You don't have to go far from Times Square to buy legal cannabis. Seven licensed shops are within about a 15-minute walk of the bowtie, and several stay open well past the last curtain call. The hard part is telling them apart from the unlicensed smoke shops that line Midtown. This guide lists the licensed stores worth knowing nearby, says how far each one is, and covers the rules visitors should know before they buy.
Some context: as of early October 2026, the Office of Cannabis Management's public license data shows about 97 adult-use retail storefronts operating in Manhattan, and OCM marked the state's 600th licensed dispensary in March 2026. Only a handful are near the Theater District, so it pays to arrive with a shortlist. Any shop can be checked against the state's list on the Office of Cannabis Management site, and licensed stores display an OCM verification QR sticker near the door.
How we chose: These are research-based picks, not paid placements. Every store below holds an active license in state records. We built the list from High Today's fact-checked profiles, shop websites and public reviews, and measured walking distance from the TKTS steps at Seventh Avenue and 47th Street using each store's street address. Hours and deals change, so confirm with the shop before you head out.
At a glance
| Dispensary | Address | Approx. walk | Open until (latest night) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Daily Green | 719 Seventh Ave (47th–48th) | 1–2 min | 1 a.m. |
| Elevation HQ | 701 Eighth Ave (44th) | 5 min | 2 a.m. |
| NICKLZ NYC | 797 Eighth Ave (48th–49th) | 5 min | Midnight |
| The Travel Agency, Fifth Ave | 587 Fifth Ave (47th–48th) | 7–8 min | Midnight |
| QUBE | 1412 Broadway (39th) | 8–10 min | 2 a.m. |
| Housing Works, NoMad | 846 Sixth Ave (29th–30th) | 15–18 min | Check site |
| Cannadreams | 862 Ninth Ave (56th) | 15–17 min | 1 a.m. |
In the middle of it
The Daily Green
The Daily Green is the closest licensed store to the TKTS steps. It is on Seventh Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets, in a space that previously housed Charlie Fox (state records still list the active adult-use license at this address under that earlier name). The store opened in August 2025 with a newsroom theme: a ticker on the front, and Press Pass Club loyalty tiers named Columnist, Editor and Publisher. A bud bar of display boxes lets you compare flower before choosing, which helps first-time buyers. It opens at 8 a.m. every day and closes at midnight on Sundays and 1 a.m. the rest of the week. Read our full profile
Elevation HQ
Two avenues west at 701 Eighth Avenue, near Port Authority, Elevation HQ is a CAURD store (OCM-CAURD-24-000205) known for a long menu and very late hours. It closes at 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. For hotel guests, it offers free delivery from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. to ZIP codes from Chelsea to the Upper West Side, including hotels. Read our full profile
NICKLZ NYC
A few blocks up at 797 Eighth Avenue, NICKLZ opened in June 2024 under CAURD license OCM-CAURD-24-000151. The name comes from the old nickel bag. Its menu lists dozens of brands, including Wyld gummies and New York producers like Hudson Cannabis. Hours run to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and midnight Thursday through Saturday, and delivery runs from 2 to 10 p.m. Only the Eighth Avenue store is licensed; an Astoria address on its website did not appear as an active store in state records. Read our full profile
A short walk east or south
The Travel Agency, Fifth Avenue
The Travel Agency's Fifth Avenue store at 587 Fifth Avenue (licensed in state records as OCM-CAURD-24-000125) is the nearest choice for anyone staying on the east side of Midtown or near Rockefeller Center. All four Travel Agency stores open at 9 a.m. and close at 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight on weekends. They share a single points program, and paid Frequent Flyer members get 10 percent off in-store orders of $125 or more. Bring cash or a debit card, because the chain doesn't take credit cards. Read our full profile
QUBE
QUBE is on the corner of Broadway and West 39th Street, at the south end of the Times Square area on the way to Herald Square. It holds CAURD license OCM-CAURD-24-000127 and is open 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day, among the longest daily hours in Manhattan and handy after a late show. It takes cash and debit and offers same-day delivery across New York City. Read our full profile
Housing Works Cannabis Co, NoMad
At the outer edge of our walking radius, Housing Works' second store at 846 Sixth Avenue (license OCM-CAURD-24-000225) opened in December 2024 with self-service kiosks and a curated program called The Stash. The nonprofit operator runs New York's first legal dispensary downtown, and its revenue supports housing, health care and legal services, which appeals to visitors who want their money to do some good. Delivery runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a $60 minimum. Check the shop's site for NoMad store hours. Read our full profile
Worth the walk north
Cannadreams
At roughly 15 to 17 minutes on foot, Cannadreams sits at 862 Ninth Avenue and West 56th Street, closer to Columbus Circle. If you'd rather not walk, the C/E train to 50 St gets you most of the way. It is a minority-owned CAURD store (OCM-CAURD-24-000114) and a good choice if you'd rather have your order brought to you: free same-day delivery covers all of Manhattan with a $35 minimum, paid by Aeropay or debit. The store stays open until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and new customers get 20 percent off a first order of $100 or more. Read our full profile
Which shop for which visitor
- After a show: QUBE and Elevation HQ, both open until 2 a.m. on weekends, with QUBE open that late every night.
- First legal purchase: The Daily Green's bud bar lets you compare before you buy. Housing Works is a calmer room if you don't mind the walk.
- Staying in your hotel: Elevation HQ delivers to Midtown hotels for free, and Cannadreams covers all of Manhattan with a $35 minimum.
- Lots of brands to choose from: NICKLZ and Elevation HQ have the longest menus nearby.
- Using a rewards program: The Travel Agency and The Daily Green both have tiered loyalty programs.
Visitor practicalities
Who can buy. Anyone 21 or older can buy at a licensed New York dispensary, and you don't need to live in the state. Bring a valid government photo ID, such as an out-of-state driver's license or, for international visitors, a passport. Expect your ID to be checked, often at the door and again at the counter.
How to pay. Cannabis is still illegal under federal law, so many stores avoid credit cards. The Travel Agency and QUBE take cash or debit, and Cannadreams takes Aeropay or debit for delivery. Bring a debit card or cash in case a foreign card is declined.
How much you can carry. Adults 21 and older can possess up to 3 ounces of flower and 24 grams of concentrated cannabis under state law.
Where you can and can't use it. This is where visitors most often get it wrong. State law bans smoking or vaping cannabis anywhere smoking tobacco is banned. That includes restaurants and their patios, bars, businesses, and most parks and beaches. Times Square's pedestrian plazas are covered by the city's smoke-free rules, so lighting up in the Square isn't allowed. Consuming in a car or a ride-share is also illegal, even as a passenger. Whether you can smoke in your hotel room depends on the hotel's policy, and many hotels ban smoking entirely. Edibles and drinks avoid the smoke question, but they still belong in a private space. They can take 30 to 90 minutes to take effect, so start with a low dose and wait before taking more.
Getting home. Cannabis can't legally cross state lines or go through airport security. Buy only what you'll use during your stay.
For a first-visit walkthrough, see our 5 best NYC dispensaries for first-timers, our visitors' guide to buying legal cannabis in New York, and the full best dispensaries in Manhattan right now list for stores downtown and uptown. Before you go, you can compare today's deals on High Today.
Educational only, not legal, medical or financial advice. For adults 21+.