Best Dispensary Near Me Richmond VT: Waterbury Center or Burlington? (2026)

Richmond sits on I-89 Exit 11, roughly in the middle of Chittenden County's east-west axis. The town of about 4,200 people — known for Cochran's Ski Area, the Old Round Church, and its village restaurants on Bridge Street — has no licensed cannabis dispensaries. Vermont's local option law requires towns to affirmatively vote in before retail cannabis can open; Richmond has not held that vote. The result is a practical question for residents and visitors: which direction is actually closer?

The answer surprises most people. Burlington feels like the obvious destination — it has 12 dispensaries across multiple neighborhoods — but Waterbury Center is actually closer. Three Route 100 shops sit 12–15 minutes south and east via I-89, while Burlington's nearest South End dispensaries are 20–25 minutes west. Use this guide to pick the right option for your specific situation.

TL;DR: Best Dispensary Near Richmond, by Situation

Waterbury Center: The Closer Option

From I-89 Exit 11 in Richmond, take the highway south to I-89 Exit 10 (Waterbury). The drive is 8 miles and takes about 10 minutes. From Exit 10, turn right onto Route 100 (Waterbury-Stowe Road) heading north toward Stowe. All three dispensaries appear within 4 miles of the highway exit.

Zenbarn Farms — 1930 Waterbury-Stowe Rd

Hours: Mon–Sun 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
Phone: (802) 244-8134 | Website: zenbarnmj.com
License: Integrated (Medical + Adult-Use Retail) | Google Rating: 4.8

Zenbarn is the first dispensary you reach after turning off the highway — about 1–2 miles north of Exit 10 on Route 100. It's also the only shop in the Waterbury cluster with an integrated medical-and-recreational license, making it the right call for Vermont medical card holders. The broader Zenbarn campus doubles as a live music and events venue, giving the property a community feel that's distinctive in Vermont cannabis retail.

The menu covers in-house flower, pre-rolls, edibles, and tinctures alongside partner brands, with a healthy CBD selection. Club Zen loyalty offers 50 points on sign-up and 1 point per dollar spent, plus VIP sale access. Walk-ins are welcome. Hours are a flat 10 AM–7 PM every day of the week — no extended evening hours, no reduced Sunday close, which makes it easy to plan around.

See Zenbarn Farms' full listing, Club Zen loyalty details, and menu link.

31° North — 2653 Waterbury-Stowe Rd

Hours: Mon–Wed 10:00 AM–7:00 PM | Thu–Sat 10:00 AM–8:00 PM | Sun 10:00 AM–7:00 PM
Phone: (802) 560-7927 | Website: 31northvt.com
License: Tier 1 Adult-Use Retail | Google Rating: 4.7

31° North is the women-owned standout of the Waterbury corridor. The shop has built a loyal following among both locals and tourists driving through to Stowe, anchored by a curatorial approach that favors small Vermont farms over large regional brands. If you want to try something genuinely local and small-batch, 31° North is the right call.

The other practical advantage is extended Thursday-through-Saturday hours: 8 PM close versus 7 PM at Zenbarn and Vermont GoodFire on weeknights. If you're heading home late on a weekend, 31° North gives you an extra hour. It's about 2.5 miles north of Exit 10.

See 31° North's full listing, current promotions, and menu link.

Vermont GoodFire Cannabis — 3627 Waterbury-Stowe Rd

Hours: Mon–Thu 10:00 AM–7:00 PM | Fri–Sat 10:00 AM–8:00 PM | Sun 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Phone: (802) 224-8888 | Website: vtgoodfirecannabis.com
License: Tier 1 Adult-Use Retail | Google Rating: 4.5

Vermont GoodFire sits furthest north of the three — about 4 miles up Route 100 from Exit 10, closest to Stowe Mountain Resort. The menu covers flower, pre-rolls, concentrates, vapes, edibles, and tinctures. Online ordering is available via the shop's website for pre-selection before you arrive.

Note the Sunday hours: GoodFire closes at 6 PM on Sundays — one hour earlier than Zenbarn and 31° North, which close at 7 PM on Sundays. If you're planning a Sunday afternoon run, Zenbarn or 31° North give you more time.

See Vermont GoodFire Cannabis' full listing and menu.

Burlington: More Shops, Longer Hours

If Waterbury Center doesn't fit your schedule, or you want the widest possible selection, Burlington's dispensary cluster is 20–25 minutes west on I-89. The South End shops — directly off the highway — are the practical first stop for Richmond residents who don't need downtown Burlington's parking hassle.

Upstate Elevator Supply Co. — 699 Pine St, Suite C

Hours: Mon–Sat 8:30 AM–7:00 PM | Sun 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Phone: (888) 640-2155 | Website: upstateelevatorvt.com
License: Integrated (Retail + Cultivation + Manufacturing) | Free on-site parking

Upstate Elevator is Burlington's vertically integrated flagship: the company grows, manufactures, and sells its own Vermont-grown product line. For Richmond residents, the most practical advantage is the 8:30 AM weekday open — an hour and a half before any Waterbury Center shop unlocks. The dedicated free lot means no parking battle, and Pine Street is a 3-minute surface-road drive from I-89 Exit 14W.

See Upstate Elevator's full listing, in-house brand details, and menu link.

Heybud Dispensary — 291 Saint Paul St

Hours: Mon–Sat 8:00 AM–10:00 PM | Sun 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Phone: (802) 540-0541 | Website: heybudheybud.com
License: Tier 1 Retail | Concentrates and rosin specialty

Heybud has the longest hours of any dispensary within easy reach of Richmond. An 8 AM Monday-through-Saturday open and a 10 PM close seven nights a week (8 PM Sunday) make it the right call for early-morning and late-evening runs that no Waterbury Center shop can cover. Heybud also leans hard into concentrates and live rosin — if you're after premium extracts, it carries a depth that generalist shops don't.

See Heybud's full listing, concentrates deals, and menu link.

Beyond the South End pair, Burlington's Church Street cluster adds another 10 shops within 5 minutes: see the Burlington guide for a full breakdown by neighborhood and situation.

Hours Comparison

Directions from Richmond

To Waterbury Center (south on I-89)

From Richmond village or anywhere in town, take I-89 South from Exit 11 (Richmond/Jonesville). Drive 8 miles to Exit 10 (Waterbury). At the bottom of the ramp, turn right onto Route 100 North (Waterbury-Stowe Road). Zenbarn Farms appears on your right in 1–2 miles. 31° North is about 2.5 miles up Route 100; Vermont GoodFire is about 4 miles up. Total drive time from the Richmond I-89 on-ramp is 12–15 minutes.

To Burlington South End (west on I-89)

Take I-89 North from Exit 11. Drive roughly 12 miles to Exit 14W (Williston Road / US-2 West). From the exit, follow Williston Road west, then turn left onto Shelburne Road. Upstate Elevator at 699 Pine St is about 3 minutes from the exit — stay on Pine Street through the South End arts district. Heybud at 291 Saint Paul St is a few blocks further. Total from Richmond: 20–25 minutes depending on South Burlington traffic.

Tax Note: No Difference Between Waterbury and Burlington

Vermont levies a 14% cannabis excise tax plus a 6% state sales tax on adult-use purchases — a baseline of roughly 20% combined. On top of that, both towns add a 1% local option tax that applies to cannabis. Burlington has long collected its 1% local option tax; the Town of Waterbury adopted its own 1% local option sales tax effective July 1, 2024, and it explicitly covers cannabis retail sales. That means all three Waterbury Center shops and every Burlington dispensary charge the same effective rate of about 21%. On a $100 pre-tax basket, that's roughly $121 in either place. Pick your shop on drive time, hours, and selection — not tax, because there's no tax advantage either way. Medical patients with a registered Vermont card are exempt from the 14% excise tax and can use Zenbarn Farms' integrated license in Waterbury Center.

Vermont Cannabis Rules (as of July 2026)

• Age: 21 and older. Valid government-issued photo ID required — driver's license, passport, or Real ID accepted.
• Possession: Up to 2 ounces of cannabis flower in public as of July 1, 2026 (S.278 doubled the prior 1 oz limit). Concentrate and hashish possession is up to 10 grams.
• Consumption: Illegal in any public place — Cochran's Ski Area, the Old Round Church property, parks, roadsides, and all vehicles. Legal only in a private residence where the property owner permits it.
• Delivery: Vermont does not permit adult-use cannabis home delivery from licensed retailers.
• State lines: Do not transport cannabis across Vermont state lines — it remains a federal offense at all border crossings.
• Driving: Cannabis-impaired driving is illegal and enforced. Keep purchased product sealed during transport.

See also: Best Dispensary Near Me Waterbury Center VT — full deep-dive on all three Route 100 shops; Best Dispensary Near Me Burlington VT — all 12 Burlington shops by neighborhood; Zenbarn Farms full listing — Club Zen loyalty, medical access, events calendar; 31° North full listing — women-owned, late Thu–Sat hours; Vermont GoodFire Cannabis full listing — online ordering, Stowe-adjacent; Upstate Elevator full listing — early hours, Vermont-grown brand; Heybud Dispensary full listing — late-night hours, concentrates focus; All Waterbury Center dispensaries; Vermont Cannabis Law Changes 2026 — full S.278 breakdown; Full Vermont dispensary directory; Vermont Strain Match — find the right strain by effect.