PASO ROBLES (pop. 18,600, elev. 721') is located about 20 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. It is literally half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Paso Robles is one of the fastest growing vineyard and winery regions in the state of California. The number of bonded wineries and wine grape acres almost doubled between 1993 and 1997. The climate and diverse soils provide optimal growing conditions for a variety of grapes. Hot days are contrasted by the coastal breezes which flow over the Santa Lucia Mountain Range to cool the vineyards in the evening. You can find out more about the Central Coast Wine Region if you click here.
The city of Paso Robles and the surrounding area is a destination within itself. Here is a slideshow of pictures we took on one of our trips to the area. Most of these pictures were taken from CA Highway 46 which meanders from the coast eastward to the city of Paso Robles, about 25 miles away. The last photos in the slideshow ar views from wineries there.