Where to Travel in May 2024

More and more travelers are ready to make their dream getaway a reality as the calendar flips to May.

Warmer temperatures and longer days mean more opportunities to get out of the house and escape the daily grind in a new destination.

The hardest part might just be deciding where to go. Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Here are some of the best places you can travel this May.

Where to Travel for an Early Start to Summer

Travelers can get an early start to summer this May in family-friendly Pensacola, Florida. Visitors can look forward to balmy temperatures ideal for enjoying the region’s dozens of miles of beaches, outdoor activities at Gulf Islands National Seashore and Big Lagoon State Park, free outdoor concerts such as Tuesdays’ Bands on the Beach and much more.

Pensacola, Florida. (Photo Credit: Laura/Adobe)

For a taste of the Caribbean, travel to Turks and Caicos. May is prime wind season making this time of year perfect for kiteboarding enthusiasts.

Check out Beach Enclave Long Bay in Turks & Caicos to experience unforgettable sessions enhanced by personalized lessons from Big Blue Collective and explore one of the world’s largest coral reef systems.

Where to Travel to Say Goodbye to Spring

Head to South Carolina’s Olde English District to experience the largest bloom of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies in the world. Taking place in the Catawba River each year from mid-May to mid-June, you can celebrate this phenomenon at LilyFest at Landsford Canal State Park with food, live music and fun on May 18.

Travelers can also get a final taste of spring in Bar Harbor, Maine and nearby Acadia National Park. Visitors can enjoy miles of scenic hiking and biking trails in addition to dazzling wildflowers further inland in areas like Rangeley.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Garden is the largest in New England and not to be missed and visitors can say goodbye to the season at the McLaughlin Garden Lilac Festival in South Paris.

Where to Travel for Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12 and travelers looking to treat mom to a memorable getaway can do so all over the globe. However, some places stand out this year. Maybe she covets warm weather and rejuvenation at the five-star Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (Photo Credit: Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa & Casino)

Stateside, San Diego’s Liberty Station is a great place to spend the second Sunday in May as visitors can enjoy shopping, dining, and entertainment in the form of more than 30 boutiques and shops, 70 galleries, and artist studios and San Diego’s first public market.

Outside of Nashville, Mother’s Day travelers can explore historic Franklin, Tennessee. The Harpeth Hotel is the perfect basecamp as it is just steps away from Main Street and convenient to shops and restaurants, including the upscale, chef-driven 1799 Kitchen and Cocktails on-site.

Where to Travel for Major Sporting Events

Horse race at Churchill Downs. (Photo Credit: Daniel/Adobe)

Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky will be the place to be for the first Saturday in May. The 150th Kentucky Derby on May 4 marks the return of the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports. Afterward, the horse racing world will turn its attention to Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore for the 149th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 18.

While the Summer Olympics in Paris won’t kick off until late July, sports fans can head to the City of Light in late May to experience the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros. The two-week major tennis tournament will see defending men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic aim for his fourth title and record 25th Grand Slam championship.

Where to Travel for Other Notable Events

Visitors to Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula won’t want to miss the Pacific Coast Running Festival May 4-5. The fourth annual event will take runners through epic scenery and the iconic Long Beach Arch.

That festival is followed by the Razor Clam and Shellfish Festival May 10-11 featuring free clam digging lessons and cleaning demos, an oyster shucking contest and a chowder taste-off competition.

Later, head down the coast to Rancho Cordova, California to experience the longest-running mermaid event on the West Coast at the California Mermaid Convention May 17-19. Attendees can look forward to underwater mixers, workshops, lectures and performances, costume shopping, and photoshoot opportunities.

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