If you’re like most people, odds are that you detest, run away from, or want to kill nearly any insect you come across. Except for butterflies. They are colourful, harmless, delicate, and we all enjoy watching them flutter about. Now try to imagine how magical it would be to see tens of thousands of them in the same place...
Every October* Monarch Butterflies from the USA travel nearly 2,500 miles south to hibernate and escape harsh winters. Those east of the Rockies head to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Mexico, while those west of the Rockies winter in Southern California.
The best time to see the Monarch’s is November or December, and we recommend doing it in Southern California. There are more of them in Mexico, but let’s be honest, there are enough in So Cal, and you can save yourself the hassle of actually having to go to Mexico. Ideal conditions are warm, sunny days. If it’s too chilly or cloudy, all you’re going to see is a tree full of tightly packed, boring butterflies.
*They occasionally head out earlier if the weather cools down past their threshold.
Mexico
United States