If you’re keeping tabs on the third wave of the psychedelic revolution, you know that interest microdosing is gaining momentum. 

Many microdosers claim that this practice allows them to experience heightened focus and creativity, as well as relief from symptoms of mental illness, including social anxiety and ADHD.

The practice of microdosing and its potential for healing is currently being researched in multiple clinical trials. 

With the rise of microdosing as a medicine, a tool, and a “life hack” in both personal and professional lives, travelers have picked up on the practice of microdosing psychedelic drugs IE people are microdosing during their vacations, with the intention of enhancing their experiences with the benefits of psychedelics, but without the “trip” that can make most cities and events overstimulating.

Feel like having a chill vacation in sunny California with a boost from a psychedelic microdose? Visit San Diego.

Microdosing: San Diego, California

Commonly referred to as the “birthplace of California,” San Diego is a cultural hub for historic buildings and traditions, as well as a melting pot of cultures from around the world. With a population of nearly 1.5 million people, you could explore for weeks and never run out of things to see and people to meet.

In addition to being a cultural center of California, nearly 80% of San Diego locals are over 18 years old, and with a median age of 34 years old, it’s no wonder it’s a hub for microdosing! However, there are a few things to know before you go, not only for your own safety but to ensure the best possible experience in the city. 

Being Intentional

First things first: know how your body reacts to microdosing mushrooms. While many folks experience beautiful healing through microdosing, it's possible you might experience anxiety or emotional crashes during or after your microdose. Be sure to plan ahead and know how your body reacts to this form of psychedelics, so you can best plan on activities that you can handle.

For example, some people love the enhanced colors and sounds they experience when microdosing, but others get easily overwhelmed. Know what you’re getting into before you dose so you can have the best experience possible.

Second, consider your intentions with this microdosing journey. Do you want to experience heightened relaxation, or be more productive with heightened focus? Are you a nature fiend or a city-goer? What kinds of things would you like to experience in a heightened state? (Pro tip: views, lights and colors are amazing). 

The answers to these questions can help you make informed decisions about what’s best to do during your visit to San Diego. We want you to have the best experience possible while microdosing in San Diego, so please reach out to us if you have any questions! You can also check out our section on the Decrim Movement, as well as forums on Meetup and Shroomery to find community in the psychedelic realm in San Diego.

Potential Trips for your Subperceptual Trip

There are a number of neighborhoods and districts worth noting if you’re going to microdose your way through San Diego, the most important being Mission Valley, and Old Town. You can explore the heart of the city, catch a game at the stadium, visit the beach, join a fiesta, or try out all of the above! If you’re more of a nature lover, you can visit Point Loma Peninsula, La Jolla, or North County Coastal.

Green Spaces & Microdosing 

Need a nature retreat that’s not hours from civilization? San Diego is a great destination for natural yet urban wonders!

Check out Balboa Park for its “world-class zoo, restful cultivated areas, museums in refined Spanish Revival buildings and live shows,” wander the park to see 2,100 different plants, and gaze across the pond covered in lotuses, and lilies. The colors and sounds of this park are a great way to relax while you ride out your microdose.

You can also check out the Big Laguna Trail for a day-long microdose adventure with scenic views of Southern California. The Los Penasquitos Canyon is another highly recommended hiking area – use San Diego's natural wonders to enhance your psychedelic experience. Hiking on a microdose can be an even more effective treatment for depression, post traumatic stress disorder, trauma and other behavior and mood disorders, so we highly suggest you try it out!

Community Events & Microdosing

If you want to get a little exercise in, you can walk along the Embarcadero! This harborside pedestrian pathway faces the bay and Coronado Island, and you can see heritage ships floating on the water at the San Diego Maritime Museum.

Surfing is another popular activity in San Diego, especially around La Jolla and Point Loma. Beginners might be better off going to Oceanside or Del Mar, but either way, a microdose, and some surfing could be the best weekend you’ve ever had. Finish it off with a wander around Old Town in all its adobe architectural glory and cozy up at a beach-side restaurant before drifting off to a beautiful psychedelic nap.

Sightseeing & Microdosing

Let’s say you’re more of a city-goer, and sunset-gazing isn’t quite your speed. Don’t worry, San Diego has an abundance of things for you too! You can find quite a few casinos, cruises, and sightseeing tours in the city, as well as a lively nightlife scene. Check out the San Diego webpage for an extensive list of attractions, events and activities, most of which can be enhanced with a microdose of magic mushrooms.

If you’re in San Diego in the fall, they host the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, where you can hear live orchestral music and munch on delicious eats (which are even better when you’re on shrooms)! You could also end your day with a walk around Point Loma on the west side of San Diego Bay as the sun sets...just saying.

Nightlife & Microdosing

If you're more of the night-owl type, boost your microdose of psychedelic drugs with the colors and sounds of San Diego nightlife! Try a Club Crawl, the ALTITUDE Sky Lounge, or Prohibition. The last option is not only a lounge, but a music venue, and has a balanced crowd in terms of age group – so you don't need to worry about drunken adolescents if you don't want to! Check out more nightlife options on Trip Advisor and get the best recommendations from San Diego experts.

The Decrim Movement in San Diego

Despite the illegality of these drugs, however, the culture surrounding psilocybin as medicine is abundant in San Diego. 

The folks of San Diego are pretty welcoming when it comes to psychedelic use, due to the fact that many major cities in California have decriminalized the “use, possession and cultivation of entheogenic psychoactive plants and fungi,” also known as psychedelics.

Magic Mushrooms in the Wild

There are also a number of psychedelic mushrooms that grow wild in the state of California, but as we’ve mentioned, it’s not legal to buy, possess, and use them–so please use caution.

Among those that grow wild in California are the Panaeolus species, often known as “pans.” These are relatively mild in terms of psychedelic effect, so they’re well known for microdosing.  You can also find a variety of Psilocybe species, which are among the most well-known of all magic mushrooms.

To find shrooms in Dallas, check this resource.

** reminder that this information is intended for the purpose of education and entertainment only

Enjoying Your Trip in San Diego

That said, microdosing in San Diego is a great way to boost your experiences, assuming you do so safely. The laid-back community is home to many microdosers, and there are countless tourist attractions and events that will be mind-blowing with a little boost from your microdose.

Be sure to read up on events and places to buy shrooms before you go, so you can have the best time when you’re in San Diego. 

If you're planning a microdosing experience and want some guidance on what the ideal dose is, check out our shroom dosage calculator and this handy guide. 

Happy microdosing.