Where should I go on vacation in May?

My friend and I want to go on vacation in late May, somewhere in the US. No relaxing and lying around by a body of water. No touristy stuff. Where should we go? My friend and I live in NYC and we're hoping to go on a 4-5 day vacation in late May. I"m at a complete loss of where to go. All the places I really want to visit (Greece, South America, Antarctica) are a little too far away for a quick trip! Here's what I'm looking for - a great city/neighborhood with lots of restaurants, shops, live music, festivals, art, unusual attractions, ghost tour-esque stuff, things to explore, etc. Hiking, kayaking, maybe swimming would all be a plus. Recent trips I've really enjoyed were to New Orleans, Savannah, and Colorado. Here's what I'm not looking for - just lying around near a pool or beach all day. That would kill me. I'm not one for relaxing vacations. I think it's too short a vacation to go overseas, but if something really awesome was suggested, I would consider it. I really wanted Iceland but my friend has nixed it. One more thing - it can't be the West Coast, because I'm going there this Fall. I just gotta get out of NY. Help!
Answer:

Montreal! Should be just warming up in late May, and it's beautiful there in the summer. It's a 5-6hrs drive from NYC, or a quick 1hr flight. Tons of the awesome stuff that you're looking for is there. And if you want an even more European feel, make a side trip up to Quebec City, too!

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheville,_North_Carolina. The weather will be beautiful. It's fairly small and kinda off the beaten path, with tons of http://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=restaurants&find_loc=Asheville%2C+NC%2C+USA#find_desc&sortby=rating, http://www.exploreasheville.com/things-to-do/arts-entertainment/ of http://www.riverartsdistrict.com/, and http://www.hauntedasheville.com/, plus it's nestled in the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Mountains, so http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/ scenery http://www.ashevillenow.com/outdoor-activities/scenic-views/ and there's http://www.exploreasheville.com/things-to-do/hiking-trails/ galore.

divined by radio

Asheville's great! I would recommend Knoxville, which is just a few hours away, and you can take a beautiful route through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which also means crossing the Appalachian Trail. Skip past Pigeon Forge and Gaitlinburg if you're avoiding touristy stuff (though many lovely mountain cabins are to be had in that area) and head on to Knoxville. In the case Asheville and K-ville, you're just a few hours away from loads upon loads of other fun cities, such is the nature of the American Southeast. Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston, Atlanta, Greenville, Savannah, etc. I would add, re: Asheville, that the Biltmore tour was totally worth the money.

Sunburnt

New Orleans, or Austin would work. Even Old San Juan, in PR would be nice. There will be water, but the city is so nice, you might not even bother with the beach. For hiking in PR, El Yunque is good. Or are these three too touristy?

kellyblah

Seconding Montreal, and fit in a day or two in Quebec City as well. You won't believe it's driving distance from your house. I mean, https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-89ipshuWO48/UET0FHEZ6NI/AAAAAAAAE8E/RabYiNtR63g/s512/IMG_1989.JPG.

something something

Asheville or Gatlinburg. Now Gatlinburg is CHOCK FULL OF TOURISTY STUFF! But, it's also right there at the http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htmk, and there are tons of things to do there. Great hiking, http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm, and on the other side, Cherokee, with the museum and http://www.cherokeesmokies.com/unto_these_hills.html, and gambling. I can't speak to Asheville, but you can seehttps://www.biltmore.com/, and downtown is all that cutesy, artsy stuff. Another place you might want to explore is http://www.visitsedona.com/, with a side trip to the http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm. Have fun!

Ruthless Bunny

Minneapolis fits all your criteria. Hopefully the weather will be cooperating by the end of May.. If you're leaning towards more hiking/outdoorsy activities, check out Duluth.

gumtree

http://www.massvacation.com/regions-towns/north-of-boston/! I particularly love Rockport (where there is definitely http://www.northshorekayak.com/) and Salem (where there is definitely ghost tour-esque stuff).

ThePinkSuperhero

Montreal is great. (So is Toronto! I love Toronto.) I had a surprisingly awesome time in Louisville. The city is cute and walkable with plenty of good restaurants and bars. Mammoth Cave is nearby, so you can knock out a national park - there is lots of hiking there and elsewhere. The Bourbon Trail was really fun and driving around that area is beautiful. Lexington is supposed to be great, but we were only there for a few days and didn't make it that far. I liked Louisville a lot more than Nashville or Charleston.

goodbyewaffles

I am also in Houston and I believe Austin is a good place for you to go. San Antonio may fit the bill as well, but Austin would be my first suggestion. (What's up with Houstonites sending people to Austin?)

blurker

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