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."
Tuscaloosa, Alabama - We have a "smoking" hippie
culture here. The music seen is about to explode with a phenonmenal acoustic
player Adam Jason, a good friend and touring partner of Edwin Mc Cain's.
Also there is Soulpatch, a " psychedelic hippie-funk rock-n-roll green
grass with a southren fried twist" band that features former members of
Dragon Lotion, Head East, The Mighty Pranksters, and Ko Ko Taylors Blues
Machine. Both bands have Major label intrest and Soulpatch has secluded
themselves for the winter to write an album. Adam has just released a new
C.D. There is some kind food places if you like soulfood and plenty of
kind for dessert!! the Rainbow Family has a strong presence with the Chalet
Ridge Tribe in the area.
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 :)"
I just wanted to emphasize how cool Alaska is. I have lived here my
entire life, all 19 years of it. I have visited many other places but there
is no place, no where like home, because home is where the weed is and
we've got the best! Lookin' for the ultimate festival ? We've got the Talkeetna
blue grass festival every year in the begining of AUG. its four days of
camping in the woods and trippin' to the sounds of blue grass. a must for
anyone who wants to meet thousands of other people lookin' for a happy,
fun time. keep on tokin'
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."
UPDATE: Noodles now plays at Nita's Hideaway, also in Tempe on
Sundays starting at 7:00pm.
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".
Winkelman, Arizona - there is a hippy type
community....no phone lines there. it is an oasis in the dessert....many
trees....you would be surprised at this place...i live there and it is
awesome.....we ask that we are contacted prior to someone showing up....$2
a day ....camping spots limited....you can write to windspirit community,
4514 e. dripping springs rd. winkelman az 85292.
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!"
Berkeley, California - If there is anywhere in
California where hippies hang out, it is definitely in Berkeley.
This is where a lot (if not most) of the hippy movement began. It
is famous for it's protests in the 60's and 70's and even today.
I have never been to a place where there are
more liberal people in one area in my life, or more marijuana.
Students and locals alike share the hippy mentality, just take a walk down
Telegraph Ave.!
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?"
Lake Tahoe, California is not only one of the most
beautiful places in the country, but everyone here is laid back, down to
earth and totally into nature. How could you not be when you're living
in a paradise like this?
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.". The music scene in S.D. is really
happening these days. Great concerts from major acts and lots of smaller
venues showcase local talent. Many things to like about S.D. and you can't
beat the perfect climate! Worse thing is how expensive it's getting.
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!"
Manitou Springs, Colorado - Located in the mountains
at the foot of Pikes Peak. Lots of hippies live here, mainly older ones
along with many artists and other cool folks too. Musicians playing on
the street is encouraged by the town and every February Manitou Springs
host one true hippie Mari Gars called "Carnivale". Do stop by and check
out this neat town!
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."
Paonia, Colorado - is a Hippie Haven from way back.
In fact all of the hippies in Boulder that didn't become wealthy yuppies
(and some that did) are now in Paonia and have been for
quite some time. Paonia is on the western slope of Colorado.
It still is an affordable place to live for hippies, unlike Boulder. We
even have a person in the next town over, Hotchkiss, who is named Hippy
Lereaux (quite an infamous character, a real outlaw).
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."
I would have to agree with everything that the previous person said.
But, the town is very small, and there is not all that much to do in the
way of nightlife and entertainment and there are a lot of annoying frat
boys who drive around in jeeps and chuck things at people. The drug scene
is somewhat unstable here, there is a lot of laced and bad stuff, gotta
be careful!
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."
St. Augustine, Florida. It is a HUGE hippy
hangout town. Rain or shine, you can always go down to St. George
Street and find street musicians, vendors, and tons of cool kids just hanging.
There are drum circles at the fort every week. Also, tons of hippy
stores, like Gyspy's Moonrose (they have the best jewlery!) and Dreamstreet,
a book store that has couches and stuff to chill on. And everybody
there is friendly, you can just go up and talk to random people... some
of them turn out to be really interesting.
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."
Savannah, Georgia - is great. There are a
few colleges there, including Savannah College of Art & Design, so
there is a nice community. They have lots of festivals all year.
The weather is nice, especially in spring. It is old & historic. Beautiful
houses, churches, apartments. It's easy to walk around (hard to drive),
tons of huge trees, statues. All types of stores, second-hand shops, restaurants,
coffeehouses. Lots of movies have been made there, some books. Artists
are all over. It's on the river, a short drive to the ocean. Near the South
Carolina border, 'bout 2 hours north of Florida. The people are so nice,
& it's real easy to find something to do. Just walk around, you'll
see people. Liberty Street is the main street w/coffeehouses & good,
mellow restaurants. Be sure to get a map, though, because it's easy to
get lost, & avoid "new" Savannah, it's suburban, like any other town.
You can find cheap motels near the interstate, or in the next town south.
savannah is a beautiful, diverse community. it's easier to walk than
drive around, beautiful "squares" which are little parks in the middle
of the roads. there are veggie places, & you can
drink in public, on the roads & all. i went to the art school's
sidewalk art fest last year (every april), had so much fun, tons of music,
& got to see a free show, laying out on the grass, emmy lou harris.
you can see artist, painters, photographers, & writers all over, lots
of old bookstores,
cementaries, antique shops, you name it. there is your share of tourist,
but it is worth it.
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."
Stanley, Idaho - the towns population is 69 doesn't
that say it all. Located 110 miles north of Boise. Beautiful lakes, hiking
trails, sawtooth mountains, laid back people, hot springs, lots of drumming
and lots of love. Unbelievable town to go check out!
Illinois
Chicago, Illinois - The ground is so fertile here
in Illinois that when you drop a nickel it turns into a quarter before
you pick it up. You'd imagine there'd be plenty of hippys and longhairs
crawling all over Illinois, right? Nope, not really. You'll find some transplants
downstate at the universities but mostly you'll find 'em up in Chicago.
With plenty of health food stores, hemp shops and tons of yoga centers,
there's a nice underground network of hippie folk. The best hangout for
hippies I've seen is a place called Healing Earth Resources up on the north
side (Ashland & Belmont) that deals in your usual clothes & music
as well as being a great central hub for a lot of hippie-minded communities.
Makanda, Illinois - It's way out there among hills
in a forrest,but onceyou set foot on the "sidewalk" of the town square
(which is barely anything)you notice the overall atmosphere of art. The
place SCREAMS hippie haven!! It's a calm,peaceful town,it's creative and
close to nature,a favorite for me!! And nearby is a grate collage town,Carbondale,Il.
it's big and booming,but if your in the right part of town you run into
some groovy stuff. There's a wonderous hippie hang out cafè with
alot of college kids working there who are into the all natural hippie
way of life. There's local artwork on the walls,alot of food for thought.
There's a vietnam poet who hangs out in the back dining room of the cafè
with long hair and a beard,but kind eyes. And the next room toward the
back is the 'Babba Shop' which is very middle eastern,lots of clothes,
prayer shawls, philosophy books.....which i didn't really get into. But
for that type of hippie...it's prob'ly heaven. LOL behind that is a vintage
clothing shop....
Also a great college town is Charleston,Il. There's a head shop called
absolutely 4th street
records(on 4th street)and a bar or something called the rabbit hole.
And a shop called the Alice Emporium or something like that.
Waukegan, Illinios - Has a "hippie college" in
the least likely of places - Shimer College is one of THE most liberal
of colleges and no one in the world seems to know about it. There are no
lecture classes, we discuss books (actual sorces, no textbooks that have
been biased by someone elses' ideas) in groups of 12 or less. People
here are allowed to live as they please and most importantly to think as
they please. The education is as liberating as the lifestyle.
The most kickass thing about Shimer is that its not just hippies, all kinds
of wierd people hang out here and are accepting of each other. Its
a hippie commune like you've never seen, I promise.
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."
Broad Ripple, Indiana - a suburb of Indianapolis.
I almost didn't mention this one, except you've listed Bloomington and
that is a MAJOR college-party city, and Broad Ripple is the same way with
all of the bars. I can tell you, though, that there are a plethora of vintage
stores all in a row and there is also a Magic Bus and a Grateful Threads.
There are a lot of ethnic restaurants to fit all budgets, a lot of local
bands come play, there is an annual art festival in the warmer months and
there is a nice little picnic park an a hill on the river. The Monon trail-
popular walking/riding trail that goes through much of central Indiana,
goes right by the Ben and Jerry's, and there is a nice health food store
with lots of organic fruits to eat while you're out and about. This place
is used to meeting and seeing "hippies" and they are very welcome, along
with anyone else who comes along. An ideal place for a sunny day.
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: http://www.kiva.net/~elf
"
New Harmony, Indiana - TOTALLY peaceful and
a prefectly friendly and historic enviroment. In the middle of town there
is a beautiful garden with benches,completely fenced in like an oasis.
I always walk bare foot in that town,in new harmony there is no other way
to do it that gives you the full force of the peace there.
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.
The Rainbow Gathering - This movable community gathers for a
few weeks each year in some remote location. Check out their web
page for more info.
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."
Louisiana
Louisiana's got a Hippie Haven in the forgotten little village of Abita
Springs. The town is located on the northshore of Lake Pontchatrain, about
40 miles north of New Orleans. Once a resort for turn-of-the-century New
Orleanians who wanted to flee the summer heat and yellow fever of the city,
the old hotels and cottages remained, long after the tourists stopped coming.
During the 1970's hippies moved in to the old houses to raise children,
make art in community, and swim naked in the cool artesian water. At one
point there were 16 jewelry artists living in this town of 1200, and the
old "Longbranch Hotel" was a celebrated hippie commune and sight of now
mythic hippie parties and gatherings. Today, we have a funky folk
art museum, a microbrewery, a town shadow play, a monthly blue grass hootenanny
called "The Piney Woods Opry" held in the old town hall, and the most thoughtful
"controlled growth" plan of any northshore community. But there are lots
of hippies and coffee house scenes sprinkling the northshore, Covington's
Columbia Street Grocery, Mandeville's Java Grotto, and I don't know if
they qualify as hippies, but damn near everyone gets stoned in Lacombe.
Hippies new and old have a loose affiliation of spirit thriving on the
northshore. We'll see if it can survive the rampant development and violent
loss of greenspace that's occuring as thousands flee suburban New Orleans
to build and live here. |