San Diego is flush with green. In the past few years, fully legal recreational marijuana sales have transformed San Diego area dispensaries from back-alley operations to modern, hip and unique storefronts, with amazing selections of product. Though the county has dozens, these are the best places to buy cannabis and cannabis-related products in San Diego.

SouthWest Patient Group

Cannabis education without borders

San Ysidro

There is no other dispensary in San Diego County that has done more to further cannabis education than SWPG. Located a few hundred feet from the San Ysidro Mexican border, SWPG does an amazing job educating people in both Spanish and English on the streets of the busiest border crossing in the world. Inside one of the largest showrooms in the county, there’s an educational theater equipped with cinema-style seats for seminars and workshops, and at the entrance, you will find microscopes connected to a flat-screen LCD display to check out the glisten of your buds under the lens. The artwork in the dispensary is topnotch. There’s a slew of bilingual employees, and there is hardly ever a line. Plus, the array of concentrates is simply fantastic.

Urbn Leaf

San Diego’s industry leader

Bay Park

There is no doubt that Urbn Leaf is the industry leader in the San Diego Cannabis industry, just like there is no doubt you’ll find surfers in Pacific Beach. The logo is what a modern dispensary logo should look like. Forget the Rasta colors and cliche stoner look of yesteryear—Urbn Leaf has a beautiful, simple logo on neon signs at all locations. Their storefront is hip and modern, like a fashion designer boutique. Urbn Leaf drives stoners all around town looking great in a branded bus. The staff is also hip, young and beautiful, not to mention knowledgeable and helpful. The selection of topicals and concentrates is phenomenal.

Harbor Collective

The downtown dispensary

Barrio Logan

Centrally located and stocked with some of the best edibles, topicals, and extracts available, Harbor Collective is a San Diego favorite. At one time, it was one of the only places to find Alpine cartridge refills. Harbor Collective is a more classic-looking storefront, not as modern as some of the newer dispensaries. It’s a reliable source for anything you need, and its central location makes it easy to get to, even from public transportation. Checking in is easy, but the waiting room is small and crowded. Overall, Harbor Collective is still a go-to for San Diego cannabis stops.

Apothekare

The crème de la crème of cannabis

Mission Valley

Valet parking? Yes, please! San Diego has a reputation for being either military or posh—this place caters to the latter. Apothekare is one of the new dispensaries on the block in sunny SD. Nestled in Mission Valley, its central location makes it easy for anyone in the county to visit. Not far away is the stadium the local football team abandoned when they left the city. Boo-hoo, nobody is crying about the Chargers anymore. Apothekare’s extensive selection of flowers, concentrates, and edibles will make you forget about football in two bong loads flat! As far as indoor showrooms are concerned, this one is the crème de la crème in Diego. The lighting and merch placement make it feel like a fancy perfume shop. It certainly gives off a feeling of safety and luxury. 

Golden State Greens

Roll up, roll in and roll out

Sports Arena

This place used to be called Point Loma Patient, which can make a visit confusing. There are two ways to get in and the name change can throw you off a bit, but once inside, you’re in the land of goodies! GSG is in such a central part of the city that it’s always busy. The waiting rooms are too small, but after the wait, you enter one of San Diego’s most stacked showrooms. Their selection of flower is the best. Want to avoid tiny, packed waiting rooms? Order for pick up! GSG has been voted SD’s best pick up service. You call it in, and within 30-45 minutes your order is ready. We suggest you use the pickup service if you’re familiar with the store. If you are a first time visitor, it’s worth the wait. Inside the showroom, it’s a goldmine.

Mankind

High in the sky

Miramar

Not far from the spot where Maverick and Iceman made death-defying moves in the ‘80s classic Top Gun, Miramar is the name of the lucky town to have the Mankind cooperative doing business. Unlike most stores that keep goodies locked up or behind the counter, Mankind allows you to view and touch everything they sell, like any normal store. This makes the experience great because you get to shop at your own pace. Traffic can be bad sometimes, so aim to visit after 6 p.m.