Digital Detox: Where to Disconnect Across Canada

Most people can’t go more than 16 hours without the Internet. A quarter of us have tripped, fallen, or walked into a pole while staring down at our smartphone and, let's be honest, you probably look at yourself more through a filter than self-reflection, or even a mirror.

In the past decade or so, most of us have become so increasingly dependent on our digital devices for “after hours” work or “inspiration” on Instagram that we’ve not only forgotten how to communicate in real life but we’ve also lost touch with ourselves. Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, it's all just instant gratification and a massive distraction from the simple pleasures of everyday life.

Copious amounts of time online can lead to information overload, stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue, not to mention a bad back and tense muscles! But there’s a fix.

Off-the-grid retreats are quietly popping up across Canada, and probably right in our yown backyard. These places are all about being in nature, communicating with others face-to-face, and reconnecting with yourself. You’ll learn how to breathe, move, and see beyond the dull glow of your smartphone. A digital detox, much like a sugar detox, can help you get back to the basics and feel refreshed, balanced, and whole again.

Here are some wonderful retreats found across Canada.

Camp Reset
Disconnect for three days and three nights and rediscover what it means to be a kid again at Camp Reset, located just north of Toronto in Orillia.

Camp Walden
This kids camp in Bancroft, Ontario discourages tech-time in favour of sports, dance, and nature. So have fun and games at Camp Walden but keep the Game Boy at home. 

Echo Valley Ranch and Spa (Pictured above)
Unplug from the world and find yourself at Echo Valley in Clinton, British Columbia. Located in the mountains near Vancouver, this Digital Detox program promises magic for body and soul.

Algonquin Eco-Lodge
No phone lines, no cell service, and no Internet is what you get at Algonquin Eco-Lodge, located about three hours away from both Toronto and Ottawa.

HI-Mosquito Creek Hostel
If you’re into roughing it without electricity, showers, or your phone, a back-to-nature wilderness experience awaits you at HI-Mosquito Creek Hostel in Banff, Alberta.

Can’t find a digital detox retreat near you? Try going off the grid at home. Start simply with breakfast in the morning before your digital check-in, or sip coffee and paint your nails instead. Stop being available 24/7, stop Googling everything, and stop taking your smartphone to bed, or worse, the bathtub. Relax. Disconnect for an hour, or a whole day. Eventually, your back won’t ache, you’ll sleep better, and over time you will remember a whole world exists beyond the Internet.