Give your cantaloupe a little press with you finger on the end without a stem; it should be just a little bit soft there.
A good cantaloupe should be heavy for its size, so go ahead and give it a toss in your hands to make sure that yours is. Remember: a dense melon, means that its packed with juice.
You're also looking for a firm-but-not-too-hard melon, without any soft spots; too firm means not yet fully ripe.
Give your cantaloupe a nice sniff at the end opposite the stem, where you should get a nice strong, musky aroma. Anything too sweet is a sign that it might be a bit overripe.
This'll be your best sign for a primo melon.
Give the melon a good thump with the side of your thumb. You should hear a deep, hollow sound, not a dull one. That means that it'll be nice and dense — and crisp when you eat it.
Do yourself a favor and give your melon a quick rinse in water with just a dash when of vinegar when you bring it home, to help avoid fruit flies later — especially if it'll be left out at room temperature. Just make sure to dry it off well after!
Once your melon is fully ripened, store it in the fridge for longest life.
If the melon needs to ripen it a bit more, you can leave it out for a day or two until its good and ready.
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