Alec & Rachael
Things To Do
Downtown Paso Robles
Downtown Paso Robles has great shopping, restaurants, and tasting rooms. Here are some of our favorites: Buena Tavola, Taste! Craft Eatery, Fish Gaucho, The Hatch, and The Alchemists Garden. The downtown area has several tasting rooms. We like CaliPaso and Pianetta tasting rooms. The Backyard on Thirteenth is also a popular spot in town.
Paso Robles Wine Tasting
Most wineries have been requiring reservations for tastings since the pandemic. Make sure you plan ahead.
Firestone Walker Taproom Restaurant
Just south of Paso is the Brewery that put the area code 805 on the map. Firestone Walkers' famous blonde "805 Ale" recently became the most popular craft beer in California. The Brewery tasting room is a bit more restaurant than Brewery but if you're a beer fan, its a great place to check out.
Tin City
Think a bar crawl for breweries and wineries. Tin buildings and a party crowd. Highly recommended for daytime wanderings from tasting room to brewery and on and on.
Downtown San Luis Obispo
Check out the farmers market Thursday night or wander around downtown for some great places to grab a coffee or a bite to eat. Here are some of our favorites: Big Sky for breakfast, Firestone Grill for BBQ, Giuseppe's Cucina Rustica or Mama's Meatballs for Italian, Woodstocks for pizza, and Goshi's for sushi. For great coffee check out Scout, Linnea's, and Blackhorse. If you need a great sandwich head out of downtown to either High Street Deli or Lincoln Market and Deli.
San Luis Obispo Wine Tasting
Most wineries have been requiring reservations for tastings. Make sure you plan ahead if you want to get this in on your trip!
Avila Beach
Great beach area with a quaint waterfront. Check out the Hula Hut for coffee, Mr. Ricks if you just want to hit the bar, and Custom House for a great meal.
Pismo Beach
By far the most popular of the beach towns in the central coast. Head to Old West Cinnamon Rolls (make sure to split because they are huge) for a sweet treat in the morning. Don't worry, the line moves fast. Also the home of the original Splash Cafe. If you need coffee check out Kraken Coffee or Scorpion Coffee.
Montaña de Oro State Park
One of our favorite spots on the central coast. Head here for a less crowded beach day, a hike, or a sunset picnic.
Morro Bay
Morro Bay is great for a relaxing morning. Kayak in the bay or take a stroll down the Embarcadero to the rock. If you're hungry, make sure to check out Dorn's.
Cayucos
Directly east of Paso Robles, Cayucos is a quaint little beach town. If you find yourself here in the morning, stop at Bijou Bakery for some coffee and a pastry.
Cambria
If you head to Cambria, make sure to have lunch or dinner at Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill (and order a margarita!). Then head to Linn's for dessert for some fresh Olallieberry Pie.
Hearst Castle Visitor Center
Temporarily closed due to Covid-19. If you are interested in this, check back frequently to see when reservations open up.
Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa
Built in the heart of San Luis Obispo, docent lead tours are provided daily at 1:15 pm (2:00 pm on Sundays).
Mission San Miguel Arcángel
Self guided tours for groups smaller than seven people. If in a larger group, contact the gift shop to make reservations for a docent led tour Monday-Friday.