Locals who like to get high have a lot of questions: What is the meaning of life? Do insects have feelings? Is reality just a holographic projection from a transcendent meta-consciousness orchestrated by quantum fluctuations in the brain? Does the convenience store down the street have any new potato chip flavors?
There are less esoteric questions too. What’s the best local dispensary? Why are there so many? What’s the difference between them? Who has the best prices? The best products? The best service?
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And for marijuana fence-sitters and those just getting into the wondrous recreational plant, which dispensary can best aid in navigating the dizzying array of flower, edibles, vapes, oils, pre-rolls, concentrates, tinctures, topicals and tablets?
There’s only one way to find out, so I visited every cannabis dispensary in Ulster County – in a single day. (Long exhale.)
What did I learn? Our region has a dispensary for every type of cannabis consumer, and each has its own unique style and selection that will appeal to a different type of user. Though competition continues to heat up with several more dispensaries planned for Ulster, the eleven that are currently open here all seem to be doing a brisk business. Let’s check them out…
Domes Dispensary
268 Forest Hill Dr., Kingston
When late local artist/musician Joe Stote built the majestic geodesic domes off Rt. 28, they were envisioned as a great spot for an organic farmer’s market and nursery. After many years of the building sitting vacant, canna-preneurs Jennie Dundas and David Tivnan Domes finally fulfilled the dream, with a twist – this farmer’s market is of the marijuana variety.
Does Domes have the most unique dispensary atmosphere of them all? Without question. The vibe is otherworldly and temple-like, as if one is suddenly inhabiting a sculpture. The architecture is stunning, grand and slightly disorienting, especially when aurally awash in the dome’s reverberant acoustics, making for some wild conversational echoes. It’s easy to hear why Domes occasionally hosts live music events.
The space’s architectural beauty and potential to become more than just a cannabis space is the key aspect that distinguishes it from any other dispensary in the county and beyond. It would not be a stretch to say Domes is one of the most unique cannabis dispensaries in the country.
All that space offers another amenity: Two lanes split right at the door, directing newbies to helpful employees that will walk you through your purchase, while allowing regulars to easily bypass budtenders and quickly order on their self-serve screen. Stare at the entrancing ceiling for a minute and when your order’s ready, your name is called, and you’re out the door.
Fluent (formerly Etain)
445 Onteora Trail, NY-28, Kingston
Long before New York legalized marijuana for recreational consumption, Etain blazed a trail (literally) as the first medical dispensary in the county.
As the result of a corporate acquisition, the company recently rebranded as Fluent, and today it serves as a hybrid medical/recreational dispensary. You can still feel the vibes of a friendly, clean, and ever-so-slightly clinical retail atmosphere. The staff can budtend with the best of them, and their medical background offers a robust, science-based understanding of the offerings that will appeal to discerning consumers.
Fluent is a great choice for those who want a professional to hold their hand through the process of selecting the perfect cannabis product for their needs.
Herbal Woodstock / Hemp and Humanity
17 Tinker St., Woodstock
Woodstock has been a legendary weed town since the devil’s lettuce first started to circulate in the counterculture, so the licensing of the first recreational dispensary there is a milestone in its cultural development. It couldn’t have gone to a better person.
Snowboarding champion Melissa Gibson is a true pioneer in the cannabis space, founding Hemp and Humanity way back in 2016, in the early days of the righteous fight for legalization. Attributing CBD to her ability to fight several auto-immune conditions, she passionately pursued and acquired one of the first cannabinoid retail licenses in New York State.
Hemp and Humanity was recently able to acquire a recreational license for its Herbal Woodstock retail operation. They quickly put it to amazing use by curating a product line that is higher quality and better organized than many of its larger dispensary counterparts. As one would expect from a legal Woodstock weed retailer, the interior is vibrant and colorful, and the staff is above-and-beyond friendly and helpful.
A rainbow of cannabis offerings are innovatively categorized: “relieve + recover”, “sleep + relax”, “uplift + awaken” and “vibe + connect”. This makes for one of the most accessible retail displays imaginable, especially for newcomers to the plant.
Gone are the days of scoring a dimebag from a creepy hippie on the Village Green. With Hemp and Humanity in town, no one’s going to miss ‘em.
The Weedery
3 Water St., New Paltz
The most potent and positively life-altering experiences can sometimes be found in the most unassuming of places.
The Weedery is not much bigger than a walk-in closet, but don’t let appearances fool you. Inside you’ll find some of the most potent and expertly curated pot products around.
This cozy shop is the county’s first micro-dispensary, offering a small but utterly unique line of products. All the cannabis is grown super-locally – it’s the weed equivalent of a farm-to-table operation. You can get flower, you can get edibles, but the entire selection is essentially handpicked and handcrafted for you to be the best.
The star of the show are the finishing oils. If you’ve heard whispers about dinner parties and private events where the dishes are infused with THC, you’re likely hearing about these magical oils which can be applied to a meal after it’s prepared (so the psychoactive ingredients don’t cook off in its making). Unlike infused butters or coconut oil used to bake pot brownies and such, the finishing oils turn any dish into a journey for mind and soul. A little goes a long way, and the high is unlike traditional edibles – it’s more psychedelic, more encompassing of the whole body, and definitely not appropriate for operating heavy machinery.
Big Gas
98 N. Chestnut St., New Paltz
Many local potheads waited in long lines at New Paltz’s temporary “farmer’s market” after recreational marijuana was legalized in 2021 but dispensaries ended up taking years to get approved. Big Gas was the first actual dispensary to open in the county in early 2024.
Co-owned by Kareem Haynesworth and Zymia Lewis, the business was supported by New York’s Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund, aimed at assisting individuals impacted by prior marijuana laws. They pay it forward by supporting numerous community events and initiatives with their profits.
The atmosphere here is decidedly more modern, playful and hip-hop inspired than its county counterparts. Staff in this joint are perhaps the most welcoming and fun crew one could hope to meet in a dispensary, everyone gives off vibes of loving what they do. Once you’re past security, the energy of the atmosphere is sky-high as cashiers and budtenders smile, joke and laugh. Such outgoing behavior shouldn’t be out of place for a weed retailer, but you’d be surprised.
Big Gas feels the closest to a party atmosphere while still being professional. The selection and the prices are generous, and the vibes are hard to beat.
Back Home Dispensary
3056 NY-213, Stone Ridge
What distinguishes Back Home is its commitment to local cultivation. Rather than stocking large, commercial cannabis brands, the dispensary grows its own products and collaborates directly with other local growers. This farm-to-consumer approach ensures fresh, high-quality cannabis while maintaining competitive pricing by eliminating middlemen. The dispensary offers a full range of products, including smokables and edibles, in a laid-back and unpretentious environment that emphasizes community and camaraderie.
Back Home Dispensary is part of the Back Home Farm family, a High Falls-based operation known for sustainable, small-batch cannabis cultivation. Their focus on heritage strains and greenhouse-grown flower reflects a broader mission to keep cannabis production local, ethical, accessible and affordable.
What’s not to love about this operation? It’s not as fancy as some of the other dispensaries, but in contrast it’s refreshing to find a retailer that’s all about the bud, no bells and whistles. You can be assured any product you pick up will be top-notch and locally sourced.
Lucky Green Ladies
365 S. Wall St., Kingston
Fun vibes abound at Lucky Green Ladies, a dispensary situated by the ‘Five Ways to Die’ intersection in uptown Kingston. Don’t let the location give you anxiety – once you’re parked and through the doors, a super-friendly, welcoming staff is waiting to guide you through the process of pot procurement, or just chill and take your order with a super-positive attitude.
With over 200 cannabis products and spiffy menus displaying them all, this well-organized operation has a great selection to peruse, and you can keep coming back for something new each time. It’s a very streamlined operation – no wandering around mazes of displays, just easy-to-understand menus and happy people to walk you through your options.
The centerpiece of the retail space is a spinning “reefer roulette” wheel of weed samples in clear vented boxes that can be sniffed, under magnifying lens for close inspection.
Another bonus? Lucky Green Ladies offers free home delivery, so you never have to get off the couch.
Royal Blend
2223 Rt. 32., Kingston
Marijuana users know a thing or two about being chill, and Royal Blend is easily one of the most chill options for Ulster County dispensaries.
This no-frills establishment in an old auto garage is a simple two-room affair with a few displays and friendly staff that’s helpful without being over-attentive. Having a ‘budtender’ sidle up to cater to your particular taste in THC can be great for people new to the world of cannabis, but veterans who’ve been smoking since you could land in jail for having a joint don’t need such formalities. Royal Blend staff will absolutely ‘budtend’ if that’s what you want – but they seem to have a sixth sense that this is the spot for stoners who want to get in and out of the dispensary without having to recite their strain preferences for the nth time.
Canna Planet
1223 Ulster Ave., Kingston
The newest dispensary in Ulster County is also the grandest – if Apple sold weed, it might look a little something like this.
Easily at least four times the size of any other dispensary in the area, Kingston’s Canna Planet has one of the most impressive retail displays in the whole state.
A vast maze of glass cases beckon with a kaleidoscope of products from every conceivable manufacturer. Vast banks of shelves boast the largest selection of cannabis products in the area. If there’s any complaint, it’s that the sheer scope of the place could be overwhelming to a newcomer. It’s unclear if you could actually consume each product in this store within one lifetime.
Canna Planet is one of the fastest-growing dispensary chains, with four locations total (the others are in Ellenville, Wappingers and Monticello). Simply put, they are experts when it comes to creating a shopping experience that is luxurious and grand in scale with wall-to-wall eye candy – sort of like what you’d expect from a Las Vegas dispensary.
Catskill Mountain High
308 Plaza Rd., Kingston
Strategically located next to Savona’s Plaza Pizza in Kingston Plaza, Catskill Mountain High feels less like walking into a store and more like visiting friends who just happen to sell weed — you know, the way we got it back when we were all criminals a few years ago.
There’s no doubt the staff here are some of the friendliest around, and newcomers to cannabis consumption are in good hands. But for regulars, it’s like Cheers, except everybody knows your strain. From security to the ordering desk, you’ll be hanging out with the most laid-back, fun-loving people treating you with warmth and enthusiasm.
For price-conscious consumers, Catskill Mountain High delivers with specials and products that are often significantly cheaper than the competition – such as Ready 2 Roll pre-ground seven-gram bags of 24% THC flower for $46. On the black market, you’d often be charged twice that.
The carefully curated selection here prioritizes local growers, and it’s surprising how many different products they were able to squeeze into the comparably smaller shop size. The decor is organic, the atmosphere is inviting, ordering screens are eschewed for human contact, and they will even deliver to your home.
For the purest cannabis shopping experience, Catskill Mountain High may be the dispensary that balances the right people, product, price and presence most effortlessly.
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