Enjoy a Weekend Wine Country Escape in Paso Robles, California

Paso Robles, California, is both a place and a lifestyle, sitting snugly at the intersection of cowboy culture and wine country refinement. It’s the jumping-off point for more than 200 wineries spread across seven different growing regions, each with its own microclimate and terroir. Eating and drinking well matters in this town, which is why there are dozens of restaurants and bars despite its small size.

Sip your way through the wineries, distilleries and breweries, then sample sophisticated farm-to-fork cuisine at local eateries. And don’t be afraid to wear your Stetson hat. Paso Robles honors its ranching roots with historic saloons and a pioneer-themed museum.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Friday: Sip Your Way Through Downtown

Jump-start your visit with an ethically sourced espresso or nitro cold brew at Spearhead Coffee. Then hit the streets.

Browse the works of Central Coast artists at Park Street Gallery and Studios on the Park. Poke around Firefly and Bijou to browse boho-chic apparel and jewelry. Step into the Paso Robles History Museum (inside the stately Carnegie Library building) to learn about the region’s winemaking past and Paso’s most notorious resident, the bank robber Jesse James.

When you’re ready for lunch, sample the Gouda and charcuterie at Di Raimondo’s Italian Market & Cheese Shop. Or check out the food vendors at Spring Street’s Paso Market Walk. There’s Japanese soul food at Momotaro Ramen, gourmet burgers at the Third Degree, creamy gelato at Leo Leo and new-school macarons at Just Baked Cake Studio (try the “Maple Bacon” or “Black Pepper Honey”).

Fritter away your afternoon in some of downtown’s 20 tasting rooms. On City Park’s north side, taste cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel at award-winning Justin Wines and pinot noir at Tudor Wines. Sign up for an elevated experience at LXV Wine Lounge — cheeses are dusted in various spice blends, then paired with appropriate wines.

Want to go farther afield? Then designate a driver and follow Highway 46 east to tour Eberle Winery‘s wine caves, or savor the Old West ambience at Tobin James Cellars — it was built on the site of a stagecoach stop. Driving west on Highway 46 delivers a bounty of wineries as well.

If you can visit only one, head uphill to high-elevation Daou Vineyards, known for expansive views from its mountain-top tasting room and divine food pairings. Of course, you can always leave the winery choices — and the driving — to the pros. Uncorked Wine Tours will happily chauffeur you in a plush van from one vineyard to the next.

Wrap up a day of wine-tasting by returning downtown for a locavore meal at Thomas Hill Organics, or sit down to Spanish and Latin American small plates at La Cosecha. Then end the evening with a sweet treat at SLO Sweets. The candy shop is known for its old-fashioned favorites.

Saturday: Taste the Region’s Bounty

Start your day at AMSTRDM Coffee House, known for serving up drinks like “Mocha Oaxaca” and dishes like the “Brunchwrap” (eggs, ham, cheese and more stuffed into a waffle-pressed tortilla). Then head off to get a massage and soak in thermally heated water. At River Oaks Hot Springs, private tubs are fed from springs that emerge from the ground at 117 degrees.

After you’re thoroughly blissed out, head over to Tin City, a sleek industrial park with a hip vibe. Check out 20-plus emerging boutique wineries, among them Aaron Wines, ONX and Field Recordings. They’re all clustered around the Tin City anchor, BarrelHouse Brewing Co., known for barrel-aged sours and a lively beer garden.

You could easily fill a whole day sipping your way around this adult-beverage playground. In addition to wine, craft spirits and hard cider, Tin City also has juicy Kobe beef burgers at McPhee’s Canteen and sheep’s milk ice cream at Negranti Creamery that are great stops for lunch.

Elsewhere in Paso Robles, there’s plenty for non-drinkers to do. Taste locally produced olive oils and vinegars at Pasolivo, Olea and Kiler Ridge, where the tasting room is built from eco-conscious straw bales.

Spend time wandering the meticulously landscaped grounds at Sculpterra Winery, which are filled with two dozen massive bronze and granite sculptures by renowned artists.

Or drive north 10 miles to visit the remarkable San Miguel Mission, founded in 1797. One of the best-preserved California missions, its colonnade has 12 arches of different sizes and shapes, and the church’s interior walls are adorned with vibrant murals painted by Native Americans.

As afternoon fades, walk through the Field of Light at Sensorio, a 15-acre art installation. Artist Bruce Munro’s colorful light show illuminates Paso Robles’ gently rolling grasslands with more than 58,000 stemmed globes, plus towering light blocks made from 17,000 wine bottles. For the optimal viewing experience, show up just as the sun is setting (don’t wait until it’s totally dark).

Afterward, linger over a meal of rustic Italian cuisine — truffle risotto and osso bucco — at downtown’s Il Cortile. Then pop back over to AMSTRDM, which transforms into a piano lounge at night. Classical and jazz musicians from around the country play here several nights a week.

Sunday: Lean Into Ranching Culture

Despite its modern sophistication, Paso has held on tightly to its ranching roots. Every summer, the California Mid-State Fair attracts a crowd for livestock auctions, 4-H competitions, carnival rides and cotton candy on a stick.

First grab a breakfast burrito or huevos rancheros at Los Robles Café before getting a taste of Paso’s cowboy heritage on a guided horseback ride led by Central Coast Trailrides. You don’t need riding experience — your choice of daytime and sunset rides will take you through cabernet vines and along gently sloping hillsides.

After you dismount from your trusty steed, get ready to get tipsy. Have you ever wondered what happens to the leftover grape juice from wine production? In Paso Robles, it’s upcycled as the base alcohol for distilled spirits, which you can sample at various stops along Paso Robles’ Distillery Trail.

Distillery tasting rooms are typically located on vineyard grounds, usually in the backyards of wine-tasting rooms. Try a few local favorites: Krobar’s gins and rye whiskey, Manucci Spirits’ flavored brandy and Re:Find Distillery’s vodka and gin.

Beer drinkers aren’t left out of the fun. Microbrew and nanobrew fans will find their happy place at Silva Brewing or Earth & Fire. Host of the annual International Beer Fest, Firestone Walker Brewery is Paso Robles’ biggest and oldest brewery. Plus, it’s a solid lunch locale, serving pizza and wings.

Your last evening in Paso poses a problem: How to decide among the dozens of top-notch restaurants? If you’re in the mood for Cali-Mex, Fish Gaucho delivers specialty tacos and festive lobster enchiladas. Longtime favorite the Hatch serves wood-fired rotisserie chicken and seared salmon — and you can watch the chefs make your meal in the open kitchen.

Wherever you decide to eat, time your meal so you can catch a concert at Vina Robles outdoor amphitheater or at downtown’s Pour House. And if you can stay up past 10 p.m., haunted Pine Street Saloon is a dependably hopping cowboy bar, especially on karaoke nights.