Peace, love, and good vibes didn’t disappear when the 1960s ended. Across America, certain places have kept the counterculture flame burning bright, welcoming free spirits and dreamers for decades. From the tie-dyed streets of San Francisco to hidden mountain communes, these special spots continue celebrating the hippie ideals of community, creativity, and living life on your own terms. Pack your flower power and get ready to explore where the Age of Aquarius never really ended.
1. Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California
Walking down Haight Street feels like stepping into a time machine set to 1967. Colorful Victorian houses still wear their psychedelic paint jobs, while vintage clothing stores overflow with bell-bottoms and tie-dyed treasures.
Street musicians play acoustic guitars on corners where Jerry Garcia once jammed. Head shops sell incense and peace sign jewelry alongside modern cannabis products.
Amoeba Music remains a pilgrimage site for vinyl collectors, and the famous Painted Ladies Victorian homes provide the perfect Instagram backdrop. This neighborhood birthed the Summer of Love and continues welcoming anyone seeking alternative culture and creative expression.
2. Woodstock, New York
Though the legendary festival happened 40 miles away in Bethel, Woodstock town has embraced its musical legacy with open arms. Art galleries showcase local painters and sculptors who moved here seeking creative freedom.
Drum circles gather in the town square on warm evenings, creating spontaneous concerts under the stars. The Maverick Concert Hall hosts intimate performances in a rustic outdoor setting since 1916.
Cozy cafes serve organic coffee while displaying handmade pottery and jewelry from local artisans. Record shops overflow with vinyl from every era, and bookstores specialize in poetry and counterculture literature that inspired generations of free thinkers.
3. The Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
Perched on dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Esalen has been expanding minds since 1962. Natural hot springs bubble up from the earth, creating steamy pools where visitors soak while watching whales migrate past.
Workshops explore everything from meditation to human potential movement. Famous thinkers like Alan Watts and Ram Dass shared their wisdom here during the institute’s early days.
Organic gardens provide fresh vegetables for communal meals eaten in silence while contemplating the stunning coastline. Sleeping under Big Sur’s star-filled skies in simple cabins helps people reconnect with nature and themselves in profound ways.
4. Eugene, Oregon
Every July, Eugene transforms into a magical wonderland during the Oregon Country Fair. Thousands of performers, artists, and free spirits gather in the woods for three days of music, theater, and creative expression.
Year-round, the Saturday Market showcases handmade crafts, organic food, and live folk music. University of Oregon students keep the activist spirit alive through environmental protests and social justice movements.
Bike paths wind through the city, connecting organic co-ops, vintage clothing stores, and vegetarian restaurants. Coffee shops host poetry readings and acoustic concerts, while community gardens grow vegetables shared freely among neighbors who believe in cooperative living and sustainable practices.
5. Taos, New Mexico
High desert mountains surround this artistic haven where Native American traditions blend with hippie counterculture. Adobe buildings house galleries showcasing everything from traditional pottery to psychedelic paintings.
The New Buffalo Commune, established in 1967, pioneered communal living in America. Today, visitors can explore Earthship homes built from recycled materials and powered entirely by solar energy and rainwater collection.
Taos Pueblo, continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years, offers spiritual inspiration to seekers from around the world. Hot springs, meditation retreats, and healing workshops attract people searching for alternative lifestyles and deeper connections with the natural world surrounding this mystical mountain community.
6. The Hog Farm, California
Founded by legendary hippie Wavy Gravy, the Hog Farm commune gained fame feeding half a million people at Woodstock. Their “Please Force” security approach used humor and kindness instead of violence to handle problems.
Today, the community continues hosting Rainbow Gatherings where thousands camp together sharing food, music, and peaceful vibes. Camp Winnarainbow teaches circus skills and conflict resolution to children and adults.
Members practice sustainable farming while maintaining the original hippie values of cooperation, environmental stewardship, and social activism. Visitors can participate in workshops on everything from organic gardening to clowning, learning how alternative communities can thrive through mutual aid and creative expression.
7. Berkeley, California
Telegraph Avenue pulses with radical energy that sparked the Free Speech Movement in 1964. Bookstores like Moe’s and Cody’s have supplied revolutionary literature to generations of activists and intellectuals.
People’s Park remains a symbol of 1960s counterculture, where students and community members created a public space for free expression. Street vendors sell handmade jewelry, tie-dyed clothing, and political buttons.
Vegetarian restaurants serve organic meals while displaying protest posters and peace symbols. The University of California campus continues fostering social movements, environmental activism, and alternative thinking that challenges mainstream society. Coffee shops buzz with passionate discussions about changing the world through grassroots organizing and community action.
8. The Farm, Summertown, Tennessee
Stephen Gaskin led 300 hippies from San Francisco to rural Tennessee in 1971, creating one of America’s largest intentional communities. The Farm pioneered midwifery practices, soy farming, and sustainable living techniques.
Members developed Plenty International, providing humanitarian aid worldwide using appropriate technology and permaculture principles. Their soy dairy created some of the first commercial soy products in America.
Today, the community welcomes visitors interested in learning about cooperative economics, natural building, and organic agriculture. Workshops teach everything from mushroom cultivation to conflict resolution, showing how alternative communities can thrive while maintaining ecological balance and social justice values that inspired the original hippie movement.
9. Venice Beach, California
Muscle Beach bodybuilders flex alongside street performers juggling fire and playing electric guitars. The famous boardwalk showcases decades of bohemian creativity through colorful murals depicting everything from Jim Morrison to peace symbols.
Sunday drum circles draw hundreds of participants creating spontaneous rhythms that echo across the sand. Medical marijuana dispensaries operate openly, fulfilling hippie dreams of cannabis legalization.
Artists live in converted warehouses, creating paintings and sculptures that challenge conventional thinking. Roller skaters glide past fortune tellers and henna tattoo artists, while organic juice bars serve wheatgrass shots to surfers and yoga practitioners who’ve kept Venice’s alternative spirit alive through decades of gentrification and change.
10. Mendocino, California
Fog rolls off the Pacific Ocean, shrouding Victorian houses perched on dramatic bluffs above crashing waves. This coastal village attracted back-to-the-land hippies during the 1960s who came seeking simpler lives away from urban chaos.
The Mendocino Art Center, founded in 1959, offers pottery, painting, and fiber arts classes in converted barn studios. Local galleries showcase work by artists who moved here for creative inspiration.
Cannabis farms hidden in surrounding forests continue the area’s agricultural traditions, while organic restaurants serve locally grown vegetables and fresh seafood. Bookstores, crystal shops, and meditation centers cater to visitors seeking spiritual renewal in this peaceful retreat from modern life’s pressures and complications.
11. Boulder, Colorado
Flatiron mountains provide a stunning backdrop for this crunchy college town where outdoor adventure meets hippie consciousness. Pearl Street Mall bustles with buskers playing acoustic guitars, hacky sack circles, and hemp clothing stores.
The University of Colorado fostered environmental activism and alternative thinking since the 1960s. Students and longtime residents shop at organic co-ops and attend concerts at venues like the Fox Theatre.
Hiking trails lead to mountain peaks where people meditate and practice yoga while watching sunrise paint the Rockies gold. Breweries serve organic beer alongside vegetarian food trucks, while crystal shops and massage therapists help visitors align their chakras in this high-altitude haven for conscious living and outdoor recreation.
12. Arcata, California
Towering redwood trees surround this college town where environmental activism runs as deep as the ancient forest roots. Humboldt State University students study forestry, environmental science, and sustainable agriculture.
The Arcata Plaza farmers market overflows with organic vegetables, handmade soaps, and tie-dyed clothing every Saturday. Local co-ops sell bulk grains, herbs, and natural remedies to residents living alternative lifestyles.
Marijuana cultivation in surrounding hills has provided economic sustenance for back-to-the-land hippies since the 1970s. Coffee shops display protest flyers and host acoustic concerts, while bookstores specialize in environmental literature and spiritual texts. This small town proves that hippie values can flourish in harmony with ancient forests and academic pursuits.
13. Yellow Springs, Ohio
This progressive village has attracted free thinkers since the 1800s, when Antioch College pioneered cooperative education and social justice. The campus fostered civil rights activism and anti-war protests during the 1960s.
Downtown shops sell handmade crafts, organic food, and vintage clothing along tree-lined streets. Young’s Jersey Dairy combines working farm life with quirky attractions like miniature golf and homemade ice cream.
The Little Art Theatre screens independent films while local cafes host poetry readings and folk music concerts. Community gardens grow vegetables shared among neighbors who practice cooperative living. Annual festivals celebrate everything from street painting to music, maintaining the town’s reputation as Ohio’s most bohemian community where creativity and activism flourish together.
14. Bisbee, Arizona
Copper mining built this mountain town, but artists and hippies gave it new life when the mines closed. Victorian houses painted in bright colors cling to steep hillsides like a southwestern San Francisco.
The Bisbee Seance Room offers psychedelic experiences combining art, music, and altered consciousness. Galleries showcase work by painters and sculptors who moved here seeking affordable studio space and creative community.
Coffee shops serve organic drinks while displaying local artwork and hosting acoustic concerts. Vintage stores overflow with mining artifacts, Native American jewelry, and 1960s memorabilia. Annual festivals celebrate everything from blues music to poetry, proving that former mining towns can transform into thriving artistic communities where creativity and alternative culture flourish in unexpected desert locations.
15. Olympia, Washington
Rain-soaked streets echo with indie rock music that launched the Riot Grrrl movement in the 1990s. This Pacific Northwest capital city combines government workers with artists, activists, and alternative culture enthusiasts.
The Evergreen State College encourages experimental education and social activism. Students create their own majors while participating in environmental protests and community organizing projects.
Record stores like Rainy Day Records supply vinyl to music collectors seeking rare punk and folk albums. Coffee shops serve fair-trade drinks while displaying protest art and hosting poetry readings. The Capitol Theatre books touring indie bands, while community gardens and food co-ops provide organic sustenance for residents committed to sustainable living and progressive politics in the cloudy Northwest.
16. Asheville, North Carolina
Blue Ridge Mountains surround this artsy Southern city where Appalachian folk traditions blend with hippie counterculture. The Orange Peel music venue hosts touring bands from indie rock to bluegrass.
Downtown drum circles gather in Pritchard Park every Friday night, creating rhythms that echo off historic buildings. Local breweries serve craft beer alongside farm-to-table restaurants using organic ingredients from nearby mountains.
The Lexington Avenue Arts district overflows with galleries, pottery studios, and vintage clothing stores. Mountain festivals celebrate everything from folk music to organic farming, while hot springs and hiking trails provide natural recreation. This Southern bohemian haven proves that hippie values can flourish anywhere people embrace creativity, community, and connection with the natural world.
17. Fairfield, Iowa
Transcendental Meditation transformed this small farming town when Maharishi University opened in 1973. Students and faculty practice twice-daily meditation while studying everything from business to sustainable agriculture.
Downtown shops sell organic food, ayurvedic herbs, and meditation supplies to residents who’ve adopted yogic lifestyles. The Raj spa offers traditional Indian healing treatments including panchakarma detoxification.
Twice daily, the entire community practices group meditation in golden-domed buildings designed according to ancient architectural principles. Organic restaurants serve vegetarian cuisine while bookstores specialize in consciousness studies and spiritual literature. This unexpected Iowa oasis proves that alternative communities can thrive anywhere people commit to inner development and peaceful living together in harmony.
18. Nederland, Colorado
High in the Rocky Mountains, this former mining town celebrates weirdness with annual Frozen Dead Guy Days festival. The event honors a cryogenically frozen Norwegian grandfather stored in a local shed.
The Carousel of Happiness features hand-carved animals created by a Vietnam veteran who found healing through art. Local shops sell hemp products, crystals, and tie-dyed clothing to visitors seeking mountain adventure.
Coffee shops serve organic drinks while displaying local artwork and hosting acoustic concerts. Hiking trails lead to alpine lakes where people practice yoga and meditation surrounded by towering peaks. This high-altitude haven attracts free spirits who combine outdoor recreation with alternative lifestyles, proving that hippie values thrive in Colorado’s thin mountain air and independent community spirit.
19. Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Victorian houses painted in rainbow colors cascade down Ozark Mountain hillsides like a fairy tale village. This former spa town reinvented itself as an artists’ colony and LGBTQ+ friendly destination.
The Cosmic Cavern features underground pools that glow with natural minerals, creating otherworldly experiences for visitors seeking mystical adventures. Art galleries showcase work by painters and sculptors who moved here for affordable living.
Bed and breakfasts occupy historic buildings where guests enjoy organic breakfasts and spiritual retreats. Annual festivals celebrate everything from blues music to diversity, while crystal shops and massage therapists serve visitors seeking healing and transformation. This Arkansas gem proves that hippie communities can flourish in unexpected Southern locations where creativity and acceptance thrive together.
20. Brattleboro, Vermont
Connecticut River flows past this New England town where co-ops and folk music venues keep 1960s ideals alive. The Brattleboro Food Co-op has supplied organic groceries to residents since 1975.
Downtown shops sell handmade crafts, vintage clothing, and local maple syrup while hosting acoustic concerts and poetry readings. The Latchis Theatre screens independent films alongside mainstream movies.
Community gardens grow vegetables shared among neighbors who practice cooperative living and sustainable agriculture. Annual festivals celebrate everything from winter sports to harvest season, while bookstores specialize in environmental literature and progressive politics. This Vermont town proves that New England values can blend perfectly with hippie consciousness, creating communities where tradition and alternative thinking flourish together in scenic mountain settings.
21. Santa Fe, New Mexico
Adobe buildings house art galleries showcasing everything from traditional Native American pottery to contemporary installations. This high desert city blends ancient Pueblo culture with modern artistic expression and New Age spirituality.
Canyon Road features over 100 galleries where visitors can purchase paintings, sculptures, and jewelry created by local artists. Meow Wolf’s psychedelic installations transport visitors into fantastical worlds combining technology with trippy art.
Organic restaurants serve Southwestern cuisine using local chile peppers and traditional ingredients. Crystal shops, meditation centers, and healing practitioners cater to spiritual seekers from around the world. Annual festivals celebrate everything from folk art to balloon flights, while hiking trails lead to ancient petroglyphs and sacred sites where Native American and hippie consciousness merge beautifully.
22. Ann Arbor, Michigan
Every April since 1972, thousands gather for Hash Bash, a pro-marijuana rally that continues civil disobedience traditions from the 1960s. University of Michigan students join longtime activists demanding drug law reform.
The Diag campus area buzzes with political discussions, acoustic guitars, and protest signs. People’s Food Co-op supplies organic groceries and bulk goods to residents practicing alternative lifestyles.
Record stores like Encore Records supply vinyl collectors with rare folk and rock albums. Coffee shops serve fair-trade drinks while displaying local artwork and hosting poetry readings. Bookstores specialize in radical literature and environmental studies, while community gardens provide fresh vegetables for neighbors committed to cooperative living and sustainable practices in this college town where activism never sleeps.
23. Sebastopol, California
Apple orchards surround this Sonoma County town where anti-war activism took root during the Vietnam era. The Peace & Justice Center continues organizing protests and community education programs.
Florence Avenue Art Walk features galleries, studios, and performance spaces where local artists showcase paintings, sculptures, and handmade crafts. Organic farms supply restaurants with fresh vegetables and herbs.
Coffee shops serve locally roasted beans while displaying protest art and hosting acoustic concerts. Vintage stores overflow with 1960s memorabilia, tie-dyed clothing, and peace symbol jewelry. Annual festivals celebrate everything from folk music to organic farming, while hiking trails through redwood groves provide natural meditation spaces for residents who combine rural living with progressive politics and environmental consciousness in wine country.
24. Madison, Wisconsin
Lake Mendota reflects the State Capitol dome while students and activists gather on the University of Wisconsin campus where anti-war protests shaped the 1960s. The Mifflin Street Block Party continues celebrating counterculture annually.
Willy Street’s bohemian neighborhood features co-ops, vintage stores, and vegetarian restaurants serving organic food to residents practicing alternative lifestyles. The Dane County Farmers Market encircles the Capitol building every Saturday.
Record stores supply vinyl collectors with folk and rock albums while coffee shops host poetry readings and acoustic concerts. Community gardens grow vegetables shared among neighbors who believe in cooperative living. This college town proves that Midwest values can embrace hippie consciousness, creating communities where progressive politics and traditional friendliness flourish together beautifully.
25. Provincetown, Massachusetts
Sand dunes and ocean waves provide a dramatic backdrop for this Cape Cod town where artists, poets, and free spirits have gathered since the early 1900s. The Provincetown Art Association showcases work by painters who came seeking inspiration.
Commercial Street overflows with galleries, vintage stores, and cafes where visitors can purchase handmade jewelry, local artwork, and organic food. LGBTQ+ pride flags flutter alongside peace symbols and environmental banners.
Whale watching boats depart daily while beach yoga classes practice on sand dunes at sunrise. The town’s long tradition of welcoming outsiders continues attracting people seeking creative freedom and acceptance. Annual festivals celebrate everything from film to Portuguese heritage, while lighthouses and cranberry bogs provide scenic beauty for this coastal community where diversity thrives.
