Best things to do and eat in Paso Robles, CA
- Elaine Sison
- Apr 18
- 6 min read
Updated: May 2
Step aside Napa and Sonoma! Wine country can also be found in charming Paso Robles located in Central California. With only a 3-hour drive from the Bay Area and Southern California, Paso Robles is a beautiful community that offers hundreds of exquisite wineries, emerging breweries, distilleries, and full of activities for your weekend getaway. If you have extra time, you’ll want to consider driving the epic Pacific Coast Highway to add San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, or Big Sur before you head inland to Paso Robles.
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Best things to do in Paso Robles, CA:
Admire the art installation Sensorio
The Field of Lights at Sensorio contains over 58,000 spheres powered by solar energy. As soon as sunsets, you can see each sphere light up the field where you can walk along the paved path or sit and enjoy the scenery. They also have a path for wheelchair access. It was originally set up to stick around until early 2020, but remained open by popular demand.
Olive oil tasting
Time to go beyond your kitchen’s olive oil and expand your palette. Olive oil tasting shares the same concept of wine tasting. Smell it. Taste it. And also mix up the flavors! Olivos de Oro offers drop-in olive oil tasting in Tin City and they are happy to make pairing recommendations. We loved it so much we bought Meyer Lemon Olive Oil and Fig White Balsamic Vinegar to spruce up our home salads. Additional places for olive oil tastings include Kiler Ridge Olive Farm and Pasolivo for the full olive ranch experience.
Tip: Try olive oil with ice cream at Kiler Ridge and its such a sweet treat!
Consider Paso Robles as a wedding destination
Paso Robles is such a charming spot that lots of couples choose it for their wedding destination. I actually got married here in 2021 because we fell head over heels for Terra Mia Resort and Vineyards. It's the perfect place for an outdoor wedding, with gorgeous water views, weeping willows swaying in the breeze, and even a duck that calls their pond home. Terra Mia oozes romance as soon as you step onto the venue, and the owners were absolutely wonderful and professional to work with. Plus, there are plenty of other wineries and venues around that make for beautiful wedding spots if you're considering a Central California destination wedding.
Wine country in Paso Robles
The wineries in Paso Robles are underrated and I'm surprised more people are not talking about the central coast wine country! Here is a list of some of our favorite wineries that we got to try. Tastings can be waived with the purchase of wines.
DAOU Family Estates
My all-time favorite winery and you’ll understand why the minute you walk into the immaculate estate. Sit back and enjoy DAOU’s popular red wines and stellar hospitality with a breathtaking backdrop of the valley as they are situated on top of the hill. Parking is at the bottom of the hill, so they have an ongoing shuttle that pickup and drop-off upon request. DAOU Estates gets a point in my book for the top memorable wine tasting experiences. Plan in advance because reservations book up quickly on the weekends.
Tasting price: $$$$
Pet-friendly: Yes
JUSTIN Winery
Tucked deep in the Paso Robles valley, JUSTIN Winery specializes in red wines due to the hotter valley climates. We personally enjoyed the Justification (a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot) and Reserve Tempranillo (a Spanish variety wine).
Tasting price: $$$$
Pet-friendly: Yes
Calcareous Vineyards
Calcareous Vineyards offer award-winning wines while overlooking the westside hills of the Paso Robles valley. They also offer lunch on their outdoor space ranging from $14-20 per item.
Tasting price: $$
Pet-friendly: Yes
Halter Ranch
Sip on wine and enjoy lunch on their outdoor patio situated between the grapevines of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and grenache. For wines, our favorites were the 2019 Viognier (white wine) and 2018 CDP (a red wine blend) that comes with the tasting menu. For lunch, get the Halter Burger!
Tasting price: $$$$
Pet-friendly: No
Tin City
Craft wines, beer, and spirits in an industrial setting are the newest edition to Paso Robles. You can also find other specialties here like olive oil tasting from Olivos de Oro or sheep milk ice cream from Negranti Creamery that I’ll mention later in this guide.
Tasting prices: $ - $$
Pet-friendly: varies by property, but pets are fine to walk around on a leash in the area
Eberle
Eberly was our first Paso Robles winery visit and recommend it! Add this to your bucket list to see a wine cave through their tours where you will learn more about Eberle’s history and winemaking.
Tasting price: $
Pet-friendly: Yes; keep in mind they have two friendly winery dogs that wander the property off-leash.
Tooth and Nail
Experience wine tasting in a castle surrounded by a moat! Their tasting rooms look stunning, containing cool unconventional artwork that you wouldn’t see at wineries. They offer tours through their vineyard and barrel rooms.
Tasting price: $$
Pet-friendly: Yes
Adelaida
We recommend the 2019 Rosé and 2016 Mourvèdre (a red wine grape variety) that comes with the tasting. Their venue is a two-story building with ample outdoor seating space. Check out our experience here.
Tasting price: $$-$$$
Pet-friendly: Yes
Breweries in Paso Robles:
Firestone Brewery
Calling all beer lovers! I couldn’t beer to keep this from you any longer. Most known for the Firestone Walker 805 beer distributed worldwide, Firestone Brewery is homegrown in California with three locations based in Paso Robles, Buellton, and Venice. They have a large outdoor taproom with savory burgers, sandwiches, and brew bites for beer lovers.
Barrel House
You’ll find tons of outdoor space and farm tables to enjoy a cold beer. What other brewery do you know has a man-made arch waterfall? I recommend bringing your food or supporting the onsite food truck.
Local Eats in Paso Robles
Breakfast
Twisted and Glaze Donuts
Stop by Twisted and Glaze Donuts and get the bacon and crème brulee donuts for breakfast! If that doesn’t fancy your pickle, they also have dozens of different specialty donuts to choose from. Be sure to come early before they sell out of their popular flavors.
Spearhead Coffee
Ideal spot to grab a coffee and spend the day working remotely with a few spots for outdoor seating. They feature beautiful artwork in their coffee shop and ample indoor seating space.
Lunch
Fish Gaucho
You can’t go wrong by getting lunch at Fish Gaucho for their delicious seafood and Mexican food combination.
Red Scooter Deli
Delicious sandwiches where you can grab and go enjoy at the Paso Robles Square where they have a large grass area and picnic tables.
Dinner
The Hatch Rotisserie and Bar
Try The Hatch’s juicy rotisserie chicken and enjoy some cocktails for the perfect date night!
La Cosecha Bar and Restaurant
A tapas-style restaurant ideal for sharing and they also have a full bar for your spirits and libations.
Dessert
Negranti Creamery
Check out this awesome naturally flavored ice cream made from sheep’s milk! Their blueberry lavender flavor is a must-try. We had Negranti at our wedding offering ice cream sandwiches from their modern ice cream truck and it and it was a huge hit for late-night snacking!
Where to stay in Paso Robles
Luxury hotels:
Allegretto Vineyard Resort Paso Robles: Get immersed in Tuscan-style architecture and rolling vineyards when you're at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort is surrounded by vineyards.
Unique stays:
Geneseo Inn: Stay in a boutique winery bed and breakfast where the rooms are built from industrial shipping containers.
Sirena Vineyard Resort: Mediterranean style villas in the heart of a vineyard and breath taking landscapes of Paso Robles.
Budget hotels:
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites: Located three miles from the Paso Robles town center gives you convenient access to restaurants and shops. Breakfast is included in the stay with free parking.
La Quinta by Wyndham Paso Robles: Located within 5 miles of multiple wineries. Breakfast included in your stay and sometimes they offer a free wine and beer reception on select nights. Free parking is also included.
Airbnb:
A touch of hotel-feel hospitality in every detail. Lonnie and Janice, the Airbnb owners, are so detailed from the minute you walk into their Airbnb. We had the pleasure of staying in their cozy Villa Verde guesthouse as they ensured we were comfortable and accommodated. The Airbnb owners considered every detail and you can relax and enjoy the views beautiful backyard. They even have matching robes and sweaters branded with their guest house name: Villa Verde.
Paso Robles will always a have special place in my heart with the intimate small town vibe to local wineries and delicious restaurants. For more future travel and destination guides, subscribe to PureTrips’ email list to get notified.
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