Where to Travel in May 2027: 8 Trips Before Summer Crowds Arrive
Mediterranean before the crush
Santorini, Mykonos, Amalfi, and Crete all open their beach season in May. Water is still cool (65 to 70 degrees) but weather is warm, hotels are at 60 to 70 percent capacity instead of 95 percent, and prices run 25 to 40 percent below July. A week in Santorini in May runs $2,000 to $4,500 per person; Amalfi $2,500 to $5,500; Crete $1,600 to $3,500. By late May prices start climbing as European school holidays begin.
British Isles at their most reliable weather
Scotland and Ireland both see their most reliable weather in May. Edinburgh runs $1,800 to $4,200 per person for a week; Dublin runs $1,500 to $3,800. Both are a long way from guaranteed sunshine but May has the least rain of the warm months. London in May pairs with either as a longer week; $2,200 to $5,500 per person.
US national parks open their full season
Yellowstone opens all roads by Memorial Day weekend. Grand Teton, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain National Park all follow. May is the quietest month of the full open season at Yellowstone, with wildlife still active in valleys before heat pushes them higher. Expect $1,800 to $3,500 per person for a Yellowstone week in May; Banff is at its spring thaw $2,200 to $4,500 per person.
Peru dry season begins
Peru's dry season starts in May and runs through October. Machu Picchu, Cusco, and the Sacred Valley all see their driest, clearest weather starting in May. A week to ten days in Peru with Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu runs $1,800 to $5,500 per person depending on trek choice and lodging tier. Inca Trail permits for May and June book out six months ahead.
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