A Weekend in Paso Robles: Three Wineries, Rooftop Drinks & a Little Wandering

Paso Robles has been on my list for a while—not because I wanted to race through as many wineries as possible, but because it seemed like the perfect place for the kind of weekend I love: a few things planned, plenty of good food and wine, and enough room to see where the weekend takes us.

We arrived Friday evening and spent Saturday visiting three very different wineries: Le Vigne, Calcareous and Sculpterra. In between, there were cocktails, a rooftop bar, downtown Paso and plenty of reasons to already start thinking about the next trip.

Here’s how we spent our weekend—and what I’d do again.

Friday Night: Cocktails & Rooftop Drinks in Downtown Paso

We rolled into Paso around 7 p.m., dropped our bags at our Airbnb and headed straight back out.

Our first stop was The Alchemist’s Garden.

This was exactly the kind of place I want to find when I arrive somewhere new: a little moody, a little eclectic, great cocktails, and enough personality that you immediately feel like you’ve found somewhere interesting.

After the drive, it was an easy way to kick off the weekend without having a huge first night planned.

From there, we headed to the rooftop at Hotel Ava to enjoy the nice evening air.And this is where our carefully planned Saturday itinerary changed.

At the rooftop bar, we started talking to another couple who told us they’d been to Steinbeck Vineyards and absolutely loved the wine. We already had three winery reservations the next day, so Steinbeck wasn’t remotely part of the plan.

But we made a mental note.

We also found a great Tiki Bar, Canes Tiki Room.

There’s something about a rooftop drink on the first night of a trip that always feels right.

You get to look out over where you’ve just arrived, have one last cocktail and start getting excited about what’s ahead.

It was also my first reminder that Paso isn’t just about the wineries. Downtown has its own energy, and it’s absolutely worth leaving some room in your itinerary—and your suitcase—for a night out.

Saturday: Three Wineries + One Spontaneous Stop

Saturday was the part of the trip I’d planned ahead.

I made reservations at three wineries: Le Vigne at 11 a.m., Calcareous at 1:15 p.m. and Sculpterra at 3:45p.m.

That was the plan, anyway.

We ended up adding a fourth stop at Steinbeck Vineyards, which wasn’t on our original itinerary—and I love that we had enough flexibility in the day to do it.

That’s increasingly how I like to travel: make reservations for the experiences I don’t want to miss, but don’t plan so much that there’s no room to change course when something interesting comes up.

11 AM: Le Vigne Winery

Our first tasting of the day was at Le Vigne Winery for the wine and cheese paring.

Starting at 11 gave us enough time for a slow morning before officially beginning our wine day.

And that’s another thing I’ve learned about wine-country weekends: there’s no prize for being the first person at the tasting room...but because we're early people:)

Le Vigne was our introduction to Paso wine country before we moved farther into the hills for stop number two.

1:15 PM: Calcareous Vineyard

Next up was Calcareous Vineyard.

And this is the kind of place where the setting becomes as much a part of the experience as what’s in your glass.

Calcareous sits high above Paso, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards, with those sweeping Central Coast views that make you want to cancel whatever you’re supposed to be doing next and stay another hour.

They serve lunch, which is great when wine tasting.

But we kept thinking about the couple we’d met the night before.

They had been so enthusiastic about Steinbeck—and particularly the wine—that after finishing our planned tastings, we decided to take their advice and go see it for ourselves.

So we added Steinbeck Vineyards as our fourth and completely unplanned stop.

And that’s probably my favorite part of the story.

I research trips. I make reservations. I want to know the places that are worth going before I arrive.

But I also never want to be so committed to my itinerary that I can’t take a recommendation from two strangers at a rooftop bar and change the plan.

Do the research. Make the reservations. Then listen to the people you meet along the way.

3:45 PM: Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Garden

Our final tasting was at Sculpterra Winery & Sculpture Garden.

And this is exactly the kind of winery I look for when I’m planning a trip.

It isn’t only about tasting wine. The property is also home to a sculpture garden, so you can wander around with your glass and explore the art.

I love places that give you something to experience beyond sitting at a tasting table, especially by the third winery of the day.

And three was plenty.

By the time we finished at Sculpterra around 4:30, I didn’t feel like we’d missed out by not squeezing in another tasting. I felt like we’d actually had time to experience the three places we’d chosen.

What I Wore in Paso

This is something I’m paying a lot more attention to lately.

I’m trying to stop packing for every possible version of myself and start packing for the woman who’s actually going on the trip.

For Paso, that means clothes that feel relaxed enough for wine country but still have some personality.

During the day, I’d go for denim, an interesting top or dress, sunglasses and shoes you can comfortably walk around a vineyard in. And always bring a layer—the temperature can change quickly once the sun starts going down.

At night, I want something a little more fun.

Paso may be casual, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear the outfit.

And I’m increasingly convinced that the good clothes shouldn’t be sitting at home waiting for a more important occasion.

What I’d Do Again

Having reservations meant we weren’t wasting time figuring things out as we went, but three still gave us enough breathing room to actually enjoy each place.

I’d also absolutely spend time downtown again.

It’s easy to think of Paso as a destination where you wake up, visit wineries, have dinner and repeat. But some of my favorite moments of a weekend away happen after the official itinerary is finished.

The cocktail you didn’t research.

The bar you walk into because it looks good.

The side street you decide to wander down.

That’s the stuff I want more of.

How I’d Plan a Paso Robles Weekend

If you’re planning your own weekend, I’d keep it simple.

Friday: Arrive, check in, and go downtown for cocktails and dinner.

Saturday: Make reservations at two or three wineries. Give yourself enough time between them that you’re not constantly watching the clock. Then head back downtown, change and go out for the evening.

Sunday: Don’t rush home. Have breakfast, wander downtown or make one final stop before starting the drive back.

You don’t need to see all of Paso in one weekend.

In fact, I’d argue you shouldn’t try.

Is Paso Robles Worth the Weekend?

Definitely.

It has enough beautiful wine-country experiences to make the trip feel special, but there’s also something wonderfully relaxed about it.

You can drink wine overlooking the hills, wander through a sculpture garden, get dressed up for cocktails downtown and still feel like there’s another Paso waiting for you the next time you come back.

And that’s my favorite kind of destination.

Not somewhere I can check off the list.

Somewhere that gives me a reason to return.