San Diego’s Only Cannabis Lounge Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
Sessions by the Bay, a cannabis consumption lounge in National City, is marking its one-year anniversary with a weekend of festivities. The lounge, which opened on April 20, 2025, has become a popular destination for both locals and tourists.
The lounge’s owner, Alex Ayon, said the business has exceeded expectations, with thousands of new customers visiting every day. The two-story venue features a retail dispensary on the ground floor and a 16,000-square-foot lounge upstairs, where patrons can consume cannabis and enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks.
The lounge’s design, created by Ayon’s wife, features art throughout, velvet seating, circular booths, and an outdoor patio. To celebrate its anniversary, the lounge is hosting live music, brand activations, and a two-day farmer’s market in the parking lot.
National City Mayor Ron Morrison, who initially opposed the lounge’s location, said he is pleased with how the business has operated. “I can’t really say anything at all negative or concerning about them or their facility there,” he said.
However, some critics argue that the revenue generated by cannabis businesses like Sessions by the Bay should be used to fund prevention and community programs. Eric Collins, chief programs officer for the Institute for Public Strategies, said National City is missing an opportunity to dedicate a portion of cannabis revenue to these programs.
Despite these concerns, Ayon hopes that Sessions by the Bay has helped demonstrate to city officials and the public that a cannabis lounge can operate responsibly. He expects more lounges to open in San Diego County in the coming years, but notes that the regulatory process is lengthy.
Sessions by the Bay operates under National City’s commercial cannabis ordinance, which requires cannabis businesses to pay a 5% monthly gross receipts fee to the city, an annual community benefit contribution of $50,000 or 1% of net profits, and annual permit, renewal, and compliance inspection fees. The lounge also pays an 8.75% local sales tax and a 15% state cannabis excise tax.
