Rock Creek Park
Shhh. Can you hear that? It’s what happens when you go offline.
You stop getting pinged. Your notifications stop notifying. Your newsfeed stops... feeding. You look up. You’re in the middle of H Street NE, strolling past delicious restaurants and inviting bookstores, alongside fellow cosmopolitans excited to visit them.
Or you’re on the Mall, surrounded by stunning light and free art – more than you could absorb in a week. Or maybe, you’re in Rock Creek Park crunching through leaves, and, in the silence, you can finally hear the Creek.
If you’re ready to put your phone away, remember you’re a human and experience the (real) world, have we got the day, or week... or month... for you. Or maybe you just want to start with an hour. Whatever the case, a tech-free DC is a total delight. Enjoy your digital detox.
Jump to: outdoor activities | on the water | social | wellness & self-care
Looking for more? Get out and into DC with community events, parks, wellness activities and a book-lover's guide to the city.
★ The Great Outdoors
Let’s start simple. Unplug, step outside. Reconnect with the natural beauty all around the city, which is home to the best city park system in America. We’ve got the suggestions below, but you could even start with just a walk in your neighborhood, leaving your phone at home.
Rock Creek Park
The endlessly rejuvenating Rock Creek Park is the oldest urban national park in the country and almost twice the size of Central Park. It's full of treasures in any season.
Monastery Gardens or Arboretum
Escape completely from DC right in the middle of the city. The gardens at the Franciscan Monastery are unbelievable and are frequently missed by tourists and locals alike. On another day, continue further east to the 451 acres of the U.S. National Arboretum, an astonishing place where you might truly forget you’re in DC – or that you’re in a city at all.
Discover more of DC's many parks and gardens.
Bike Ride
Hop on one of the 8,000 Capital Bikeshare bikes (classic or electric) from one of their 800 stations around the city and see the sights. Throw in a monument or two. Discover a neighborhood you’ve never seen. Revel in the downhills.
Learn more about Washingtonians' favorite trails for biking, running or walking.
Skating
Ice in winter, roller in summer. Hard to text when you’re zooming around the rink.
★ In and On the Water
You know where it’s impossible to use your phone? Underwater! But getting near it might be reason enough to ditch the device. See all the ways to get on the water in DC.
Jump in a Pool
The city – and its lineup of hotels – has a noteworthy number of pools and outdoor splash parks. Every ward in DC has at least one (usually more) public pool, free to DC residents with a valid ID... one even has a hot tub.
River Views
Kayaking is a favorite activity of Washingtonians. Get on the water at one of DC’s many boathouses with a kayak, canoe, paddleboard, sailboat or rowboat. If you love the water – you just don’t want to be in it – there's plenty of real estate for perching and watching the current pass by.
★ Social
Here’s the heart of the matter. Sometimes you don’t just want to be off your phone; you want to be in a room full of people who also aren’t using theirs. Is this possible in DC? Yes, on purpose! At the following three bars, founders and owners are creating tech-free spaces for human connection.
Hush Harbor
Note: Hush Harbor is in the process of moving to Union Market.
This is the only one with a strict no-phones policy. Lock your phone in a pouch and settle in for some board games, disposable cameras and real life face time. If you need to make a call, the landline at the front is there for your use. (Remember dial tones?) It’s like stepping into the ’90s – but with all the friends you've made since then.
Lucy Mercer Bar
This gem in the NoMa & Union Market neighborhood claims that Lucy Mercer’s (FDR’s mistress) last wish was for the bar to remain phone-free. While not strictly enforced, customers know it’s in poor taste to scroll here, and an unspoken “no photos” policy prevails.
The Saloon
On U Street, this “no TV, no standing” bar also operates on a well-known and well-loved no-phones protocol. And it shuts down every August so that the owner, Kamal Jahanbein, can help build schools around the world. Add to these remarkable features the Saloon's Open Piano Wednesdays (live piano from incredible local musicians, and from you, if you'd like to join in the fun), and you've got some real magic in a totally unassuming spot. Don't miss the upstairs.
★ Wellness & Self-care
If you want to look inwards during your detox, and maybe deepen that sense of unplugging with some intentionality, these are for you.
Yoga Class/Sound Bath
There is no shortage of yoga studios and meditation/sound bath offerings in the District. In fact, there may be a surplus of them. Find what speaks to you: restorative, power flow, heated, “warm” but not “hot,” yin, ashtanga, beginner, advanced, gentle... truly, DC has it all. From hotels like Eaton DC or Hotel Nell that offer yoga to activations across the city (like CityCenterDC, pictured above) to a multitude of studios in every ward, your next peak pose is waiting. Sound baths and meditation centers are favorites, as well.
Hit the Spa
It is just about impossible to check your messages when your nails are in hot wax or you’re wrapped in seaweed or hot stones. If you’re looking for a “treat yourself” detox, let the deep tissue work begin and let the tension (and your email) go. Nail salons in the city abound, along with full spa experiences.
Arts & Culture
Sometimes, you just need to remember to be where you are. We are happy to say that with DC’s unmatched slate of (mostly free) museums, taking time to focus on art, culture, history, science, community, music and more can help you do just that. The Smithsonian’s 17 free museums and Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute are an amazing place to start. Beyond the Mall, you'll find over 20 other museums, each with its own character and specialization, from espionage to women artists to Shakespeare.
★ Take the Next Step
You can see that it’s not only possible to spend a tech-free day in DC, it’s an incredible place to do so. For those who are searching for something a little more long-term, try:
Airplane Mode DC
An offshoot of the Aspen Institute’s Airplane Mode, an initiative to help young adults gather and spend time together without tech, or:
Month Offline DC
A heartening project during which participants spend a month as part of a cohort (payment required) using “dumbphones” only. Preparation, phone, projects and meetups included. Home base, where else, is Hush Harbor.
