Welcome to Wine Country!
Paso Robles is a charming town located in San Luis Obispo County, which is located about halfway between San Francisco and LA. This area is absolutely stunning – think picturesque vineyards, breathtaking scenery, and rich cultural heritage. Paso Robles is often compared to Napa Valley, and I understand why; I’d say Paso is like a less crowded and less commercial version of Napa.
I got to explore the area with my fiancé and his family in March when central California is absolutely gorgeous. Here’s our four-day itinerary, which I think is an excellent way to see so much of what Paso Robles has to offer in just a few days. Shout out to the in-laws for some superb planning:
Day 1: Wine Tasting, Dining, and History
Start your first day in Paso Robles with a visit to two lovely wineries, Tablas Creek Vineyard and Villa Creek Winery. Villa Creek was the most quaint and quiet winery we visited. The wines were excellent and personally, I loved saying hi to the flock of sheep. 🙂 Tablas, in my opinion, had the best white wines of any of the wineries we visited. (My personal fave: the Vermentino.) Oh, and don’t leave before greeting very outgoing llamas.
For lunch, we made our way to Linn’s in nearby Cambria. Get the pot pie and the olallieberry pie – they’re famous for both.
In the afternoon, we toured Hearst Castle. This place totally blew mind. It’s a stunning mansion that was once the home of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The castle is a true architectural masterpiece, with hard-to-believe interiors and incredible 360 views of the surrounding area. Fun fact: keep your eyes peeled because you may actually spot zebras near the property. Fun fact #2: Lady Gaga filmed her G.U.Y. music video at Hearst Castle.
It’s dinner time. Let’s head to La Cosecha, a local restaurant that serves authentic Latin American cuisine. Their menu features a range of dishes from Mexico, Central America, and South America, all made with locally-sourced ingredients.
Day 2: Exploring Tin City and Justin Vineyards
I recommend starting your second day in Paso Robles with a visit to Tin City, a trendy industrial park that’s home to a variety of craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries. We first stopped by Benom Winery, which offers a range of handcrafted wines made with sustainable farming practices. We also popped in at Negranti Creamery and Olivias de Oro for a little dessert.
After wine tasting #1 of the day, it’s time for tasting #2. And you can’t leave Paso without making your way to the renowned JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery, a picturesque estate that produces a range of high-quality wines. JUSTIN ws easily one of the most beautiful wineries we visited – and our group loved the Isosceles and Right Angle wines.
For dinner, I highly recommend heading to Buona Tavola, an Italian restaurant that offers delicious pasta dishes and wood-fired pizzas. The desserts were to die for and the cocktails were amazing. *chefs kiss!*
Day 3: Horseback Riding and Wine Tasting
I talked my fiancé into starting day #3 with a tour of Paso Robles via horseback! We loved our tour with Central Coast Trailrides. I’m so glad he said yes because this was one of my favorite parts of the trip – just a unique way to see an already-stunning area.
After our ride, we had lunch at Fish Gaucho, a local restaurant that serves delicious seafood dishes and amazing margaritas. My menu favorites: short rib tacos and the mango habanero margarita.
In the afternoon, we were ready for wine. And this one was hand down the most gorgeous estate we visited: DAOU Winery is an absolutely stunning estate that produces some of the best wines in the region. The winery is located at the top of a hill, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. It really did look like a painting come to life.
For our second wine tasting of the day, we chose Halter Ranch Vineyard, a family-owned winery that specializes in sustainable farming practices. The winery touts sustainably grown Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines and more beautiful views.
For dinner, visit The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar in downtown Paso Robles. The Hatch is known for its delicious rotisserie chicken and a range of craft cocktails. (Get the espresso martini.) Their menu features locally-sourced ingredients and such a fun range of inventive dishes.
Day 4: Relax, Revisit and Return Home
On day four, our group took different paths: some revisited Hearst Castle, others relaxed and all of us packed up to make our way back to Kansas.
Bottom line: I was so impressed by Paso Robles and will absolutely be returning. How’d we do on our itinerary? Anything we should have included but didn’t?
