Don't just pass through Paso Robles
Paso Robles spreads out on the hills behind the Santa Lucia Coastal Range, poking its ranches and world-class wineries into every chaparral-clad corner of California's mid-state highlands. This is a place to don the Stetson and issue a "yee-haw" into the cloudless sky, if only to kick-start those wine-tasting sessions and pioneer history lessons in local museums. You can bag Paso Robles vacation rentals between the rolling vineyards in the countryside or go for swish modern pads amidst the handsome Victorian-era homes of the historic center.
The wines flow in Paso Robles
Move over Napa, the designated wine region of Paso Robles is home to an estimated 200 or more wineries. Head to the Paso Wine Centre in the heritage-rich Downtown, where you can lounge in stylish tasting rooms and sample tipples of the good stuff with the help of local guides. A short drive will bring you to the beautiful Eberle Winery – it's even got a "wine cave", where you can dine while being poured glasses of delicious award-winning wines. The uber-cool tasting room at the Jada Vineyard and Winery is also worth a trip, while the Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden fuses vineyards with an al fresco art gallery.
Paso Robles is up on the dusty hills
You'll need to wend your way up through the coastal peaks of the pine-dressed Santa Lucia Coastal Range to discover the hidden wine Mecca of Paso Robles. The town sprawls on a wide plateau, some 730 feet above sea level. There aren't any iconic national parks and reserves in the region, just good old Californian backcountry. It rises and falls in a patchwork of green hills peppered with olive trees and dressed in a blanket of vineyards. The Salinas River extends northwards, fringed with ranches and wide fields of crops.
Transportation options to and around Paso Robles
Fly into San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP), the closest airport, located 27 mi (43.4 km) from the city center. If you can't find a flight that's convenient for your trip, you might consider flying into King City, CA (KIC-Mesa Del Rey), which is 48 mi (77.2 km) away.
If you're traveling by train, the main station is Paso Robles Station.