This is a great little hippy part of Tokyo, no cars, lots of nice shops and restaurants, home of Tokyo's first hemp shop and hemp restaurant, also did you know that it is legal to sell mushrooms in Japan? Just look outside the station here! Hokkaido is Japans North Island and is a nature paradise. It also has lots of wild hemp growing, some of which is quite smokable apparently. Japan Alps - during the summer it hosts lots of outdoor festivals and rave parties. These are real hippy congregations - people you don't see too often in Japan they suddenly appear. Where do they live?!"
Down Under
Australia - Many communes in the bush, some small hippie communities. Australians now spend more money on marijuana than on wine, and almost as much as BEER! How things have changed down under!
Byron Bay, Australia - The "Hippie Capital" of Australia is a place called Byron Bay (look it up!) which is situated at the top of New South Wales, near Brisbane. Byron Bay and surrounding towns like Nimbin, Mullumbimby, and Lismore are absolute havens for the alternative, new-age folk.
New Zealand - Reports of hippies here and there. Kiwis are known for their friendliness and hospitality. Hippies can be found in the Coromandel, which is a peninsula just kind of across from Auckland. In Nelson at the top of the south island there are little communities of hippies scattered about.
Waiheke Island, New Zealand - a 35 minute ferry ride from the nations largest city of Auckland. (1.1 million people). With a population of about 5000, Waiheke Island is very popular with those who want to live closer to nature.
Elsewhere
The Caribbean - The laidback island lifestyle attracts many hippies. Warm weather, beaches and life in the slow lane finds hippies in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Martin, the Grenadines, Jamaica and other tropical ports.
Bulls Bay, Jamaica..... "love--guavajelly "
Dahab, Egypt - "Dahab is a small Bedouin village located at the East Coast of the Sinai desert. Since the 70's, it's full of hippie and vagabond types. The atmosphere of the place is really nice and laidback with great music like ambient techno, reggae, 60s rock playing every where. There are several campgrounds where you can stay at rates around 1$ per night. In most restaurants you lay or sit on the floor on carpets and pillows, outdoors or indoors just by the Red Sea. There are great coral reefs a couple of meters from the shore, so many people come here for the diving. Other activities are desert excursions to oases or Mt. Sinai, wind surfing, cheap grass, desert parties, backgammon etc. Definitely a place to visit. Dahab is a very, very special place. Those who like Amsterdam should go to Dahab in winter (Christmas, New Year). Many Divers, Surfers, Trampers. Most of them smoke, even the policeman, Bedouin people and taxi drivers are stoned. The desert is great. Imagine riding on a camel and smoking good stuff. Then go in the water and enjoy the fish!"
Nile River, Egypt - "Felucca (type of boat) on the river Nile can be a most pleasant experience. They fit up to 8, so make sure you are in with the right sort. The captain rolls the joints as its tough with Egyptian papers having no gum. He cooks good chow too. And you have never EVER seen a sunset like the one from a small little boat peacefully going up the Nile. We ordered our boat from the Bob Marley Hotel run by Mohammed Bob, he's a bit of a schemer but he's got plenty of ganja."
Israel - "Many hippies live here in the Holy Land. The only westernized country where communes are part of the system."
Morocco - Once part of the hippy trail from Marrakech to the Rif Mountains, Morocco is still an interesting place to visit. Hip, laid back, places are Chefchaouen and Essaouira. Morocco is cheap and the hashish is excellent. Be aware of the local customs and act appropriately. See the Hip Guide to Morocco, The Hip Guide To Morocco for some first hand experiences and great photos!
Turkey - Perhaps the hottest destination for Europeans these days (it's cheap!). This friendly country has much to offer, including great beaches, culture, and shopping. Again, toe the line - remember the movie "Midnight Express"!
South Africa - "If you're looking for hippies South Africa has got them. Cape Town especially hosts a large hippy community, here we have the famous Green Market Square where hippies sell their creation from clothes to paintings. Every year from late June into early July thousands of people make their way to Grahmstown, a small town in the middle of nowhere, for the Grahmstown festival. Every hippy in the country winds up there sometime time during the 2-week festival. The festival is actually an arts festival where plays of all kinds (from miming to Shakespeare) can be seen, but along with the abundant actors come the hippies, hoping to make a profit off the large crowds of tourists and catch a few laughs at one of the many comedy plays. The entire town consists of two main streets and several theatre houses, what space is not being used for makeshift stages is a hippy market the size of a football field. All those who have been to one of the annual Grahmstown festivals agree on one thing; it gets better every year. As more and more people come and the hordes of hippies become uncountable the atmosphere seems to grow in a unique feeling of appreciation for the newfound peace in this unstable country. As I returned home to Cape Town after the latest festival I realized that I met more humane people from all over South Africa than I had in years of travel. It's an experience of a lifetime not to be missed."
Rustlers Valley, South Africa - "This is a place where people come together in peace and celebrate life, arts and music. There is also a permanent community there. They have recently had a disaster. A fire destroyed most of their infrastructure, but they are rebuilding. To find out more info about this magical place visit their website www.rustlers.co.za."
but if you live anywhere near ann arbor you should most definately go to next years hash bash. in the meantime, go to hashbash.com
