Butterfly Town: Pacific Grove

What do butterflies and quaint seaside Victorian houses have in common?  Pacific Grove!  Called “PG” by the locals, it is a quiet town filled with history and charm.  It was originally a Methodist Church camp in the late 1800s and nowadays boasts more historical houses per capita than anywhere in California.   Perhaps owing to its pious history, it was the last dry town in California and did not serve liquor until 1969!   It is also known as Butterfly Town,  due to the thousands of monarch butterflies that overwinter here on the Monterey pines and eucalyptus trees.   You can see them at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary beginning in October through March, when they take flight to migrate as far away as Canada, laying their eggs on milkweed plants along the way.   Every October, the town of PG holds a Butterfly Parade to celebrate the return of the monarchs, and the school children don colorful butterfly wings and march through the town.  These gorgeous creatures are becoming endangered due to deforestation and development, and PG takes this very seriously.  If you kill or threaten a butterfly in PG, you can get slapped with a $1000.00 fine.  You can help support the butterfly population by planting milkweed!  I did last year and hope to spot some of our orange & black friends at my farm.

Pacific Grove is also home to the famed “Lover’s Point”, where Asilomar State Beach begins.  Asilomar means “asylum or refuge by the sea”, and it fits this description perfectly.  If you are looking for the best place to watch the sunset, this is it!  It is pure heaven to wander along the wonderful walking/running trail lined with exotic shrubs and flowers next to the rocky coast and crashing waves and is one of my favorite places to take my dog for a walk.  You can stop to examine the tide pools or watch the sailboats along the way.

The Asilomar Conference Center, part of the Asilomar State Beach, was designed by Julia Morgan.  Morgan is also famously known for being the architect of Hearst Castle, which lies much further down the coast.  Asilomar was originally built in the early 1900s for the YWCA, and still retains a very lodge-like Arts and Crafts/Mission look, with wonderful shingled and stone buildings, cozy fireplaces and gorgeous lighting.  Did you know that the first national discussion regarding recombinant DNA was held at Asilomar?  Do you care?  Just thought I’d throw that in there.

In July, PG hosts the Feast of Lanterns, a Chinese festival that lasts for a week and you will see lanterns hanging all over town at this time.  In December, you can walk down “Candy Cane Lane”,  and see all the festive lights and decorations for the holidays.   There is also a tour of the amazing inns and bed and breakfasts at this time of year.  My favorite is the Green Gables Inn, but really, they are all pretty amazing.  There is always, ALWAYs something fun going on in PG!