34 Marvelous Things To Do In Boston This May
With warm weather and summer days ahead, we can't wait to enjoy May in Boston this year! Read on to find the best events and activities in the city.
Spring is in full swing and Boston is coming alive once again. From flower festivals to tipsy tea parties and everything in between, here are the top events, activities, and things to do in Boston this month.
1. Tumble down the rabbit hole to the Mad Hatter’s Gin and Tea Party
Don’t miss your chance to attend this Alice in Wonderland-inspired Gin and Tea Party in Boston! This tipsy tea party extravaganza will feature the Mad Hatter, Dormouse, and The March Hare in a 90-minute long, cocktail-crafting session. Indulge in extravagant cocktails as you enjoy an extravagant tea party in a curious setting! The experience ends on May 22nd, so make sure to book your tickets soon!
2-6. Enjoy a performance of classical music under candlelight
Calm your mind and experience classical music in a whole new light with these sensational concerts located in historical Boston venues. Throughout May, the Candlelight Concert series will feature a wide variety of themed repertoires, from Taylor Swift to Hans Zimmer. Highlights of the concert series this month include:
7. Visit the massive, moving dinosaurs at Dino Safari
Dino Safari is an absolute delight for dino enthusiasts both young and old. In this immersive exhibition located in Faneuil Hall, you’ll be able to meet life-sized, moving dinosaurs up-close and learn everything about them! With a huge gift shop filled with dino merch and a VR games, it’s a wildly popular and fun family adventure. Get your tickets here before they sell out!
8. Visit the massive Daffodil & Tulip festival in the Berkshires
Open now through May 15, Naumkeag’s fourth annual Daffodil & Tulip Festival lets you wander through 8 acres of springtime flowers in full bloom. Decorated with over 75,000 daffodils and tulips, you’ll be able to tiptoe through the garden and the first floor of the house, which has a seasonal gift shop inside right now. Read more about it here.
9. Get ready to experience Choco Town coming to Boston
Choco Town is an immpersive new experience where everything is based on chocolate and sweets, from the houses to the fountains. It’s an interactive experience that is sure to enhance all of your senses, including your taste. Tickets for the event this summer are selling like chocolate-covered hotcakes, so get your tickets now!
10-11. Go on a self-guided foodie adventure with clues and mystery picnics
Enjoy the lovely springtime weather and go on an adventurous culinary experience! This mystery picnic date includes solving puzzles and riddles sent to your smartphone to figure out the location of your stunning secret picnic spot. You can go on this 3-hour picnic extravaganza with a date or a group of friends—it’s up to you!
12. Get ready to visit Magritte: the Immersive Experience
At this latest artistic exhibition, you can step inside the surrealist world of Rene Magritte, the famous Belgian painter. Explore his life, his work, and his secrets as never before through cutting-edge 360 degree digital projections, a one-of-a-kind VR experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound show. Interested in immersing yourself inside the world of his art? Hop on the waitlist to be the first to know when the exhibit starts!
13. Get ready visit the Acey-Deucey Club, a Submarine-themed Tiki Bar
If you’ve always wanted to explore the underwater world, today’s your lucky day: this tiki submarine-inspired pop-up bar is setting sail in Boston, bringing with it fantastical submerged adventures. A secret location turns into a Cold War submarine, offering you the perfect vibe to party with a sick band and drink boozy cocktails in a sea-themed venue. Hop on board the waitlist here!
14. Take an educational and delicious Pizza Tour in North End
Whether you’re looking to entertain out-of-towners or want to learn some pizza history yourself, you can enjoy a pizza-powered guided tour around Boston’s historical North End. On the tour, you’ll visit five history-laden Freedom Trail sites and snack on pizza as you go along. Get your tickets to the experience here.
15. Work out in Seaport at Boston’s biggest free workout classes
Looking to get in shape this summer? We have the perfect activities for you! Seaport is bringing back their free outdoor workout series, Seaport Sweat, from May 2 through September 29 this year. Back for its seventh season, the community-driven series offers nearly 200 fitness classes. Get more info and class schedules here!
16. Make your own escape room at home with an Escape Kit
On a rainy spring day, have an adventure right inside your own home. You can transform your living room, bathroom, kitchen or even your garden into an amazing escape room to do at home. With three fantastical stories to choose from, all you have to do is download your favorite kit, print it and have fun!
17. Attend Lilac Sunday at the Arnold Arboretum
Harvard’s beloved Arnold Arboretum has a beautiful selection of trees year round, but it’s most popular in early May when the lilacs bloom near the path on Bussey Hill. Their annual Lilac Sunday always falls on Mother’s Day (which is May 8 this year), and it’s a gorgeous display of springtime blooms.
18. Explore the hidden gardens of Beacon Hill
Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood hosts a tour once a year of the houses’ gardens, and the Hidden Gardens tour is set to return this year on May 19. Whether rain or shine, you’ll have access to see the fabulous private gardens of the Beacon Hill Garden Club, and they’re certainly a sight to behold. Get your tickets and more information about the event at their website.
19. Visit the MFA during the ‘Art in Bloom’ Event
To celebrate one of the prettiest times of the year, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston will be showcasing dozens of massive floral arrangements inspired by the paintings in their own collection. Returning for the first time since 2019, the Art in Bloom event will take place this year from Friday, April 29, to Sunday, May 1. You won’t want to miss this multi-sensory artistic experience!
20. Catch a new movie on the big screen
We can’t wait to see the newest movie releases on a screen larger than our laptops! This spring, there are plenty of anticipated films, like The Northman and Doctor Strange. Get your tickets to the hottest films in Boston here with an exclusive discount.
21. Visit a magical rose garden
The Kelleher Rose Garden recently reopened for the season, and it will only get more beautiful as the season progresses! The garden contains more than ten classes and 200 varieties of roses. In total, the garden has almost 1,500 plants! It’s completely free to visit and it’s open to the public from 7am to 5pm daily, now through October.
22-24. Try out a new bar or restaurant
New bars and restaurants have been popping up left and right in the city this spring! For your next night out in May, try something new and venture out of your comfort zone by checking out a new business. Our favorite new spots open this spring are:
- Hecate, a Greek-goddess-inspired, magical underground bar.
- Miznon, a world-famous Israeli street food spot in Seaport
- La Royal, an adventurous Peruvian restaurant in Cambridge
25-34. Dine out at a rooftop restaurant
It’s officially rooftop season in Boston again. From Lookout’s stunning views of the Seaport to Felipe’s Taquería’s cozy rooftop with twinkling lights and scrumptious tacos, these awesome Boston rooftops have it all! Enjoy the warmer weather and check out our ten favorite rooftops in the city.
[featured image: Shutterstock]