Your staycation in Paso Robles, CA ... Looking for your next California weekend getaway? I've got you covered! Paso Robles, CA is the perfect spot to stop by, located halfway between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Living in LA with family from the Bay, we met up in Paso for a 1-night stay to celebrate some Aries birthdays in the family. It was the perfect location for all of us to converge, while also being a cute town with plenty to explore. Here are some highlights I recommend for your next visit! ACTIVITIES: The Lights at Sensorio (Website Here) *Only open Thursdays - Sundays* The most magical experience that is a must-do at least once! The beautiful rolling hills of Paso are covered in tens of thousands of solar lights, while also featuring rotating art installations. Tickets can be purchased online. Ticket prices range from $50-$140 depending on how ~exclusive~ you want your experience to be. In my opinion, the standard ticket will do just fine. My parents have tried the inclusive ticket package before, which is probably a special recommendation for celebrations, anniversaries, etc. It comes with a small loge box-like seating with fire pits and some charcuterie included. A huge selling point of the experience is that they have live music in the evenings (check the website though for the exact schedules!) and large lounging areas with grass, tables and chairs, firepits and couches. My recommendation is to arrive while the sun is still low in the sky, so you have time to relax in the lounge area with the live music, and get some food and drinks to start your evening. Once the sun has set and it gets dark, that's when you can head out to the fields. It will be a bit of walking, but nothing undoable for the average person. Maybe a mile or mile and a half when it's all said and done. There are multiple pop-up bars along the walking path to get drinks as you continue on!
ACCOMMODATIONS: My family and I stayed at the Farmhouse Inn, which was right off the main strip of Paso. It's about half a mile from the main town square. It was the cutest little inn with a handful of rooms that more resembled tiny houses. The decor, landscaping, and overall experience was so nice! The people at the front desk were super helpful and friendly. We also ordered a birthday package, which came with the sweetest note, cake-looking candle, and a bottle of rose, and some chocolate toffees! It was such a lovely surprise for the birthdays we were celebrating.
One of the best parts? This place is dog friendly! We finally were able to have our little Luna join us on our weekend trip which made things easier on our family.
Check out the Farmhouse Inn HERE.
FOOD: A must-visit breakfast place in Paso is BRUNCH. This place is always busy! Our usual routine is to put our name in on the waitlist and head across the street to order coffee from our favorite coffee spot (see below). Brunch is the perfect breakfast joint, with all the classic foods, some unique foods, beverages and coffee. Everything on the menu is good! My favorite dish that I only ever get here, is the Brunch Hash. It's braised pork shoulder with the hash being root vegetables. I think they include potatoes, carrots and turnips, which is such a unique combination and interesting flavor profile! It comes with fried eggs on top. Click the link to explore their menu.
I would love to make a recommendation for drinks/bars, but for this particular trip, we kept the drinking to the spots at Sensorio. I'll make a recommendation for bars and wineries on my next outing!
COFFEE: I am begging you to check out Slow Rush. This is a tiny coffee shop that is a drive thru window with a walk-up window too. The guy who usually works this little shop is SO SWEET. He's the nicest guy, very conversational, and has great explanations and recommendations of everything on the menu. Because only 1 person works this shop at a time, there usually is a bit of a wait, as the worker has to juggle walk-ups and drive through car orders. But it is worth the wait! Not only for the great coffee and unique menu offerings, but the person who works it is so amazing that it makes the wait bearable! If you come to this shop, be sure to tip your barista well - they are always busy and working so hard! That's all for this time! If you have any questions or recommendations for next time, send me a message!
