Digital Detox: How to Unplug in Lake Placid
Modern life is overrun with high-tech headaches. Find out how to shake off the stress with a digital detox at Lake Placid Lodge and in Lake Placid.
Dreaming of a vacation where you completely unplug? You’re not alone – a recent study found that half of all Internet users want to unplug on their next getaway. And there’s good reason for you to strive for the digital detox vacation. Studies show social media leads to narcissism, the blue light glare from smartphones can lead to insomnia, and the siren call of an email is impossible to resist for any employee with a boss who expects an immediate reply.
Enter Lake Placid Lodge. Set right on the edge of the lake and ringed by the towering 4,000-foot peaks of the Adirondacks, the lodge is located a few miles north of its namesake village. There are countless places to get lost in the natural glory of the Adirondacks and the lake. What makes this the right spot for your digital escape continues inside, too. With purposeful pride, the lodge kept each of the 13 lodge rooms and 17 cabins TV free and filled with cozy Adirondack decor. The only TV on the entire property is in the main lodge in Maggie’s Pub.
Here’s our guide to the things to do in Lake Placid and at Lake Placid Lodge for the full digital detox experience that will have you returning home refreshed…and ready to tackle that full inbox with a fresh perspective.
Set the Stage for Your Digital Diet
If you’ve invested this much in a digital detox escape, a little prep work is required before you even arrive. At work, establish a point of contact other than yourself, and don’t even think about not turning on your out-of-office. Make it explicitly clear you won’t be responding to emails until your return, directing all inquiries to your alternate point of contact. All this may sound mundane but could make the difference for not just this getaway but your perspective on how doable another unplugged vacation is next time. Once you arrive, stow your devices away for the duration of your stay, and let the digital detox begin.
Unfettered Relaxation
- There aren’t many times when lolling around in bed is a purposeful activity, but the block-out-the-world, cocoon-like environment of the rooms are perfect for some focused laziness. The cabins’ nest-like beds are custom-built by a local artisan, and the river rock fireplaces in each room are primed and ready for a roaring fire – the rooms are begging for you to spend more than a few hours lost in a big book or, dare we say, a newspaper splayed out in all its analog glory.
- Now that we’ve told you just how cozy the rooms are, you’ll understand why the lodge’s signature in-room spa services are such a treat. From the privacy of your guest room or cabin, indulge in a deep-tissue massage, some reflexology or aromatherapy, or bond with your other half over relaxation during a Togetherness Massage.
A Return to the Great Outdoors
- Recalibrate your brain with a dose of nature – of all of the things to do in Lake Placid, getting outside is first and foremost. The area is home to one of the largest trail systems in the nation, so the hiking options are expansive. Cascade Mountain, the easiest of the region’s 4,000-plus-foot High Peaks, is known for its spectacular views. Shorter hikes in the area include Owl’s Head, Cobble Hill, or Balanced Rocks. Or grab a trail map or arrange a guide to take advantage of the famed 125-mile Jackrabbit trail that passes by the lodge’s front door.
- If you want to get outside but prefer to keep it a little more low-key, head over to The Wild Center, an 81-acre nature campus that features Wild Walk, a series of elevated bridges that span the treetops, and the 54,000-square-foot Hall of the Adirondacks, where you can learn about the inner-workings of nature in the region and even encounter one of their many wild animals.
Calm on the Water
- Head down to the boat dock to explore the lake using one of the canoes, kayaks, or boats available for guests’ use at Lake Placid Lodge. The dock attendant will help you get underway, provide instruction and directions, even grab water and snacks for your excursion.
- Have your own A River Runs Through It moment at the famed fly-fishing mecca that is the West Branch of the Ausable River. Hook up with an experienced guide to improve your odds of catching one of the brown and rainbow trout that swim the river. It doesn’t get more unplugged than a day fly-fishing on the river.
- If, by chance, you didn’t make it out of your room until later in the day, good for you! No worries, you still have time to catch a tour around Lake Placid on the lodge’s 35-foot mahogany Hacker-Craft or the Lake Placid Lodge pontoon boat, which is not a bad way to cap off a digitally disconnected day.
Slow Food
- From its perch overlooking Lake Placid and Whiteface Mountain beyond, Artisans is perhaps the perfect restaurant to be fully present on your digital detox. Exquisitely prepared cuisine that takes full advantage of the bountiful local ingredients and seasonal produce is accompanied by world-class wines from the lodge’s expertly curated Wine Cellar. (Insider tip: If you want to be 100 percent free of distractions, digital or otherwise, book a private dinner in the Wine Cellar, with its vaulted brick, rustic chandeliers, and rare vintages tucked in lit alcoves of wood.)
- The point is to get a little outside of your comfort zone, so strike up an “in-real-life” conversation with other guests over a drink at Maggie’s Pub, or simply unwind, beverage in hand, in one of the pub’s deep armchairs that sit alongside the towering river rock fireplace. (For those who have a hard time sitting still for long, the pub has a stockpile of games and puzzles to keep hands accustomed to holding a device busy.)
