Things to Do in Ann Arbor in May

The Nichols Arboretum is the reason to visit in May. The peony garden, planted in the 1920s, erupts in color. Deep crimsons. Pale pinks. Creamy whites. The scent grows thick and sweet, almost cloying on warm afternoons. The Huron River runs high and fast through the valley. You hear its steady rush from the bluffs. This is the only month when tulips, magnolias, lilacs, and early peonies overlap. Summer heat will wilt the show soon enough.

May is the first reliably comfortable month for the water. Spring melt and rain keep the river high enough for easy paddling. The water hasn't warmed to summer bathtub temperatures yet. You'll glide under canopies of new green leaves. Banks buzz with insects. The air carries the cool, clean smell of moving water. By July this same stretch gets crowded and sluggish. In May it belongs mostly to locals and herons.

The walkable distance between well-known spots is a joy in May's mild air. Start at Kerrytown Market's echoing, tile-floored cavern. End at the worn wooden booths of well-known restaurants. This tour traces the city's layers. You'll smell yeasty punch from the Pretzel Bell's basement vents. You'll hear clatter from the alley behind the Gandy Dancer. You'll feel the shift from sun-baked Main Street to the cool, shady brick of Nickels Arcade. The pace stays leisurely. The weather allows it.

The campus is impressive in late spring. Better still, it's quiet. Finals week frenzy has dissipated. Summer term hasn't started. Wander the Law Quad's Gothic arches without dodging backpack-toting students. The Diag's broad lawns invite lounging. The University of Michigan Museum of Art and the Museum of Natural History offer excellent, climate-controlled refuge. Duck inside when those classic May afternoon thunderstorms roll through. They start with sudden, ozone-heavy breeze. They end with steaming sidewalks.

Michigan's wine country sits about 45 minutes away. Rolling hills show first green on the vines. Tastings move outdoors to patios and gardens. You feel the sun instead of staying cooped up inside. Historic towns like Chelsea or Dexter suit an afternoon well. Their main streets are walkable. Their ice cream shops open. The drive itself along country roads is a highlight. Red barns. Fields tinged with new growth.