Hmmmmm I'm not sure. I'd love to take Ally there, but 3 hours in the car for 30 minutes of entertaiment doesn't sound like much fun.

 

[QUOTE=Kyras,Nov 4 2006, 10:19 AM]Rdrunner,

What exactly is a butterfly center?

 

Ah, thanks Rdrunner. Glass encased and kept like a rain forest. That makes sense.

 

Pontiac??? That's some kind of Audi, isn't it?

Nice pictures.

 

It does look like a neat place. It's on the "to do" list for someday when we make a trek your way.

that working for a living thing.

 

There are butterfly centers all around the country. There is one at Brookside Gardens in Maryland. There is one just outside Denver. There must be one in CA. Check their hours though. The one in MD is only open from spring until fall.

 

I've never heard of one here. I know there are times when the Monarchs migrate and fill the trees, some where around here.

 

I haven't seen Monarchs migrate but I was on Fire Island during a butterfly migration. It was amazing. You would walk up to a bush thinking it was covered in blossums only to realize it was butterflies!

 

I live about 20 minutes from Callaway Gardens. They also have 2 world class golf courses there. The Buick Southern Open used to held there, this is the place where Tiger Woods was supposed to have received the Haskins Award for the best amateur athlete in the U.S. Long story short he came to the gardens to play in the tournament and receive the award and then chose to leave before receiving the award or playing in the tournament. He did not endear himself to this part of the country.
If you want to see the Gardens in all their glory come in the spring when the azaleas are blooming. There are 10,000 varities including tons of native azaleas. The Day butterfly house is one of the best consevatories in the United States. Mr. Callaways vegetable garden is used for PBS's Victory Garden (south). They also have a bird of prey show at the Sibley Center. In November the Fantasy in Lights opens, they have christmas lights strung up all through the gardens(bring a blanket).
http://www.callawaygardens.com/info/main.welcome.asp

 

The first fall after we moved here during one late October afternoon and evening thousands and thousands of Monarchs made their way north to south between the mountain and Missionary Ridge. At times it seemed there were so many that they were partially blocking the sun.

I naively assumed it would be an annual event but so far I've never seen it again. It was awesome.