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they believed were the reborn spirits of fallen warriors, dressed in battle colors. There are actually seven monarch nesting grounds in Michoacán (nesting season lasts from mid-Nov to Mar). Only two, however, are open to the public: El Rosario and Chincua, both reachable by day trip from the graceful Colonial-era city of Morelia, which is about halfway between Mexico City and Guadalajara. Save the trip for a sunny day if you can—the effect is most dazzling with the benefit of a little sunshine.

You can visit the sanctuaries on your own, but a licensed English-speaking guide is a worthwhile investment—they can answer the kids’ scientific questions, transport you reliably over the back roads to the sanctuary, and steer you right to the nucleus of the butterfly colony, which constantly shifts around the mountain throughout the season. Guided butterfly excursions take 10 to 12 hours and usually provide lunch. While it varies, the hike through the mountain forest will probably take around an hour each way; it’s often a steep walk, so wear sturdy shoes. One option at Chincua is to ride up on horseback; a local handler will lead the horse for you (facilities for renting are at the sanctuary gate). English-speaking guides can be contacted through a cooperative called Mex Mich Guías (www.mmg.com.mx). —HH

Delicate monarch butterflies envelope visitors in Michoacán.

Michoacán (www.michoacan-travel.com).

Morelia.

$$ Best Western Hotel Casino, Portal Hidalgo 229, Morelia ( 52/443/3131-328; www.hotelcasino.com.mx). $$$ Villa Montaña, Patzimba 201, Col. Vista Bella, Morelia ( 52/443/314-0231;www.villamontana.com.mx).

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Diving in Aquariums

Giant Fish Bowls

Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.

Talk about living in a fish bowl! Here I am in the Denver Aquarium—and by “in,” I mean in the water—scuba diving alongside pink and blue Mexican hogfish and silvery blue tang fish. As if that weren’t exciting enough, I also go nose-to-nose with a 350-pound (158kg) Queensland grouper, notice through my dive mask the aquarium’s 65 year-old, 200-pound (90kg) green sea turtle passing by, and catch sight of a nurse shark lurking in the distance. The most uncanny sight of all, though, is the group of people on the far side of the glass watching me. Even alongside all these big fish in a little pond, I’m the rock star.

Scuba diving in aquariums—as visitors can do in the Denver Aquarium’s “Under the Sea” exhibition—is very different than diving in open water. You don’t have to contend with big waves rocking the boat while you’re motoring out to a dive site, or a strong current pushing you along as you view underwater coral. Here, there’s no real current, and you know you’re going to see some 30 species of fish flowing around you—not to mention all those kids on the far side of the aquarium glass tugging on their parent’s arm and pointing to you with amazement etched on their faces.

The Denver aquarium has several underwater programs for visitors. On weekends you can either go scuba diving or snorkeling through a program run by A-1 Scuba, a local dive shop, in conjunction with Landry’s Restaurants, which owns the aquarium. “Dive with the Fish” puts you right in the middle of the “Under the Sea” exhibit. “Dive with the Sharks” takes place in the “Sunken Reef” exhibit, where you’ll be in the company of sand tiger sharks, zebra sharks, sawfish, and barracuda. You must be certified and present your SCUBA certification and a photo ID, but the aquarium provides all equipment, from regulators to wetsuits. If you don’t scuba dive, you can just “Swim with the Fish,” a snorkeling adventure for visitors ages 6 and older.

The city of Denver is the gateway to Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, so you can combine urban and outdoor activities once you leave the aquarium. Top attractions for first-time visitors include the U.S. Mint, the Museum of Nature and Science, and the Denver Art Museum. On weekends, people crowd into Lower Downtown (which locals call “Lodo”), with its variety of nightlife, restaurants, plays, musicals, and symphonies at the multi-venue Plex.

In the