Shroomtown's Guide to Tripping in Public

Strap in and enjoy the ride

With all of the mainstream news talking about psychedelic-assisted therapy and plant medicine retreats, it can be easy to forget that tripping can also be an enjoyable activity done solely for recreation. 

We at Shroomtown fully agree with and support using psychedelics for healing, but we also support using psychedelics for fun, or any other way you decide to use them, as long as it’s safe for you and those around you.

My first time (err, maybe first 20 times, actually) tripping was done the good ol’ fashioned way: in public and with absolutely no sense of harm reduction principles or regard for my own personal safety. 

I don’t recommend doing it that way, so that’s why I’m here writing this article today. I went through a lot of trial and error tripping in public so you, the good readers of Shroomtown, don’t have to. Throughout my many journeys, I decided to compile a checklist for embarking on a public psychedelic adventure to ensure I’ll always be prepared for the journey ahead.

Have a home base

Your home base equals safety. This is the spot you can come back to should the trip start to get a little weird or you just aren’t feeling the vibe of where you end up going. You can come back to this spot and immediately know that you are safe and nothing bad can happen as you ride out the rest of your journey, or maybe just need a breather before venturing back out into the unknown.

Bring sunglasses

Ah, the sun, the giver of life. 

Stepping out on a bright and sunny day without sunglasses is never ideal, however, while under the influence of psychedelics, sometimes it’s damn near impossible. Psychedelics make the world around you seem brighter, so naturally the sun will seem much brighter than usual. More important than that, arguably, sunglasses act as a protective shield to block unwanted eye contact with strangers. This is important. While the odds of anyone being able to tell you’re tripping by glancing at your eyes is pretty slim, your mind might play tricks on you and convince you that they can, bringing on unwanted paranoia that can affect your trip. Sunglasses make this thought obsolete. Better luck next time, brain.

Make an escape plan

Before you go anywhere, it’s best to have a rough idea of how you’ll get back to your home base. Sometimes you may find that you need to make an abrupt exit from wherever you’re at, so be confident that you know how to get back. Also, while normally I’m a huge fan of the Irish goodbye, please tell the people you’re with that you are about to depart.

Don’t forget water

This is honestly a good general rule of thumb for venturing out into the world regardless of whether or not you’re on psychedelics. But while tripping, it becomes more necessary than usual. And don’t just bring water, but remember to drink it too. I always recommend carrying around a reusable water bottle if you can. If that’s not an option, purchase water if that’s an option. You can thank me later.

Have a support system

If you are venturing out into the world by yourself, try to tell a friend that you’ll be doing so. If you are with a friend, make sure you are with a group of people that you trust. If you don’t feel like you can trust the people you’re tripping with, don’t trip with them. The last thing you want is to be paranoid about the people you surround yourself with. There will always be more opportunities to trip, so it’s best not to force it if the vibes don’t feel right.

I left this list pretty short, and that was intentional because the fewer things you have to think about while tripping, the better. Your mind has the potential to go all over the place, so if you feel you have to keep track of too many things, it’s easy to forget them.

Tripping in public can be an incredible time, whether it's for a concert, festival, art gallery, or just a day in the park, but things can also get weird. Use common sense, and if things feel off, trust your gut. Happy tripping!

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Cam Leids is an entrepreneur and a psychonaut through and through. He’s the host of The TripSitting Podcast and the founder of Conscious Retreats, a company that helps people find the best retreat center for their psychedelic journeys. He loves all things psychedelics-related, from the mental health and spiritual aspects to the downright crazy and nonsensical trips. Check him out on Instagram or subscribe to his TripSitting newsletter.