5 Cities to Visit in May

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]A[/mks_dropcap]pril in Paris? Oh, what a feeling! New York in June? To be sure, I like it too. But let’s not forget about the flower-filled and sunny month in between: May.

It’s an ideal time to visit a vast variety of destinations and offers a chance to have some fun without having to endure sweltering heat. Plus you’ll get to experience a place before throngs of vacationers descend upon it.

Ever a blossom with the best ideas about where to go – and when to go there – we’ve created this handy round-up of five cities showing their visitors the warmest of welcomes this month.

Los Angeles

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]W[/mks_dropcap]ith highs around 72°F, night time lows of 54°F, and maybe a smattering of a few millimetres of rain here and there – the weather is fine in LA during May (not that it’s ever all that horrible any other month of the year). There’s plenty to do inside and especially out during this month. Among the many reasons Angelinos like to party in May is Fiesta Broadway. Widely recognized as the biggest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world (yes, even including Mexico), this free-to-attend street party spreads out across 40 blocks of Downtown Los Angeles with live performances by some of the Latin music world’s most popular artists and plenty more activities – and lots to eat – in a family-friendly setting celebrating Mexican culture.

Puebla

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]S[/mks_dropcap]peaking of Cinco de Mayo, the actual event commemorated on this date happened back in 1862 in Puebla, Mexico, when a small ragtag assemblage of Mexican fighters won a battle against the French army. Festivities in marking the occasion include a citywide parade, battle re-enactments, street parties and a fireworks display. The historic city is also home to some of the best-preserved examples of Spanish colonial architecture and boasts one of Mexico City’s tastiest food scenes – steeped in pre-Hispanic traditions and washed down with famed homemade liqueurs. Nearby natural beauty spots such are active volcano El Popo.

Perth

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]W[/mks_dropcap]hile everybody north of the equator is getting ready for summer, folks Down Under are prepping for winter – which in Perth, Western Australia is a mild thing indeed, offering the chance for outdoors lovers to enjoy beachcombing along secluded sandy beaches and tap into a range of doings in this dynamic but laidback city. If you’re heading to Perth around this time of year, consider making plans for an excursion to remoter parts of Western Australia for a dive with whale sharks or to head out to the nearby Margaret River area – fast becoming Australia’s most talked about wine region – for tours of local vineyards and wineries.

Vienna

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]W[/mks_dropcap]altz along the beautiful blue Danube as its flows through Vienna, one of Europe’s most elegant cities. During May, Vienna is at its prettiest, with comfortable weather, flowering trees in bloom, locals taking to the parks for picnics, and big outdoor events taking place such as the popular Vienna Festival starting in mid-May and running through much of June. Indoors, the opera season is in full swing and the city’s many galleries, museums and cultural attractions ensure you’ll never be bored.

Hay-on-Wye

Hay on huh?

[mks_dropcap style=”square” size=”52″ bg_color=”#212121″ txt_color=”#ddaa1f”]D[/mks_dropcap]on’t worry, lots of people outside the UK have never heard of this usually rather sleepy little Welsh market town set beside Wales’ bucolic Brecon Beacons National Park. However come May, it becomes the epicenter of all things literary as it plays host to the annual Hay Festival, one of the world’s most beloved and well-attended literature and book festival. Bill Clinton remarked when he attended in 2001 that the Hay Festival was like a “Woodstock of the Mind.” There’s good reason to have a literature festival in this quaint community with a population of 1,500 full time residents – Hay is home to more than two-dozen bookstores, most focused on specialist, antique and second-hand books.

Where are you off to this month? Care to share any May travel tips with us?