Heart Hill, Paso Robles CA -- a heart formed of the oak trees among the rows of grape vines
Local Discoveries

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.

Sign showing almost equal distance from Paso Robles to San Francisco, and Paso Robles to Los Angeles

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.

Wine Grapes

From the historic Rotta winery (1st 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.

Cabernet Sauvingon from Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles

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 Albariรฑo — a visit to Diablo Paso Tasting Room is strongly recommended!

Collage showing the owner and select wines of Diablo Paso winery
Owner Enrique Torres in Diablo Paso Tasting Room, Paso Robles, California

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 โ€“ 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.

Tin City Cider Building in Paso Robles, California

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 โ€“ there is a vast variety to satisfy your every craving. Many of them are also dog friendly!

Lunch at Fish Gaucho. Fish and Sangria!
Lunch at Fish Gaucho with a glass of delicious Sangria

Have you ever had a vanilla ice-cream with olive oil and Himalayan pink salt drizzled over it? No?! Itโ€™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 โ€“ youโ€™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.

A bottle of Kiler Ridge Olive Oil

Spas and Hot Springs

This quaint little town was originally named โ€œHot Springsโ€ and shortly thereafter renamed โ€œEl Paso de Roblesโ€ (โ€œThe Path of the Oaks”). The area has been famous for the healing properties of its hot springs throughout the ages.

Old photo of Bath House in Paso Robles
One of the photos of Paso Robles past at Allegretto Vineyard Resort

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.

Paso Robles Inn and Steakhouse

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? Weโ€™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.

Pony Club at Hotel Cheval, Paso Robles

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

Entrance to Allegretto Vineyard Resort with lit up fountain

Even if you donโ€™t stay there, itโ€™s worth just walking around the property and admiring the dรฉcor. They also offer wine tasting and a bar & grill.

Decorated Winding Staircase and huge Christmas Tree inside Allegretto Vineyard Resort

A number of motels, inns and Airbnb’s are also readily available in the area, so lodging shouldnโ€™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.

Downtown Park in Paso Robles, California

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.

Old Paso Robles jail building

They have amazing exhibitions and artifacts on the display there.

Inside Pioneer Museum, Paso Robles

Outdoor Activities

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

Two hot air balloons above Paso Robles vineyards

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?๐Ÿ˜‰ But, seriously, all this and more is right here in Paso Robles.

Lone paraglider in the skies above Paso Robles, California

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 17th-28th) 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 ๐Ÿ˜‰) 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

Morro Rock in Morro Bay, California

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.

Touwn of Harmony, California sign showing population of 18 residents

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

Seals near San Simeon, California

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

Hearst Castle View

See! We were not kidding about zebras! ๐Ÿ˜‰

To the north youโ€™ll find Mission San Miguel and Mission San Juan Bautista on the historic El Camino Real route.

San Juan Bautista Mission, California

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.

Sunset at Paso Robles

Thanks Mom and Dad for contributing some of your photos to the post! ๐Ÿ˜Š

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

We love hearing from you! Comment below and don’t forget to subscribe to our blog!

20 Comments

  • Kathleen VanHouten

    Our daughter and son-in-law have been there 21 years and raising 3 children there whom attend Cappy School whom reside at Heritage . Enjoyed this article very much and have visited most of the places you mentioned.

    • MonkeysVentures

      Thank you so much for your comment, Kathleen! Glad you enjoyed our article! We always welcome any tips and suggestions on the places to see in the area! Let us know what you recommend to see and we will check it out!

  • Rebecca Anastasio

    And the Atascadero, 15 minutes south on 101, gas a great little zoo (nationally accredited), a gorgeous historic City Hall, and a bunch of great breweries, cider places, wine tasting, and restaurants.

  • Rachel Eckert

    It would be great to see some write ups on the fabulous artists that call Paso Robles home. Unfortunately, the art and artists always seem to get left out of the reasons to visit Paso Robles.

    • MonkeysVentures

      Hi Rachel, Thank you so much for your comment! 100% spot on! We’d love to showcase the local artists in Paso Robles on our next visit! All the suggestions and recommendations are always welcome!

  • Iris

    Thanks for a great article. Iโ€™ve lived here for 30 years & have seen a lot of change. But still love this area. You should look up the history of the Pine Street saloonโ€”they were featured on the Travel Channels โ€œDead Filesโ€ for being haunted. Used to be a brothel in its early history.

    • MonkeysVentures

      Iris, thank you so much for your kind comment & the suggestion! We are definitely looking forward to visiting the Pine Street saloon on our next trip to Paso Robles! Seems there is a lot of history to uncover there!

  • anth0nyr0yer

    I’ll have one glass of that Cabernet sauvignon, s’il-vous-plaรฎt!

    I had of course never heard of that place before & now I want to go there -how did you do that? I guess it’s the talent of travel blogging! Thanks for sharing this with us!

    No, don’t pull out the cork; I’ll take the whole bottle.

    • MonkeysVentures

      Thank you so much for your comment! When you make it to California, and do the great Pacific Coast Highway roadtrip, swing by Paso Robles and stay for a while!

      • Laurie Jackson

        I’m , a young 53. I was born in the old hospital on the hill in Atascadero. I have been a resident in Paso all my life. Would not think of going anywhere else..

        • MonkeysVentures

          Paso Robles a beautiful town! We truly enjoy visiting it — feels like a piece of Europe in the middle of California! Thanks for your comment, Laurie!!

  • Travel Bugs World

    It sounds like our sort if place- hot springs, wine, history and wow those sunsets!
    Love to be able to fly there for the weekend. Would definitely be trying the vanilla ice-cream and olive oil and Himalayan pink salt. Mmmm

  • carpe diem Eire

    Very informative post. Never heard of this area but it seems wonderful. Seems to be efforts to emulate Tuscany which canโ€™t be bad in my book. Iโ€™m very intrigued by your story of the haunted hotel, they do say dogs have a sixth sense with these matters. Iโ€™m guessing you are a bit sceptical. I love visiting haunted places, but every castle and old hotel has a ghost story in Ireland. It adds to the charm. Thanks for sharing

  • Lilian Nunes

    WOW I never knew Paso Robles offered so much.
    Looks beautiful.
    Thank you and your folks for sharing.
    Have to plan a vacation there soon.
    AWESOME

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