Despite common opinion, the idea of a marijuana pilgrimage is a rather absurd notion. Many nurse the dream of an Amsterdam misadventure, but when the weed is readily available at home, as it is (albeit on the black market), the incentive to float in a marijuana haze amongst the four canals of the Grachtengordel is diminished. Not to mention the fact that the Dutch government has banned tourists from entering Amsterdam’s marijuana cafes, in many ways the lifeblood of the city.

Is there a marijuana mecca in the U.S.? California might suffice. Having lived there for four years, it’s generally acknowledged that it is easy to get marijuana both from dispensaries and on the black market. Tourists, however, can’t obtain medical grade marijuana while enjoying the sensory overload and existential darkness of the Universal Studios City Walk.

Another option remains: plan a trip to Oregon for your next vacation and pay a visit to the doctor. As it turns out, Oregon is the only state in the union that has legalized medical marijuana cards for non-residents.

Again, there isn’t much incentive if one has a local dealer or two. An hour at the doctor’s office, however, will pay dividends if pilgrims have friends and family in Oregon, or frequently enjoy the psychogeography of rain forests, and the hunt for the elusive wood elves and gnomes. And doing all this legally is, in the ancient Greek sense, excellent.