The Paso Robles Layover

A guide to the wild west wine country that is more than just a drive by

There was a time when the best rest stop on a drive between LA and San Francisco was Pea Soup Andersen’s off the Highway 101. There is nothing wrong with stopping for a cup of pea soup and the requisite photo op, but I’m here to tell you, there is a lot more to see these days. Wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries seem to be taking root on the central coast hillsides like California poppies in the spring. Though this stretch of California is still cattle and horse country for many, other animal experiences abound from letting your kids feed baby pigs at a winery petting zoo while you sip a glass of chilled red, to pushing a tray of feed through a fence to a hungry ostrich. From Santa Barbara to Monterrey, no place on the great California road trip seems to be expanding quite as rapidly as Paso Robles. More than a drive by, it is worth parking the car, kicking off the boots and staying awhile.

For a long time, my familiarity with Paso Robles has been largely a mythology in my mind, a swirling jumble of names - Justin, Tablas Creek, Booker. These wineries make wines I admire, much of which land outside the Napa Cab and Sonoma Chard that dominate the state. The wine pioneers of this region called themselves the “Rhone Rangers” for just that reason – they found the hot, dry climate with cooling ocean breezes to be ideal territory for experimenting with Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, varietals best known in the South of France.

A couple of weeks ago, my 4-year old son in tow, I decided it was time to stop in Paso and properly check it out. I would not be putting up my feet up for long as there was wine to taste and goats to feed and even an impressive outdoor light art installation to see. This was cowboy country but so much more. I truly just scratched the surface. Long conversations with wine industry folk over tastings of textured Roussanne and spicy Syrah had me convinced I will be making this a regular stop on future drives, if not a destination in itself.

Paso Robles with Kids… or Without

With kids…

Jack Creek Farms: For the little cowboy in your crew, this was a great place to feed animals, ride haybales, run through giant tractor tires and generally get the wiggles out. We bought a bag of feed and a box of figs in the market stand then our son happily spent the next two hours handing goats the feed and stuffing himself with the figs. Note that though this is a farm stand, their food options are fairly limited. Best to pick up sandwiches in town to eat at the picnic tables if you intend to visit during lunch. Entry to the Happy Acres play area $10 for children, $5 for adults

Downtown: Old Town Paso Robles is great for a walk around. The main square has an excellent playground and on Saturdays a small farmers market gets going early. Covered wagons and horses are de rigueur décor. For the toddlers, the Children’s Museum off the square at the Volunteer Firehouse has a vintage fire truck for clambering.

Sensorio: I’ll admit I was on the fence about this one. As much as I love a good art installation, the ticket price ($65 for an adult all-access pass) seemed high. During my afternoon of wine tasting, the locals I asked about it were unanimous: it is a must visit. Originally opened as a temporary installation in 2019, the COVID interest in activities outdoors and socially distanced led to the permanent installation of a collection of light-based art works by international artists. The largest, Field of Light, by Bruce Munro, encompasses 100,000 fiber optic, solar powered lights, waving like rainbow wands over the low hills of East Paso. What I wasn’t expecting was the full-service set-up. Arriving a bit before sunset, we found a central terrace area already full of visitors lounging by fire pits, eating tacos and sipping the local wine while listening to a live band. Our son joined in with a group of kids running circles on the grassy center. When sun finally edged over the horizon, people leisurely moved toward the entrance of the exhibit. About a mile of walking took us through the Light Field and accompanying Bruce Munro installations. Not knowing how long our kid would last we opted out of the full-access pass bringing the price down to a more reasonable level. There were plenty of benches for people who need a rest during the walk and when the blood sugar was starting to feel low, just when we needed it, a trailer converted into a mobile bar popped up complete with grown up beverages and ice cream sandwiches the size of hubcaps.

Without kids…

Wineries

With over 200 registered wineries in the Paso Robles AVA, it can be hard to know where to start. If you just have one day, I’d suggest focusing on two wineries and sticking to either the east or west side of town so you don’t spend the whole day in the car. As one tasting room host told me, when deciding on a schedule, she always suggests people look at a map and start with the winery furthest from their hotel and work their way back. Sage advice.

MAHA Estate/ Villa Creek

Just the drive to get to MAHA Estate was worth the visit. Be sure to download directions and the gate code before you leave the 101 because you will lose reception the second you enter these winding, oak shaded hills. The owners, Cris and JoAnn Cherry, met in school in San Diego and later moved to Paso, where they started out as restaurateurs. During that time, they began to make a bit of wine on the side under the Villa Creek label. Their first estate harvest pick was 2015 and they closed the restaurant not long after to focus full time on the winemaking. This is as intimate as an experience as you can get. They only take one tasting group at a time, so there will be no shouty bachelorette parties to contend with as you contemplate their grenache blends. Since I was running solo on this one, it was me with a pack of five friendly winery dogs at my feet getting a first-hand education on the sustainable practices of the winery. Along with Tablas Creek, this is the only winery in Paso Robles to have organic, biodynamic and regenerative certification. What does this all mean? They care a lot about the land and their people working it. It shows in the bottle. Highlights for me were This Way, That Way, a 50/50 Grenache and Mourvèdre blend with a stylish label meant to highlight how the friendships forged between winemakers and growers on these winding backroads of Paso are what allows grapes to be shared and wines like this to exist.

Alta Colina: It is worth noting in a region dominated by growers, where many wineries buy in their grapes, that Alta Colina’s wines are made of 100% estate fruit. Spread over two mountain tops that rise to over 1,800 feet, grapes grown here get maximum sun exposure for ripening while enjoying the cooling effects of the Pacific just 30 miles to the west. With another charming winery dog at my feet, I tasted through some fresh takes on Rhone-varietal whites and an on-trend chilled Grenache. Winemaker Molly Lonborg trained as a soil scientist just south at UC San Luis Obispo. The Roussanne, with just 7% Marsanne blended in, felt like the kind of reverence for varietal combined with precision balance of body you would get with a scientist-turned-winemaker. Meanwhile, the full carbonic maceration grenache was a fresh and fun take on chillable red wine in keeping with the rogue reputation of the region. In the tasting room they paired the chilled grenache with a tray of furikake dusted popcorn. It tasted just as good the next day from the bottle I brought to a friend’s house for leisurely Sunday dinner.

Other wineries of note:

Tablas Creek Vineyard: A personal favorite and a leader in sustainable practices as well as the first winery in the world certified regenerative. Look for their wines at your local wine shop or Whole Foods.

JUSTIN: Considered one of the most beautiful wineries in Paso, also home to the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the area.

L’Aventure Winery – Trained in Burgundy, established in Bordeaux, French winemaker Stefan Asseo travelled the world looking for a wine region with suitable terroir and a permissive culture to allow him to explore the boundaries of his interests. Paso Robles, the Wild West of wine regions, fit the bill.

Cass Winery – Restaurant, hotel and winery in a lovely setting on the east side of town.

Booker Wines – Another leader in regenerative farming. Think adorable sheep grazing between the vines helping to keep the soil healthy. Also excellent Syrah.

Where to Eat

Coffee and Breakfast:

Joebella Coffee: North of downtown in the sleek Marketwalk, open early for unsweetened matcha lattes and cappuccinos.

Spearhead Coffee:  a block from the central plaza, hip industrial coffee shop that wouldn’t be out of place in Brooklyn.

Twisted and Glazed: While Orion went crazy for their animal cookie topped chocolate glazed donuts, seasonal fruit topped with no artificial flavors or dyes are the way to go. Breakfast sandwiches on warm croissants also recommended.

Lunch:

Red Scooter Deli: Getting around takes a bit of driving and most of the restaurants are in town. Make things easy and grab a sandwich before you head out for a day of activities. Wineries often offer picnic tables with prior reservations, perfect for enjoying your lunch with a bottle and a view. Plenty of options for GF and Vegetarians.

Dinner:

Della’s Wood-Fired Pizza & Cocktails – It’s Michelin recommended sister restaurant, The Hatch, might be better known, but for a casual dinner with kids, Della’s is a better bet. Market driven pizzas and sides offer plenty to choose from. If you are all wined-out, try their amphora aged Negroni for a quick pick me up.

Goshi Sushi: With a selection of imported fish from Japan alongside sea urchin from Baja and Blue Fin Tuna from nearby Santa Barbara, this as good of sushi as I’ve had in California. In the old rail station, it is a humble spot for surprisingly sophisticated quality and technique. (Also open for lunch)

Other recommendations

Les Petite Canailles: A classic French brasserie started by the son of the owner of L’Aventure.

Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ: A recommended local favorite. Look forward to trying their pulled pork mac n’ cheese on a future visit.

Market Walk: A mile north of downtown, this complex has plenty of parking (in short supply downtown) and two fine restaurant options. In Bloom is sophisticated farm-to-table cuisine with plenty of vegan friendly options (Michelin recommended) and Finca for fresh Baja Mexican cuisine.

Etto Pasta Bar and Etto Pastificio at Tin City: Stop in for an early dinner after wine tasting, or pick up their homemade sauces and fresh pasta to make back at your Airbnb.

Where to Stay

When it comes to decent hotel options, particularly when traveling with children, this is one area where the options appear a bit then. It seems there are some permits approved for new hotel developments so we can hope this situation will improve in the coming years. Airbnb remains a popular option, particularly as the wineries are a popular destination for college reunions and bachelorette parties where friends might prefer the larger space afforded by a house rental.

With Kids…

Adelaide Inn: We booked a room for two nights at the Adelaide Inn, the kind of old school motel where you can back your car right up to your door. It was hipster in a way that was charmingly un-self-conscious. Recently renovated rooms were comfortable with plenty of outlets for charging, good bedside lighting, and fridge and microwave for storing and using all those road trip snacks we were lugging. A slide and swings near a koi pond and a heated pool open until 10pm was all our son needed to have a great time. This sits right off the freeway but is pleasantly quiet in the rooms. Only a five-minute drive from the downtown and a Starbucks across the street for a quick caffeine fix.

Without Kids…

Even hotels seem best set for couples as few boutique options offer double beds. That being said, if you are rolling without little ones in tow, adult-only pools, converted shipping crates turned into luxury rooms, and even glamping in a vintage trailer are all on offer.

Stables Inn: An homage to the horse country that this was and, in many ways, still is, Stables is a Western-chic boutique hotel just three blocks off the town square and nearly across the street from Twisted and Glazed.

Hotel Cheval: This 16-room luxury hotel has lassoed up a host of awards including Conde Nast’s #1 Hotel in Southern California in 2019. Luckily it is expanding with an addition in construction across the street.

Geneseo Inn at Cass Winery: On the east side of town, shipping containers have found new life as luxury accommodations among the vineyards at Cass Winery. An on-site restaurant with farm-to-table cuisine makes this the perfect stop if you want to check-in and not have to look at your car again until it’s time to continue on the road.

The Trailer Pond at Alta Colina: Traveling with a group? Why not book out all five trailers (sleeps 10) at Alta Colina? Set up around the pond that irrigates the surrounding vineyards, turn it into own private glamping experience with optional private chef, sunrise yoga, and full access to the 130 acres of winery grounds. (Note: this is strictly adults only.)

Sensorio at sunset

Planning Your Trip

The Paso Wine App was recommended to me by several wineries. There is a lot of information here on wineries, places to stay (including several winery guest houses), where to eat and upcoming events. The other great feature is that the map lets you see where everything is. This is crucial when planning your tastings so you don’t spend hours driving between appointments. Unfortunately, this app falls a bit short on the filters which are largely useless. I suspect wineries self-identified features such as “stunning views” and “rule breaking” as a search for those plus “boutique/craft” and “estate grown” still netted 175 results. Also, certain wineries (still excellent) that have been bought by larger conglomerates in recent years (Booker, Denner, Daou) are tagged as “family-owned” which feels at the least, misleading. Which is all to say, if you are really looking for a 100% independent, 100% estate grapes, with a great view, you are still going to need to do a bit more digging through the app.

Only Have a Couple of Hours?

Tin City: This 40-business complex located a 10 minute drive south of downtown Paso Robles, is in some ways a microcosm of the region. Small wineries, upstart distilleries and breweries and select craft food options is a one stop shop for the road weary traveler. Check out Giornata for highly rated Italian varietals and Etto Pastificio for homemade pastas to-go. The Tin City website also helpfully lets you know which tastings rooms are kid and dog friendly, which take walk-ins and which are good for groups.

Do you have a favorite part of Paso Robles? Is there a wine region you would like to see me cover? Leave a comment and let me know.