Paso Robles, CA — Small Town, Big Heart

Somewhere between Los Angeles and San Francisco, there lies an enchanted land of wine and honey, lavender fields and olive groves. Every time we visit, we admire the views of the beautiful rolling hills covered with almond orchards and centuries old oak trees, and enjoy conversations with super friendly residents. Claiming the #6 Spot on the New York Times “52 Places to Go in 2020”, Paso Robles is only 2.5 hours from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley and just 3 hours from Hollywood glamour.

Wine, Beer and Spirits

Now boasting almost 300 wineries with a wide variety of excellent wines produced in the area (the region is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay grapes), it is a paradise for the wine-enthusiasts.

From the historic Rotta winery (1^st winery in the area), to Calcareous Cabs and views, to Eberle cave tours, to the trendy Niner and Justin vineyards — you are destined to find the perfect bottle of wine to bring home to share with friends or add to your personal wine collection.

There are over 20 Wine Tasting Rooms in the Paso Robles Downtown Wine District alone. We discovered Diablo Paso Winery Tasting Room and fell in love with their hand-crafted limited production Spanish varietal wines. This winery, run by Enrique and Nora Torres, is the only one in Paso Robles that specializes in Spanish wines. If you are a fan of Tempranillo or Albariño — a visit to Diablo Paso Tasting Room is strongly recommended!

By the way, check out Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance; it is a great resource for planning your wine tasting experience.

And if you’re not a wine fan – Paso Robles has you covered too! With locally crafted beers and even spirits like limoncello, grappa and whiskey! Get on the Paso Robles Distillery Trail or stop by Tin City — an industrial looking block of microbreweries, boutique wines, and an ice-cream parlor.

Food

For such a small town, it packs some great flavors. Some of the wineries have fully functioning restaurants, and while in downtown Paso Robles, find Buona Tavola (locals favorite), have a brunch at the Steakehouse at the Paso Robles Inn, visit Fish Gaucho (one of our favorite spots) or grab a yummy hot sandwich at Red Scooter deli. Try their Rubenesque or Tuna Melt with a fresh salad to share and have a picnic across the street in city park. From Thai to French to local Californian cuisine – there is a vast variety to satisfy your every craving. Many of them are also dog friendly!

Have you ever had a vanilla ice-cream with olive oil and Himalayan pink salt drizzled over it? No?! It’s surprisingly tasty! We had a chance to visit Kiler Ridge Olive Farm, a multiple-award winning family farm, specializing in Tuscan style olive oil. We are not going to ruin the experience for you, but will tell you this – you’ll never look at olive oil the same after taking one of their educational tours. Fantastic experience. On the weekends they also offer a seasonal small plate menu, with the dishes made with different olive oils.

Spas and Hot Springs

This quaint little town was originally named “Hot Springs” and shortly thereafter renamed “El Paso de Robles” (“The Path of the Oaks”). The area has been famous for the healing properties of its hot springs throughout the ages.

If you happened to bring a bathing suit, try Franklin Hot Springs, River Oaks Hot Springs and Spa, or stay in the historic Paso Robles Inn for a wonderfully relaxing soak.

Lodging

Speaking of the Paso Robles Inn, one of the finer accommodations in town, not only has its own hot springs, the hotel is also haunted! In 1940, a fire had burnt the original hotel to the ground. Though it has since been rebuilt, legend has it, some ghosts from the fire remain behind.

Believe what you will, but our dog is a seasoned traveler and immediately makes himself at home wherever we go. However, the minute we stepped foot into our room, he was scratching at the door, and trying to get out. Once outside, he would try dragging us back to the car! Did he sense something? We’re not really sure. Whether you come for the haunts, the history, or the hot springs (some rooms have fabulous hot tubs), the Paso Robles Inn is a great place to stay. Just remember to book ahead, as rooms DO fill up fast.

For the lovers of boutique hotels, you are in luck too! Hotel Cheval (named #1 Small Hotel in the US by TripAdvisor) is just a block away from downtown restaurants and shops! The Hotel’s Club lounge is open to the public and features live music on Fridays.

The Allegretto Vineyard Resort is another great choice. A Tuscan-style hotel with a fantastic spa and an unbelievable art collection throughout the property.

Even if you don’t stay there, it’s worth just walking around the property and admiring the décor. They also offer wine tasting and a bar & grill.

A number of motels, inns and Airbnb’s are also readily available in the area, so lodging shouldn’t be hard to find. Again, be sure to check vacancies in advance!

Things to Do in Town

Often featuring local bands, BBQs, and other activities throughout the year, Downtown City Park is a natural gathering place for locals and tourists alike.

In addition, there is a farmers’ market in the park on weekends with fresh produce, crafts and food stands. While in town, you might also checkout local artists’ studios, shop in the multiple boutiques, or stop by a cheese tasting room or novelty candy store. Visit Estrella Warbird museum as well, and learn a little about the towns history at the Pioneer Museum.

They have amazing exhibitions and artifacts on the display there.

Outdoor Activities

Care for a romantic Hot Air Balloon ride over the vineyards of Paso Robles? They have that!

Plus, paragliding, ziplining, horseback riding, biking, hiking, birding, and wildlife watching. The nearby Lake Nacimiento offers fishing, waterskiing, flyboarding, paddle boarding, kayaking, tubing, and jet skiing! Have we missed anything?😉 But, seriously, all this and more is right here in Paso Robles.

Seasonal Events

When is the best time to visit Paso Robles? Easy. All year round! There is always something going on. During the summer (July 17^th-28^th) Paso Robles hosts the very popular California Mid-State Fair and rodeo, with headlining bands and concerts. There is Ian Paderewski Musical Festival in the Fall. Wine Harvest Festival (grape stomping and all 😉) is held in October. Vine Street Victorian Christmas Showcase is held in December, featuring Mr. & Mrs Clause, the Snow Queen and Ebeneezer Scrooge.

Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, while observing the lit up floats, listening to carolers, and striking a conversation or two with the residents. Here is a link to the calendar of events at TravelPaso.com.

Day Trips

Paso Robles has many nearby day-trip destinations you may want to add to your itinerary. An hour drive south, there is San Luis Obispo (and the Madonna Inn!), Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Santa Ynez Valley, and the Danish Town of Solvang.

To the West, a picturesque 45-minute drive will take you to the artsy town of Harmony (population 18) and quintessential seaside town of Cambria.

San Simeon, an amazing coastal town, is a great place to observe native elephant seals,

visit Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, and explore the near-by Hearst Castle with free range zebras grazing in the fields (yes, Zebras!).

See! We were not kidding about zebras! 😉

To the north you’ll find Mission San Miguel and Mission San Juan Bautista on the historic El Camino Real route.

Whether you are planning a weekend getaway, or a roadtrip through California — stop by Paso Robles to enjoy the experiences the town has to offer. We’ve been visiting the area on a regular basis for years, and we always find something new and exciting. We hope this article gives you a little insight to what this small town with a big heart has in store, and why it’s earned New York Times #6 slot on the “52 places to Go in 2020” list.

Thanks Mom and Dad for contributing some of your photos to the post! 😊

And for more California local city adventures check out our posts about Solvang, San Juan Bautista, and Fort Ross to start with!

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