Ready to unplug? We mean no Snapchatting, no Instagramming, no text messages, and especially no work emails. Tell your boss that in these five out-of-service locales, you couldn’t make a call even if you wanted to.
Big Sur, California
Take the meandering drive down California’s rugged, coast-hugging Highway 1 and you’ll lose cell service just about as you’re hitting the rocky cliffs of Big Sur. Grab an ocean-view campsite at , surf the mellow break at Sand Dollar Beach, and climb 1,450 feet in elevation through misty old-growth redwoods on the Ewoldsen Trail in . At night, dig into a wood-fired pizza at the .
Kamas, Utah
You don’t have to head too far into Utah’s Uinta Mountains, the highest range in the state, to be blissfully out of cell range. You can backpack to high alpine lakes overflowing with trout, take in the picturesque 56-mile drive known as the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, or post up at a log cabin at the (from $229). Don’t miss the house-smoked teriyaki peppered jerky at the in Kamas.
Old Forge, New York
In addition to endless outdoor recreation, the Adirondacks also has spotty coverage so you can really get away. Book a lodge room or cabin at the newly renovated (from $139), which opens for business in July on Fourth Lake outside the town of Old Forge. The lodge, formerly the run-down North Woods Inn, was purchased last December by a New York City couple who quit their fashion and cosmetics jobs to move to the mountains. Rent a kayak or canoe, explore the hiking trails right from the lodge, and grab dinner in the new Lean-To taproom.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Welcome to one of America’s greatest destinations for disconnecting: the Grand Canyon. From the canyon’s deep ravine, floating down the emerald waters of the Colorado River, your phone will live permanently in a buried dry bag, brought along only for taking photos of plunging canyon walls and campsite revelry. leads raft trips ranging from a five-day sampler to the full 17-day, 280-mile journey from Lee’s Ferry to Lake Mead (from $2,379.)
Downieville, California
You’ll come to Downieville, a remote outpost in the Sierra Nevada, for its world-class mountain biking, including the 15-mile-long shuttled Downieville Downhill, which spoils with 4,000 vertical feet of descent. You’ll also be treated to a cell-phone-free visit in the process—service is spotty at best. Book a bike shuttle from (from $200), score a campsite along the North Yuba River, and hit up the Brewing Lair for a pint of local IPA.