Experience The Monarch Butterfly Grove Sanctuary

As we nestle further into the fall season and start saying hello to winter, it means it’s time for the Monarch Butterflies to begin their migration south. Monarch Butterflies are unable to handle the frosty winters in the North, and every fall, they start their migration south to warmer weather. While the Monarch Butterflies stop at various points as they travel south, central California is lucky enough to have the Monarch Butterfly Grove sanctuary, a location where Monarch Butterflies migrate to every fall. While you’re in Morro Bay, be sure also to check out the historic Point San Luis Lighthouse.

On the central coast of California, Monarchs spend their winter at three primary locations: Pismo Beach, Pacific Grove, and Morro Bay. While at Morro Bay, be sure to stop by the Natural History Museum as this is an excellent location to find resources and information on Monarchs. If you want to see these beautiful butterflies during their migration, head to Morro Bay State Park and look for the shades of orange that are found on the eucalyptus groves of the state park. The Monarchs instinctively leave their home of the Rocky Mountains as the temperatures can dip below freezing and so they head west, to warmer weather. Some of these butterflies will fly over 1,000 miles to reach the coast.

The best time to witness these beautiful butterflies in Morro Bay is during the fall season. During the fall, the Monarch butterflies have finally reached their destination and enjoying the warmer weather of the West coast. Morro Bay’s monarchs tend to rest lower on the eucalyptus trees than in other locations, allowing for visitors to have better views of these beautiful monarchs without binoculars. This fall season, be sure to make some time to visit the majestic Monarchs at Morro Bay State Park.