Where to go · May
Hiking and nature trips in May
Places that are usually at their best for hiking and nature in May, and why. Travel times are from the East Coast for a 7-day trip; change anything below.
Places for hiking and nature in May
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Great fit
Cusco & Machu Picchu
Peru · South America
- Typical highs around 70°F, lows around 38°F
- Rain on about 2 days a month
- Shoulder season: usually fewer crowds than peak
- About 8 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- Cusco is at about 11,000 feet: nights are cold and the altitude takes getting used to.
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Great fit
Mallorca
Spain · Europe
- Typical highs around 73°F, lows around 60°F
- Rain on about 3 days a month
- Sea around 65°F
- Shoulder season: usually fewer crowds than peak
- About 9 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
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Great fit
Mendoza
Argentina · South America
- Typical highs around 67°F, lows around 44°F
- Rain on about 4 days a month
- Shoulder season: usually fewer crowds than peak
- About 13 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
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Great fit
Lake Tahoe
United States · North America
- Typical highs around 61°F, lows around 37°F
- Rain on about 4 days a month
- About 6 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- No passport needed for U.S. citizens
- Weather is for the lake; the slopes are colder.
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Good fit
Cape Town & the Winelands
South Africa · Africa and the Middle East
- Typical highs around 71°F, lows around 49°F
- Rain on about 6 days a month
- About 19 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
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Good fit
Vail & the Colorado Rockies
United States · North America
- Typical highs around 61°F, lows around 31°F
- Rain on about 7 days a month
- About 4 hours of travel from the East Coast (estimate)
- No passport needed for U.S. citizens
- Weather is for Vail village; the slopes are colder.
Where this comes from
- Weather is what’s typical for those dates over 1991–2020, not a forecast. Daily highs and lows come from the nearest good weather station where there is one; otherwise they’re estimates for the area, and the card says so.
- How busy a place usually is, ski seasons and events are our own notes from official tourism sites. Dates change every year, so check the official site before you book.
- Travel times are rough estimates from the distance, not flight schedules.
- No prices. We don’t show prices we can’t vouch for, and no place pays to be listed.
- Entry rules change and depend on your passport: always check the official page linked on each place.
Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (ERA5, 1991–2020). Typical conditions, not a forecast. Daily highs and lows: NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network (GHCN-Daily) station records, 1991–2020 (public domain).