After spending my weekend hearing more one-sided conversations than necessary and then having the table next to me a lunch today with one of those evil two-way Nextel style systems, I need to come up with ideas for a cell-phone free vacation zone. So far the list includes:

- Cruise
- The area in the SouthWest where the movie 'Breakdown' was filmed.
- High in the Rocky Mountains.

Other suggestions.

By the way, I'm not saying people with cell phones are evil, I'm just tired of hearing your conversation and it seems easier for me to leave than to get you off your phone. And yes, I should post this as a rant.

I would say that most wilderness locations would be fairly cel phone-free. Even places like Yosemite, which are not remote, don't have good service because if the goegraphy.

J_Correa, it's funny you should mention Yosemite.

We were on a trail there a few years ago and I vividly remember coming aross a woman sprawled on a rock chatting away loudly on a cel phone... Guess the suroundings weren't interesting enough!

There was a guy on top of the Great Wall of China talking on a cell phone and ruining my Kodak moment. Good luck ncgrrl -- I think your best bet is to find somewhere with zero reception.

I remember a couple years back at the top of Mt. Mitchell (tallest peak east of the Mississippi) someone yacking away on the phone.

Maybe I should include Isle Royale NP on the list.

People, put down the phone and enjoy the scenery.

May I suggest the moon, perhaps Mars may be an option soon. No others come to mind. If you find somewhere, please share!!! Good luck! "Can you hear me now..."?

I was going to suggest a desert island upon which you are the ONLY inhabitant!
But I like Rosemary's suggestion too!

Maybe someplace deep in the rain forest or the Amazon.

You were right about "high in the Rocky Mountains". The Colorado Trail is a good bet. There are parts where you don't see another hiker for a day or two. We DO take our cell phones along on the trail for emergencies and to check in with family once a day.

There is no excuse for cell phone calls in restaurants, etc. The most irritating call I've heard was on a shuttle bus at a convention, where this salesman was having a converstion with his three-year-old daughter. I think he was trying to demonstrate to the rest of us on the bus what a good dad he was. Bleaghh.

Funny that Yosemite was mentioned... the first thing that came to mind when I read this post was sitting in front of the campfire at Tuolumne Meadows a couple of years ago. There was a guy talking on his cell phone the entire time we sat there one evening!

Why not grab one of those maps of digital/analog coverage that Bell (or other phone companies) puts out to show how "impressive" their phone service is.

It should give you an idea what parts of the good ol' USA are not plastered with towers.

Have fun.

My cell phone works everywhere I've been in the Rockies. It doesn't work hardly anywhere in the Sierras.

Little Palm Island, Florida Keys. No one uses them and they have a little room with a phone in case someone needs to actually call out. No tvs either. LMF

Well, I'm not sure if this is true for all cell service providers, yet on a long weekend trip up Hwy 1 here in Nor Cal we got zero reception with AT&T
We had a lovely cell free time around Gualala, Pt.Arena, Elk & the Navarro Redwoods.
So, you might try northern Sonoma
County coast and southern Mendocino
county.
Odd about Yosemite-we had the same experience there, I think cell phones
need be only for emergency use on the trails. We have a bird sanctuary here where one can walk a 2.2 mile trail in glorious nature, just unwind and watch the birds and boats on the river and there is always some loudmouth yakking
away about nothing. How DID these folks function prior to this invention?
Very sad!
R5

Wow - I barely got a signal at all in Yosemite - not like I wanted to call anybody anyway

I am one of those people that hates surprises and needs to know everything that is going on back at the office before I get back. I find a cruise is awesome because you can check in while in port for emergencies but will not be disturbed when at sea.

We were in Voyageurs National Park on the Minnesota-Canada border last year when our boat motor stopped. Sure wished our cell phone worked up there, but alas, we had to row for help!

Good luck and you better do it soon. Those sattelite phones that get reception off the sattelites anywhere in the world are coming to a vacation near you.
I actually hate when mine doesn't work when out of the country LOL. I can't wait.
But I only use it to check on my kids who are home with grandma, the rest of the world doesn't exist to me on vacation.

In the business section of the Tampa Tribune today they were actually writing about "jamming devices" that can be purchased via the internet through foreign companies. These devices look like cell phones, and when you turn them on, they interfer with signals up to so many square feet. They are illegal to possess in the US, but so far there have been no prosecutions of anyone possessing them. They are not cheap ($320.00), but certainly tempting!

Just visit friends out in L.A. and lounge in the back yard next to the pool. Nobody ever stays home in L.A, they're all out in their SUV's talking on their cell phones pretty much 24/7, so you should have the place to yourself most of the time.