It is said the ground is so fertile here in Illinois that when you drop a nickel it turns into a quarter before you pick it up. You’d imagine there’d be plenty of hippys and longhairs crawling all over Illinois, right? Nope, not really. You’ll find some transplants downstate at the universities but mostly you’ll find ’em up in Chicago. With plenty of health food stores, hemp shops and tons of yoga centers, there’s a nice underground network of hippie folk. The best hangout for hippies I’ve seen is a place called Healing Earth Resources up on the north side (Ashland & Belmont) that deals in your usual clothes & music as well as being a great central hub for a lot of hippie-minded communities.
Stanley, Idaho
The town’s population is 69 doesn’t that say it all? Located 110 miles north of Boise. Beautiful lakes, hiking trails, Sawtooth mountains, laid back people, hot springs, lots of drumming and lots of love. Unbelievable town to go check out!
There’s also great river rafting…
Moscow, Idaho
“You will find some of the most absolutely wonderful people there! Besides the people, Moscow is the Mecca of outdoor activities and being one with nature and life.” The University of Idaho is located in Moscow, so there are lots of students around.
Maui, Hawaii
Still full of hippies living on the slopes of Haleakela, the dormant volcano, in places like Kipahulu, Kula, Hana, Paia. You’ll need a few gold cards to visit here. This scene is expensive. Water shortages, overcrowding and tourism are making the Maui scene less attractive unless you hide out in the jungle!
Kauai, Hawaii
This beautiful island is a real tropical paradise. From the white sandy beaches to the cliffs of Kalalau it’s exotic as anywhere! Lots of hippies live around the Hanalei area, and the trail to Kalalau is the major hippie thing to do. There are some really nice campgrounds on the island, so backpacking & camping out for a week is possible, but make your reservations ahead of time.
Big Island, Hawaii
Lots of growers here. Scene is low key and laid back. Communes around. The hippies are all in the Puna District mainly in the Pahoa area from Kalapana to Pahoa and from Pahoa over to Volcano, although some hangout in the Kona district.
Recent volcanic eruptions and lava flows are changing the face of the land, some communities are gone.
Shimer College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois has a “hippie college” in the least likely of places – Shimer College is one of THE most liberal of colleges and no one in the world seems to know about it. There are no lecture classes, we discuss books (actual sources, no textbooks that have been biased by someone else’s ideas) in groups of 12 or less. People here are allowed to live as they please and most importantly to think as they please. The education is as liberating as the lifestyle.
Moved from Waukegan to Chicago years ago.
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is great!
Savannah is known for manicured parks, horse-drawn carriages and antebellum architecture.
There are a few colleges here, including Savannah College of Art & Design, so there is a nice community. They have lots of festivals all year. The weather is nice, especially in spring. It is old & historic. Beautiful houses, churches, apartments. It’s easy to walk around (hard to drive), tons of huge trees, statues. All types of stores, second-hand shops, restaurants, coffeehouses. Lots of movies have been made there, some books. Artists are all over. It’s on the river, a short drive to the ocean. Near the South Carolina border, about 2 hours north of Florida. The people are so nice, & it’s real easy to find something to do. Just walk around, you’ll see people. Liberty Street is the main street w/coffeehouses & good, mellow restaurants. Be sure to get a map, though, because it’s easy to get lost, & avoid “new” Savannah, it’s suburban, like any other town. You can find cheap motels near the interstate, or in the next town south.
Savannah is a beautiful, diverse community. it’s easier to walk than drive around, beautiful “squares” which are little parks in the middle of the roads. there are veggie places, & you can drink in public, on the roads & all. I went to the art school’s sidewalk art fest last year (every April), had so much fun, tons of music, & got to see a free show, laying out on the grass, Emmy Lou Harris. you can see artist, painters, photographers, & writers all over, lots of old bookstores, cemeteries, antique shops, you name it. there is your share of tourist, but it is worth it.
Atlanta, Georgia
There is a certain area in Atlanta that is known as Midtown which houses an area known as Little Five Points. This is truly the hippie haven of the south – or at least Georgia. In this little portion of town there are many body art and vintage shops, including a favorite of the locals called Groovy Girls. Other odds and ends are sold around here such as African drums, futons, and crystals. .
Just like the goods that are sold here, the people are an assorted mixture as well. New age Flower Children, aging Flower Children, skateboarders, and Rastafarians line the streets daily. Drum circles are common practices here. Little Five Points and the nearby Piedmont Park also host the Pot Festival every year.
St. Augustine, Florida
It is a HUGE hippy hangout town. Rain or shine, you can always go down to St. George Street and find street musicians, vendors, and tons of cool kids just hanging. There are drum circles at the fort every week. Also, tons of hippy stores, like Gyspy’s Moonrose (they have the best jewlery!) and Dreamstreet, a book store that has couches and stuff to chill on. And everybody there is friendly, you can just go up and talk to random people… some of them turn out to be really interesting.