Craft grow tours are quietly becoming one of the most interesting drivers of cannabis tourism in legal states – especially for out-of-state visitors who want more than a quick dispensary stop. Instead of just buying a pre-packaged eighth, travelers are stepping inside small, boutique grow facilities to see how craft cannabis is actually made, meet the people behind the brand and, in some cases, pair the experience with local food, wine or beer.

Early cannabis tourism data helps explain why these tours matter. In Colorado’s early legal years, out-of-state visitors accounted for nearly 45% of marijuana retail sales in Denver and roughly 90% of sales in some mountain destinations, signaling that tourists were a major driver of demand. Research on hotel occupancy in Colorado and Washington has also found that legalization boosted tourism indicators like rooms rented and hotel revenue. Craft grow tours now sit at the intersection of this demand and a growing appetite for authentic, educational experiences.

Across the country, tour operators are building itineraries around intimate cultivation visits rather than just party buses. In Denver, “Buds & Brews” tours combine a behind-the-scenes look at a working grow facility with stops at local craft breweries, giving visitors a seed-to-sale view of cannabis and a taste of the city’s beer culture in one loop. Similar hybrid tours operate in California and Orange County, where companies like Cannabis Tours take guests to grow houses, dispensaries, wineries and breweries on 420-friendly buses.

In Las Vegas, operators have leaned into the entertainment angle with grow house visits, glass-blowing demos and multi-stop excursions that showcase the city’s fast-growing cannabis industry. National roundups of “must-try” cannabis tours increasingly highlight experiences that prioritize cultivation education and craft producers rather than just retail stops.

Regulation is also opening space for craft growers to become local tourism anchors. Illinois, for example, created a specific “craft grower” license category that caps canopy size and emphasizes smaller-scale operators focused on quality. State regulators have discussed and, in some cases, allowed tours of licensed craft grow and cultivation facilities under strict security and compliance rules, giving these businesses a legal framework to host visitors. For travelers, that means the chance to step into boutique operations that feel closer to a craft brewery or winery than a massive warehouse grow.

For out-of-state guests, the appeal is clear. Craft grow tours offer:

• Storytelling: Visitors hear directly from head growers and founders about genetics, phenohunting, sustainability and local community ties.
• Education: Guests learn how factors like lighting, nutrients and curing affect terpenes and effects – information they can use later at home.
• Place-making: Just like wine regions, craft cannabis gives destinations a sense of “terroir,” where certain strains or cultivation styles become part of a region’s identity.

Economically, these tours help spread tourism dollars beyond the dispensary. Studies on cannabis tourism in Colorado note that visitors who engage in marijuana activities also spend more on dining, shopping and outdoor recreation than the average traveler. When craft grow facilities partner with local restaurants, breweries and hotels, they create bundled experiences that keep out-of-state visitors in town longer – and coming back.

Looking ahead, craft grow tours are poised to play the same role that winery tours and brewery trails did for previous generations of travelers. For cannabis-curious tourists, they offer a safe, guided way to explore a new market. For destinations, they’re a chance to showcase local talent, build a distinctive brand and turn high-quality flower into a reason to book the next trip.