Central California Weekend

Beautiful Grapes of Paso

Why Paso

Almost equidistant from San Francisco and Los Angeles area, Paso Robles is an easy weekend trip from either. The town is low-key, yet vibrant with wine bars and great restaurants. One of California's oldest wine regions - dating back to 1790s - and unlike its Northern Californian cousins, Paso's wine country is relatively quiet and uncrowded. Growing season is dry and long, with hot days and cool nights, which provide an ideal growing climate for many different variatals. Boutique wineries dot The Westside, the area off of Highway 46 West, and most are open for tasting. In addition to typical varietals, these small wineries produce interesting blends.

When To Go

Summer days are sunny, clear, and can be quite warm (sometimes over 100 degrees) but the proximity to the Templeton Gap and the flow of ocean breeze cools down the evenings considerably. Fall days are dry and mild. The changing colors of the vines provide a gorgeous backdrop to the harvest time "Crush" parties.


© Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance

Getting There

Located on Highway 101, Paso is an easy 3-4 hour drive from San Francisco Bay area, depending on where you are coming from.

An alternative to Highway 101 is a leisurely drive on Highway 1. It takes much longer, but worth the views.

And yet another choice is a hybrid route: Highway 101 down to Salinas/Highway 68 to Monterey, Highway 1 down to Cambria, Highway 46 back inland to Paso. The stretch of Highway 1 between Monterey and Cambria, going thru Big Sur, has some of the most spectacular portions of the Pacific Coast.

Distances

  • Santa Barbara, CA
  • San Jose Airport, CA
  • Sunnyvale, CA
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Bend, OR
  • 120 miles
  • 161 miles
  • 180 miles
  • 203 miles
  • 684 miles

Hotel Cheval

Where To Stay

Paso Robles' hotels are mostly booked during the summer months. Please make your reservations well in advance.

Steps from the main square is the hip 15-room Hotel Cheval. Its rooms fill up months in advance. $$$$
(866) 522-6999; 1021 Pine Street, Paso Robles
hotelcheval.com

Also right in town, Paso Robles Inn is a historic inn (circa 1891) with an old town charm. Built next to natural hot springs, they offer private hot springs tubs in some of their dulux rooms. $$
(866) 321-1828; 1103 Spring Street, Paso Robles
pasoroblesinn.com

In terms of vacation rentals, Paso Robles Vacation Rental offers great local lodging. We particularly recommend Bungalow on Vine. This lovely and meticulously furnished and maintained house just 2 blocks from the hustle and bustle of the main square, making it a perfect location for walks to dinner, yet a quiet stay in town. It features outdoor seating and BBQ, and amenities such as a computer/printer and EV charger.
(805) 423-9174; 866-321-1828; 505 Spring Street, Paso Robles
pasoroblesvacationrentals.com

Also very convenient to the freeway is River Lodge, a beautifully revitalization of an old inn. The rooms are cosy and casual, with mid-century/retro twist, and quite reasonably priced. $$$
(805) 221-7377; 1955 Theatre Drive, Paso Robles;
www.riverlodgepaso.com

Not in town, but conveniently on the junction of highways 46 & 101, La Bellasera is a clean hotel with large rooms and suites, making it a great choice for groups of more than two. $$$
(805) 238-2834; 206 Alexa Court, Paso Robles
labellasera.com

Dan & Assana's Favorite Wineries

Paso area cultivates over 40 types of grapes over 25,000 acres. More than 180 boutique (mostly family-owned) small wineries are gaining recognition for their innovative blends of Bordeaux, Rhône and Zinfandel varietals. Most offer onsite tastings. In addition, downtown tasting rooms carry a large selection of wine from smaller wineries. The following are some of our favorites:


Denner Winery

Where To Eat

In the past decade, the food scene in Paso has blossomed into locavore meets gourmet. This sleepy cowtown houses some of the best restaurants in Central Coast. And as you can imagine, the wine lists are pretty fabulous!

Il Cortile servs the best Italian food in town, with the most cosy ambiance. And if you don't want to sit inside, there is a great outdoor space. Good wine list. Reservations is a must. $$$$
(805) 226-0300; 608 12th Stree, Paso Robles
ilcortileristorante.com

Les Petites Canailles Is arguably one of the best restaurants in Paso. The food is sophisticated, yet easy and approachable. The staff super friendly. The wine list is extensive and includes some of the most sought-after local wines such as Saxum. Similar to Il Cortile, reservation is a must and very difficult to snag, so plan early! $$$$
(805) 296-3754; 1215 Spring Street, Paso Robles
lpcrestaurant.com

For the best lunch in town, go to BL Brasserie (formerly known as Bistro Laurent) which serves authentic french food with a California twist. Reservations recommended. $$$
(805) 226-8191; 1202 Pine Street, Paso Robles
bistrolaurent.com

A cozy yet hip rotisserie & bar, The Hatch serves fun food in a lively setting. Reservations is a recommended, but drop-ins can typically find a seat at the counter which does serve the full menu. Tuesday and Wednesday nights are fried chicken nights. Arrive early and immediately reserve your chicken order after being seated. $$$
(805) 221-5727; 835 13th Street, Paso Robles
hatchpasorobles.com

For farm-to-table meal, try Thomas Hill Organics. The patio is lovely, both in the summer and in the winter. Great wine list, and amazing sandwiches. Reservations is a recommended. $$$
(805) 226-5888; 1313 Park Street, Paso Robles
thomashillorganics.com

McPhee's Grill in neighboring town of Templeton has a fantastic array of yummy comfort foods. Very casual yet lively atmosphere makes for a fun ambiance. $$$
(805) 434-3204; 416 S. Main Street, Templeton
mcpheesgrill.com

By far THE BEST breakfast in town, is Joe's Place. They have two locations: in Paso and in Templeton. Make sure you get some bacon; it is some of the tastiest we have ever had! They recently opened another restaurant in Paso, itself. But we still like their original Templeton location. The wait could be ridiculously long on the weekends but oh so worth it! $
(805) 434-5637; 730 S Main St, Templeton --OR-- 305 Spring St, Paso Robles
joesplace805.com