Things To Do

Free-spirited and unpretentious with a sense of cowboy informality, Paso is alive with boundless activities, culinary creativity, and interesting itineraries for everyone. Paso is great wine and exhilarating activities without the crowds; innovative dining and open roads. See, do, explore and discover the many local experiences and Pasobilities waiting just for you in Paso Robles.

Treat yourself to the seemingly endless outdoor activities, exciting shopping experiences, and interesting local attractions that make Paso so unique. From family-friendly fun to adventurous outdoors to pet-friendly finds, Paso has something exhilarating to see and do for everyone.

Things to Do in Paso Robles

• Hot Air Balloon Rides
• Horseback Trail Rides
• Light at Sensorio
• Scavenger Hunt
• Paso Hot Springs
• The Ampitheater
• Historic Museums
• Zoo to You
• Mission San Miguel
• Tin City
• Sculpture Garden
• Helicopter Wine Tours

Hot Air Balloon Rides

Soar over treetops and vineyard views with Balloons Over Paso, the Central Coast's Premier Hot Air Balloon Rides. Balloons Over Paso is a small business with a mission to make memories that last a lifetime and share the beauty and the serenity one can only get from a hot air balloon ride. The business took off in late 2018 after the owner went on a balloon flight in Australia. She was so inspired that she made it a mission to become a pilot and small business owner. With the help of friends, family, colleagues, and hours upon hours of training out of state, Phoebe Brown moved back to her home state of California with a commercial pilots license and started a small balloon company in Paso Robles, California. 

Set off on a one of a kind experience as you float through the sky above the beautiful countryside. Flights take place at dawn, just as the sun rises and last for an hour, making this the perfect way to start your day in wine country. Flights end with a champagne toast and breakfast treats before sending you to explore the incredible area you just overlooked. Available May through November (based on appropriate weather), a hot air balloon ride is the perfect addition to your summer or fall bucket list. Feel safe and secure knowing that all pilots are licensed by the FAA and balloons are held to the same regulations as commercial airliners when it comes to safety and maintenance. Adventure awaits! 

Horseback Trail Rides

Saddle up for a good time with Central Coast Trail Rides! Operating primarily out of the Paso Robles wine region, Central Coast Trail Rides offers guided horseback riding experiences on California’s Central Coast. Partnering with local wineries, private ranches, vacation properties, and local state land, their customizable packages are a great way to see the area on your next visit. Take a ride through the grapevines and see wine country from a new perspective with various winery riding tours and horseback wine tastings. At Cass Vineyard, ride through varied terrain including vineyards, sandy riverbed, and pristine California hills — a perfect ride for the whole family. Don't miss their Hilltop Vista Sunset Ride for an unbeatable view as the sun goes down. At Fableist Wine Co., lush rolling vineyard hills, sprawling oaks, and big wine country views make this ride one not to miss! For a slightly more technical ride, see the views and hike through the terrain above Santa Margarita lake. Stay & Play with exclusive rides at their partner vacation rental properties along the Central Coast. 

All skill levels are welcome, even if you have never ridden before. Young children, older adults, heavier riders are all welcome. Rides are available year round, by appointment only. 

Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio

Get awe-struck with Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio, featuring four exhibits by the internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro! Sensorio offers a dreamscape that includes the multi-acre walkthrough Field of Light. Now expanded, Field of Light at Sensorio features 100,000 stemmed glass spheres lit by fiber-optics gently illuminating the landscape in subtle blooms of morphing color – making it the world's largest Field of Light installation. This enormous installation is also Munro's largest single artwork to date. The adjacent Light Towers, made from 17,388 wine bottles, rise some seven feet high illuminated in gently changing colors. 

Also featured in this outdoor adventure is the newly added Gone Fishing, a playful interpretation of an introspective pastime, and Fireflies, a whimsical work made up of 9,720 flickering points of light. 

Powered by solar, the stunning exhibition in Paso Robles, CA has captivated visitors, inviting them to engage with the landscape and environment through a surreal light based and sculptural experience. Unveiled in May 2019, Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio offers a breathtaking, not to be missed experience that has attracted over half a million visitors from throughout the world to California's Central Coast.

Scavenger Hunt

Discover downtown Paso Robles with an old school scavenger hunt that has a modern twist. Urban Adventure Quest takes you on a 2-3 hour scavenger hunt through the downtown area. Make the city your game board; see sights, solve clues, complete challenges and learn local history. Start when you want and play at your pace ... all guided from any Smart Phone device. The Paso Quest starts and ends at the corner of Pine and 12th Streets, guiding you along points of interest including, City Park, the Paso Robles Inn, City Hall/Library, the Paso Robles Clocktower, Carnegie Library, Paderewski Piano and more. See Paso in a whole new way as you explore historic buildings, outdoor artwork, cultural landmarks and famous hotels of this great western town. This is a great experience for families or anyone who enjoys trivia and problem-solving challenges. Grab your team and bring a pen and paper as there is memorization and math involved in making it all the way through. Paso Robles is a city that, like its wine, only gets better with age — come see for yourself!

Enjoy 20% off with promo code - PASOHUNT

Soak in Hot Springs

Paso Robles has always been known as a place to rejuvenate and relax – before becoming famous for its wine country the area was celebrated for its natural healing hot springs. In fact, the town was once called “the Springs” by the native Salinan Indians, before being re-named to Paso Robles. In the 1700s these natives enlightened Spain's Franciscan padres about the health benefits of the region's abundant thermal waters. Word of the healing properties quickly spread and attracted great numbers of tourists to the “El Paso de Robles Hot and Cold Sulphur Springs and the Only Natural Mud Baths in the World”. Today, the hot springs downtown are capped, but much of the city was constructed around the Hot Springs. 

Hot sulfur springs still flow through Paso Robles and are open to the public in three locations: River Oaks Hot Springs Spa, Franklin Hot Springs and in select guest rooms at the Paso Robles Inn. River Oaks Hot Springs Spa offers an elevated artesian spa experience where you can enjoy natural mineral water soaks in a private and relaxing atmosphere. Upgrade to the Sip & Soak package to indulge in a unique wine tasting experience at your own pace from a private vineyard-view mineral tub, complete with a flight of 5 local wines paired with a chocolate caramel cookie and Zinfandel infused bath salts. Franklin Hot Springs offers the classic hot springs experience with an outdoor setting focusing on the wide range of benefits such as relief from conditions such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, burns, arthritis, poor circulation, and other disorders. 

Experience the Amphitheater

Nestled on a picturesque, oak-dotted hillside in Paso Robles on California's Central Coast, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre offers guests an opportunity to immerse themselves in a unique and intimate concert adventure as they enjoy modern amenities and first class hospitality. Here, European style meets California character and the stars always shine. With this, two of California's great compositions meet, as exceptional wine and intimate live music are paired to create an unforgettable wine country experience. 

The Vina Robles Amphitheatre is operated by the Vina Robles Vineyards and Winery who originally began hosting an annual summer concert series. Widespread interest lead to the amphitheater project and in the summer of 2013, the location officially opened its doors. Today this boutique amphitheatre is one of the largest outdoor venues for arts and entertainment in the entire San Luis Obispo County. Come enjoy local artists as well as big names such as Chase Rice, The Beach Boys, Train, Kacey Musgraves and many more. Concert season runs from April through November. Expansive seating options include stadium seats, grass area and VIP boxes.

Historic Warbirds & Pioneer Museum

For those who love to explore history, the historic Estrella Warbird Museum and Paso Robles Pioneer Museum are must-sees when you visit Paso. These two unique museums portray exciting times in the town's history. The Pioneer Museum, located downtown, features a massive trove of written and visual history of the town. You'll see Paso from the pioneering age, including the first building houses, farm equipment and old local modes of transportation. You will have the opportunity to visit the Geneseo schoolhouse, built in 1886, which has been relocated to the grounds. You'll also tour a separate building which holds an 85 ton oil pump that was used for 76 years in the area. 

The Estrella Warbird Museum at the Paso Robles Airport, features over 40 macro-artifacts, from classic cessnas to f-14 tomcats, missiles and a variety of military vehicles and memorabilia. Woodland Auto Display features a concentration of nascar race cars, vintage and class automobiles, and the museum even hosts an annual car show and swap meet (a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike.)

Zoo to You

Have a WILD time in Paso Robles! At Zoo to You, Conservation Ambassadors provide a permanent, loving home for displaced, abused, abandoned or permanently injured wild and exotic animals. Through this mission they give a worldwide voice to wildlife by sharing these animal ambassadors' stories and educating learners of all ages about conservation. Their rescue zoo offers you the ability to book animal encounters with Lemurs, Otters, Kangaroos, big cats and more, giving you an up close and personal experience with these animal friends. 

Come experience behind-the-scenes tours of The Zoo and meet the animals up close, a true once-in-a-lifetime encounter with animals from around the globe! Learn more about The Zoo and their outreach programs that bring these animals to school children to help educate about conservation and connect the next generation to the wild world, inspiring them to protect the planet.

Mission San Miguel

Founded in 1797 by the Franciscan order, Mission San Miguel Arcángel is the 16th California mission and was named both a State and National Historic Landmark in 2006. In California, only 7 of the 21 missions are declared National Historic Landmarks. This Spanish mission was built more than 200 years ago with the intention to close the gap between Mission San Antonio (to the North) and Mission San Luis Obispo (to the South).  

Of California's twenty-one missions, Mission San Miguel Arcángel features much of its original layout and buildings, including a portion of the neophyte village and mission arcade. The inside of the church has never been repainted — wall frescos are the originals, painted by Salinan artists hundreds of years ago. Come explore this historic time capsule for yourself. Self-guided museum tours are available daily and docent led tours can be scheduled up to 3 weeks in advance. 

Tin City

If you want to discover the next big thing in wine, beer, food, and spirits, then a daytime stroll through carefree ​Tin City is a must when you visit Paso Robles. This industrial makers market features everything from craft wine, beer, cider and spirits plus farm to table cuisine to attract beer-lovers, wine connoisseurs and foodies alike. Housed in a small warehouse district just three miles south of the downtown area, you can easily park and wander the entire area on foot.

You'll find Tin City is home to innovators BarrelHouse Brewery, Tin City Cider and Wine Shine Distillery. Tin City is also world-famous for its nearly 20 small-production wineries including the award-winning mavericks ONX, Levo, Desparada, Field Recordings, Brian Benson Cellars and Giornata. Start the day with a wine tasting then make your way to McPhee's Canteen or Negranti Creamery Scoop Shop for a snack. Stay busy with lawn games, a rotating selection of the region’s best food trucks, and live music at Barrelhouse. Finish your day with take-home fresh local goods from Etto Pasta or enjoy a five star meal at Michelin star Six Test Kitchen. However you play it, you can't beat a day spent in Tin City.

Sculpture Garden

The beautiful Sculpture Garden was original conceptualized to offer a place to admire art while tasting wine at the Sculpterra Winery and Vineyard. Here Sculpterra houses world-class art featuring the unique visions and tastes of the Central Coast of California artists. The garden is dedicated to the artists of Sculpterra and Paso Robles, highlighting a magnificent collection of bronze and granite sculptures such as the "Mermaid", "Puma" and "Dancing Horse" designed by world renowned sculptor John Jagger (RIP).

Sculpterra also displays the works of numerous other artists from both near and far, including Bob Bently and Darren Brown. With such a large pool of local talent, Sculpterra Winery has truly brought the concept of art and wine to life. Sculpterra Winery continues to search for unique local talent to display their art and goods, continually promoting the bounty of local talent this county has to offer. The current scultpor in residence is now Dale Evers who has recently finished the stainless steel and glass, “Flying Fish” and larger than life “Dragonfly on Cattail”. Come explore the ever-evolving gardens and get lost in the world of art and wine. 

Helicopter Tour

Take to the sky and see wine country from an incredible birds-eye view with Paso helicopter tours. Experience the Central Coast like never before, Paso Air Tours by Sinton Helicopters is prepared to take you on the flight of your life by providing wine tasting and sightseeing excursions like no other. With exciting tour packages, and personalized itineraries, for groups of four to five passengers you can choose the adventure that best suites you. For the ultimate Paso Robles Wine Country experience….. book the Wine & Waves helicopter tour, combining views of the Paso Robles Wine Country with the breathtaking vistas of the California Central Coast. What better way to enjoy Hearst Castle, Morro Rock, and the majestic waves of the Pacific Ocean than in your own privately chartered helicopter? 

Combine a helicopter tour with a lush wine tasting and touring experience — book an all-day aerial tour with stops at select wineries, for a day of wine tasting like no other. Del Rio Aviation offers wine tours in partnership with Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery to create a flight experience you'll never forget. Whether you want to see Wine Country, Hearst Castle, Morro Rock or all of the above, they can make it happen with their unique, customizable experiences.​