Mushrooms (Psychedelic and Otherwise) Are Having a Moment—Here’s How to Have Your Best Trip

With authors like Michael Pollan and celebrity mycologists like Paul Stamets extolling the benefits of psychedelic fungi and wellness and fashion brands infusing their products with shroom style, all things mushroom are trending. The West has long been the spiritual home of mushroom culture, culinary and otherwise, and is still the best place to partake in the fun of fungi. Hospitality is taking note, with luxe accommodations offering excursions that teach travelers about foraging and the magical world of mycology. And with decriminalization in Oregon, psychedelic retreats are well on their way.

If you’re interesting in booking a mushroom-centric vacation, take a look at the haute hotels offering foraging and learning experiences below.

Thompson Hotel, Seattle

Andrew Pogue

Set your sights on discovery in the Emerald City, where you’ll join executive chef Chris Ingmire and the Truffle Dog Company for a wild truffle-hunting excursion in the Pacific Northwest, followed by a seasonal dinner experience featuring the fruits of your harvest accompanied by Washington wine pairings. The only thing better than the incredible aromas is the smiles the adorable doggos will undoubtedly induce during your time traipsing through the forest.

Gabe Rodriguez

Stanford Inn by the Sea, Mendocino

Stanford Inn by the Sea

Hike into the Mendocino forests in search of wild mushrooms and other edible plants with a shroom specialist. If forager’s luck is on your side, you’ll encounter a few of the over 3,000 species that call these coastal forests home. If nothing else, you’ll learn firsthand about the intricate and interdependent relationships between wild mushrooms and plants, as well as which are edible and which are poisonous. The seasonal walks, which typically begin in November, are dependent on rain, and typically run through March, so late summer is the perfect time to book.

Hotel Healdsburg, Healdsburg

Hotel Healdsburg

Head to the beautiful Notre Vue Estate & Winery with an expert mushroom forager for a two-hour hands-on hunt, where you’ll discover what trees and terrain to look for, how to identify which mushrooms are edible (and which aren’t), foraging etiquette, and more. Then bring your earthy treasures back to the hotel, where the chef of Dry Creek Kitchen will prepare a special course with your very own mushrooms as part of the four-course degustation. (Don’t worry, if you come up empty-handed, he’ll provide the goods.)