For years, mental health experts have warned about the damaging effects of too much screen time and the benefits of a digital detox, which include better health, increased attention span and improved sleep. Still, a lot of people can’t get away from screens due to their jobs, but what about holidays? The majority of us, even during our time-off, spend time online. Here, we share the perfect solution – 13 of the best places worldwide for your next off-screen break.
THE USA
Mountain biking in Deer Valley Resort, Utah
There are few better places for a digital detox than the Utah mountains. Deer Valley Resort, although typically known for its skiing, has 70 miles of mountain biking trails to explore during the warmer months. Trade the phone for two wheels and discover the incredible trails which take cyclists across the mountains, where there’s scenic views aplenty. On Tuesdays, lift hours are extended until 8pm so mountain bikers can hit the trails at twilight. www.deervalley.com
Log off and reset at The West Hollywood EDITION, West Hollywood
Book a treatment from The West Hollywood EDITION’s expansive spa and wellness menu for some offline self-care, from all-day experiences to hour-long massages and facials. The Spa at the luxury hotel is the first in LA to combine wellness, mindfulness and beauty in its treatments, using sound and light, recovery therapies, ancient rituals and plant-derived products. Try ‘Canyon’, their longest stay all-day experience which includes a sculpting facial, a gua sha body detox treatment and a full body massage with local and plant-based products. Alternatively, try their Sanctuary services including sound bath meditations, crystal healing and POLY LED light therapy. Wellness treatment prices start from £55. www.visitwesthollywood.com
Digital detox in Yosemite Mariposa, California
White Wolf is a private tour company located in Yosemite offering digital detoxing hikes. Hike amongst the tall evergreens of the Sierra Nevada, swim in the pristine waters of alpine lakes and share time with family and friends after a rewarding day of hiking without the internet. The excursions help to boost the physical and mental health of those on the tour, enabling them to connect with friends and family whilst seeing Yosemite’s iconic spots including El Capital and Bridalveil Fall. The tour prices start from £25. www.yosemite.com
Camp’d out Joshua Tree Experience, La Quinta, Greater Palm Springs
La Quinta Resort & Club is a desert hideaway in Greater Palm Springs with Spanish-style casitas, villas and suites, and now a glamping experience perfect for a digital detox. Camp’d Out Joshua Tree is a three-night stay that includes two nights at La Quinta, with a one-night glamping experience in a no-service spot in Joshua Tree National park. Campers will enjoy a luxurious setup complete with bedding, a meal for two, s’mores, overnight butler service, morning coffee and transportation to and from the campsite. Prices from £316 per person. www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.
Hike in Pismo Preserve in SLO CAL, California
One of the best ways to switch off and experience SLO CAL’s natural beauty is by enjoying one of the many hiking trails in the region. Offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the 880-acre Pismo Preserve is home to over 11 miles of trails through oak woodlands and coastal ridgelines that can be enjoyed by hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders. Enter the Preserve for free and take a picnic to enjoy scenic views and peaceful surroundings from one of the many picnic benches along the trails. www.slocal.com
Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California
Stretching across 27 acres of the Central California coastline, Esalen Institute offers more than 500 workshops and programmes throughout the year devoted to cultivating deep change in self and society. Holistic learning is perfect for a digital detox because it provides world-class instructors, an unforgettable landscape, and all the support to tackle the transformation. Visitors can soak in the hot springs, enjoy farm-to-table cuisine, engage in creative-inducing activities as they declutter the mind on this memorable wellness retreat. www.visitcalifornia.com
Unplugged and detoxed in Yosemite’s Tuolumne County, California
With picturesque lakes, forests and mountains, Tuolumne County offers visitors the perfect opportunity to unplug. Explore lesser-known areas of Yosemite National Park with local tours from Echo Adventures Cooperative and Y-Explore, which encourage hikers to keep off their phones and explore the grand nature around them. Afterwards, detox in Gold Country with an incredible foot soak from Amala Detox and Tea Lounge, or find your centre and clarity with a Mountain Om Yoga session at Kennedy Meadows. www.visittuolumne.com
Live the cowboy life in Mammoth Lakes, California
Mammoth Lakes is one of California’s most scenic, adventure filled areas. Those seeking to switch off can join the annual Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit horse drive each June and September. This traditional working horse drive is for the true cowboys at heart who want to join in a unique western experience and enjoy life off-grid in the Eastern Sierra backcountry. The five-day horse drive involves moving herds of horses and mules between winter pastures and summer headquarters and includes full service camps with meals provided by a cook, evenings around the campfires, cowboy entertainment, and camaraderie as guests share experiences after the day in the saddle. All riders work as part of the crew on this hands-on pack trip, so basic riding experience is required. Horse drives from $1590 / £1,328 www.visitmammoth.com
Step into the thick of nature in the Everglades, Florida’s Paradise Coast
Florida’s Paradise Coast offers diverse and unique landscapes that are sure to distract screen-obsessed visitors, from the 30 miles of coastline to the marshes of Everglades National Park. Part of the largest wetlands ecosystem in the US, the Everglades and its neighbouring Big Cypress National Preserve are the ultimate getaway spots with idyllic opportunities for wildlife spotting, photography, fishing and swimming. Take a trip to the unique tropical environment full of mangroves and cypress swamps and explore with a canoe or book onto a guided swamp walk. Florida’s Paradise Coast
JAPAN
Transport yourself through the centuries on Japan’s Three-star Road
One way to guarantee a digital detox is to travel back in time before screens and notifications and put your hands to work. Take a deep-dive into the regional traditional crafts of the Mitsuboshi Kaidou – Three-star Road – so named for the region’s World Heritage Sites and 3-star Michelin attractions. Travel through the region and enjoy the many opportunities to meet real master artisans at work and experience hands-on activities making traditional crafts, such as Kutani Ware ceramics, gold leaf, Kaga Yuzen kimonos, Inami wood sculpture and washi paper. www.mitsuboshi-kaidou.com
Digital detox stay at Hoshinoya, Kyoto, Japan
Set on the edge of dense forest hills, Hoshinoya is a riverside resort in Japan’s former capital, Kyoto – an idyllic spot away from the city to retreat from everyday life. Guests are transported to the hotel via the Katsura River before arriving amongst scenic Japanese gardens and guest pavilions lined with rhododendrons. During a stay at Hoshinoya, visitors can book a one-night, two-day digital detox programme that focuses on nature and local culture away from digital devices. After depositing all digital devices into the hotel, guests will immerse themselves in their local surroundings, with grounding experiences such as incense ceremonies, zen meditations, stretch sessions and a boat ride. The digital detox stay is £277 per person, excluding the room rate. https://www.japan.travel/en/
THE ISLANDS OF TAHITI
Switch off on the more remote island in The Islands of Tahiti
Gambier Islands are located more than 994 miles (1,600 km) southeast of the island of Tahiti, and at the end of the Tuamotus, this archipelago is the most remote and least populated region of French Polynesia. Counting only 1,000 inhabitants, it shelters four mountainous islands lying within the same lagoon: Mangareva, ‘Akamaru, ‘Aukena and Taravai. The people of Mangareva live a more traditional Polynesian lifestyle with the island being an important supply source for the Tahitian cultured pearl industry. Along with the pearl farms and tours of the island by road or boat, travellers can also explore the surprising number of surviving churches, convents, watchtowers and schools from the 1800s. Mangareva’s hotels are small family pensions (guesthouses) which are located in the town of Rikitea. www.tahititourisme.uk
EUROPE
Detox on the sea with Click&Boat
A boating holiday is an ideal option for those who want to relax and de-stress, but they are also a perfect distraction to stay away from our phones, especially in more remote locations with bad mobile signal. Waters create a so-called effect of the ‘blue mind’ which is the meditative state we fall into when near, in or on water, increasing our brain’s ability to be mindful, whilst boosting imagination and creativity. Click&Boat, the global leader in boat rental, is the perfect solution for digital detox sailing holidays. Consumers can choose between sailboats, motorboats, yachts, catamarans, gulets, RIBs, and houseboats, selecting the level of crew support needed. All sailing skills can be catered to, from experienced sailors taking boats out alone to renters taking on a captain, crew and full catering staff. www.clickandboat.com/uk/
