A New Buffalo dispensary stop fits easily into a Harbor Country weekend. High Society New Buffalo is right on US-12, a quick detour off I-94 Exit 1, and Michigan lets adults 21 and older buy cannabis with a valid ID, visitors from Illinois and Indiana included. The catch comes on the drive home: cannabis can’t legally leave Michigan. Here’s how a visit works, start to finish.
Why Chicago-area travelers make a New Buffalo dispensary stop
New Buffalo sits at I-94’s first exit in Michigan, and it’s the gateway to Harbor Country’s lake towns, beaches and weekend rentals. Our New Buffalo pages describe the store as an easy stop for Chicago and Indiana traffic heading into Michigan, whether you come up I-94 or along US-12. It pairs easily with a beach day or a stay in Union Pier, Lakeside or Three Oaks.
Getting there: I-94 Exit 1 to M-239 to US-12, and parking
From I-94, take Exit 1 toward New Buffalo and M-239, follow M-239 into town, and connect to US-12, where you’ll find the store. Already on US-12 from Michiana or Long Beach in Indiana? Head east across the state line and stay on US-12 through New Buffalo’s commercial corridor.
There’s free on-site parking, and the store and parking are accessible. Weekends and late afternoons are usually busiest, and summer Fridays and Saturdays get busier on US-12, so earlier in the day tends to be quicker. For a map and turn-by-turn directions, see the New Buffalo store page.
Store basics: hours, ID and payment
- Hours. Check the New Buffalo store page for today’s hours before you go. Around holidays, updates are posted there and on the store’s Google listing.
- ID. Recreational shopping is open to adults 21 and older, and you’ll need a valid government-issued ID or passport. IDs from Illinois, Indiana and other states are accepted in most cases, and our front desk will check yours. Expect an ID check on every visit.
- Payment. Cash works. Other payment options vary by store, so ask at checkout if you plan to pay another way.
What’s on the menu
The New Buffalo menu covers the main categories: flower from everyday value to top shelf, pre-rolls in singles and multipacks, vapes, edibles such as gummies and chocolates, concentrates, and gear like papers, lighters and grinders. Selection changes often, so browse the New Buffalo menu before you leave home.
Not sure what to get? Tell our budtenders what you like and how much time you have. They’re glad to guide first-time visitors, and if you’re in a rush, we’ll keep it moving.
Ordering ahead for pickup on a travel day
Ordering ahead is the easiest way to keep a travel day on schedule:
- Browse the New Buffalo menu online and add what you want to your cart.
- Pick a pickup time that works with your drive.
- Enter your details at checkout. First-time customers show a valid government-issued ID at pickup; returning customers can log in for a quicker checkout.
- Prefer curbside? Say so at checkout, and we’ll text you when your order is ready.
Michigan rules visitors need to know
Buying is the easy part. Using cannabis in Michigan comes with limits that apply to residents and visitors alike:
- Possession. Adults 21 and older may carry up to 2.5 ounces, with no more than 15 grams of it as concentrate.
- No public use. Consuming cannabis in public places isn’t allowed, and that includes beaches, parks and sidewalks.
- Driving and vehicles. No one may use cannabis while driving, and smoking in a vehicle’s passenger area on a public road isn’t allowed. The cautious move is to keep purchases sealed and out of reach for the drive.
- Never drive impaired. Michigan’s adult-use law doesn’t protect anyone who drives under the influence.
- Lodging. Hotels, landlords and rental hosts can ban cannabis use on their property, so check the policy before you light up.
Our Michigan cannabis law guide covers the details.
Heading home: why cannabis can’t leave Michigan
This is the part that trips up visitors. Taking cannabis across a state line isn’t protected by Michigan law and remains illegal under federal law, even when both states allow cannabis. Federal law makes simple possession a crime, punishable by up to a year in jail and a minimum $1,000 fine for a first offense.
The drive back to Chicago adds a second problem: by road, it runs through northwest Indiana. Indiana has no legal adult-use or medical cannabis, and possessing any amount is a crime, typically a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, with no exception for products bought legally in Michigan.
Illinois says it plainly too: its official cannabis guidance tells people not to carry cannabis over state lines. So the plan that works is simple. Buy what you’ll enjoy in Michigan, enjoy it responsibly here, and don’t travel across state lines with cannabis.
Licensed dispensaries versus hemp-THC shops and pop-up stands
Along the way you may see THC products at gas stations, smoke shops or pop-up stands. They aren’t the same as a licensed Michigan dispensary:
- In Michigan, any cannabis product above 0.3% THC, counting THCA, legally counts as marijuana, and only licensed marijuana businesses may sell it.
- Products sold as hemp outside licensed stores rely on the federal hemp definition. Congress has narrowed that definition so most intoxicating hemp-THC products would no longer qualify, a change set to take effect in late 2026, as of October 2026; further changes are possible.
- At High Society, we work with vendors whose products have passed Michigan’s testing standards.
Nearby area guides: Michiana, Long Beach and the lake towns
Coming from a particular direction? Our route pages have directions and tips for each:
- Michiana and Long Beach, Indiana
- Union Pier, Lakeside and Three Oaks
- I-94 Exit 1 and the US-12 corridor
Valid government ID required. 21+ only. Selection varies, so check today’s availability before you go.
