Things to Do in New England in May 2024

Of all the months, May has the heaviest lift when it comes to transforming the New England landscape. More color emerges each day on the path from barren to blossoming, and it’s a treat to anticipate buds bursting into leaves, seemingly overnight. 

Nothing excites me more in May, though, than the release of Yankee‘s annual Summer Travel Guide. “Your Best Summer Ever” is our theme this year, and you might as well start now by having the best May ever. If you haven’t already made plans for Mother’s Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, and the rest of May, I’ve got plenty of ideas.

Weekend of May 4-5, 2024

America’s oldest continuously operating public art museum, Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum, shows off floral artistry in two and three dimensions during the 41st annual Fine Art & Flowers exhibition. You’ll see magnificent fresh arrangements by floral designers alongside the art masterpieces that inspired them. This year’s theme is English gardens. Make a weekend of it by checking out the budding culinary scene in West Hartford.

We may be far from Churchill Downs, but on Saturday, May 4, there are plenty of places to celebrate the 150th Kentucky Derby here in New England including:

~ The Vanderbilt in Newport Rhode Island, which is hosting “Day at the Races” activations including a live bluegrass band, a trunk show with hat designer Eugenia Kim, a Kentucky Derby hat contest, a race lottery, open bar, passed snacks, and food stations (book online).

~ Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook in Connecticut, where the race will be shown on a 140-foot video wall, the largest in the Northeast, and there’ll be prizes for best dressed and best Derby hat (reservations required: 860-862-9172).

~ Alibi Bar & Lounge in Boston, where the Derby Patio Party features specialty cocktails including the iconic mint julep, a best-dressed competition, and a chance to gather around a giant projector to root for your favorites (RSVP: 857-241-1144).

Weekend of May 11-12, 2024

Celebrate your mom or her finest creation… you! I can’t think of a more fitting place than The Beatrice in Providence, Rhode Island: The whole hotel’s a tribute to developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr.’s late mom, Beatrice Temkin, a lifelong Rhode Island resident, community leader, and philanthropist. Starting Friday, May 10, through Mother’s Day Sunday, the lobby will be decked out with a floral arch for photo ops. Book a Mother’s Day weekend stay (call 401-443-2960), and all moms receive complimentary welcome gifts including Seacoast Sweets chocolates, BeeKind bath amenities, and two tokens for cocktails at either Bellini Providence, the hotel’s Italian restaurant, or Bellini Rooftop, an exclusive club for members and hotel guests.

If Mom taught you frugality is a virtue, take her to one of these New England attractions where moms are admitted free on Mother’s Day:

~ Charmingfare Farm, Candia, NH

~ Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT

~ Franklin Park Zoo / Stone Zoo, Boston / Stoneham, MA

Weekend of May 18-19, 2024

The 11-day ArtWeek Berkshires celebration is in full swing starting this weekend: There are more than 100 events planned between May 17 and 27. Visit galleries and artists’ studios, attend a demo or performance, and even try your hand at something new. For families, Berkshire Opera Festival offers a free performance May 18 of Giuseppe Grandini and the Search for the World’s Greatest Opera Character, a fun way to introduce your kids to the music of Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, and more (registration appreciated).

A bit farther east, join the treasure hunters at the first Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Show of 2024, which runs May 14-19. This enormous gathering of sellers and seekers has been a tradition since 1959.

Or make merry at Robin Hood’s Medieval Faire in Harwinton, Connecticut, where the fun is “joust” getting started during this opening weekend. Festivities continue Saturdays and Sundays through June 30, and cosplay is, of course, encouraged.

Weekend of May 25-27, 2024

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and in addition to remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, New England greets the unofficial arrival of summer with too many events to count. Haven’t made plans? It’s Spring Open Studio Weekend in Vermont: a fun excuse for a road trip. And on Sunday, May 26, the annual Wildquack Duck Race & Music Festival in Jackson, New Hampshire, is a solid day of free fun.

May’s Best Travel Deals

~ This is your chance to be Mom’s favorite! On Saturday, May 4, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., visit Simon Pearce’s Quechee, Vermont, flagship store and have your purchase customized for no additional charge during a Live Engraving Event with Master Engraver Heidi Cockwill. Our Yankee editors have bestowed Best of New England honors on the mill’s fine dining restaurant this year, so be sure to make reservations for lunch or dinner, too.

~ Through May 23, Harbor View Hotel on Martha’s Vineyard shows its appreciation for those who have served with a 15% discount for active military, veterans, and dependents.

Yankee Out & About in May

Tune into the Frommer’s Travel Show podcast episode dropping Sunday, May 5, and hear Pauline Frommer and me discuss some of the highlights of Yankee‘s Summer Travel issue including the best ghost tour in New England.

Our Senior Features Editor Ian Aldrich heads to Cleveland mid-month to speak on a panel, How to Make Your Archives Work for You, at the City and Regional Magazine Association (CRMA) annual conference. He’s up for an award for best feature story for his moving piece, “‘In Trouble. Can’t Move. Could Die.’”

What are you excited to do this May in New England? Let us know in the comments below!