About Paso Robles

El Paso de Robles: the Pass of the Oaks

Long before it was wine country, Paso was a hot-springs resort town. Here's how it got from there to more than 200 wineries, and how to get here yourself.

17wineries when the Paso Robles AVA was created in 1983

200+wineries today

≈5,000 → 40,000+vineyard acres, 1983 to today

60+grape varieties grown

11sub-district AVAs, approved in 2014

85%of Paso wineries make fewer than 8,000 cases a year

History

From springs to vines

Before 1700sThe Salinan people live along the river and use the thermal springs at the center of today's town.

1797Mission San Miguel Arcángel is founded ten miles north; mission grapes come with it.

1857The Blackburn brothers and Lazarus Godchaux buy Rancho Paso de Robles, the "Pass of the Oaks."

1864The first hot-springs hotel opens. Paso becomes known as a health resort and California's oldest watering place.

1882Andrew York plants vines at what becomes York Mountain Winery, Paso's first commercial winery.

1886–1889The Southern Pacific railroad arrives. The city incorporates in 1889, and work starts on the grand Hotel El Paso de Robles, which opens in 1891.

1914Pianist (and future Polish prime minister) Ignacy Paderewski arrives for the hot springs, buys Rancho San Ignacio, and plants Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.

1940The Hotel El Paso de Robles burns; the Paso Robles Inn rises in its place.

1960s–70sDr. Stanley Hoffman, advised by André Tchelistcheff, plants Cabernet. Estrella River and Eberle follow.

1983The Paso Robles AVA is approved with 17 wineries and about 5,000 vineyard acres. The first Paso Robles Wine Festival is held in the park.

1990Tablas Creek begins importing vine cuttings from Château de Beaucastel. The Rhône movement takes off.

2010Wine Spectator names Saxum's James Berry Vineyard the No. 1 wine in the world.

2013–2014Wine Enthusiast names Paso its Wine Region of the Year. Eleven sub-AVAs are approved.

TodayMore than 200 wineries and 40,000 vineyard acres, the first designated distillery trail in California, and a downtown that still centers on the 1889 City Park.

The Paso Robles Hot Springs Hotel, early 1900s. It burned in 1940 and the Paso Robles Inn was built on the site. *Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Railroad-era illustration advertising Paso Robles Hot Springs, c. 1910. *Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons*

Getting here

Halfway between LA and San Francisco

Paso sits on US-101 where Highway 46 crosses from the Central Valley to the coast. Drive times are approximate and assume normal traffic.

From	Distance	Drive	Route
Los Angeles	≈ 205 mi	3½ hrs	US-101 north the whole way: through Santa Barbara, along the coast at Gaviota, then up through San Luis Obispo and over the Cuesta Grade.
San Francisco	≈ 205 mi	3½ hrs	US-101 south through San Jose, Gilroy and the Salinas Valley. Paso is almost exactly halfway between LA and SF.
San Jose	≈ 160 mi	2½ hrs	US-101 south.
Santa Barbara	≈ 120 mi	2 hrs	US-101 north.
Monterey / Carmel	≈ 120 mi	2 hrs	CA-68 to US-101 south. Or take Highway 1 down the Big Sur coast and cut over via Cambria and CA-46. Check Caltrans for Highway 1 closures first.
Fresno	≈ 125 mi	2¼ hrs	CA-41 southwest to CA-46 west.
Bakersfield	≈ 115 mi	2 hrs	CA-58 or CA-46 west across the hills.
Sacramento	≈ 250 mi	4 hrs	I-5 south to CA-152, then US-101 south.
San Diego	≈ 330 mi	5½ hrs	I-5 north to LA, then US-101 north.
Las Vegas	≈ 390 mi	6 hrs	I-15 to Barstow, CA-58 west, then CA-46 west at Wasco.

Flying in

San Luis Obispo County Regional (SBP)

≈ 30 mi · 35–40 min

The closest commercial airport, with nonstops on United, Alaska and American to hubs including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Seattle, Phoenix and Dallas–Fort Worth, plus seasonal routes. Rental cars on site.

Paso Robles Municipal (PRB)

≈ 4 mi · 10 min

No scheduled airline service. Ideal for private and charter flights and regional hops; FBO services on the field. Helicopter wine tours depart from here.

Santa Maria Public (SMX)

≈ 60 mi · 1 hr

A smaller regional alternative to the south.

San Jose (SJC) / Los Angeles (LAX) / Burbank (BUR)

2½–4 hrs

Big-airport fares and schedules, then a scenic US-101 drive.

Airline routes change seasonally. Check the airport's site for current nonstops.