The 10 best places to visit in May

Editor’s note: This a recurring post that is regularly updated with new information.

The month of May is an ideal time to take a vacation. April’s fickle rains are gone, the sun steadily shines longer every day, the weather is warming up and, best of all, summer prices haven’t kicked into effect yet.

The gateway to summer, May also brings the opening of parks and beaches in North America, seasonal property debuts in Europe, dry season in much of the Southern Hemisphere and a slew of special events that can make a trip feel like a celebration.

Here are 10 great destinations to consider for your May getaway.

Yosemite National Park, California

Our national parks are natural treasures, and May is the best month to make a pilgrimage to our oldest protected space: Yosemite, crowned the nation’s first national park in 1890. May is shoulder season, before the crowds of the summer start filling the national park known for its spectacular giant sequoia and granite monoliths, Half Dome and El Capitan. It’s waterfall season at Yosemite, too, where 25 different watery wonders cascade at full volume throughout the park, including the 650-foot Bridalveil waterfall and Yosemite Falls, North America’s tallest waterfall. Before the summer heats up, late spring is also a great time to hike the park’s scenic trails.

There is also lots to enjoy just outside the park, including hiking in the Sierra National Forest, sipping along the Madera Wine Trail and stepping back in time for gold rush history and the oldest saloon in California (circa 1852) in Groveland.

TPG tip: For elevated glamping near the national park, head to the brand-new Under Canvas Yosemite, which opens May 15. The large and luxe tents have everything from king-size beds to full bathrooms, and the Stargazer options even sport clear domes over the bed so you can watch the stars cuddled under the covers. Book through World of Hyatt to earn and redeem points, from $384 or 32,500 points per night.

Editor’s note: In May 2024, Yosemite required visitors to make reservations on weekends and holidays, but the park has yet to release information about its day-use reservation system for summer 2025.

Related: Glamping on points: Under Canvas is now live on World of Hyatt

Orlando

For theme park lovers, Orlando is already a must-visit. But on May 22, another level of immersive theme park design will be unlocked that may entice even the most hesitant theme park visitor. Epic Universe is Universal Orlando’s entirely new park encompassing a 740-acre campus a few miles from its two existing parks. And this one turns the theming up to 11 with five innovative, interactive lands that will include dragons in “How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk,” real-life Mario Kart races inside “Super Nintendo World,” the ability to transport via Metro-Floo to the British Ministry of Magic in “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Ministry of Magic” and a roller coaster filled with Universal Classic Monster animatronics in the “Dark Universe.”

TPG tip: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel will open along with the park, and, in a first for Universal, actually be located in the park with a dedicated entrance into Epic Universe exclusively for Universal Helios Grand guests. Helios guests will also receive additional perks, such as one-hour-early theme park entry. Rates start from $684 a night in May.

Related: Here’s how to plan an epic trip to Universal Orlando Resort this year

Indianapolis

Racing fans, start.your.engines! And then get ready to head to Indy, one of TPG’s top choices for travel in 2025, when it hosts the largest single-day sporting event on the planet, the Indianapolis 500, on May 25. This is the 109th time this high-speed race has been held in Indianapolis, and it’s sure to be another exciting day of racing action. 

But that’s not all. After an 18-month, $89 million upgrade, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is set to reopen April 2. It will feature 6,000 square feet of new exhibition space, seven garages detailing the track and its history, and an immersive experience that lets you experience race day on a giant LED video board, no matter what day you visit Indy.

And getting to Indy will be easier this May, too, with new direct routes. First, Southwest Airlines launched a direct flight from Nashville in March. Delta Air Lines will follow with a new direct flight from Austin on May 7.

TPG tip: Look no further for a place to spend the night than the plush InterContinental Indianapolis, which opened in February and is one of the hotel openings in 2025 we’re most excited about. Housed in the 100-year-old Illinois Building, close to the iconic Monument Circle and the Indiana State Capitol, the 170-room property is the first luxury hotel debut in the city in nearly two decades. Rates start at $316 or 42,000 IHG One Rewards points per night in May.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

The pristine beaches and volcanic shores of the Galapagos are pure magic for anyone who loves getting up close to wildlife. It’s like a Disney for naturalists, where you can swim alongside kaleidoscopic tropical fish, snorkel with penguins or walk among thousands of sea lions on the beach. Not to mention seeing century-old tortoises as big as Volkswagen hatchbacks, comical blue-footed boobies dancing to get their mate’s attention and iguanas sunbathing on every flat surface.

May is an ideal time to visit these heavily protected islands. The air and water are delightfully warm (82 degrees and 74 degrees, respectively), and it’s a true “circle of life” time where you can witness sea turtle and iguana eggs hatching. It’s also mating season for sea lions and blue-footed boobies, who you’ll get to observe in all their hopping, dancing, flirtatious glory.

Related: My first cruise to the Galapagos: The good, the bad and the absolutely adorable

TPG tip: For some of the best guides in the Galapagos, it’s hard to beat the experts at National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. You’ll snorkel with sea lions, kayak through mangroves, explore on Zodiac boats and hike through isolated outer islands with the cruise line’s highly-trained naturalists and regional experts joining you for every bird, fish and lizard sighting. Best of all, the company doubled its number of ships with two new additions to its fleet since the start of the year, so you’ll have a better opportunity to book the always-in-demand cruises.

(Note that there are strict caps on the number of permits that allow tourists to visit the Galapagos Islands, so while these two ships increase the number of guests who can travel to the Galapagos with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, it doesn’t increase the overall number of people who can visit the islands.)

Rates start at $7,262 per person for a 10-day cruise this May.

Mongolia

We don’t usually use the word “wild” to describe a destination here at TPG, but when we heard that United Airlines was offering not just flights but nonstop service, starting May 1, to the Central Asian nation of Mongolia, we truly couldn’t think of a better word. United’s new 1,900-mile route from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) to Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN) makes it the only U.S. carrier with service to the country.

After you arrive in Mongolia, get ready to explore. In addition to the well-known(ish) spots like the city of Ulaanbaatar and the Gobi Desert, you can traverse the country on the Trans-Mongolian Railway, visit ancient temples, stay in a traditional yurt, go horseback riding across the plains, raft in pristine gorges or hike in Yol Valley National Park. (If you need help coordinating that, many upscale tour companies, including Black Tomato and Jacada, now offer trips to Mongolia.)

TPG tip: Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar is a luxurious perch in Mongolia’s capital city close to Great Chinggis Khan Square. Those with eligible cards can book it through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts collection and receive perks like daily breakfast for two, a $100 food-and-beverage credit and guaranteed late checkout. Rates start at $325 a night.

Osaka, Japan

If you have Japan on your 2025 travel list, chances are Osaka is near the top. This city, part of the Kansai region (one of our top destinations for 2025) that includes Kyoto and Osaka, is quickly gaining traction with visitors as the place to go after Tokyo and Kyoto (or, at this point, possibly instead of the two). The food scene is hopping, the hotel scene keeps amping up the high-level entries like the Conrad and the Four Seasons, and for 2025, the city will host the World Expo. 

The expo starts in April, gets going in May and runs through October. More than 28 million visitors are expected to journey to Osaka’s human-made Yumeshima island to witness the exhibitions on everything from next-gen sustainable fashion to artificial intelligence-powered smart cities. 

TPG tip: The points-friendly Waldorf Astoria Osaka will open in April in a redeveloped lifestyle district on the former rail yards north of Osaka Station. Rooms in May start at $814 or 100,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Bali, Indonesia

May ushers in the dry season in Bali, making it a great time to check out the turquoise sea for everything from snorkeling, swimming and diving in calm waters to surfing on the gorgeous waves on the west and south coasts of the islands. It’s also ideal weather for hiking to the island’s pristine waterfalls and verdant mountain paths, exploring iconic temples, and spending time on the island’s famed beaches. 

May is also the start of the festival season, beginning with the Bali Spirit Festival (May 7-11), when Ubud becomes a global center for wellness and yoga. The month ends with the Ubud Food Festival (May 30-June 1), with hands-on cooking workshops, music, parties and plenty of opportunities to sample the island’s tasty traditions. 

TPG tip: There’s a mountain’s worth of new and notable hotels and resorts to choose from that opened in Bali in late 2024 and early 2025. Put yourself in easy reach of the Spirit and Food festivals and the lap of luxury at the posh Anantara Ubud Bali Resort high in the lush rainforest of Payangan (from $572 per night in May), which opened in late 2024.

Or get some IHG love at the Regent Bali Canggu, a new beachfront resort on the golden sands of Bali’s southern coast that opened in March. Rates start at $705 or 120,000 IHG One Rewards points per night in May.

Related: Bali’s new tourist tax launches — here’s how to pay it

Andalucia, Spain 

Barcelona and Madrid often get all the attention when it comes to travel in Spain. But Seville and Cordoba, the two cities that, along with Granada, are the core of Andalucia, really shine in May. The two Moorish-influenced destinations host a series of seasonal festivities that make them a must-visit in the late spring. In Seville, the Feria de Abril is a weeklong flamenco and food festival highlighting the best dancers in the country with performances that run all day and late into the evening. (Yes, the name translates as “April fair,” but this year’s dates are May 6-11).

Cordoba is known as the City of Flowers, and in May, the city celebrates with multiple flower-themed events. One of the biggest, and worth planning a trip around, is the Feria de Patios, or Courtyards Festival, which runs from May 4-18. It starts with a flower-filled parade called Battle of the Flowers. Then the festival, which has a UNESCO World Heritage designation, switches focus to the traditional homes in the walled Old City that fill their whitewashed courtyards with hanging pots full of colorful geraniums, carnations and jasmine; their doors are open to the public to come and look and vote for their favorites. The festival also includes flamenco and lots of food.

But wait, there’s more! The month wraps up with another event: the Cordoba Fair, May 24-31, featuring music, wine, flamenco and bullfighting. 

TPG tip: Go fully regal in Seville at the Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel, a palatial accommodation commissioned by the king of Spain in 1929. There’s incredible historic detailing here, including Moorish arches, scrollwork and Gothic detailing that mirrors the nearby Alcazar. Rates start at $525 or 119,500 Marriott Bonvoy points per night in May. 

In Cordoba, the NH Collection Amistad Cordoba comprises two 18th-century mansions and even incorporates parts of the Old City walls into the property, located in the heart of the historic Jewish Quarter. Rates start at $258 per night in May.

Ascona, Switzerland 

If you want to get off the beaten path in Europe, lean in, and we’ll tell you a secret: Skip Lake Como in Italy and head to Ascona, Switzerland, instead. Here, you’ll find Lake Maggiore, which provides pristine lake views and an Italian-esque flair while providing a respite from the throngs of tourists looking for George Clooney by that other lake.

Nestled in the foothills of the Italian Alps on Switzerland’s southern border, Lake Maggiore is known for its crystal-clear waters, picturesque shorelines and its very swimmable beach — another leg up on Lake Como, which is known for having steep, rock-filled shores. 

From Ascona, you can also take bicycle tours around Ticino, hike to the Castelliere Ruins, explore the Monte Verita tea gardens, or enjoy the lovely small-town atmosphere and its perfect May weather.

TPG tip: The newly reimagined Hotel Eden Roc Ascona is reopening its doors just in time for May travel. The property often refers to itself as the only true beach resort in Switzerland, with direct beachfront access to the lake and kayaking and paddleboarding right off the shores of the property. It is also home to a spa and the two-Michelin-starred restaurant La Brezza. Rates start at $554 per night.

Madagascar

This island off the eastern coast of Africa — home to 107 species of endemic lemurs (including the notable ring-tailed and dancing lemurs) — has long been a bucket list destination for safari enthusiasts. But with its remote location and spotty, unreliable air service, it’s been a notoriously tricky destination to visit. That’s about to change, though. Emirates is increasing its nonstop service from Dubai, which began in September, starting April 2 in anticipation of the prime season to visit the island in May. 

Related: This is the best time to take an African safari

TPG tip: The safari-chic Namoroka Tsingy Camp opened this past fall and is getting the kind of style-maker buzz that’s new to this remote destination. It is in the biodiverse Tsingy de Namoroka National Park, which is known for having six ecosystems, including caves, forests and wetlands. The camp is preparing for its first full season, which starts in May and goes through October. 

For a different take on Madagascar, head to Time & Tide’s newly opened Tsara Komba, which is a remote beach retreat on an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. You can contact both properties directly for pricing and reservation information. 

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• 13 must-have items the TPG team can’t travel without